Tennessee got a timely boost this week as Nya Robertson was granted eligibility through a temporary restraining order, putting the guard back in the mix for Kim Caldwell’s Lady Vols.
The update, first reported by Cora Hall of the Knoxville News Sentinel and later confirmed by Tennessee Athletics, comes after Robertson filed in Texas as part of the Hosea Wheeler v. NCAA lawsuit. That case is seeking a fifth year of eligibility for class of 2022 seniors who were left out of the NCAA’s new age-based eligibility rules.
The restraining order is only temporary. It expires on Nov. 13, with a hearing scheduled for Nov.
- For now, though, Robertson is cleared to be available for Thursday’s game at Coppin State.
Robertson has already been around the program in a different role, working as a student assistant and contributing as a practice player. Caldwell said during local media day that her presence has mattered behind the scenes.
"She’s done a good job,” Caldwell said during local media day. “She is able to have the ball in her hands and teach people to be in the right spots and know you need to be in help side. I think sometimes, I know that I was this way, sometimes it’s easier to see things on the floor than it is standing off the floor.
"Because she is so heavily involved with our practice team, she’s able to see a lot and give real time, like real time, 'no, scoot over, no, force me this way, no, make sure that you close out this way,' because she’s out there."
The 5-foot-7 guard from Fort Worth, Texas, was a major piece for Tennessee in the 2025-26 season. She started 21 of 30 games, played 672 minutes, and averaged 8.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. Robertson also added four blocks and 19 steals while shooting 36.1% from the floor and 33.1% from three.
Her scoring punch showed up often. Robertson reached double figures 11 times and had two games with 20 or more points. She finished second on the team with 57 made three-pointers and hit at least three triples in nine games.
She also owns a place in the record book. Robertson set the Lady Vols’ single-game mark with 10 made threes against Coppin State on Nov. 23, 2025, breaking Samara Spencer’s previous record of nine, which came the year before against North Carolina Central on Dec. 14, 2024.
In Other News...
Tennessee Just Got A Huge Edge In A Massive Kentucky Showdown
Saturday night at Neyland Stadium already had the feel of a measuring-stick game, and now Tennessee enters it with a clean bill of health on the current roster. The 13th-ranked Volunteers will host No. 6 Kentucky at 6:15 p.m. ET in an SEC rivalry matchup that carries real weight for both teams, with each still eyeing the playoff picture and knowing a win would do plenty for the rsum.
For Tennessee, the absence of any new injury changes matters as much as the ranking gap. The Vols are still dealing with six season-ending injuries, but otherwise look ready for a game that could reshape the league conversation, while Kentucky got a small boost of its own with defensive back Isaiah McMillian moving to probable after previously being listed as questionable. In a matchup this big, the margins are thin, and availability could end up being part of the story before the first snap even arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Faces A Costly Problem At The Worst Time Against Kentucky
Penalty issues have been a recurring problem for Tennessee all season, and they come into this matchup with Kentucky needing a cleaner performance than the one that has too often followed them around. The Volunteers have been flagged 61 times and have given away too many yards in the process, a costly habit for a team trying to stay sharp in a rivalry game where every mistake can swing momentum.
Kentucky brings a different kind of challenge, one that shows up in the details. The Wildcats have been much better at avoiding self-inflicted damage and have built a strong turnover margin, while Josh Heupel has already pointed to the importance of Tennessee playing a disciplined game. Against an opponent that protects the football and limits mistakes, the margin for error is thin, and the Volunteers cannot afford another sloppy afternoon. [Read more 🡒]
Kim Caldwell Sees One Clear Issue Despite Tennessees 2-0 Start
Tennessee opened the season 2-0 and handled Coppin State 98-60, but Kim Caldwell still found room for a sharp critique in the aftermath. In her postgame interviews on MEAC Network TV and Vol Network radio, the Lady Vols coach pointed to the teams defensive adjustments, the play of younger pieces, and the early contributions from Kennedy Fauntleroy and Gabby Minus as reasons for optimism, even with the lopsided win in hand.
The bigger concern, Caldwell said, was the kind of issue that can linger long after a comfortable result: ball sharing, defense and shot selection. With a young roster still settling in, Tennessee has already shown it can overwhelm an opponent, but the next step is making those stretches more complete and more consistent, especially once the competition tightens and the margin for error shrinks. [Read more 🡒]