Alright, so here we are, October 2025, and what’s the buzz? UConn and South Carolina—yeah, the women’s hoops giants—have exactly zero recruits signed for the 2026 class. Zip. Nada. Sounds wild, but honestly? It’s not some five-alarm fire. It’s them flexing, plain and simple. The game’s changed, and these programs are just ahead of the curve, letting the transfer portal do most of the heavy lifting.
Why the empty 2026 class? It’s all on purpose
Let’s be real: these schools don’t need to grovel at the feet of every 17-year-old with a killer crossover. They’re the top dogs in the portal world—players are dying to jump ship and land there. So instead of blowing their time and budget on high school recruiting 24/7, they can just sit back and cherry-pick proven talent when the portal opens up.
- They’re not totally ghosting high schoolers—UConn’s still poking around with names like Jerzy Robinson and Olivia Vukosa, and South Carolina flirted with McKenna Woliczko before Iowa snatched her up.
- But the days of “let’s lock in a whole class by junior year and cross our fingers” are fading fast. It’s all about staying nimble.
Oh, and peep UConn’s publicly listed 2026 offers—they’re mostly to smaller names. The real action? Probably happening in DMs and closed-door convos with college players eyeing the portal. Vukosa got a second visit, but, eh, nothing’s official yet.
What’s it mean for the women’s college hoops pecking order?
Honestly, this is a power move. These programs don’t have to rush to fill every scholarship the old-fashioned way. They can just let their brand and TV clout do the talking and scoop up talent whenever they want. What used to look risky is now just… smart business.
Sure, there’s a gamble. Maybe a five-star kid strings them along and then bounces, or the perfect portal fit ghosts them at the last minute. But UConn and South Carolina clearly think the rewards are bigger than the risks.
TV deals are just pouring gas on the fire
By the way, South Carolina’s not just playing chess with recruiting—they’re snagging prime ABC slots for 2025-26. Tennessee in the afternoon, LSU in primetime on Valentine’s Day (seriously, hoops beats a dinner date). That LSU game? Extra spicy—MiLaysia Fulwiley, who just bailed on South Carolina for LSU, gets to face her old squad. You couldn’t script it better.
And don’t sleep on what that kind of spotlight does for recruiting. Kids want to play on national TV, coaches want eyeballs, and when you mix that exposure with the freedom to build a roster on the fly? It’s a cheat code.
So, what’s the real takeaway?
Bottom line: UConn and South Carolina passing on 2026 high school signees isn’t them slipping. It’s just them playing 3D chess while everyone else is stuck on checkers. In this portal era, you don’t need to hoard freshmen—you just need to stay sharp, keep your brand hot, and grab stars when it counts.
The old model’s cracking. The new blueprint? Timing, swagger, and a killer Instagram feed. Welcome to the next wave of NCAAW roster building.
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