Lady Vols basketball freshman Jaida Civil plans to enter the transfer portal, she announced April 6.
On Instagram, Civil wrote it was “the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make. After deep thought and prayer, I have decided to enter the transfer portal. This isn’t goodbye − it’s gratitude. Tennessee will always be part of me.”
The 6-foot guard is the eighth player to either announce intentions or reportedly entering the transfer portal, joining Deniya Prawl, Alyssa Latham, Kaniya Boyd, Lauren Hurst, Mia and Mya Pauldo and Talaysia Cooper.
Tennessee officially has no returning players from the 2025-26 roster. Coach Kim Caldwell will have to recruit an entirely new roster for her third season at Tennessee.
All five of Tennessee’s freshmen have now announced they’ll leave the program after one season. The transfer portal window which allows for immediate eligibility was moved to after the national championship game this season and is open through April 20.
“From the very first moment I stepped on campus, I knew this place was special,” Civil wrote. “There was something different in the air – the history, the legacy, the standard. It wasn’t just a program, it was a tradition built on greatness. I fell in love with Tennessee instantly.
“Wearing the orange and white, representing something bigger than myself and embracing the opportunity to help bring this program back to the highest level – that meant everything to me. It was more than a dream… It was purpose.”
Civil also said it was “a true blessing” to play for Caldwell, who she called “one of the best up and coming coaches in the country.”
“I want you to know how much I genuinely love and appreciate you,” Civil wrote of Caldwell. “The belief you had in me, the opportunity you gave me as a young woman trying to find her way – it changed my life. I will always carry that with me. Thank you to you and the entire staff for pouring into me and trust me to be part of something so meaningful.”
Civil is the final blow of the entire 2025 class leaving Tennessee, which was on track to rebuild its pipeline of high school talent with the five-player freshman class ranked No. 2 by ESPN. Civil was one of three five-star McDonald’s All-Americans in Tennessee’s freshman class, and she was ranked No. 20 in the class by ESPN.
Civil was one of the most improved players this season and averaged 6.4 points, four rebounds, 1.5 assists and 18.8 minutes in all 30 games. She started in 10 games and shot 41.5% from the field and 28.8% from 3-point range.
Civil scored a career-high at Oklahoma on Feb. 22 with 21 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and zero turnovers while shooting 8-for-16 from the field.
The Lady Vols finished 16-14, the worst winning percentage in program history (.552), and lost 11 of their last 13 games. The 16 wins tie the fewest of the NCAA era for UT, and the eight-game winning streak to end the season was the longest of the NCAA era.
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: [email protected]; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe
