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Cleveland Today
By the People, for the People
Lady Vols Freshman Lauren Hurst to Enter Transfer Portal
Hurst is the fourth player to depart the program after Kim Caldwell's second season as head coach.
Mar. 27, 2026 at 1:20am
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Lady Vols basketball freshman Lauren Hurst plans to enter the transfer portal, according to a report from Volquest on March 26. Hurst is the fourth Tennessee player to announce they're entering the portal, joining Deniya Prawl, Alyssa Latham and Kaniya Boyd. She's the second freshman to depart from Kim Caldwell's program after one season, which ended in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Why it matters
Hurst was part of a highly-ranked 2025 recruiting class for Tennessee, which was seen as a turnaround for the program's high school recruiting efforts. Her departure, along with three other players, raises questions about the direction of the Lady Vols program under Caldwell's second-year leadership.
The details
Hurst broke into the rotation in the second half of the season, playing at least 10 minutes in 10 games after SEC play began. She played a season-high 24 minutes at Ole Miss, when she scored a career-high 16 points on 6-for-9 shooting, including 4-for-5 on 3-pointers. Hurst averaged 2.3 points, 1.6 rebounds and 10 minutes per game on the season, and she shot 48.8% from the field, leading the team in 3-point percentage at 41.4%.
- The transfer portal window for immediate eligibility begins the day after the national championship and will be open from April 6-20.
- Tennessee ended the season at 16-14, recording the worst winning percentage in program history (.552) and tied the fewest number of wins in the NCAA era.
The players
Lauren Hurst
A 6-foot-3 freshman guard for the Lady Vols basketball team.
Kim Caldwell
The head coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team, in her second season.
What they’re saying
“Hurst was part of a five-player 2025 class ranked No. 2 in the nation by ESPN, UT's highest-ranked class since 2017, that was a remarkable turnaround in Tennessee's high school recruiting.”
— Cora Hall, University of Tennessee women's athletics reporter for Knox News
What’s next
The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.
The takeaway
Hurst's departure, along with three other players, raises concerns about the direction of the Lady Vols program under Caldwell's leadership, especially after a disappointing season that saw the team record the worst winning percentage in program history.
