All-BIG EAST Guard Jada Eads Headed To Rocky Top

Jada Eads (pronounced EEDS), an All-BIG EAST selection in her first season at Seton Hall, became the eighth transfer to sign an Institutional Financial Aid Agreement (IFAA) with Tennessee, Lady Vol head coach Kim Caldwell confirmed on Tuesday.

A 5-foot-7 guard from Orlando, Florida, Eads spent two seasons at SHU, becoming the school's first rookie to be named All-BIG EAST First Team. She also added BIG EAST All-Freshman Team accolades in 2024-25 as well. A unanimous preseason All-BIG EAST selection entering 2025-26, she averaged 10.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists before her sophomore year ended after 19 games due to injury.

Eads joins previously-announced transfer portal signees in 5-9 guards Avery Mills (Liberty), Naomi White (Northern Arizona) and Rylie Theuerkauf (Georgia), 6-0 guard Kaylene Smikle (Maryland), 6-2 forwards Zhen Craft (Georgia) and Fatmata "Fats" Janneh (Texas A&M), and 6-3 forward Harper Peterson (Stanford) in Tennessee's 2026 transfer portal class.

UT also has two incoming freshmen, including 6-1 guard/forward Gabby Minus (Dacula, Ga./Hebron Christian Academy), the No. 64-ranked player in the 2026 SportsCenter NEXT 100 class, and 5-10 guard Irene Oboavwoduo (Manchester, England/Trinity Church of England H.S.), who has a bevy of international experience with several Great Britain national teams.

In her two seasons with the Pirates, Eads started 40 of 45 games played, averaging 12.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.8 steals in 29.6 minutes per contest. She shot 35 percent from the field, 29 percent on threes and 75 percent at the free-throw line. She scored in double figures 33 times, pulled down five or more rebounds 22 times, grabbed three or more steals on 12 occasions, dished out five or more assists 11 times and carded three double-doubles.

A year ago, Eads appeared in 16 games, starting all of them and averaging 10.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.0 steals in 26.6 minutes per contest. She recorded 10 games with five or more rebounds, eight with five or more assists and five with three or more steals. She shot 36 percent from the field, 29 percent from deep and 78 percent at the charity stripe. Her top effort came vs. Creighton, when she had 18 points, four three-pointers, six rebounds, four assists and four steals.

She immediately shined in her rookie season, starting 24 of 29 contests and averaging 13.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.8 steals in 31.2 minutes per outing. She elevated her scoring to a team-leading 15.9 ppg. in league play and carded double-digit points on 23 occasions during the year, including six with 20 or more, en route to All-BIG EAST First Team accolades and BIG EAST All-Freshman Team status. She had 12 games with five or more rebounds, seven with three or more steals, three with five or more assists and two double-doubles.

In high school, Eads played her first two seasons at Wekiva High School in Apopka, Florida, and finished with her final two years at Lake Highland Prep in Orlando. She was a three-time Orlando Sentinel All-Area First Team selection and was chosen as the Orlando Sentinel Player of the Year in 2023-24 as a senior. She also was a 3SSB All-American, the FACA 4A District 11 Player of the Year and a participant in the AEBL All-Star Game.

In the 2026 portal recruiting rankings, Tennessee's Smikle is ranked No. 8 by The Athletic, No. 13 by HoopsHQ and No. 14 by espnW. Fellow signee Fatmata "Fats" Janneh is rated No. 16 by HoopsHQ.

2026-27 Lady Vol Roster Additions (Signees)

Incoming Transfers
Zhen Craft (6-2, SO, F, Waldorf, Md./Bishop McNamara H.S./Georgia)
Jada Eads (5-7, G, JR, Orlando, Fla./Lake Highland Prep H.S./Seton Hall)
Fatmata "Fats" Janneh (6-2, SR, F, London, England/Barking Abbey Sixth Form/Texas A&M)
Avery Mills (5-9, JR, G, Lynchburg, Va./Lynchburg H.S./Liberty)
Harper Peterson (6-3, R-SO, F, Rocklin, Calif./Whitney H.S./Stanford)
Kaylene Smikle (6-0, G, R-SR, Bay Shore, N.Y. /Westtown H.S./Rutgers/Maryland)
Rylie Theuerkauf (5-9, SR, G, Tenafly, N.J./Tenafly H.S./Wake Forest/Georgia)
Naomi White (5-9, R-SO, G, Omaha, Neb./Bellevue West H.S./Northern Arizona)

Incoming Freshmen
Gabby Minus (6-1, FR, G/F, Dacula, Ga./Hebron Christian Academy)
Irene Oboavwoduo (5-10, FR, G, Manchester, England/Trinity Church of England H.S.)

University of Tennessee Athletics

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