Ole Miss Women's Basketball Officially Signs Elite Tennessee Volunteers Bucket-Getter

OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss women's basketball head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin has made a big splash for her first transfer portal signee of the 2026-27 season, inking Talaysia Cooper from Tennessee.

"Talaysia is a key piece to this reload here at Ole Miss," said McPhee-McCuin. "I've known her since she was in 9th grade and I've always been a fan of her game. There's no doubt in my mind, Coop will thrive with a fresh start and reach her peak to compete at the highest level and prepare for her future as a pro."

Cooper is ranked as the fourth best transfer in the portal this off season, according to ESPN. This is the second season in a row in which McPhee-McCuin has secured a top-5 impact player in the transfer portal, signing 2026 SEC Newcomer of the Year in Cotie McMahon.

The Turbeville, South Carolina, native led the Lady Volunteers last season in points (16.0), assists (3.6) and steals (2.7) per game, while also averaging 4.7 rebounds to earn All-SEC Second Team honors for the second consecutive year.

In 2024-25, Cooper was named to the 2024-25 SEC All-Defensive Team, proving she will be a key asset to McPhee-McCuin's defensive philosophy.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Rebels Women's Basketball.

Cooper is no stranger to being nationally recognized, earning spots on the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List, Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 List, and six different preseason Watch Lists last year.

During the 2024-25 season, Cooper was touted as a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist, and secured spots on the Wooden Award Late Midseason Watch List, Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Midseason Watch List and the Meyers Drysdale Award Midseason Watch List.

During her redshirt junior year this past season, Cooper scored in double-digits in all but four of Tennessee's 29 games, including a season-high 30-point performance against Ole Miss in Oxford. Additionally, she got her career-high in rebounds against Belmont this year, grabbing 14 boards to lead the Lady Volunteers to a victory.

Out of East Clarendon High School, Cooper was a five-star recruit, the 2021 South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year and a 2022 McDonald's All-American.

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