From Empty Roster to ESPN's No. 1 Winner: Kim Caldwell Rebuilds Tennessee From the Ground Up
2 months ago
BallSoHard
Kim Caldwell's Tennessee Lady Vols faced the most complete roster collapse in program history when every player who appeared on court last season entered the transfer portal within days of the window opening — a devastation compounded by the decommitment of No. 2 overall recruit Oliviyah Edwards and the departure of a top assistant to LSU. Caldwell responded by building ESPN's No. 1 transfer portal class in the country, headlined by Northern Arizona freshman Naomi White — the nation's highest-scoring freshman at 20.8 points per game and Big Sky Freshman of the Year — alongside LSU forward Jersey Wolfenbarger, UCLA forward Janiah Barker, and SMU guard Nya Robertson. We break down the full scope of Tennessee's collapse, the three-week rebuild that followed, and what the new-look Lady Vols are expected to produce in 2026-27.