Elite prospect Oliviyah Edwards gets named the 2025 defensive player of the year at Grind Session

On Sunday, five-star class of 2026 prospect Oliviyah Edwards was named the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year at Grind Session Women. The No. 4-ranked junior Elite Sports Academy star was also named as part of the 2025 all-defensive team, which also includes highly-rated prospects Bella Hines, Saniyah Douglas, Sophie Morales and Aiyanna Perkins.

Edwards, a 6-foot-3 power forward, is known for her defensive prowess. She has a reputation for being able to go toe-to-toe with anyone in her position. Her strong physical presence and versatility make her effective on both ends of the court. With her elite skill set and talent, it's no surprise that every college program has her on its radar.

Even as a junior, Edwards has already racked up 26 college offers. However, she's narrowed her focus to a top ten, which includes South Carolina, LSU, Duke, Florida State, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Washington, Florida, UNC and Southern Cal.

Of the top ten teams, Edwards has paid unofficial visits to Tennessee, USC and South Carolina. However, she is yet to schedule any official visits.

Which College Program Has The Highest Chance of Landing Oliviyah Edwards?

At the moment, there is no clear favourite in the race to secure Oliviyah Edward's commitment. On3 predicts Washington as the frontrunner with a 5.9% chance of landing the five-star junior, followed by Oregon State Beavers at 5.1%.

Aside from the Oregon Ducks, which hold a 4.4% chance, the remaining colleges each have a 3.7% chance.

When speaking to On3 earlier in January, Edwards already expressed uncertainty about her decision, admitting that she is still unsure about which choice to make:

"Some schools are wanting me to book closer to my decision date." Edwards said. " I don't know when I'm going to decide yet, so we haven't booked anything."

Being a junior, Edwards still has a year of high school basketball ahead of her, giving her plenty of time to weigh her options before making a final decision. Regardless of what choice she makes, she will be bringing additional quality to the team.