Tennessee’s women’s basketball program received a blow this week as guard Avery Mills was confirmed to be sidelined for an extended stretch due to a right knee injury. The junior, who joined the Lady Vols after a high‑profile transfer from Liberty, has been a key offensive weapon for the team.
Mills arrived in Knoxville this spring after a standout career at Liberty Christian Academy, where she led her high school squad to its first state championship and amassed more than 2,700 points. At Liberty she earned All‑CUSA First Team honors and posted a career shooting percentage of 43.8 percent, including a 42.7 percent clip from three‑point range on 7.4 attempts per game last season.
A High‑School Legacy
Her impact at Tennessee was already being felt before the injury. In her lone season with the Lady Vols, Mills averaged 15.3 points, four rebounds and 2.2 assists in 30.7 minutes per game, quickly establishing herself as one of the team’s top shooters. She opened the season with a 19‑point performance against Tennessee as a freshman, hitting 7 of 9 shots and three of five from beyond the arc in a 109‑93 victory for the Volunteers.
Coach Kim Caldwell, who has been guiding the Lady Vols through a rebuilding phase, will now have to adjust her rotation without the services of Mills. The depth of the roster will be tested as the team navigates the upcoming schedule, relying on younger players to fill the scoring void left by the injured guard.
The injury comes at a critical juncture for Tennessee, which is looking to build on recent successes and climb the national rankings. While the exact timeline for Mills’ return remains unclear, the coaching staff has indicated that the focus will be on a careful rehabilitation to ensure she returns at full strength.