By Nate DeVille
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 8 Lady Vols looked dominant in their first taste of action this season, as they rolled Columbus State in a season-opening exhibition game on Wednesday night.
Treating a home Food City Center crowd to an emphatic 148-48 victory over the Lady Cougars, Tennessee head coach Kim Caldwell’s squad controlled the contest in imposing fashion.
In a well-balanced effort through four quarters, the Lady Vols had an impressive seven players score in double figures.
Among them was senior returnee guard, Ruby Whitehorn, who dropped 18 points on 8-for-9 shooting in just over 20 minutes played.
Whitehorn’s presence was also felt on the boards, as she recorded a game-high six offensive rebounds.
Fellow Lady Vols returnee Talaysia Cooper’s fingerprints were all over this game, as she poured in 17 points, six assists, four rebounds, and a game-high seven steals.
Although the experienced Lady Volunteers looked solid in their 2025/26 debut, it was the first-year Tennessee hoopers that stole the show.
UCLA transfer Janiah Barker had a dominant debut in orange, posting a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds.
The game came easily to Barker, as she appeared confident and in consistent flow with her teammates en route to an astounding +/- rating of 62.
In evaluating her transfer forward’s performance on Monday, Caldwell expressed pleasure with Barker’s output, and looks to see her expand on it throughout the season.
“She could have probably gotten a triple-double tonight had she been in the front of the press the entire time,” Caldwell said.
Fellow first-year transfer players Jersey Wolfenbarger and Nya Robertson also had impressive showings, dropping in 18 points each.
Wolfenbarger, a 6’5” senior who comes to Rocky Top from LSU, also contributed eight rebounds to her new squad’s monstrous victory.
Robertson picked up right where she left off at SMU last season, displaying three-point expertise, going 4-for-8 from long range in her Tennessee debut.
In addition to the talented veterans that make up this roster, a key component of this year’s Lady Vols identity is the presence of an ultra-confident freshman class.
Featuring multiple McDonald’s All-American and Gatorade state Player of the Year honorees, the Lady Vols’ freshmen class was on full display against Columbus State.
Florida Native, Jaida Civil, posted an efficient 10 points, four assists, and three steals on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting clip on Wednesday night.
Civil’s contributions were not limited to the box score, as she also made several hustle plays and brought high intensity to the court in her 14-minute debut performance.
Perhaps the most highly anticipated player in this year’s Lady Vols freshmen class, Mia Pauldo made an instant impact in her first game in Knoxville.
Pauldo displayed quickness, precision, and sheer determination in her first performance in front of Vol nation, totaling 18 points, seven assists, and four steals.
“I’m not one bit surprised. That’s who she is, that’s why she’s here,” said Caldwell of the freshman guard’s exhibition showing.
The Lady Vols will travel to Greensboro, North Carolina, on Nov. 4 to take on the ninth-ranked NC State Wolfpack for their first regular-season matchup of the season.