Indiana Miss Basketball Gracyn Gilliard has flipped her commitment from Davidson to Stanford, she announced Thursday.
The 5-11 Center Grove guard/forward announced she was reopening her recruitment last Thursday, writing in a statement posted to Instagram that was in her best interest to “seek out a program that offers the perfect blend of academic excellence and athletic development.”
Gilliard initially committed to Davidson last August, selecting the Wildcats among a final-three that also included Ball State and Harvard, but decided to re-open her recruitment last Friday with aspirations of joining a high-Division I program.
Gilliard is the third 2026 prospect to verbally commit to the Cardinal, according to ESPN, joining Jordyn Wheeler and Elyse Ngenda. Stanford went 21-14 last season and finished 11th in the ACC.
“There are a lot of moving pieces with the basketball world right now and I’m just seeking an opportunity that better suits the goals I have for myself,” she told IndyStar. “I have the utmost respect for the Davidson staff and it’s really hard, because I love their staff and they have a really good program. But I’m looking to go a little bigger and test my limits when it comes to seeing where I can play.”
Gilliard took massive strides in her development as a senior. She demonstrated her improved capabilities as a three-level scorer and savviness as a passer, while maintaining the defensive dominance that she hung her hat on across a four-year career that began at Munster for two seasons.
Gilliard was “more polished” than she was a year ago, CG coach Kevin Stuckmeyer said in late-December.
“She’s able to read defenses and understand, ‘OK, I’ve got to drive it from the top or drive the baseline,” he continued. “Or I’m going to post here; I’m going to seal-and-smash here.'”
Gilliard’s growth translated statistically to an explosive 2025-26 campaign, wherein she averaged 25.6 points on 53% shooting (40% 3FG, 75% FT), 4.3 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 1.9 assists, and led the Trojans to an undefeated Class 4A state championship.
She said her performance (and subsequent accolades) “solidified” her confidence and ability to play at the high-Division I level. “So we’re going to see if I can do that,” she said.
“I’m betting on myself at this point.”
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Miss Basketball Gracyn Gilliard commits to Stanford
Reporting by Brian Haenchen, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
