ST. LOUIS – Saint Louis University head women's basketball coach Rebecca Tillett announced the signing of Peyton Olufson and Evelyn Shane to the Billikens' 2026-27 recruiting class.
 
Olufson, a 5-foot-8 point guard from Fairview Heights, Illinois, and Shane, a 6-foot forward from Chesterfield, Missouri, are the staff's first additions to the 2026-27 roster.
 
Olufson will join Saint Louis from Incarnate Word Academy, which holds the nation's longest high school girls basketball winning streak at 141 games. She is a three-time state champion, a 2024-25 first-team All-Conference selection, and a 2025 All-District honoree. Last season, she averaged 7.1 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 2.97 assists for the Red Knights.
 
She plays club basketball for Phee Elite and has been part of three Elite 40 National Championship teams, earning MVP honors in 2024 and 2025. Olufson has been a member of the Run 4 Roses First Team for three straight years and was selected to compete in the first-ever USA Basketball Academy.
 
"I picked Saint Louis University because of my relationship with Coach Tillett and the rest of the staff," Olufson said. "From the beginning of my recruitment process, Coach Tillett has consistently shown up for me and supported me with love and care. My core values as a person and player align with the program, which makes this the perfect fit. I am very excited to learn and be coached by Coach Tillett and her staff. Roll Bills!"
 
Coach Tillett on Olufson: "Peyton is the first point guard our staff saw play within weeks of being hired at SLU, and we knew right away that we had to coach her. We have built a strong foundation of a relationship with time, care, and mutual beliefs about the value of the game of basketball and the power of teams. While watching her the spring before her freshmen year, it was immediately evident that she had the skills, smarts, and mindset to run our offense and lead our program. She has played for elite coaches and programs in both high school and AAU. She is a coach's kid. She wants teams to be about the right things, which when put in the simplest of phrases, is people caring deeply about each other. She is a deep thinker who studies the game and leadership. Peyton will elevate our program and help us in our permanent chase of excellence."

Shane comes to SLU from Ursuline Academy, where her team broke the school record for wins and captured two district championships. She is a two-time Class 4 District Player of the Year, Class 4 All-State selection, first-team All-Conference honoree, and Post-Dispatch All-Metro Second Team pick. Shane has scored more than 1,000 career points and is Ursuline's all-time leading scorer.
 
She plays club basketball for Missouri Phenom and helped her team place third at Nike Nationals.
 
"I chose SLU because it gives me the opportunity to get a good education and pursue my basketball dreams of playing in the WNBA," Shane said.
 
Coach Tillett on Shane: "Evelyn has a quality that coaches and teammates cherish. She can put a string of plays together in a game where she is impacting the play on both sides of the floor for multiple possessions. She is a versatile player than can defend multiple positions and showcase a variety of offensive attacks. We often talk about playing as hard as one can as being a skill in college basketball. Evelyn plays as hard as she can every possession. She gives everything she has to her teammates and the game. She wants to go into education which also aligns with finding high character people to add to our program."