Lady Vols basketball 2024 recruiting: Who has Tennessee a finalist and recent visits

As the 2023-24 college basketball season approaches, so does the early signing period for the 2024 class.

It's an important class for Lady Vols basketball after not signing anyone to the 2023 class. Tennessee coach Kellie Harper and her staff have brought in great additions through the transfer portal, but they still need high school recruits to help build the core of the program.

Tennessee already has one commitment in the 2024 class: four-star guard Kaniya Boyd, who committed to the Lady Vols in April on her official visit. She's ranked No. 34 in the class and is a great start to the class.

With most of the roster gone in the next two seasons, Tennessee needs a bit of everything in this class if it can get it. But getting a post player and a wing with size in this class would be ideal. Tennessee extended offers to No. 2 prospect Joyce Edwards and No. 19 prospect Arianna Roberson, two talented forwards, but neither have announced final schools and were not included in this list.

Here's who Tennessee is a finalist for and who came on visits to Knoxville recently.

Mikayla Blakes, G

Ranking: 10

Mikayla Blakes, a five-star prospect, has Tennessee in her top seven schools, which also includes Indiana, Stanford, UCLA, Rutgers, Vanderbilt and Wisconsin. UT offered the 6-foot guard from Rutgers Prep in May 2022.

Blakes led Rutgers Prep to a 25-5 record and averaged 22 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.2 steals. While playing with Philly Rise 17U this summer on the NIKE Girls EYBL circuit, Blakes averaged 18.3 points and shot 43.5% on two-point attempts and 33.3% on 3-pointers.

Zania Socka-Nguemen, F

Ranking: 26

Zania Socka-Nguemen put Tennessee in her top eight schools and took an official visit to Knoxville the weekend of Sept. 9. Her top schools also include Indiana, Georgia, Maryland, Georgia Tech, Michigan, Oregon and UCLA.

The five-star forward has also taken official visits to Michigan, Georgia Tech, Maryland and Oregon so far. Tennessee offered the 6-4 prospect from Washington, D.C., in May.

Socka-Nguemen averaged 5.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 11.7 minutes per game for Sidwell Friends, which went 30-3 last season.

Kayleigh Heckel, PG

Ranking: 27

Kayleigh Heckel, a five-star prospect from Long Island Lutheran, has kept her recruitment fairly quiet. The 5-9 point guard took a visit to Knoxville the weekend of Sept. 9.

Heckel impressed at the Nike Tournament of Champions last season where she led LuHi to the championship. She was awarded MVP of the tournament and had 22 points and seven assists in the championship game. Heckel also led LuHi to the GEICO Nationals championship game in April, where it fell to Montverde. Heckel finished with 17 points, five assists and three rebounds.

Heckel was named the MaxPreps New York High School Girls Basketball Player of the Year after averaging 16.2 points, 6.5 assists and 3.7 steals last season.

Me'Arah O'Neal, F

Ranking: 32

Me'Arah O'Neal, a 6-3 forward, put Tennessee in her top eight schools in August.

The four-star out of Bellaire, Texas is also considering Baylor, Kentucky, Florida, Arizona State, Cal, Georgia Tech and LSU, where her father, NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal, also played. O'Neal took a visit to LSU in February.

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Bryanna Preston, PG

Ranking: 43

Bryanna Preston took an official visit to Tennessee the weekend of Sept. 9. UT has been courting the four-star prospect for a while now, hosting her on an unofficial visit to campus last season that included her meeting Lady Vols legend Candace Parker.

The 5-9 guard from Lovejoy, Georgia, has also gone on an official visits to Florida and Texas. Preston averaged 18.7 points, 6.7 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 2.2 steals last season while shooting 48% overall and 39% from 3-point range.

Cora Hall covers University of Tennessee women’s athletics. Email her at cora.hall@knoxnews.com and follow her on Twitter @corahalll. If you enjoy Cora’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that allows you to access all of it.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Which 2024 recruits have Lady Vols basketball in final schools?