The November signing period has officially come to a close, and the picture that South Carolina women's basketball is painting for the 2025 recruiting class is starting to look less like a finished masterpiece and more like a well-drawn sketch. Dawn Staley has two signatures locked in, one key target is off the board, and three major prospects still have decisions hanging in the balance. If November answered anything, it is this: South Carolina is not done building.
The Gamecocks have secured two foundational pieces with Kaeli Wynn and Kelsi Andrews, both long, skilled, and build for South Carolina's developmental pipeline. Nether comes with the hype of a No. 1 overall recruit, but the staff is betting on the trajectory, and those two have that locked down.
The one moment that sent a ripple through the recruiting boards was post target Fope Ayo choosing Michigan over South Carolina. She was a priority for the Gamecocks, a true interior piece with the tools and physicality to grow into something special.
This program has missed out on some big recruits before and still turned frontcourts into national-title machines. So, while the miss does matter, it is far from catastrophic. What is really does is raise the stakes on the spring.
While some schools pulled stunts and others landed surprises, South Carolina held steady. There were no unexpected commitments, no devastating flips. It was just a week that passed without any chaos, and in recruiting, sometimes that is a win within itself. The biggest headline came from who didn't sign: five-star Jerzy Robinson. In fact, she skipped her high school's ceremony entirely. Her delay leaves the door open for South Carolina, but it also turns the spring signing period into a high-stakes game. The Gamecocks are positioned well, however.
Alicia Tournebize and Sarah Okeke didn’t commit early either. South Carolina has not hosted either prospect for an official visit yet, which means a November decision likely wouldn’t have gone the Gamecocks’ way. By waiting, both players have effectively given Staley’s staff a four-month timeframe to get them to Columbia, build a real relationship, and then make their move.
The early signing period brought stability, some structure and clarity. Now looking forward, the spring signing period is where the fireworks could happen.