Kaylene Smikle, a highly sought‑after forward, is set to join the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball program after completing a senior season at Maryland that was cut short by a knee injury.
The injury required surgery and restricted her to just seven appearances, during which she averaged 13.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 0.7 steals per game.
Despite the setback, Smikle reports that her rehabilitation is progressing faster than anticipated, and she expects to be fully ready when the Lady Vols open the season alongside teammates Aaliyah Moore and Jada Eads.
Coach Kim Caldwell has expressed confidence that Smikle will be a major scoring threat, citing her work ethic and collegiate experience as assets for the program.
Smikle’s college career began at Rutgers, where as a freshman she set a program scoring record with 17.9 points per game and earned multiple Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.
After a injury‑impacted sophomore season at Rutgers, she transferred to Maryland, where in the 2022‑23 campaign she garnered All‑Big Ten First Team honors from the media and a Second Team selection from the coaches while averaging 17.9 points and 4.4 rebounds.
Ranked as the No. 11 wing and No. 64 overall recruit by ESPNW out of high school, Smikle hails from Bay Shore, New York, and arrives in Knoxville with the expectation of being a primary offensive weapon for the Lady Vols.
A New Chapter in Knoxville
The upcoming season will test how quickly Smikle can translate her past production into new success under Caldwell’s system, and fans will be eager to see her impact on the court.