Tennessee women’s basketball coach Kim Caldwell isn’t going to win any games this summer. However, she’s laying the groundwork for a team that can win plenty of games in March.
Let’s start with the first challenge, making the Lady Vols truly relevant. Tennessee needs to re-establish themselves as a perennial Sweet 16 team – at worst.
What are fair expectations for Caldwell over the next five seasons? I’d say two Final Fours are doable with the support she has.
You might think that’s a bit too high, until you take a look at what Caldwell has done recently. The Lady Vols have picked up four transfers to suddenly upgrade a roster that needed a boost following some questionable recruiting under former coach Kellie Harper, who was fired in March.
Here’s a look at the four newest Lady Vols:
F Alyssa Latham
The 6-foot-2 transfer was named to the All-ACC Freshman team last year and helped Syracuse to an NCAA Tournament bid. She averaged 8.6 points and seven rebounds per game last season.
F Lazaria Spearman
At 6-4, the transfer from Miami gives the Lady Vols some size and more. Spearman will be a junior this season. She averaged 6.3 points and six rebounds last season in limited time.
G Samara Spencer
The 5-7 guard from Arkansas has a complete game and can shoot from outside. Spencer averaged 13.5 points, four rebounds and, 3.6 assists per game last season.
G Ruby Whitehorn
Looking for another guard, the Vols secured this 5-11 transfer from Clemson, who had been committed to becoming a Lady Vol before pulling her pledge after Harper’s firing. Caldwell cleaned that up and secured her commitment this week.
The Lady Vols have two scholarships remaining. Caldwell has indicated she wants to add one or two more players to the 2024 class. Based on her momentum so far, that shouldn’t be hard.
3 Responses
The proof will or will NOT be in the pudding so I’ll wait until after the 1st month of the season to make any prediction and hope for the best.
With her first three recruits out of the portal, Coach Caldwell loaded the bases. Then, when she signed Ruby Whitehorn… well, that was the grand slam to deep left (analogy using another sport, I know… shout out to Vols baseball…). Lady Vols roster is looking VERY good just a little over a month since CKC was hired. People are excited, and they should be…
Agreed. Impresive start