Tennessee’s roster overhaul has escalated into one of the most significant in women’s college basketball.
Talaysia Cooper’s decision to enter the transfer portal Thursday morning pushed Tennessee to seven expected departures.
As a result, the Lady Vols now project to lose 12 players when including expiring eligibility.
Currently, Jaida Civil stands as the only returning player on Tennessee’s roster.
Cooper’s departure carries significant weight. She led Tennessee in scoring, assists, and steals this season.
Across the country, several programs face notable portal turnover. However, most retain a core foundation.
For example, Iowa State has seen 10 players enter the portal. That group includes star center Audi Crooks, who averaged over 20 points per game and controlled the paint.
Similarly, TCU is expected to lose more than seven players. Olivia Miles averaged nearly 20 points per game, while Marta Suarez added 16 points per game as a consistent scoring option.
Indiana also has six players in the portal, including starting guard Nevaeh Caffey, who contributed 8.5 points and 2.5 assists per game.
Meanwhile, UCLA has multiple portal entries ahead of its Final Four game Friday.
However, those exits primarily involve depth players and younger contributors.
Likewise, Syracuse and Missouri are losing key contributors, including starters.
Still, those programs retain portions of their core rosters.
In contrast, Tennessee’s losses span nearly every position group and level of production.
The Lady Vols are losing both volume and foundational contributors.
As a result, Tennessee is not retooling or reloading. Instead, the program faces a complete roster reset.
The NCAA transfer portal opens Monday, creating immediate urgency.
Tennessee must rebuild through the portal while replacing both production and identity.
