As Kim Caldwell and her Lady Vols basketball program look to start on the right foot for the 2026 recruiting class, Tennessee has made the cut as a finalist for a five-star recruit.
Jacy Abii, a 6-foot-3 wing, listed the Lady Vols, UCLA, Texas, LSU and Notre Dame as her finalists. This puts Tennessee in good position to land the five-star, although it’ll be up against four other staples in the sport.
Abii is from Fisco, Texas, where she plays for Liberty. She is considered the No. 10 overall recruit in the class, according to 247 composite rankings, the No. 4 power forward and the No. 1 player out of the Lone Star State.
She picked up her offer from the Lady Vols on May 16, 2024. She was also offered by Kellie Harper’s Tennessee staff back in April of 2023, before Harper was let go.
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“Abii’s game is continuing to grow and evolve as she matures into her frame,” 247 director of women’s basketball scouting Brandon Clay wrote . “She provided the USA Basketball 17-and-Under roster with frontcourt depth and another talented option capable of controlling the paint. Abii’s unique blend of size and mobility should translate well to the international game. She was able to make the impact needed to affect the game defensively and deliver optimal production. Unfortunately, Abii suffered a significant lower leg injury as the summer concluded, which will likely sideline her for the duration of the 2024-25 school season.”
Tennessee currently holds no commitments in the 2026 cycle. However, in Caldwell’s first season as head coach, she inked the No. 2 class in the country, according to ESPNW. This included a trio of McDonald’s All-Americans in Mia Pauldo, Deniya Prawl and Jaida Civil. She also landed top-100 prospects Mya Pauldo and Lauren Hurst.
In the transfer portal, ESPN tabbed the Lady Vols as the best incoming class with UCLA’s Janiah Barker, LSU’s Jersey Wolfenbarger and SMU’s Nya Robertson joining.
