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Why Te’a Cooper’s transfer is devastating for Tennessee Lady Vols

By Caleb Calhoun

Nov 18, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Lady Volunteers guard Te'a Cooper (20) passes the ball against Penn State Lady Lions guard Lindsey Spann (12) during the third quarter at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tennessee won 74 to 66. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 18, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Lady Volunteers guard Te'a Cooper (20) passes the ball against Penn State Lady Lions guard Lindsey Spann (12) during the third quarter at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tennessee won 74 to 66. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tennessee Lady Vols point guard Te’a Cooper is transferring, leaving Volunteers women’s basketball coach Holly Warlick with limited depth at that position.

On the surface, it shouldn’t be a big deal. After all, the Tennessee Lady Vols played all of last year without Te’a Cooper. What does her loss mean this year?

Well, it actually means a lot.

Tennessee had a national championship caliber team next year with its three stars coming back in Mercedes Russell, Diamond DeShields, and Jaime Nared. Only Jordan Reynolds was set to leave.

Add in the No. 1 recruiting class for this year and the return of Cooper at point guard, and Warlick had all of her problems from this past year solved: no more issues with depth, talent, or veteran guard play.

Well, we now have to take off veteran guard play and depth.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that the Tennessee Lady Vols now only have 11 available players for next year, only two more than the nine they had this past year.

That means they have to hope for no season-ending injuries if they want to solve their depth issue.

On top of that, Cooper was the only point guard with any experience on the team.

Now, Warlick likely has to turn to a freshman to facilitate for the three stars. To be fair, Anastasia Hayes was a five-star top-notch recruit, so she could fill in immediately.

But with Evina Westbrook already likely to just jump into a starting role, Warlick now has to deal with two freshmen in the backcourt.

Cooper, who is extremely talented herself, could have stepped in that point guard role to bring Westbrook along while Hayes provided much-needed depth on the bench.

But with her departure, the Tennessee Lady Vols now have a lot of work to do this offseason to be as elite as we thought they could be.