COCHRAN, Ga. – Middle Georgia State Women's Basketball Head Coach Steven Rhodes has announced the commitments of two championship-winning guards to his 2026 recruiting class: Kyndal Haroski of Riverside High School (Greer, S.C.) and Claire Carlson of Cherokee Bluff High School (Flowery Branch, Ga.).
"These are the first two signees of my first full recruiting cycle, and I couldn't be more excited," said Rhodes. "When building a program, it was important that I add great people and winners. With these two, we add not just state champions, but amazing young women who have great character, a relentless work ethic, and come from great families."
KYNDAL HAROSKI | 5'8" Combo Guard | Greer, S.C. | Riverside High School | Class of 2026
A dynamic playmaker and proven winner, Haroski joins the Knights' 2026 class after an outstanding prep career to date at Riverside High School, where she is already the all-time leading scorer in program history. The 5'8" combo guard helped lead Riverside to the 2024 South Carolina Class 4A State Championship, earning All-State, 3× All-Region, and Greenville County First Team honors along the way. An elite student, she carries an exceptional 4.78 GPA.
Haroski has been a four-year varsity starter known for her intelligence, efficiency, and fierce competitiveness. She averaged over 17 points per game early in her career and continues to be one of South Carolina's most consistent scorers and facilitators. Her leadership and poise have helped Riverside rise among the state's top programs.
Coach Rhodes on Haroski:
"Kyndal is a young lady who I first got to know during my time at USC Upstate as an assistant due to her being one of the best players locally. I knew then that I loved her game, so when I got the job here at Middle Georgia it was a priority for me to recruit her. Once I started to get to know her more as a person, I knew I had to coach her. Kyndal will elevate our program on and off the court as she is a young woman who is a tireless worker, strong in her faith, and brings a great sense of care to everything she does in life. On the court, she has a very high IQ and is a skilled scorer who knows how to score it at all three levels and is an elite passer, but the thing that jumps out to me every time I watch Kyndal is that she's a fierce competitor who does whatever it takes to win. I could not be more excited to add the player that Kyndal is, but more importantly, the person she is."
CLAIRE CARLSON | 5'9" Guard | Flowery Branch, Ga. | Cherokee Bluff High School | Class of 2026
Carlson joins the Knights' 2026 class as one of the top guards in Georgia's rising senior class. A two-sport athlete who also helped lead her softball team to the GHSA State Championship game, Carlson is a proven winner and high-character competitor.
On the hardwood, she led Cherokee Bluff to the 2024 GHSA Class 3A State Championship, scoring a game-high 23 points in the title game against defending champion Baldwin. She has already surpassed the 1,000-point milestone, was named Region 8-3A All-Region, GBCA/GACA AAA All-State, Gainesville Times Girls Basketball Player of the Year, and the 2025 Junior Girls MVP at the North Georgia All-Star Classic. Carlson averaged 16.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game during the regular season and an impressive 21.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.9 steals per game in the postseason.
Coach Rhodes on Carlson:
"A few weeks after I took the job here at MGA, I went recruiting and luckily came across a court that Claire was playing on, and I was blown away by just how talented she was. After speaking with Claire for the first time, I knew I had to coach her because she's not only a program-changer as a player, but she also has the character and personality to match. Off the court, Claire has an infectious personality, and I love her ability to connect with anyone. I followed her and her team around all summer, and it was clear that her teammates love playing with her, which means a lot to me as we work to build a successful program. On the court, she's a high-level scorer who can score it at all three levels while being very crafty and efficient at getting to her spots. Claire is one of the best shooters in the state of Georgia, if not the best, and she plays with great poise and composure, never getting sped up. She might also be the best shot-blocking guard I've ever watched in my career. I'm extremely excited to add Claire to our family as she is a great player but an even better person."
ABOUT THE KNIGHTSHIFT ERA
The 2026 class marks an exciting step in the growth of Middle Georgia State Women's Basketball as Coach Rhodes continues to build the culture and foundation of the Knights' transition into NCAA Division II and the Peach Belt Conference. Both Haroski and Carlson embody the toughness, competitiveness, and connected culture that define the Knight Shift vision.
