The Lady Vols have completed their roster with new players after a mass departure. Kim Caldwell has successfully filled the team, marking a fresh start for the program.
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Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
Kim Caldwell and the Lady Vols put the finishing touches on their roster this week. Tennessee was forced to replace every single player on Caldwellâs roster following a mass departure of players.
Kim Caldwell and the Lady Vols officially put the finishing touches on their roster on Tuesday.
After starting the offseason with zero players on the team, Caldwell now has a full roster.
All of the Lady Volsâ additions are important and will play in Caldwellâs fast-paced system.
Two of the additions, however, stand out a bit more than the others.
When the offseason started, the Lady Vols werenât exactly an attractive destination due to the way the 2025-26 season ended (with an eight-game losing streak and some off-the-court drama).
On Tuesday, during a Big Orange Caravan Stop in Chattanooga, Caldwell spotlighted two players who were the âfirst ones to the fireâ â four-star signee Gabby Minus and Liberty transfer Avery Mills.
âGabby was amazing,â said Caldwell. âEvery time we talked, [she was saying], âIâm all in, Iâm all in, Iâm all in. This is where I want to be.â And so she was great on that end. And for it to be a young kid coming out of high school to be unwavering â and when I say she was unwavering, she did not waver one bit â itâs remarkable. And again, her and Avery Mills were the first ones to the fire, so to speak.â
Minus and Mills helped ensure that Caldwell and the Lady Vols carried some momentum into the rest of the transfer cycle. And that momentum obviously helped as Tennessee made 12 key transfer additions.
Mills spoke on her decision to join Tennessee earlier this month and made it clear that honoring the legacy of the Lady Vols is important to her.
The article does not specify the names of the new players on the Lady Vols roster.
The Lady Vols had to replace their entire roster due to a mass departure of players.
Kim Caldwell is expected to bring a fresh start to the Lady Vols program after successfully filling the roster.
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"I strongly believe in coach Kim," said Mills. "Regardless of the doubts, regardless of what people may be thinking, we're going to do what we do - we're going to put the
work inâŠWe both have that chip, and it's a big chip. I'm ready, and I'm really excited to just show what I can do."
"It makes me want to work even harder," added Mills of what it means to play for an iconic brand like the Lady Vols. "Just to really respect the name on the front of my jersey, and to honor them and to just keep this legacy going. I'm really excited to see where it goes."
Every new player on Tennesseeâs roster is important, but Minus and Mills are the two âOGsâ in this class that really helped kick off the offseason for Caldwell and her staff.