The Tennessee women’s basketball offseason just keeps getting worse for fans. It’s been death by a thousand cuts, one player leaves here, an assistant leaves there, and it feels like it just never stops.
Kim Caldwell must prioritize these transfers at each position to save her future with Vols
Tennessee has now lost every player from its current roster, as every Lady Vol has either graduated or entered the transfer portal. On top of that, Kim Caldwell also lost Oliviyah Edwards, a five-star forward who was expected to be a future star at the college level. Right now, it feels like the entire program is falling apart.
In the midst of the commotion, Edwards released a statement to Tennessee fans thanking them for their support. Edwards said:
"With a heavy heart, I've decided to decommit from The University of Tennessee and reopen my recruitment. I have officially been released from the university.
Knoxville was incredible from the moment I first stepped on campus. I'm so thankful for the love and support from Lady Vol fans-you all made this journey special in a way I'll never forget. Your dedication to the program is truly unmatched.
This decision was incredibly hard, but after deep conversations with my family, I know it's what's best for my future. A special thank you to Coach Kim Caldwell, Gabe Lazo, Roman Tubner and the entire staff. The relationships we built mean so much to me, and they will always hold a special place in my future.
This has been a tough weekend as I've had to grieve the loss of what I once envisioned for my future."
🧡🧡always love for Knoxville pic.twitter.com/6L5eM6srMW
— Oliviyah “Big Oh” Edwards (@EdwardsOliviyah) April 7, 2026
Kim Caldwell blew it
There is no other way to spin this other than that if Tennessee hadn't completely lost everything, then this wouldn't have happened. Danny White has taken a lot of criticism for how the Lady Vols program has fared, and despite this, he's still backed by Kim Caldwell. Many fans were open to giving Cladwell another season, despite the complete failure of the 2025-26 season was. But after losing the entire roster and now their top recruit, things have taken a 180.
You can't help but think that if some of the Lady Vols' top talent had stayed around for next year, Edwards would have stayed committed. The Lady Vols brand is the biggest in the sport, and Edwards seemingly has loved everything about the school, but the fact that it's all come crumbling down is sad.
There is still some hope that Cal Dwell can piece together a championship-type roster in the Transfer Portal, but who knows at this point? The Lady Vols program is nowhere near the standard that was set by Coach Summit, and it's sad.