Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
Head coach Kim Caldwell and the Lady Vols have had a very productive offseason in the transfer portal. The Lady Vols, however, aren’t done yet as the program is still looking to add talent to its roster.
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It’s been a productive offseason for Kim Caldwell and the Lady Vols, but the work isn’t done yet.
Tennessee has added six transfer players so far this offseason, including the addition of Auburn transfer Harissoum Coulibaly on Monday.
Caldwell is keeping her foot on the gas in the portal as the Lady Vols are reportedly hosting Maryland transfer guard Kaylene Smikle on Tuesday (first reported by VolQuest’s Mike Wilson).
Smikle, 6-foot from Bay Shore, NY, has averaged 17.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game over her college career.
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The Maryland transfer missed most of last season after undergoing surgery for an injury. Smikle has one season of eligibility remaining.
We’ll see if Caldwell can close the deal with Smikle, a talented scorer who would bring plenty of experience to the Lady Vols’ roster.
Caldwell has mostly pursued players with multiple seasons of eligibility — which should help Tennessee rebuild its culture. It makes sense, though, to add an experienced guard like Smikle.
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“She’s gotten a lot of players with multiple years of eligibility, so I think she’s got some things to build around,” said VolQuest’s Brent Hubbs Tuesday on WNML. “You’ve got to keep them every year. But I don’t think there’s a thought that she’s going to have to go get 12 or 14 new players next year, either. She’s trying to build something that she can kind of build a locker room and a culture around with.”
This is an important offseason for Caldwell after ending last season on an eight-game losing streak. So far, she’s nailing it. But the true judgment will come next season when we find out if winning the transfer portal translates to winning more games for Caldwell and the Lady Vols.
