The South Carolina Gamecocks, coached by Dawn Staley, have found their first recruit from the class of 2026 for the next year. On Wednesday, Oct. 8, it was reported by @WNBAGamecocks on X/Twitter that IMG Academy forward Kelsi Andrews has verbally committed to the Gamecocks for her first campaign of college basketball in the 2026-27 season.
Andrews will enter her final year of high school hoops in the 2025-26 campaign, meaning she will be eligible to play for the Gamecocks next year as a freshman. The 6-foot-3 standout is currently listed by 247Sports as the No. 21 nationally ranked prospect among all five-star recruits in the class of 2026. Staley and the Gamecocks have nailed their first successful recruitment from the aforementioned batch.
A birdie has found her home! 🐣
Kelsi Andrews has committed to University of South Carolina.
6’3” F, (ESPN No. 18) IMG Academy, FL (Hometown: Hazel Green, AL), 2026 Class. pic.twitter.com/iKSs20K51A
— WNBAGamecocks (@WNBAGamecocks) October 7, 2025
The development comes after South Carolina recently lost out on Archbishop Mitty stalwart McKenna Woliczko, currently ranked by 247Sports as the sixth-best five-star prospect in the same class as Andrews. Woliczko opted to commit to coach Jan Jensen’s Iowa Hawkeyes for her first year of collegiate hoops, also in the 2026-27 campaign, as the highest-rated high school recruit since Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark.
As the Hawkeyes look for their next tenured star after Clark, it seems like Staley and the Gamecocks are also making moves to redeem themselves after their 2025 NCAA Championship loss. South Carolina lost in this year’s national title game to the UConn Huskies by 23 points, 82-59, as they were pursuing a national championship repeat after winning in 2024.
Read More: Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Dealt Major Blow As Highest Rated Recruit Since Caitlin Clark Joins Jan Jensen’s Iowa
Kelsi Andrews Says The South Carolina Gamecocks Have Been Keeping An Eye On Her
In an article written by Dushawn London of 247Sports, Kelsi Andrews revealed that her decision to commit to the South Carolina Gamecocks for her college basketball career was in the works for a while. She said the Gamecocks, particularly assistant coach Jolette Law and even Dawn Staley, had kept a keen eye on her progress throughout high school.
“South Carolina just felt right. The people, the culture, and the way they care about you beyond basketball reminded me why I fell in love with the game in the first place. Coach Law was one of the first coaches to watch me play back in 7th grade, and from that moment, they’ve been consistent ever since. Through both of my ACL tears, Coach Staley never left my side, and that meant everything to me,” Andrews was quoted as saying.
Also Read: Recapping Everything Iowa Hawkeyes HC Jan Jensen Said After OT Loss vs. Ohio State
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, basketball, and more!
