Vols land 6-foot-3 Edwards, No. 2 recruit in '26

Oliviyah Edwards, the No. 2 player in the 2026 SC Next 100 class, has committed to Tennessee, she announced Saturday.

The 6-foot-3 forward from Washington state chose Kim Caldwell and the Lady Volunteers over USC, South Carolina, LSU, Florida and Washington.

"I chose the University of Tennessee because I felt welcomed from the very beginning," Edwards told ESPN. "The freshman class reached out and made me feel a part of the family right away. Most importantly, I love their style of play and the freedom it gives me on the court. This program has an amazing legacy, and I cannot wait to be a part of it."

Edwards most recently averaged 17 points and 7.8 rebounds on 63.5% shooting from the field for the Northwest Greyhounds this past year, including taking the team to the Final Four of the adidas 3ssb circuit.

She has arguably the most upside among the top three players in the 2026 class -- No. 1 Saniyah Hall (USC) and No. 3 Olivia Vukosa (uncommitted) -- and can guard almost any position on the floor.

She's also capable of feats like dunking in the middle of a game after slicing through a passing lane on defense, and her immense talent creates a high standard.

Edwards is the first commitment for the Tennessee. She is the highest-rated recruit for the Lady Volunteers since 2019 (No. 2 Jordan Horston, for former head coach Holly Warlock), and the first top-five recruit for Caldwell.

The second-year coach has so far proven she can compete for top talent: She recruited the No. 2 class for 2025 in her first year at the helm, featuring five-stars No. 9 Mia Pauldo, No. 17 Deniya Prawl and No. 20 Jaida Civil, along with No. 45 Lauren Hurst and No. 57 Mya Pauldo.

For the 2026 cycle, the Lady Vols remain in the mix for five-stars Trinity Jones (No. 7), Brihanna Crittendon (No. 9), Jacy Abii (No. 10) and Bella Fleming (No. 12).