We have no idea what’s in store for the Tennessee Lady Vols in 2024-25 given new head coach Kim Caldwell’s work in the transfer portal. However, Caldwell finally gave UT fans a taste of what they may see beyond next year with her first recruiting commitments of 2025.
Mia and Mya Pauldo, two identical twins from New Jersey, announced their commitment to Rocky Top on Instagram Thursday evening. Both 5’5″ point guards out of Morris Catholic High School in Denville, N.J., Mia Pauldo is a five-star and the No. 13 ranked prospect, while Mya Pauldo is a four-star and No. 49.
These guards are exactly the type of players to run Caldwell’s system. They are ridiculously athletic, and both are sharpshooters. Caldwell’s whole system is controlled chaos: turning up the tempo and shooting as many three-pointers as possible.
For next year, to this point, the Tennessee Lady Vols have addressed the size and athleticism issues that would have plagued Caldwell with the personnel she had while head coach of the Marshall Thundering Herd. However, they had not yet addressed the three-point shooting.
With these twins arriving, they will complement Lazaria Spearman and Alyssa Latham, both of whom should be back after 2024-25. They are each elite, athletic forwards to make sure UT isn’t at a size disadvantage when it focuses on three-point shooting and perimeter play.
The twins also come with an ambitious mentality, as their Instagram handle said they want to bring a national championship back to Knoxville. It’s a safe bet that they will immediately be the centerpieces of Caldwell’s system, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.
There are still questions about the Tennessee Lady Vols’ personnel next year, as Caldwell may not be done in the transfer portal, and she’s certainly not done on the recruiting trail. However, the Pauldo twins are the biggest pickups for Caldwell so far.
