NCAA news: Tennessee guard Te'a Cooper to transfer

NCAA news: Tennessee guard Te’a Cooper to transfer

Mar 5, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Tennessee Lady Volunteers guard Te'a Cooper (20) dribbles the ball as Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs guard Morgan William (2) defends in the first quarter during the women's SEC basketball tournament at Jacksonville Memorial Veterans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports /

Tennessee guard Te’a Cooper will transfer, coach Holly Warlick confirmed on Tuesday.

Warlick said in a statement that she would grant Cooper’s release, according to the Associated Press.

"“I appreciate all of Te’a’s hard work and her contributions to our program the last two years.”"

Cooper came to Tennessee prior to the 2015-16 season as one of the most heralded recruits in the country. The McDonald’s and Jordan Brand All-American was the No. 1-rated point guard out of high school by both D1spects.com and prospectsnation.com. As a freshman, she ranked fourth on the team in scoring with 8.6 points per game and eclipsed 20 points three times.

The SEC All-Freshman team member suffered a knee injury in the 2016 offseason, however, forcing her to sit out 2016-17.

Cooper is the second player to announce her transfer from Knoxville this summer; guard Alexa Middleton decided to leave the program at the end of April.

Though the Lady Vols have now lost two key backcourt pieces to transfer, they will return leading scorer Diamond DeShields, along with Jordan Reynolds, who started all 31 games last year. Tennessee also brings in guards Evina Westbrooked (ranked the second overall prospect in the country by ESPN) and Anastasia Hayes (seventh), as well as wing Rennia Davis (12th).

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