Lady Vols head coach Kim Caldwell tried to pull off a stunner for Tennessee, but it didn't work out

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Lady Vols head coach Kim Caldwell tried to pull off a stunner for Tennessee, but it didn’t work out. Caldwell is having a great offseason, but that doesn’t mean every move has worked out.

Lady Vols head coach Kim Caldwell tried to pull off a stunner for Tennessee this week, but it didn’t work out.

On Wednesday, VolQuest’s Austin Price noted on 104.5 The Zone's Ramon and Will that Caldwell was still trying to land 2026 five-star recruit Oliviyah Edwards, a former Tennessee signee who asked for her release from the program earlier this offseason.

"They're going to continue to swing at Big O, Oliviyah Edwards," said Price Wednesday on 104.5 The Zone's Ramon and Will. "She's taken a couple of visits to South Carolina, Texas, and Louisville. They're going to continue to swing there and see if they can throw a Hail Mary and get her back in the boat again. To me, you're playing with house money. I think most people have [assumed she's] gone. If [Tennessee] could pull a Hail Mary here and get her back in the fold, it would be a huge coup for Caldwell."

Oliviyah Edwards commits to South Carolina

Unfortunately for Caldwell and the Lady Vols, the Hail Mary attempt was batted down at the goal line.

Edwards committed to the South Carolina Gamecocks on Thursday.

Losing Edwards to South Carolina is a reminder of the current pecking order in women’s college basketball.

Tennessee is having a strong offseason, but Caldwell still has a lot of work to do to get the program in position to compete with teams like South Carolina.