By Nate DeVille
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Lady Volunteers coach Kim Caldwell enters her second season on Rocky Top this fall, with a well-balanced roster consisting of returning players, experienced transfers, and fiery freshmen.
Tasked with improving on a Sweet-16 appearance last season, Caldwell and the Lady Vols (eighth in the Associated Press’ preseason rankings) possess the tools to make a championship run behind a deep and adept 2025-26 roster.
After losing two of its top five scorers this offseason (Jewel Spear, 12.5 ppg., and Samara Spencer, 10.6 ppg.), Tennessee retooled its roster to enhance the established scoring punch from its returning players, such as Talaysia Cooper and Ruby Whitehorn.
With just six returning players on a roster of 14, this Lady Vols team may look different from previous seasons, but its identity remains the same.
Caldwell’s system of an explosive offense paired with high intensity on the defensive end will be on full display with this year’s Lady Volunteers team.
The roster is composed of the following three groups:
Returning Lady Vols
Highlighted by Talaysia Cooper, a preseason top 20 watch list honoree for National Point Guard of the Year, the returning players are the anchors of this Lady Vols team.
Cooper, who received Coaches All-SEC Second Team and SEC
All-Defensive Team honors last season after averaging a team high
16.6 points and 3.1 steals per game, is sure to be the focal point of Caldwell’s offense once again this season.
Supplementing the impact of Cooper is fellow returning guard, Ruby Whitehorn.
Averaging 11.6 ppg while contributing four rebounds per contest last season, Whitehorn received preseason recognition similar to Cooper’s, as she was named to the preseason player of the year watch list for the shooting guard position.
Whitehorn is a natural scorer who has the ability to take control of the game at a moment’s notice. The senior guard led her team in scoring seven times last season.
In addition to Cooper and Whitehorn, the Lady Vols returned 6’4” standout forward, Zee Spearman.
Spearman posted impressive averages of 11.7 points and six rebounds per game last season. The senior big also led the Lady Vols in rebounds and was second in blocks.
Spearman also looks to continue to improve as an outside threat this season, after shooting a solid 30% from range last year.
Transfer Portal Additions
Continuing the trend of building rosters through the transfer portal, the Lady Volunteers made several splashes this offseason to keep their team in championship contention.
Senior forward Janiah Barker made the transfer to Caldwell’s team this offseason following an impressive season at UCLA, where she
averaged 7.4 points and six rebounds per game off the bench, earning her the Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year award.
“[Janiah] is a guard in a post’s body,” coach Caldwell said of the transfer addition.
Barker’s size and dynamic abilities will make her a threat to any opponent the Lady Vols face this season.
Trumping Barker’s frame is 6’5”, Louisiana State transfer, Jersey Wolfenbarger.
Hailing from Fort Smith, Arkansas, this Senior forward can do it all.
“[Jersey is] the fastest player I’ve ever seen at her size,” Caldwell said, before also referring to her new player as a “freak of nature”.
Wolfenbarger led LSU last season in field goal percentage, connecting on 63% of her attempts, while averaging 4.6 points and
3.4 rebounds per game.
Rounding out the Lady Vols’ 2025-26 transfer portal crew is dynamic senior guard Nya Robertson, from Southern Methodist University.
Last season with SMU, Robertson was named All-ACC Second Team after a productive season, averaging 18.5 points per game.
Robertson’s most impressive performance last year came when she totaled 28 points on 12 field goals and scored a game-winning layup over Syracuse for her program’s first-ever ACC road victory.
One of Robertson’s many specialities is her ability to shoot from distance.
The SMU transfer has shot 33.2% from three-point range throughout her collegiate career.
The Freshmen
The future of the Tennessee Lady Vols weighs on the shoulders of this year’s freshman class.
And boy, are they fit for the challenge.
This group consists of five espnW top 50 high school basketball recruits from the class of 2025.
Riddled with talent and impressive poise, this class is sure to make steady contributions on the court for Caldwell’s team this season.
The personality of the bunch comes from McDonald’s All-American, Florida native, Jaida Civil.
“I’m a very energetic person and I’m a competitor… I talk a lot of smack.” Civil said of what she can bring to this Tennessee team.
In addition to her expressive personality, the 6’0” guard is a
well-balanced player who makes an impact on both sides of the ball. She averaged 18.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 3.3 steals in her senior high school season, en route to being named the Florida Gatorade Player of the Year.
Civil is ranked No. 20 overall in the 2025 espnW 100 class.
Also new to Rocky Top is Lauren Hurst, who averaged 17.4 points and over six rebounds per game in her senior high school season. The 6’2” guard’s size gives her a defensive advantage, as she also averaged 1.5 blocks per game in high school.
Hurst is ranked No. 45 overall in espnW’s top 100 from the 2025 class.
Serving as the first-ever Lady Vol from Canada, freshman guard Deniya Prawl begins her first year at Tennessee with quite the resume.
Prawl played for Team Canada in the 2024 FIBA U17 Women’s World Cup and was second on her team in scoring, helping to secure a silver medal for her country.
While attending IMG Academy, Prawl led her team to a Chipotle Nationals title game victory and acquired McDonald’s and Jordan Brand All-American honors.
The Five-Star Prawl sits as the No. 17 overall player in espnW’s class of 2025.
Last but certainly not least are the twins. Mia and Mya Pauldo are ballers.
Hailing from Patterson, New Jersey, and both standing at 5 ‘6”, the identical Pauldo twins are the most intriguing part of this Lady Vols freshmen class.
Mia Pauldo is a Five-Star recruit who is ranked ninth overall in espnW’s 2025 class. She was also a McDonald’s All-American and the New Jersey Women’s Player of the Year.
Mia recorded senior season averages of 18.6 points, 5.3 assists, and 3.2 steals per game in high school.
Mia’s sister, Mya, also posted impressive senior season averages of
16.2 points, 4.7 assists, and 2.4 steals per game.
Mya is the No. 57 overall player in espnW’s 2025 class.
The Pauldo sisters are electric on the court, as they both display soft touch around the rim, which pairs well with their fast-twitched playstyles.
“I love the freshmen that we have. I’ve really enjoyed coaching them,” Caldwell said.