breaking news: She is coming…..

Alyssa Latham transfers from Syracuse to join the Lady Vols basketball team.

Alyssa Latham made public her decision to join the Lady Vols basketball team via social media on Saturday evening, becoming the first player to commit to Tennessee since Kim Caldwell took over as coach.

During her freshman year at Syracuse, Latham played an average of 27.6 minutes per game, scoring 8.6 points and grabbing 7.0 rebounds per game. Standing at 6 feet 2 inches tall, she achieved a career-high 23 points in a game against Alabama in November, playing for 40 minutes in a victory for Syracuse.

For her outstanding performance last season, Latham earned a spot on the ACC All-Freshman team, a distinction not seen for a Syracuse player since Kamilla Cardoso. Throughout the season, she blocked 42 shots while starting in 26 out of 32 games.

Originally from Glenwood, Illinois, Latham participated in two NCAA Tournament games last season. In the first round, she contributed 10 points and five rebounds to Syracuse’s win over Arizona. Despite Syracuse’s loss to Connecticut in the second round, Latham managed to secure six points, six rebounds, and two blocks.

ESPN rated Latham as a four-star recruit in the 2023 class, a class in which former Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper failed to secure any commitments. Consequently, Latham stands as the sole member of the 2023 class on the current Lady Vols roster, joining Talaysia Cooper as one of the two sophomores, with Cooper having redshirted last season.

Latham’s arrival coincides with Karoline Striplin’s decision to enter the transfer portal on Friday. Striplin, who started 11 games last season and averaged 7.2 points, was expected to play a significant role in Tennessee’s post play.

Expressing gratitude for her time at Tennessee, Striplin thanked Coach Kellie and the entire basketball community for their support over the past three years in a social media post.

With Latham and Jillian Hollingshead now comprising Tennessee’s post players, they will shoulder much of the responsibility for rebounding and post scoring.