Kim Caldwell and the Lady Vols made a big addition earlier this month by landing Liberty transfer guard Avery Mills.

Mills, 5-foot-9 from Lynchburg, VA, was a sophomore at Liberty this past season. She averaged 15.3 points per game while shooting 42 percent from beyond the arc. Mills earned First Team All-Conference honors last season.

The Virginia native has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Avery Mills drops strong quotes about transferring to Tennessee

After committing to the Lady Vols, Mills spoke with WVLT’s John Sartori about her decision.

Mills was the first transfer to commit to Tennessee after every player from last year’s roster entered the NCAA transfer portal (outside of the players that exhausted their eligibility).

“I strongly believe in coach Kim,” said Mills “Regardless of the doubts, regardless of what people may be thinking, we’re going to do what we do — we’re going to put the
work in…We both have that chip, and it’s a big chip. I’m ready, and I’m really excited to just show what I can do.”

“It makes me want to work even harder,” added Mills of what it means to play for an iconic brand like the Lady Vols. “Just to really respect the name on the front of my jersey, and to honor them and to just keep this legacy going. I’m really excited to see where it goes.”

"I’m honored to be the first."

Avery Mills has heard the outside noise, but is ready to prove the doubters wrong, as Tennessee’s first transfer portal commit.

She carries a chip on her shoulder to Rocky Top, one she hopes will help preserve the Lady Vols’ legacy. pic.twitter.com/WH2MRkVttu

— John Sartori (@JohnSartoriTV) April 9, 2026

The Lady Vols badly needed a culture reset after things went south last season.

And Mills certainly sounds like she’s the right player to help jumpstart Caldwell’s new culture on Rocky Top.

Caldwell needs strong year three if she’s going to see a year four in Knoxville.