A Season‑Long Setback
Avery Mills, the Lady Vols' premier 3‑point threat, announced on Instagram that she will miss the entire 2026‑27 campaign after tearing her ACL and meniscus during a team skill workout on June 30.
Coach Kim Caldwell confirmed the injury on July 7, noting that the typical recovery window of six to twelve months makes a return before next season unlikely.
Mills' shooting pedigree is extensive: she shoots 43.8% from beyond the arc over her career and burst onto the scene with a 42.7% mark on 7.4 attempts per game as a sophomore, ranking fifteenth nationally.
Historical Context
The program last saw a shooter of Mills' caliber in Angie Bjorklund, whose 305 career 3‑pointers remain the school record, underscoring the rarity of the weapon the Lady Vols are losing.
Mills' ability to space the floor and create her own shot was a cornerstone of Tennessee's offensive architecture, a role that will now be filled by a combination of returning veterans.
Rebuilding the Attack
The coaching staff plans to lean on redshirt seniors Kaylene Smikle and Kennedy Fauntleroy, while also tapping contributions from Jada Eads and Rylie Theuerkauf to offset the loss of Mills' volume and accuracy.
Beyond individual statistics, the team hopes to preserve the spacing and shot‑creation that defined last season's offense, a challenge that will test the depth and versatility of the roster.