It’s officially official. Lady Vols basketball has signed all 15 of its incoming players for the 2026-27 roster. West Virginia forward Riley Makalusky was the final commit to sign after being the final verbal commitment in the class, as well.
This comes after losing every piece of the roster a year ago. Following a late-season collapse, all eight potential returners hit the portal and landed at a Power Four school. Five-star high school signee Oliviyah Edwards was also released from her signing before picking South Carolina.
Now, Kim Caldwell has put together a deep roster filled with players with experience across the board. Ranging from incoming freshmen to sixth-year seniors and SEC starters to mid-major standouts, it’ll be a mixture that Caldwell is hoping meshes better than the group last year did.
“I think Kim learned a lot going through that experience,” Tennessee Athletic Director White said. “She probably shared some of that with you guys here today. I evaluate coaches in long runs, I don’t get too emotional, even though I get mad when we lose, I don’t get too emotional about a single game, I don’t get too emotional about a single season.
“I think it’s really important to understand a lot more detail of what’s going on inside the program. She is the same or actually a better coach than the one I hired because she’s had these experiences over the last two seasons. And I think she’s a brilliant basketball mind and I’m extremely excited about the roster she’s built and the upcoming season.”
More From RTI: Pronunciation Guide: How to Say Every Name on the 2026-27 Lady Vols Basketball Roster
Here’s a look at the Lady Vols’ roster and a final recap of the departures:
*Year is what they will likely be at UT next season, in order of first to verbally commit to most recent
Roster
Returners
- None
Incoming Transfers
- G Avery Mills (Liberty)
- Height: 5-foot-9
- Year: Junior
- 2025-26 stats:
- 15.3 points
- 4.0 rebounds
- 2.2 assists
- G Naomi White (Northern Arizona)
- Height: 5-foot-9
- Year: R-Sophomore
- 2025-26 stats:
- 20.8 points
- 5.3 rebounds
- 1.8 assists
- F Harper Peterson (Stanford)
- Height: 6-foot-3
- Year: R-Sophomore
- 2025-26 stats:
- 1.1 points
- 0.7 rebounds
- 0.1 assists
- F Zhen Craft (Georgia)
- Height: 6-foot-2
- Year: Sophomore
- 2025-26 stats:
- 5.7 points
- 4.2 rebounds
- 1.0 assists
- G Rylie Theuerkauf (Georgia)
- Height: 5-foot-9
- Year: Senior
- 2025-26 stats:
- 11.9 points
- 2.0 rebounds
- 1.1 assists
- G Harissoum Coulibaly (Auburn)
- Height: 5-foot-10
- Year: Sophomore
- 2025-26 stats:
- 10.4 points
- 3.0 rebounds
- 1.6 assists
- F Fatmata Janneh (Texas A&M)
- Height: 6-foot-2
- Year: Senior
- 2025-26 stats:
- 11.4 points
- 9.7 rebounds
- 1.1 assists
- G Kaylene Smikle (Maryland)
- Height: 6-foot
- Year: R-Senior
- 2025-26 stats:
- 13.1 points
- 3.9 rebounds
- 1.6 assists
- G Shaelyn Steele (Penn State)
- Height: 5-foot-6
- Year: Junior
- 2025-26 stats:
- 1.8 points
- 2.7 rebounds
- 1.1 assists
- G Jada Eads (Seton Hall)
- Height: 5-foot-7
- Year: Junior
- 2025-26 stats:
- 10.6 points
- 5.1 rebounds
- 4.1 assists
- F Aaliyah Moore (Texas)
- Height: 6-foot-1
- Year: Sixth Year
- 2025-26 stats:
- DNP
- 2024-25 stats:
- 7.9 points
- 4.6 rebounds
- 0.7 assists
- G Kennedy Fauntleroy (East Carolina)
- Height: 5-foot-7
- Year: R-Senior
- 2025-26 stats:
- 13.7 points
- 3.4 rebounds
- 4.8 assists
- F Riley Makalusky (West Virginia)
- Height: 6-foot-2
- Year: Senior
- 2025-26 stats:
- 4.7 points
- 2.0 rebounds
- 0.4 assists
Incoming Freshmen
- G Gabby Minus
- Height: 6-foot
- Year: Freshman
- G Irene Oboavwoduo
- Height: 5-foot-10
- Year: Freshman
Departures
Transferring
- Fr. G Deniya Prawl (Louisville)
- Jr. F Alyssa Latham (Virginia Tech)
- R-So. G Kaniya Boyd (Texas A&M)
- Fr. G/F Lauren Hurst (Virginia Tech)
- Fr. G Mia Pauldo (Rutgers)
- Fr. G Mya Pauldo (Rutgers)
- R-Jr. G Talaysia Cooper (Ole Miss)
- Fr. G Jaida Civil (Ole Miss)
Out of Eligibility
- Sr. F Janiah Barker (Drafted in 2nd Round by Aces)
- Sr. F Zee Spearman (Drafted in 3rd Round by Wings)
- Sr. G Nya Robertson
- Sr. F Jersey Wolfenbarger
- R-Sr. G Kaiya Wynn (Stepped away before
postseason)
Released from Signing
- F Oliviyah Edwards (South Carolina)
Dismissed from Team Before the Season
- Sr. G Ruby Whitehorn (Arizona State)
