On Friday, Lady Vols basketball guard Ruby Whitehorn pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors, according to Knox News’ Cora Hall. Hall reported that it was a ‘commonly offered agreement that will erase the convictions from her record if she meets the requirements of the deal.’
This comes after she was arrested in Knox County on Aug. 8. The initial report indicated that Whitehorn faced felony charges of aggravated burglary and domestic assault. However, they were reportedly downgraded to misdemeanors: vandalism and aggravated criminal trespass.
The future status of Whitehorn with Tennessee is still unclear. She was suspended indefinitely from team activities after the arrest, and head coach Kim Caldwell said that since it was an ongoing legal issue, there was no further update.
“It’s a frustrating situation,” Caldwell said. “We love Ruby, but she is suspended indefinitely. And because it’s an ongoing legal matter, that’s really all we’re allowed to discuss right now.”
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Whitehorn is entering her second season with Tennessee after she joined the Lady Vols for Kim Caldwell’s first season as head coach. In her junior campaign, Whitehorn started in 28 of her 34 appearances. She averaged 11.6 points, four rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. This production came on 46.3% shooting from the field and 29.8% on 3-pointers.
Her production was a key piece for the Lady Vols in a successful first year for Caldwell. She was critical in Tennessee’s run all the way to the Sweet 16 and upset victory over Ohio State in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament.
Prior to her time with the Lady Vols, Whitehorn played a pair of seasons at Clemson. In two years, she started in 62 of her 66 games played. She scored in double digits 38 times, with four games scoring 20 or more points.
In 2023, she was named ACC All-Freshman team. With Tennessee, she was a member of the VOLeaders Academy.
Whitehorn is from Detroit, Michigan, where she became a highly-touted recruit during her prep career. She was a high school teammate of former Lady Vols star Rickea Jackson. According to ESPNW, Whitehorn was named the No. 15 overall player in the 2022 class. She was the No. 2 guard and a five-star prospect.
In her senior season of high school, Whitehorn earned awards such as being a McDonald’s All-American, Jordan Brand All-American, Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year, Michigan Miss Basketball and AP Division 2 State Player of the Year.
