Lady Vols basketball star Talaysia Cooper is officially in the transfer portal. According to a report from Talia Goodman, she has entered with a ‘do not contact’ tag, as well.
The ‘do not contact’ tag does not necessarily mean Cooper already knows where she is going. Instead, it usually means that her camp will be reaching out to schools instead of schools reaching out to Cooper. It is a common designation for top athletes in the transfer portal.
Cooper was Tennessee’s leading scorer and assister in the 2025-26 season, posting 16.0 points and 3.6 assists per game. This came on 42.9% shooting from the field and 34.3% from range. She also contributed 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 steals per contest.
“First, I just want to say thank you to the University of Tennessee, the coaching staff, my teammates, and everyone who has supported me during my time here,” Cooper wrote about her decision. “Being a Lady Vol has meant more to me than I can fully put into words. I’ve grown a lot on and off the court, and I’ll always be grateful for the relationships and experiences I’ve gained here.
“After a lot of thought and prayer, I’ve decided to enter the transfer portal to continue my journey. This decision wasn’t easy at all, but I’m trusting what’s best for me moving forward. I will always have love and respect for Tennessee and everything this program stands for. Thank you for everything.”
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Cooper appeared in 29 games during the 2025-26 season, starting in 25. However, in the SEC Tournament loss to Alabama, she was benched by Kim Caldwell for the majority of the second half. Caldwell said it was a coach’s decision, but didn’t expand on the exact reason for the decision. She returned as a full member in the NCAA Tournament.
This was Cooper’s second season on the court at UT, but third in the program. After beginning her career at South Carolina, she transferred in under Kellie Harper. The timing of her transfer left her ineligible, though, and she sat out the season.
Currently, all but one player from last season’s Tennessee roster has announced their intention to enter the portal. Jaida Civil remains, but has 15 days to make her decision on whether she wants to return or leave. UT is also likely losing five-star signee Oliviyah Edwards, who requested a release from her signing.
