Oliviyah Edwards issues statement on release from Lady Vols basketball

Key Points:

• Oliviyah Edwards, the No. 4 national basketball prospect, has been officially released from her letter of intent to play for the Tennessee Lady Vols and is reopening her recruitment after careful consideration with her family.
• Edwards, a 6-foot-3 forward from Tacoma, Washington, initially committed to Tennessee on October 13, choosing the Lady Vols over several top programs including South Carolina, USC, LSU, Florida, and Washington.
• The Lady Vols are undergoing significant roster changes with no returning players, as multiple signees from the 2025 class have entered the transfer portal and key players like Talaysia Cooper, Alyssa Latham, and Kaniya Boyd are also leaving.
• Coaching staff changes have occurred with head coach Kim Caldwell parting ways with assistants Roman Tubner and Gabe Lazo, the latter having been the primary recruiter for Edwards and recently hired as UCF's head coach after a brief assistant role at LSU.
• Edwards expressed gratitude towards the Lady Vols community and staff, highlighting the difficulty of her decision and the meaningful relationships formed during her recruitment and commitment period.