This marks Cal's third-straight class with an ESPN Top 100 player.
11/11/2026 3:34 PM | Women's Basketball
Class Includes No. 32 Ranked Amelia Sow
The California women's basketball team added three incoming freshmen to its 2027 class it was announced by head coach Charmin Smith on Wednesday. The class features Amelia Sow, who is ranked 32nd in the ESPN Top 100 list and rated the No. 4 combo guard by Rivals, along with Olivia Olechnowicz and Kylie Husbands.
Sow, a 6-foot-1 guard/forward out of Quebec, Canada, is touted as the No. 1 prospect out of her home country and was the Women's National Preparatory Association (WNPA) Player of the Year following her 2025-26 junior season in which she averaged 23.5 points, 10.6 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game for Fort Erie International Academy. During her sophomore campaign, in May 2025, Sow was named the MVP of the Basketball Without Borders Camp in San Salvador after receiving an invite to attend from Canada Basketball and later that year she was invited to the Steph Curry Under Armour Camp - Next Future 20 in San Francisco in August 2025.
"Amelia is a versatile player whose size and skillset allows her to play both the guard and forward positions," Smith said. "She is a terrific all-around player and impacts the game in so many areas. She can score when she needs to but also does a great job playmaking and getting her teammates involved. She brings a high motor and IQ and is a natural leader who sets an example with her competitive nature."
Olechnowicz, a 5-foot-9 guard out of Queensland, Australia, has been a fixture on the youth national circuit for the Aussies. This past October, she helped lead Australia to a first-place finish in the FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup in Malaysia after averaging 12.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.0 steals (led the team) per game. In July 2026, Olechnowicz also competed for Australia in the FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup where the Aussies finished in third place. She was named the tournament's Best Defensive Player and made the All-Star Second Team after averaging 12.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 steals (led team) per game. In November 2024, she was named the MVP of the FIBA U15 Women's Oceania Cup.
"Olivia is an elite defender that can also score at all three levels," Smith said. "She has played and excelled against the world's best players in her age group so she will be able to step right in at the DI level and be ready to contribute for us in the ACC."
Husbands, a 6-foot-0 combo guard out of San Clemente, CA, currently plays for San Clemente HS and club ball for Nike EYBL Cal Swish where she helped her team win the 2026 Nike EYBL U17 National Championship. Husbands is a three-time All-Orange County Selection and All-South Coast League Selection. In 2026 she was also an All-State Team Selection and named to the All-CIF Southern Selection First Team.
'Kiley brings a work ethic and love for the game that is highly contagious," Smith said. "She has great length and athleticism and brings a passion and knowledge about the game that was instilled in her by her mother Kerri, a former Cal great so I'm excited she gets to continue the family legacy here in Berkeley."
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Sow, a 6-foot-1 guard/forward out of Quebec, Canada, is touted as the No. 1 prospect out of her home country and was the Women's National Preparatory Association (WNPA) Player of the Year following her 2025-26 junior season in which she averaged 23.5 points, 10.6 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game for Fort Erie International Academy. During her sophomore campaign, in May 2025, Sow was named the MVP of the Basketball Without Borders Camp in San Salvador after receiving an invite to attend from Canada Basketball and later that year she was invited to the Steph Curry Under Armour Camp - Next Future 20 in San Francisco in August 2025.
"Amelia is a versatile player whose size and skillset allows her to play both the guard and forward positions," Smith said. "She is a terrific all-around player and impacts the game in so many areas. She can score when she needs to but also does a great job playmaking and getting her teammates involved. She brings a high motor and IQ and is a natural leader who sets an example with her competitive nature."
Olechnowicz, a 5-foot-9 guard out of Queensland, Australia, has been a fixture on the youth national circuit for the Aussies. This past October, she helped lead Australia to a first-place finish in the FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup in Malaysia after averaging 12.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.0 steals (led the team) per game. In July 2026, Olechnowicz also competed for Australia in the FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup where the Aussies finished in third place. She was named the tournament's Best Defensive Player and made the All-Star Second Team after averaging 12.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 steals (led team) per game. In November 2024, she was named the MVP of the FIBA U15 Women's Oceania Cup.
"Olivia is an elite defender that can also score at all three levels," Smith said. "She has played and excelled against the world's best players in her age group so she will be able to step right in at the DI level and be ready to contribute for us in the ACC."
Husbands, a 6-foot-0 combo guard out of San Clemente, CA, currently plays for San Clemente HS and club ball for Nike EYBL Cal Swish where she helped her team win the 2026 Nike EYBL U17 National Championship. Husbands is a three-time All-Orange County Selection and All-South Coast League Selection. In 2026 she was also an All-State Team Selection and named to the All-CIF Southern Selection First Team.
'Kiley brings a work ethic and love for the game that is highly contagious," Smith said. "She has great length and athleticism and brings a passion and knowledge about the game that was instilled in her by her mother Kerri, a former Cal great so I'm excited she gets to continue the family legacy here in Berkeley."
STAY POSTED
For further coverage of Cal women's basketball, follow the Bears on Twitter/X (@CalWBBall), Instagram (@CalWBBball) and Facebook (/CalWBBall/).
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