Five-star guard Jayla Jordyn Jackson is hours away from announcing her decision—will Dawn Staley and South Carolina land the elite 2026 prospect?

South Carolina Women’s Hoops: Top Recruit Jayla Jordyn Jackson Locks in Commitment Announcement Date
sportsearchers.com10 August 2025

Five-Star Guard Jayla Jordyn Jackson to Announce College Commitment Saturday

One of the nation’s top prospects in the 2026 recruiting class, Jayla Jordyn Jackson, will reveal her college choice at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 9.

The 6-foot-1 guard from Arlington, Virginia stars for Sidwell Friends School and the elite Team Durant AAU program. A consensus five-star talent, Jackson is ranked No. 7 nationally by Rivals and No. 8 by ESPN.

Earlier this year, she named her six finalists: South Carolina, Maryland, Alabama, TCU, Miami, and Ohio State. By late June, Jackson had taken official visits to Maryland, Ohio State, Miami, and Alabama, though it’s unclear if she has visited South Carolina or TCU.

A versatile offensive threat, ESPN compared her game to Maryland guard Kaylene Smikle. Jackson describes herself as a “slasher” who can impact the game on both ends of the floor.

“I think I can do a lot of things,” Jackson told On3’s Talia Goodman. “I can rebound and I think I can make my teammates great at the same time. I think I’m a really good scorer, and I think I’m a really, really good defender.”

When asked about South Carolina, Jackson had high praise for both the program and head coach Dawn Staley.

“Obviously it’s one of the best schools in the nation,” she said. “Coach Staley has an awesome resume. She’s an awesome person. I think our relationship is pretty good. I think I’d develop as a player and as a person tremendously there. I just think that everybody gets better there. I think I’d get better there.”

Jackson’s decision will make her the second top-ten player in the 2026 class to commit, following No. 1-ranked Saniyah Hall, who pledged to Southern Cal in July. South Carolina has yet to secure a 2026 commitment but remains in the mix for several elite prospects.