Tennessee Lady Vols lose Mimi Collins to transfer

Team set to lose a second impact player

Despite hiring new coach Kellie Harper almost a month ago, the tumultuous offseason for the Tennessee Lady Vols has yet to settle down. Mimi Collins intends to transfer from the program, the Tennessee athletic department has confirmed.

Collins spent only one season in Knoxville, where she appeared in all 32 games averaging 14.5 minutes per game. Her 5.5 points per game came on 50.8 percent shooting, including 53.3 percent from beyond the arc. She also averaged 3.4 rebounds per game. She was expected to have an even greater role next season, especially after entering the starting line-up for the final four contests.

More from NCAA

• Your Day in Women’s Basketball, April 6: Stanford defeats Arizona in a tightly contested matchup to win the national title
• Your Day in Women’s Basketball, March 30: UConn and Baylor deliver a classic battle of storied programs
• Your Day in Women’s Basketball, March 26: Louisville and Texas A&M survive and advance
• Your Day in Women’s Basketball, March 23: Highlights from the first round of the NCAA Tournament
• Your Day in Women’s Basketball, March 16: Tournament bracket released

The sophomore-to-be arrived at Tennessee from Fairfax, Virginia’s Paul VI Catholic High School as a McDonald’s All-American. The five-star recruit was the No. 8 post player and No. 49 player overall coming out of high school according to HoopGurlz, while Prospects Nation had her as the No. 9 player in the country and the No. 3 forward.

There is no word on where Collins will end up, but she also considered UCLA, Louisville, Penn State, and West Virginia during the recruiting process, according to espnW. Wherever she ends up, she will have three years to play after sitting out the 2019-20 season due to NCAA transfer rules.

The departure will create additional challenges for Harper, who is taking over after longtime Lady Vol Holly Warlick was forced out. The team already lost Evina Westbrook, whose intent to transfer was announced last month. Westbrook accounted for 14.9 points per game, which tied Rennia Davis for the team lead last season.

Harper is trying to return Tennessee to its place among the elite of women’s college basketball after a 19-13 season that was panned by many of the Lady Vol faithful. The season, which featured a 7-9 record in SEC play, ended at the hands of the UCLA Bruins in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Love our 24/7 women’s basketball coverage? Join our Patreon now and support this work, while getting extra goodies and subscriber-only content for yourself.