Lady Vols basketball coach Kim Caldwell adds Lazaria Spearman, a Miami transfer

Former Miami forward Lazaria Spearman has committed to Lady Vols basketball out of the transfer portal, adding much-needed depth to Tennessee's frontcourt.

The 6-foot-4 sophomore took an official visit to Tennessee over the weekend and the Lady Vols announced her commitment Wednesday. Spearman was a four-star recruit out of high school and was ranked No. 30 in the 2022 class. She entered the transfer portal after longtime Miami coach Katie Meier retired in March.

"We welcome Lazaria to the Lady Vol program and are excited about the height and athleticism she brings to our team," new Lady Vols coach Kim Caldwell said in a school release. "It's not easy to find someone with her combination of length and ability to play in transition. She really clicked with our team and is fun to be around. I can't wait to have her on the court with us."

Spearman led Miami in rebounding this season, averaging six per game, and grabbed a career-high 15 boards against Mississippi State. The Dacula, Georgia, native averaged 6.3 points on 50% shooting and started in 10 of the 31 games she played in.

Spearman was a freshman when Miami made a run to the NCAA Elite Eight in 2023. The Hurricanes lost to eventual champion LSU 54-42 and Spearman had four points, four rebounds and two blocks in 12 minutes off the bench. She averaged 5.3 points and four rebounds in 13 minutes per game off the bench as a freshman.

Spearman is the second addition out of the transfer portal for Caldwell. Former Syracuse forward Alyssa Latham announced her commitment to Tennessee on Saturday after her official visit.

PORTAL TRACKER: Lady Vols basketball transfer tracker: Who's in, who's out for Kim Caldwell's roster

The Lady Vols have only lost one player to the transfer portal since Kellie Harper was fired April 1 after five seasons. Junior forward Karoline Striplin entered the transfer portal Friday. Tennessee now has four scholarships open after the addition of Spearman and Latham.

Spearman's size is essential for the Lady Vols with the departure of Striplin and graduation of 6-6 center Tamari Key and 6-2 forward Rickea Jackson. Tennessee only had two returning post players after Striplin entered the portal with senior forwards Jillian Hollingshead and Sara Puckett, and Puckett is only 6-2 and plays more on the wing.

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: Lady Vols basketball: Kim Caldwell adds Lazaria Spearman from Miami