It almost felt like all the bad news for the Lady Vols basketball team this offseason was over, but there was one final blow, and it may have been the most intense. Kim Caldwell worked her tail off to recruit Oliviyah Edwards to Tennessee, the No. 5 recruit in the country, according to 247Sports. The 6-foot-3 forward was expected to do big things in Knoxville, but after everyone left this offseason, so did Edwards.
Fans won’t like this trend as Ole Miss steals another former Lady Vol
The bottom line is, things get worse. Edwards has just announced her commitment today, and she will be heading to South Carolina to play for Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks. Seeing her stay in the SEC is just brutal, as the Lady Vols will now have to face her a couple of times a year instead of having her on the roster. Just painful.
Sometimes it takes twice to get it right ❤️🐔 #Committed pic.twitter.com/JhMT9Di1fO
— Oliviyah “Big Oh” Edwards (@EdwardsOliviyah) April 23, 2026
Former Lady Vol commit Oliviyah Edwards is now going to South Carolina
Oliviyah Edwards is going to have an outstanding college career, but it’s unfortunate it won’t be in Knoxville. After the mass exodus this offseason, it’s not surprising she didn’t stick around, but it still stings. Her combination of size and speed makes her an elite presence in the paint, as she rebounds at a high level and finishes effectively at the rim.
On the bright side, Kim Caldwell has done an excellent job replenishing the roster with talent that fits her system and buys into the program. Caldwell runs a different style than most, prioritizing the three-point shot and full-court pressure, but it only works if the roster is built to support it. The Lady Vols have picked up multiple sharpshooters who have proven they can knock down threes against high-level competition.
All in all, the harsh reality is that no matter how many good pickups Caldwell gets, not having Edwards stings, as she would have been a great fit for the Vols down low. All the Tennessee program can do now is move forward and hopefully take down Edwards and South Carolina when they meet next season.
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