Kim Caldwell Starts Putting Lady Vols Roster Back Together

Tennessee Lady Vol head coach Kim Caldwell is starting to put the pieces back together after she lost her entire squad from this past season. Caldwell lost four players to graduation, but then faced a transfer portal revolt, as all remaining players on the roster, including Talaysia Cooper, opted to bolt for the portal, which opened Monday. Then, five star recruit, Oliviyah Edwards backed out of her committment to UT. That left only incoming freshman Gabby Minus on the roster for next season.

Caldwell, on Wednesday, got her first signing off the portal when All-Conference USA guard Avery Mills of Liberty University announced she would transfer to Tennessee. Mills started in 25 games this past season for Liberty where she averaged 15.3 points per game, shooting 42.9% from the field and had virtually the same percentage on three pointers. She will have two season of eligibility at Tennessee.

Caldwell is also courting the MVP of the NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship Eastern Arizona team…Esmeralda Enriquez. She averaged 18 points during the tournament run. Another possibility is Florida State’s leading scorer Solé Williams. Her associate head coach at Florida State, Bill Ferrarra was just hired to be on Caldwell’s staff. The feeling is Williams may want to follow her coach to Rocky Top.