Lady Vols basketball signed one of the top recruits in the country in the 2026 class, five-star Oliviyah Edwards. Clocking in as the No. 2 prospect in the nation on ESPN, she was promptly named to the McDonald’s All-American Game.
As she prepares for the showcase, Edwards met with the media in a press conference setting to field questions. She was asked about joining Tennessee, her ability to dunk and more.
Here’s what she said.
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On being named a 2026 McDonald’s All-American
“Just seeing my name on ESPN and having my mom there recording me and everything, like, just all the feelings going through my mind and just thinking about everything I put into basketball, all the hard work I put into it, and it finally being a dream come true. Like, I got to where I wanted to go, and I’m here.”
On what she’s learned about the other McDonald’s All-Americans
“I would say you just learn to appreciate the little things and do the little things because everybody’s good. So you gotta really find, like, everyone talks about, okay, when you get to college, in college everyone’s good, but once you’re actually put into that situation, it’s like, oh, okay, this is what they meant. And so I feel like it’s pretty good to get a taste of that before you go to college, and just being able to compete against everybody for one last time.”
On playing against No. 1 overall recruit, UNC signee Kate Harping
“I mean, it’s hard. I mean, obviously it’s hard to guard Kate, and luckily, I didn’t have to because I’m a big, she’s a guard. I would just say just being that teammate, having the help, being in help side and just having the stat, like, your coaches are telling you, okay, this is what she’s gonna do, this is what you need to watch out for. And so I would just say it just prepares you for the next level because other girls aren’t that good. So like, for example, high school, you’re just going in, and you control the game. So having other people that control the game as well, it’s like, okay, you really have to take what you can get.”
On how she’d design a Tennessee home jersey
“That’s a good question. I would just think about, like, what I feel like is missing from the court. I would try to insert my own swag into it, probably. Yeah, I don’t know. That’s a good question. When I usually draw, I start off with like scribbles, and like, if I’m going off the dome, I either have a reference, or I’m just scribbling until I see a vision, and then I go off of that. So honestly, I’ll just let it come to me.”
On the rivalry with Vanderbilt, playing five-star VU signee Olivia Jones in college
“Just to see and watch each other grow after each game. Like, obviously, it’s a rivalry, but I mean, it’s still love. It’s still love. So I mean, after the game, lose or win, you feel me, we’re still probably gonna dap each other up, give a little hug in the line. I’m excited to just be close in that and just knowing we can compete and still be close.”
On when she realized she could dunk
“I started in 7th grade trying to like not — I didn’t actually make them, but that’s when I was like touching rim and the ball was going in at the same time. And then I just slowly progressed that. I was running hills, I was doing a lot of hurdles and stuff, just trying to get my bounce. I mean, as you can see, I’ve made it to where I can dunk, and I’m very blessed to have this ability and use it to my advantage.”
On if she’s competing in the dunk contest this year
“Yessir.”
On following Candace Parker’s footsteps at Tennessee and in the dunk contest
“Yeah, so I’m excited to follow in Candace’s footsteps. Obviously, she’s a great player and a great person. I would just say I’m trying to make history. Like, I’m excited. I want to be able to inspire younger girls all around to show them that, like, we can do it. I just know that I want to go into Tennessee and dominate. That’s really my goal. I want to dominate, make a name for myself, and also continue the legacy.”
On how excited she is to join Tennessee, the future of the Lady Vols program
“I’m very excited. I think I’ll show a lot of growth, especially with playing against girls that are as good as me every single day. I feel like the change of pace will be good for me. And all in all, I’m just excited to be with that family.”
On what she needs to work on to be an impact player at Tennessee
“My running. I need to work on running, I’m not gonna lie, they run a lot, and running is hard. So I mean, but the more I do it, the better I’ll get at it. So I’m not really worried about that part.”
On East or West tomorrow night
“West.”
