Kentucky WBB included in Top 16 for Olivia Vukosa, the No. 2 overall player in the 2026 class

While the vast majority of the recruiting news for Kentucky is within the 2025 class, some significant news regarding a 2026 target dropped on Monday.

Olivia Vukosa , the 6-foot-5 No. 2 overall prospect in the 2026 class according to ESPN, trimmed her list of schools to a “Sweet 16”. Among those 16 finalists was Kentucky. The others are:

• Ohio State
• South Carolina
• North Carolina
• LSU
• Louisville
• Texas
• Tennessee
• Miami
• Baylor
• UCLA
• UConn
• Notre Dame
• Iowa
• Maryland
• Virginia Tech

Vukosa spoke with On3’s Talia Goodman about each of her 16 finalists , including the ‘Cats.

“Mainly, I talk to coach [Josh] Petersen, who I talked to when he was at Miami, and he’s been a great guy throughout the whole process, from when he was at Miami and now at Kentucky. With coach [Kenny] Brooks it was the same thing from Virginia Tech to Kentucky. He’s talked to me a lot. I talk to coach Josh a lot, so I like him a lot. He’s a great guy.”

Rundown of prospects offered by Kentucky

2025

• 5-star wing Agot Makeer – No. 6 overall, No. 1 wing – Crestwood Prep (Canada)
• 5-star guard ZaKiyah Johnson – No. 7 overall, No. 4 guard – Sacred Heart Academy (KY)
• 5-star wing Deniya Prawl – No. 15 overall, No. 4 wing – IMG Academy (FL)
• 5-star wing Kaelyn Carroll – No. 29 overall, No. 7 wing – Tabor Academy (MA)
• 4-star wing Lauren Hurst – No. 35 overall, No. 8 wing – Cleveland High School (TN)
• 4-star wing Aubrey Shaw – No. 36 overall, No. 9 wing – Blue Valley North (KS)
• 4-star guard Adelaide Jernigan – No. 58 overall, No. 24 guard – Bishop McGuinness (NC)
• 4-star guard Bryn Martin – No. 61 overall, No. 25 guard – No. Springboro (OH) – Committed to Washington
• 4-star forward Manuella Alves – No. 64 overall, No. 9 forward – Central Pointe Christian Academy (FL)
• 4-star guard Madison Parrish – No. 88 overall, No. 37 guard – Mason (OH)
• Forward Grace Mbugua – Unranked – Danville Christian Academy (KY)

2026

• 5-star forward Olivia Vukosa – No. 2 overall, No. 1 forward – Christ the King (FL)
• 5-star guard Trinity Jones – No. 5 overall, No. 4 guard – Bolingbrook (IL)
• 5-star guard Bella Flemings – No. 11 overall, No. 6 guard – Overtime Select (GA)
• 5-star forward Amari Byles – No. 13 overall, No. 3 forward – DeSoto (TX)
• 4-star point guard Kate Harpring – No. 18 overall, No. 2 point guard – Marist (GA)
• 4-star point guard Maddyn Greenway – No. 21 overall, No. 3 point guard – Providence Academy (MN)
• 4-star forward Kamora Pruitt – No. 24 overall, No. 5 forward – Legion Prep Academy (TX)
• 4-star wing Bella Ragone – No. 26 overall, No. 6 wing – Mill Creek (GA)
• 4-star guard Sanai Green – No. 29 overall, No. 12 guard – The Steward School (VA)

2027

• 5-star guard Ivanna Wilson Manyacka – No. 2 overall, No. 1 guard – Bullis (MD)
• 5-star wing Jordyn Palmer – No. 4 overall, No. 1 wing – Westtown (PA)
• 4-star guard De’Andra Minor – No. 9 overall, No. 9 guard – Grind Prep Academy (OK)
• 3-star guard Sydney Savoury – Unranked – Overtime Select (GA)
• Forward Isabella Marion – Unranked (international) – Denmark
• Guard Madeline Mignery – Unranked – Cardinal Mooney (FL)

2028

• Forward Sydney Douglas – Unranked (no rankings for 2028 yet) – Etiwanda (CA)
• Wing Ella Peper – Unranked (no rankings for 2028 yet) – Dexter Southfield (MA)
• Guard Chloe Johnson – Unranked (no rankings for 2028 yet) – Marshall (MN)
• Guard Jhaliana Guy – Unranked (no rankings for 2028 yet) – Bettendorf (IA)

2029

• Center Jayden McClain – Unranked (no rankings for 2029 yet) – Ryle (KY)

(Rankings from ESPN/HoopGurlz )

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