The Lady Vols have begun their rebuild by hiring a new assistant coach and landing a roster of new players.

Isoken Uzamere is already making a splash as an Assistant Coach for the University of Tennessee Women’s Basketball team. After this past season, UT had no returning players; Uzamere has gotten straight to work after her April 7 hiring, helping Head Coach Kim Caldwell with recruiting; they’ve landed six portal commitments so far.

After a hard 16-14 season, and a first round exit in the March Madness tournament, all eight eligible Tennessee players entered the transfer portal. Most notably the Paulo twins, Mia and Mya, returned back home to Rutgers in New Jersey and Oliviyah Edwards, a five-star recruit, decommited.

Coach Cadwell feels the rough season was a reality check.

“I think your first year is a little bit of grace … Your second year your get a little taste of reality and maybe you think its going to be–for me personally — maybe it’s going to be the same as year one was easier than it should be.”

Micheal Cauley, Holyoke High School Girls Assistant Coach, feels the most important aspect for this rebuild will be the on-court connection between players.

“Team chemistry will be vital in a rebuild season,” Cauley said. “The new coach needs to find lineups and sub rotations that work together and compliment each other’s skill sets.”

After the hardships of last season, and the loss of many promising players, Cadwell and her coaching staff have signed 15 incoming players. The Tennessee Lady Vols have a high-energy playing style aggressive and disciplined, and these players fit just that. Talyasia Cooper, sophomore guard transfer from South Carolina, thrives in transition and pressuring the ball; she’s joined by players like Aaliyah Chavez who rebound aggressively and finish through contact. There are several other players who will be essential to the Lady Vols’ success.

Cadwell feels confident about the new season and fresh restart.

“Its been fantastic,” she said. “We’re excited about the new players we’ve had on campus, the way our staff has hit the ground running.”

“I think when people invest in you, when things aren’t going so great, you know what their intentions are,” she added, “and we brought in players that are very hungry and have a chip on their shoulder and have something to prove, which really matches my mindset, so were really excited.”