In the wake of Ruby Whitehorn being charged with simple possession following her suspension prior in the offseason for initial charges of aggravated burglary and domestic assault, Lady Vols head coach Kim Caldwell has dismissed Whitehorn from the program.
“It is my responsibility to protect the high standards of this historic program,” Caldwell said. “In light of recent events, Ruby has been unable to reflect those standards, and I have made the difficult decision to dismiss her from our team. I love Ruby and will always be rooting for her, but my priority is to uphold the respected reputation of the Lady Vols.”
Early on Thursday morning, the day after Tennessee’s 148-48 exhibition win over Columbus State, Whitehorn was charged with simple possession. Whitehorn was also arrested this offseason on Aug. 8 with 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.’
After serving an indefinite suspension, she returned to the team ahead of the full stretch of official practices and started in the team’s 100-point exhibition win. She scored a tie for the team-high 18 points to go with seven rebounds.
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Whitehorn was 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.
The Lady Vols open the season on Tuesday in Greensboro with a neutral-site clash against NC State.
