Feb 8, 2026; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Talaysia Cooper (55) celebrates a three point basket against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Ole Miss Women's Basketball Lands Elite Tennessee Volunteers Transfer in Massive Move

Originally posted on Ole Miss Rebels on SI | By Zack Nagy | Last updated Apr 8, 2026 11:30 AM ET

Tennessee Volunteers guard Talaysia Cooper is Oxford bound after revealing a commitment to Yolett McPhee-McCuin and the Ole Miss Rebels on Wednesday morning.

Cooper checks in as a Top-10 player in the NCAA Transfer Portal with the Rebels staff striking gold with one of the best bucket-getters in the Southeastern Conference.

The 6-foot guard is coming off of a dominant 2025-26 campaign after leading the Volunteers in scoring with 16.0 points per game to go with 4.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists for Tennessee.

Cooper started her college career at South Carolina before transferring to the Lady Vols following her freshman campaign where the elite bucket-getter will now make her third stop across the SEC.

Ole Miss has lost multiple players to either eligibility or the NCAA Transfer Portal with a myriad of roster spots open in the Magnolia State as McPhee-McCuin and Co. look to retool the roster across a pivotal stretch this offseason.

McPhee-McCuin continues eyeing another star-studded Transfer Portal haul with the Rebels unable to reach the Sweet 16 this season after a strong season last year.

"The next step for us is to be able to do the same in the portal, because freshmen ain't doing it, I'm just telling you. So we have to be able to have the support to be able to go and get what we need so that we can move forward," McPhee-McCuin said during last year's NCAA Tournament.

"But at minimum I think we should be a Sweet 16 team. Anybody that's looking at us that has interest, that is what they expect, from the conversations we've been having.

"But that's just not enough for me. I'm not one of those coaches that, I'm not going to sit here and say, Oh, you know, it's all about the kids, it's all about the kids. Yeah, but I have dreams, too, and I want to be a Final Four coach."

Now, all eyes are on the Transfer Portal with the program striking gold in Week 1 with Cooper now signed with the Ole Miss Rebels.

This article first appeared on Ole Miss Rebels on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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