10 names to know in 2026 recruiting class for Lady Vols basketball, Kim Caldwell
Kim Caldwell's first high school recruiting class as Lady Vols basketball coach was ranked No. 2 in the nation.
Recruiting for the 2026 class is ramping up with early signing period Nov. 13-20, and Tennessee is targeting a group of elite prospects.
Here's what you need to know about Tennessee's recruiting for 2026.
What does Lady Vols roster look like in 2026-27?
Tennessee will lose six seniors after this season, leaving eight returners and seven open spots. A few spots will be filled by transfers, but continuing to rebuild the pipeline of high school talent is a must.
During the 2026-27 season, Talaysia Cooper and Alyssa Latham will be seniors and Kaniya Boyd will be a junior. Mia and Mya Pauldo, Deniya Prawl, Jaida Civil and Lauren Hurst will be sophomores.
What are the biggest needs for Lady Vols in 2026 class?
Tennessee's biggest need is more forwards. The Lady Vols are losing the majority of their size after this season with all three players 6-foot-4 and taller exhausting eligibility.
Tennessee could use a bigger 2026 class if it can get it, but Caldwell and her staff have done well in the transfer portal the last two years, too. In fact, all of the Lady Vols' bigger forwards were transfers – Zee Spearman transferred in before the 2024-25 season and Janiah Barker and Jersey Wolfenbarger are new transfers.
Which players are Lady Vols recruiting in 2026 class?
Oliviyah Edwards
Oliviyah Edwards is one of the most sought-after players in the nation. The five-star forward is ranked No. 2 in the class out of Tacoma, Washington. The 6-3 Edwards has incredible potential with her athleticism and her ability to dunk and shoot from 3-point range. Edwards plays for Elite Sports Academy.
Edwards took a visit to Tennessee in January and has the Lady Vols in her top 10 schools. She posted recently she will commit before November, and she plans to take an official visit with the Lady Vols the weekend of Sept. 12-14.
Brihanna Crittendon
Brihanna Crittendon is a five-star forward ranked No. 9 in the class. The 6-3 prospect from Thornton, Colorado, holds offers from nearly every major program.
She surpassed 2,000 career points at Riverdale Ridge last season, becoming the fastest athlete in Colorado history to do so. Crittendon led Riverdale Ridge to the program's first state title as a sophomore. Crittendon is a three-level scorer with a great handle, and she averaged 33 points at a tournament in July.
Crittendon took an unofficial visit to Tennessee in August 2024.
Trinity Jones
Trinity Jones is a five-star guard ranked No. 7 in the class. The 6-1 prospect from Bolingbrook, Illinois, has also gone viral for her dunking ability before. Jones won a gold medal with USA Basketball in 2023 at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship.
Jones took multiple visits to Knoxville last season, once in October and again in January.
Jacy Abii
Jacy Abii is a five-star ranked No. 10 in the class. The 6-2 wing is a three-time state champion from Frisco, Texas, and has won two gold medals with USA Basketball at the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup and 2023 FIBA Americas U16 Championship.
Abii had a strong summer in AAU coming off an ACL tear last year. She announced her top 16 teams in December, which included Tennessee, South Carolina, UConn, LSU, USC and Texas. Abii plays for Legion Prep Academy.
Bella Flemings
Bella Flemings is a five-star ranked No. 12 in the class. The 6-foot guard recently named Tennessee in her top five schools, which also included Duke, Baylor, TCU and Miami.
The San Antonio native plays at William J. Brennan.
Kate Harpring
Kate Harpring is a five-star ranked No. 4, making her the No. 1 point guard in the class. The 5-10 Harpring won a gold medal with USA Basketball this summer at the FIBA U19 World Cup.
Harpring plays for Marist School in Atlanta, and she holds offers from every major program.
Olivia Jones
Olivia Jones is a five-star ranked No. 16 in the class. The 5-11 guard from Bay Shore, New York, plays for Long Island Lutheran. Jones won a gold medal with USA Basketball this summer at the FIBA U16 AmeriCup.
Addison Bjorn
Addison Bjorn is a five-star ranked No. 13 in the class. The 6-1 wing named Tennessee in her top 15 schools in January. She also holds offers from top programs like UConn, UCLA, Texas, Duke and Notre Dame.
Gabby Minus
Gabby Minus is a four-star ranked No. 44 in the class. The 6-foot wing plays at Hebron Christian Academy in Dacula, Georgia. Minus recently announced her top five schools: Tennessee, Baylor, Clemson, Florida and Georgia.
Leelee Bell
Leelee Bell is a four-star ranked No. 61 in the class. The 6-2 forward was offered by Tennessee in May. Bell plays for Minot (North Dakota).
Bell surpassed 2,000 career points last season and led Minot to a state championship in eighth grade. Bell holds offers from a number of schools, including USC, Notre Dame, NC State, Ohio State and North Carolina.
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe