All-Big Ten Guard Smikle Signs With Lady Vols

Kaylene Smikle (SMY-kull), a two-time All-Big Ten selection ranked as high as eighth among players in the portal, became the seventh transfer to sign an Institutional Financial Aid Agreement (IFAA) with Tennessee, Lady Vol head coach Kim Caldwell confirmed on Monday.

A 6-foot guard from Bay Shore, New York, Smikle spent the past two years at Maryland, earning All-Big Ten First Team accolades as a junior in 2024-25. She was a preseason All-Big Ten pick in 2025-26 before undergoing season-ending surgery after seven games to address a nagging knee injury. Despite being hampered at that time, she still was averaging 13.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists before deciding to address the issue in early December.

Smikle joins previously-announced transfer portal signees in 5-9 guards Avery Mills (Liberty), Naomi White (Northern Arizona) and Rylie Theuerkauf (Georgia), 6-2 forwards Zhen Craft (Georgia) and Fatmata "Fats" Janneh (Texas A&M), and 6-3 forward Harper Peterson (Stanford) in Tennessee's 2026 transfer portal class.

UT also has two incoming freshmen, including 6-1 guard/forward Gabby Minus (Dacula, Ga./Hebron Christian Academy), the No. 64-ranked player in the 2026 SportsCenter NEXT 100 class, and 5-10 guard Irene Oboavwoduo (Manchester, England/Trinity Church of England H.S.), who has a bevy of international experience with several Great Britain national teams.

In her two seasons in College Park, Smikle started 36 of 38 games played and averaged 17.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals per contest. She connected on 45 percent from the field, 34 percent on threes and 83 percent at the free-throw line. Her tally of double-figure scoring efforts was 34, with 14 of those featuring totals of 20 or more.

Smikle averaged 18.2 ppg., 4.5 rpg., 1.7 apg. and 1.5 spg. in 2024-25 as a junior and shot 45 percent from the field, 33 percent beyond the arc and 82 percent at the charity stripe. She tallied double figures in 28 of 31 contests, including 13 with 20-plus. Her best effort came at Washington on Feb. 9, 2025, when she turned in 36 points, eight rebounds, three blocks and a pair of steals in 35 minutes. She was a first-team All-Big Ten choice by the media and a second-team selection by the coaches.

In year two, Smikle dealt with discomfort while playing, still managing to average double digits in points (13.1) and shoot 44 percent from the field, 35 percent from deep and 91 percent from the free-throw line. The senior scored in double figures in six of seven contests, including a season-best 22-point performance vs. Kentucky in San Juan, Puerto Rico, before her season ended after the Mount St. Mary's game on Dec. 3.

In 2023-24, Smikle produced 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while starting 14 of 15 contests at Rutgers. She carded 11 outings in double figures and had six where she scored 20 or more. Among them was a 33-point effort vs. Delaware State in which she made five three-pointers.

As a freshman in 2022-23, she appeared in 32 games and started 19, averaging 17.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists for the Scarlet Knights. The All-Big Ten Second Team and Big Ten All-Freshman Team honoree reached double figures on 27 occasions, including 15 performances with 20 points or more. Among them were efforts of 29 and 16 vs. her future teams, Maryland and Tennessee, respectively.

During her high school days, Smikle was a four-star recruit, the No. 64 overall player and the No. 11 ranked wing in the nation in 2022, according to the SportsCenter NEXT 100. After beginning her prep career in her home state, she attended Westtown High School in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and earned 2022 Gatorade Pennsylvania Girls Basketball Player of the Year accolades.

Smikle is ranked No. 8 by The Athletic, No. 13 by HoopsHQ and No. 14 by espnW in the portal rankings. Fellow signee Fatmata "Fats" Janneh is rated No. 16 by HoopsHQ.

2026-27 Lady Vol Roster Additions (Signees)

Incoming Transfers
Zhen Craft (6-2, SO, F, Waldorf, Md./Bishop McNamara H.S./Georgia)
Fatmata "Fats" Janneh (6-2, SR, F, London, England/Barking Abbey Sixth Form/Texas A&M)
Avery Mills (5-9, JR, G, Lynchburg, Va./Lynchburg H.S./Liberty)
Harper Peterson (6-3, R-SO, F, Rocklin, Calif./Whitney H.S./Stanford)
Kaylene Smikle (6-0, G, R-SR, Bay Shore, N.Y. /Westtown H.S./Rutgers/Maryland)
Rylie Theuerkauf (5-9, SR, G, Tenafly, N.J./Tenafly H.S./Wake Forest/Georgia)
Naomi White (5-9, R-SO, G, Omaha, Neb./Bellevue West H.S./Northern Arizona)

Incoming Freshmen
Gabby Minus (6-1, FR, G/F, Dacula, Ga./Hebron Christian Academy)
Irene Oboavwoduo (5-10, FR, G, Manchester, England/Trinity Church of England H.S.)

University of Tennessee Athletics

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