How incoming South Carolina, Clemson WBB recruits hope to make an impact in 2026
It is no secret that future South Carolina Gamecock Jerzy Robinson loves to score.
But it will be other parts of her game that she hopes to contribute when she arrives on campus this summer to play for coach Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks squad.
“I think for me, it’s versatility,” Robinson said Monday during media day for Tuesday’s McDonald’s All-American game. “Just coming in and being able to do anything, you know, contribute in different ways other than what we all know and love to do, which is scoring. Then, I think leadership is gonna be a big role for me as well. So just coming in, being a sponge, but also being myself when I step in there.”
Robinson, who ESPN ranks as the fifth-best prospect for Class of 2026, is the only Gamecock commit picked to play in the game. She is part of the USC’s three-person recruiting class along with forwards Kaeli Wynn and Kelsi Andrews.
Robinson is yet to sign with South Carolina but is expected to do so in the spring period.
Future Clemson player Trinity Jones played in the game and is the first Tiger signee to play in the all-star game in the modern era.
The game, which was played in Glendale, Arizona, will be a homecoming for Robinson. She is from nearby Phoenix and led Desert Mountain High School to a state championship as a freshman before transferring to Sierra Canyon in California.
“I would say it’s divine intervention from the man above to be able to come back to my city and play in my hometown in front of, you know, my family, my support system,” Robinson said. “It’s the biggest honor. I’m super excited for it, and I’m really just rejoicing in it all. It’s been a long time since I’ve been back home, so I’m taking it all in.”
At Sierra, Robinson left as the school’s all-time leading scorer, breaking the mark of current Southern Cal star JuJu Watkins’ scoring record. She led Sierra Canyon to the CIF Southern Section Open Division championship.
In the title game, Robinson had 32 points and 12 rebounds in the win over Ontario Christian. For the season, Robinson averaged 21.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.5 assist, and 1.5 steals and was a finalist for the Naismith High school Player of the Year.
Robinson’s scoring ability definitely will be a help South Carolina with the graduation of guards Raven Johnson and Taniya Latson. Staley will look for the 6-foot-1 Robinson to contribute right away in that department.
Robinson picked South Carolina over LSU (one of Gamecocks’ SEC rivals) and top-ranked UConn. She reflected on her recruitment during the media session and her excitement to play for Staley.
“My visit was amazing. It was way better than I could have imagined,” Robinson said. “But I think super importantly was authenticity between me and Dawn. I told her my goals. You know, I have, you know, the highest expectations out of myself, and, you know, she maxed that out with me. She said, which is something I remember is she said, ‘I’m only going to add to you, I’m not gonna take away.’”
“So that was super big for me. When picking a college, it’s all about fit, so I’m ready to go play for a dog like Dawn Staley.”
Trinity Jones making Clemson history
While Robinson will be the 30th McDonald’s All-American to play for Staley, Jones will be the first future Clemson player to play in the game and is part of the highest ranked recruiting class in Tiger history.
The 6-foot-1 Jones is ranked No. 11 in the country for the Class of 2026 by ESPN.
“As the highest-ranked recruit in program history, Trinity will help us set new standards — her work ethic and passion for the game make her future incredibly bright,” Clemson coach Shawn Poppie said in a school release when Jones signed.
Jones wasn’t sure if she would have the chance to play in the game and entered her senior year at Naperville Central (Ill.) coming off a torn ACL. But she responded with a big year, averaging 28.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 2.3 assists.
Jones also broke the school’s all-time career scoring record, previously held by Basketball Hall of Famer and current TV analyst Candace Parker.
“ I didn’t even think I would have the strength to come out here and to compete,” Jones said. “But the fact I’m out here and I’m doing good, like, I’m feeling confident in myself, I feel strong. I would just say anything’s possible. So, like, never doubt yourself. There’s gonna be bumps in the road, but you always gotta make sure you have a good support system.”
In addition to her injury, Jones reflected on her recruitment during her media session and how Clemson was able to sign her despite her being recruited by other high-profile schools including Tennessee, LSU, UCLA, TCU, and Oklahoma.
During her official visit, Clemson assistant Chris Ayers put together a surprise video of Jones’ family and friends with messages to her.
“The connection I have with the coaches, I remember on my visit, I had alone time with each and every coach and all of them are different from each other,” Jones said. “They all have different stories and I really connected on how they spoke to me. I really enjoyed hearing about their life lessons.”
Jones said Poppie already has been giving her things to work on as she prepares to arrive on campus in the summer.
Her arrival is coming at the right time as Clemson looks to build on the momentum created in Poppie’s second season. The Tigers are coming off their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019 and only their second appearance since 2002. The Tigers lost to Southern Cal 71-67 in the first round in overtime.
“I like the things that he’s teaching me and telling me what to do,” Jones said of Poppie. “... I bring a lot of energy to the court. I like to say I got that dog in me.”
This story was originally published March 31, 2026 at 8:00 AM.
