The focus has been (and continues to be) on the Class of 2026, a group that features a ton of women's basketball talent for college coaches to recruit.
Olivia Jones is highly-regarded as a top-20 rated player in this recruiting class, earning interest from programs such as Maryland, Miami, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, and, of course, North Carolina.
The UNC women's basketball program seems to be strong contenders in this particular recruitment, as Jones told Talia Goodman of Rivals that she plans on taking an official visit to Chapel Hill.
Top 2026 recruit Olivia Jones broke down her recruitment with @Rivals.
— Talia Goodman (@TaliaGoodmanWBB) July 27, 2025
She hopes to take official visits to several programs, including UNC and Miami.
She broke down each program and important factors in her recruitment.
READ (+): https://t.co/G6NvqaRF6i pic.twitter.com/uDIrslK63x
While there are some other elite programs involved, this recruitment seems to be blossoming into a two-team race between ACC foes. Jones mentioned North Carolina and Miami during her discussion with Goodman, indicating that the two programs might have an edge at this point in her recruitment process.
Considered a prospect who is on the cusp of earning a five-star rating, Jones is viewed by Rivals as the No. 16-ranked player in the Class of 2026. The Glen Head, New York native is considered the third-best player coming from her home state.
Brandon Clay, the Director of Scouting of Women's Basketball for 247Sports, agrees that Jones put herself in a position to rightfully earn a five-star rating:
"Jones had one of the best high school seasons of any junior in the country. She was the catalyst for a Long Island Lutheran roster that literally took on any and everyone throughout the winter. Jones proved that she can score from the guard spot on a consistent basis, replacing a large percentage of the production that Syla Swords (Michigan freshman) provided last season. Jones has played her way into the backend of the 5-star discussion."
It feels like there's a new recruiting development daily for the UNC women's basketball program, showing just how active Courtney Banghart and her staff have been on the recruiting trail. The Tar Heels are undoubtedly doing something right, given the amount of interest they've received from some of the top available prospects that the Class of 2026 has to offer.