South Carolina is a powerhouse in women’s college basketball, winning three national championships in nine seasons. Several prospects have become top players under the guidance of coach Dawn Staley.
The Gamecocks continue to build their aura of invincibility, attracting five-star high school prospect Kaeli Wynn. She signed with South Carolina on Wednesday and will join the team in the 2026-27 season.
Before her decision, Wynn made Staley anxious about a possible ACC commitment.
How Did Kaeli Wynn Pull Off the Surprise on Dawn Staley?
Ranked No. 17 in ESPN’s Class of 2026 rankings, Wynn also received an offer from Stanford, which had the three-time national champion coach worried due to the player’s proximity with the school (Wynn is from Santa Ana, California) and the program being one of the perennial contenders in women’s basketball.
The Mater Dei standout even had Staley at her mercy when she was apparently avoiding the coach’s text messages.
“The night before, she was like, ‘Can we talk tomorrow?'” Staley recalled. “And I swear, I don’t like those, ‘Can we talk tomorrow’ (text messages). They don’t feel good. And it didn’t feel good. So I’m like, ‘Can we talk tonight? Tell me tonight!’ That was the night before.”
That DM had the veteran bench tactician worried, especially once she knew which school was the other contender for the forward’s commitment. Staley’s anxiety was through the roof, so much so she even got in touch with an assistant coach and expressed belief Wynn could commit to another school (Stanford).
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Wynn was cooking something that would surprise Staley. The 6’2″ prospect asked the assistance of South Carolina media producer Jhalen Wingate to get in touch with the team after practice and deliver an impactful message.
The high school standout’s subsequent announcement of her commitment to South Carolina caught Staley and the coaching staff by surprise. The three-time champion coach could only utter the words “You got me!,” as the whole squad exploded in joy.
🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽 special place, special people!!! pic.twitter.com/elh4KOH58k
— Kaeli Wynn (@kaeli_wynn) November 13, 2025
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Senior guard Raven Johnson expressed shock with the surprise announcement, saying that everybody were shouting when Wynn said she’s taking her talents to Columbia, South Carolina.
She is not the only five-star high school prospect signed up by South Carolina during the week. The Gamecocks also secured the nod of 6’4″ forward Kelsi Andrews.
Ranked No. 18 by HoopGurlz and 30th by Rivals/On3, Andrews was a Gamecock fan and that made it easy for South Carolina to secure her commitment on Oct. 7 and signed up on Wednesday as well.
“Kelsi brings a unique combination of size, skill and versatility that perfectly fit how we want to play. Her basketball IQ, defensive presence and resilience make her a special addition to our Gamecock family,” Staley said.
Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks will have until Nov. 19 to sign more high school prospects for its 2026-27 roster. The team is also reportedly interested in highly-rated combo guard Jerzy Robinson, whose suitors include LSU and defending champion UConn.