Tennessee’s offseason roster turnover continues to mount as guard Talaysia Cooper announced plans to enter the transfer portal, becoming the seventh Lady Vol expected to depart via transfer.
Cooper spent three seasons with the program.
This includes the 2023–24 season when she redshirted after opting to transfer after the portal window had closed. Still, she quickly emerged as Tennessee’s most complete and productive player this season.
Cooper led the Lady Vols in scoring at 16.0 points per game while also pacing the team in assists and steals. She totaled 104 assists and 78 steals on the year, while adding 137 rebounds and shooting 49.2% from the field.
Her departure represents a significant loss across multiple areas, as Tennessee loses not only its leading scorer, but a primary ballhandler and top perimeter defender.
Cooper took to social media to explain her reasons for departing from the program.
“Being a Lady Vol has meant more to me than I can fully put into words,” Cooper said in a statement.
She joins a growing list of expected portal departures that includes Mia and Mya Pauldo, Deniya Prawl, Alyssa Latham, Kaniya Boyd, and Lauren Hurst.
Combined with five players who have exhausted their eligibility; Janiah Barker, Nya Robertson, Zee Spearman, Jersey Wolfenbarger, and Kaiya Wynn.
Tennessee is now expected to lose 12 players from its roster.
The wave of departures leaves the Lady Vols facing a near-total roster reset entering the offseason, with few returning contributors currently projected.
The timing adds further significance as the NCAA transfer portal window is set to open Monday, creating immediate urgency for Tennessee to begin rebuilding its roster.
Tennessee is expected to rely heavily on the transfer portal and its incoming recruiting class to address significant gaps across the roster, particularly in the frontcourt and backcourt, as it looks to reestablish depth and continuity ahead of next season.
