Currently, legendary South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley is facilitating a new identity for her program. Nevertheless, the Gamecocks are the No.3 team in the nation and have a 12-1 record.
Their only loss thus far came against No. 2 Texas, 66-64. In the meantime, Staley is putting the work in to build for the future. On Tuesday, it was announced that Staley had successfully recruited top 5 prospect Jerzy Robinson as part of the class of 2026, per ESPN.
Robinson is a 6'0 guard from Sierra Canyon High School in Phoenix, Arizona. She had also considered USC, UCLA, UConn, and LSU.
The moment Jerzy Robinson committed to South Carolina on NBA Today 👏
She is the last top-10 recruit from the @SCNext 100 Class of 2026 to announce her college commitment ❤️ pic.twitter.com/XBkLbLTjr7
— ESPN (@espn) December 23, 2025
Also, Robinson has international experience playing for Team USA. She competed in the 2023 FIBA Americas U16 Championship, 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup, and 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup.
In 2023, Robinson averaged 17.3 points and 10.2 rebounds per game as Team USA won the gold medal. The following year, the U.S. won the gold medal at the U17 World Cup. In the process, Robinson was named MVP, averaging 20.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.
Then, the U.S. team won another gold medal this year, with Robinson averaging 7.7 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.
Dawn Staley's recruits have turned into real success stories.
Over the last several years, Dawn Staley knew how to pick 'em. She has produced some of the biggest names in women's basketball because she saw something special in them when they were in high school.
Three of those players include A'ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston, and Kamilla Cardoso. In 2014, Wilson was recruited by Staley out of Heathwood Hall Episcopal School in Columbia, South Carolina. Three years later, she helped lead the Gamecocks to their first national championship.
Today, Wilson is the best all-around player in the WNBA, fresh off winning her fourth MVP and a third WNBA title with the Las Vegas Aces.
In 2019, Boston was recruited out of Worcester Academy in Worcester, Massachusetts. During her junior season at South Carolina, they won the national championship. She was then selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever and named Rookie of the Year.
In 2024, Kamilla Cardoso helped lead the Gamecocks to an undefeated national championship season. That year, she was the No.3 pick in the WNBA Draft by the Chicago Sky.
