University of Tennessee Athletics
Nation’s Top Freshman Scorer, Naomi White, Signs With Lady Vols
April 15, 2026 | Women's Basketball
Naomi White, the top freshman scorer in the country in 2025-26 at Northern Arizona, has signed an Institutional Financial Aid Agreement (IFAA), Lady Vol head coach Kim Caldwell confirmed on Wednesday.
White is a 5-foot-9 guard from Omaha, Nebraska, who has three years of eligibility remaining after redshirting at Grand Canyon in 2024-25 and playing at Northern Arizona in 2025-26. She was named the Big Sky Freshman of the Year and was voted All-Big Sky First Team in her lone season at NAU.
The first player in program history from the state of Nebraska, White joins fellow guard Avery Mills (Liberty) as those in Tennessee's 2026 portal class who have officially submitted paperwork. UT also will welcome 6-1 freshman guard/forward Gabby Minus (Dacula, Ga./Hebron Christian Academy), the No. 64-ranked player in the 2026 SportsCenter NEXT 100 class.
During the 2025-26 campaign, White started all 32 games, averaging 20.8 points per contest for the Lumberjacks. That average was the best by any freshman nationally in NCAA Division I and ranked No. 15 among all players. She recorded 19 games with 20 or more points, including three contests with 30 or more. Her high of 37 came vs. Weber State, when she hit an NAU record nine treys.
In addition to being atop the Big Sky and among the nation's leaders in scoring, White also paced the conference in three-point field goals made (92), three-point field goals made per game (2.88), and three-point field goal percentage (36.5). She ended up ranking 15th nationally in threes per contest at 2.88 and 22nd nationally with 92 threes made.
White also averaged 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.9 steals per game, recording the most steals by a freshman in program history with 61. Additionally, she holds the record for most points in a single season (667) and three-pointers made (92) in NAU history and finished second in scoring average and three-pointers made per game.
Born in Cambridge, England, White played her first two years of high school basketball at Derby (Kansas) High School and her last two at Bellevue West in Omaha, Nebraska. She averaged 17.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.8 steals per game at BWHS. Among her accolades, she was named Nebraska All-State First Team, Nebraska All-Super State Second Team, Class A All-Metro Holiday Team and Class A Second Team.
White is a 5-foot-9 guard from Omaha, Nebraska, who has three years of eligibility remaining after redshirting at Grand Canyon in 2024-25 and playing at Northern Arizona in 2025-26. She was named the Big Sky Freshman of the Year and was voted All-Big Sky First Team in her lone season at NAU.
The first player in program history from the state of Nebraska, White joins fellow guard Avery Mills (Liberty) as those in Tennessee's 2026 portal class who have officially submitted paperwork. UT also will welcome 6-1 freshman guard/forward Gabby Minus (Dacula, Ga./Hebron Christian Academy), the No. 64-ranked player in the 2026 SportsCenter NEXT 100 class.
During the 2025-26 campaign, White started all 32 games, averaging 20.8 points per contest for the Lumberjacks. That average was the best by any freshman nationally in NCAA Division I and ranked No. 15 among all players. She recorded 19 games with 20 or more points, including three contests with 30 or more. Her high of 37 came vs. Weber State, when she hit an NAU record nine treys.
In addition to being atop the Big Sky and among the nation's leaders in scoring, White also paced the conference in three-point field goals made (92), three-point field goals made per game (2.88), and three-point field goal percentage (36.5). She ended up ranking 15th nationally in threes per contest at 2.88 and 22nd nationally with 92 threes made.
White also averaged 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.9 steals per game, recording the most steals by a freshman in program history with 61. Additionally, she holds the record for most points in a single season (667) and three-pointers made (92) in NAU history and finished second in scoring average and three-pointers made per game.
Born in Cambridge, England, White played her first two years of high school basketball at Derby (Kansas) High School and her last two at Bellevue West in Omaha, Nebraska. She averaged 17.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.8 steals per game at BWHS. Among her accolades, she was named Nebraska All-State First Team, Nebraska All-Super State Second Team, Class A All-Metro Holiday Team and Class A Second Team.
WBB | Talaysia Cooper, Nya Robertson & Kim Caldwell Postgame vs. NC State, NCAA Tournament First Round (3.20.26)
Friday, March 20
WBB | Highlights: NC State 76, Lady Vols 61 (3/20/26)| 3.29.25
Friday, March 20
WBB | Janiah Barker, Nya Robertson & Kim Caldwell NCAA Friday News Conference (3.19.26)
Thursday, March 19
WBB | Kim Caldwell Media Availability (3.16.26)
Monday, March 16
