On Tuesday afternoon, Lady Vols basketball will begin its slate of official practices to prepare for the 2025-26 season. Before practice began, Tennessee head coach Kim Caldwell met with the media. At the top of the priority list of questions was the status of guard Ruby Whitehorn.
With Whitehorn’s legal issue settled, Caldwell was able to give an update on her status with the team. Previously, she was indefinitely suspended.
“She is back with the team,” Caldwell said. “She joined the team early September. I think September 8th, that week, after a lengthy suspension. It’s not an ideal situation, it’s not a situation that reflects our program the way we want it to. There’s a strong legacy here, and it did not withhold the name of the brand. It’s not something that helped us at all in recruiting. It’s something that we have addressed. We addressed it seriously and we’re hoping that we can now move on and put our next foot forward.
Caldwell also noted Whitehorn will be full-go at practice with no further limiations.
On Aug. 8, Lady Vols basketball guard Ruby Whitehorn was arrested in Knox County. The report indicated that Whitehorn faced felony charges of aggravated burglary and domestic assault. Whitehorn was deemed the ‘primary aggressor’ according to officers. In the report, Whitehorn said she was attempting to defend herself during the incident and was trying to get her property back.
On Sept. 5, 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.’
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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.
