Tennessee’s roster rebuild took a hit this week, as Lady Vols transfer guard Avery Mills announced she had successful surgery to repair her ACL and meniscus.
Mills shared the news Thursday on Instagram, and the message made clear she’s already focused on the long road back. “Thank you Lord!!!”
Mills wrote on Instagram. “After a successful ACL & Meniscus repair surgery, the comeback starts now!
Not at all how I would’ve planned this summer to start, but if you know me you know that I trust His plan far more than mine. I encourage you to do the same!
2 Corinthians 12:9 - in our weakness is where we get to sit back & watch His strength come through! So beyond blessed & thankful to have the best teammates, coaches, staff & family to walk beside me on this journey.
Taking this process day by day, brick by brick.. A1 will be back soon Rocky Top!”
The injury means Mills will be sidelined for an extended stretch after arriving in Knoxville as one of Tennessee’s transfer portal additions this offseason. She comes to the Lady Vols after earning First-Team All-CUSA honors last season at Liberty, where she put together a strong 26-game campaign with 25 starts. Mills averaged 15.3 points per game while shooting 42.9% from the field and 42.7% from three, and she added 4.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.
Her production didn’t come out of nowhere, either. As a freshman, Mills appeared in 33 games without a start and averaged 6.8 points while shooting 51.9% from the field, 46.2% from beyond the arc and 91.3% at the line. That 50/40/90 line helped her land a spot on the CUSA All-Freshman Team.
Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell praised Mills after her signing, saying, “Avery Mills brings toughness, leadership and sharp shooting that will translate to the SEC immediately,” Caldwell said after her signing. “She is a great player and an even better person. Her impact on our team will be great, both on and off the floor.”
Mills is part of a massive influx of talent for Tennessee, which brought in 15 incoming players this offseason after losing every player from last year’s roster to eligibility or the transfer portal. Caldwell responded by attacking the portal hard, with Mills as the first commit in a group that also includes Naomi White (Northern Arizona), Harper Peterson (Stanford), Zhen Craft (Georgia), Rylie Theuerkauf (Georgia), Harissoum Coulibaly (Auburn), Fatmata Janneh (Texas A&M), Kaylene Smikle (Maryland), Shaelyn Steele (Penn State), Jada Eads (Seton Hall), Aaliyah Moore (Texas), Kennedy Fauntleroy (ECU) and Riley Makalusky (West Virginia).
UT also added a pair of freshmen in four-star Gabby Minus and international prospect Irene Oboavwoduo to round out the roster.
In Other News...
Lady Vols Just Got An Early Shot With A Major Recruit
Tennessee is getting in early on one of the more intriguing names in the 2029 class, and the timing matters. The Lady Vols recently brought in a highly recruited young prospect for an unofficial visit, giving her a chance to meet Kim Caldwell and her staff while the program continues laying groundwork for the future. Tennessee also just added Gabby Minus and Irene Oboavwoduo for the 2026-27 roster, but the pipeline beyond that remains wide open.
For a program with no commitments yet in the 2027, 2028 or 2029 classes, every early relationship carries extra weight. This prospect already has a growing list of offers from major programs, so Tennessees latest push is less about making a splash now and more about staying in the conversation before the recruiting race tightens. The Lady Vols have positioned themselves as an early player, and the next steps will tell plenty about how real that interest becomes. [Read more 🡒]
Neyland Just Gave Vol Fans The Proof Theyve Been Waiting For
Neyland Stadium keeps collecting evidence for what Tennessee fans have long believed: when the place gets rolling, it can overwhelm just about anybody. On3 Sports now has the Vols' home field at 137.0 decibels, the loudest college football stadium in the nation, a mark that only adds to the building's reputation as one of the sport's most intimidating settings.
The timing matters, too, because Tennessee is about to spend plenty of Saturdays trying to turn that noise into an edge. SEC players already voted Neyland the toughest place to play in the league at SEC Media Days, and with a full home slate ahead, the conversation around the stadium is no longer just about atmosphere. It is about whether the volume in Knoxville can keep matching the standard the numbers suggest. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Commit David Gabriel Georges Is Already Drawing Fierce Public Defense
David Gabriel-Georges arrives in Knoxville with the kind of rsum that turns a recruiting win into a bigger conversation. The five-star running back prospect chose Tennessee over Ohio State and Ole Miss, and he brings major expectations with him after being named MaxPreps National Player of the Year last season. For the Volunteers, it is the sort of commitment that can energize a fan base and raise the bar for what comes next.
The spotlight has also come with some noise online, and Gabriel-Georges has already drawn public backing from people closest to him. His uncle and high school coach have stepped in to defend his character and work habits, trying to put the focus back on the player Tennessee targeted in the first place. For a program that just landed one of the nations most coveted backs, the next question is less about the recruitment and more about how quickly that promise translates once he gets to campus. [Read more 🡒]