Kaiya Wynn has decided to leave the Lady Vols basketball program before the postseason, she announced Tuesday. The senior guard did not play in her final home game for the team, a senior day matchup against Vanderbilt that ended in a 87-77 loss at Food City Center. Wynn described the event as a “breaking point” in a statement posted on X, where she reflected on her time with the team. Wynn expressed disappointment that she did not get to start in her final home game, a goal she had hoped to achieve after never starting in her career. She wrote, “That obviously did not happen and to be asked to check into the game with 15 seconds left while losing was not how I wanted to spend my final moments in my arena after five years.” While she acknowledged the loss was not the sole reason for her decision, she emphasized that it was the final straw. The 6-foot guard’s departure comes after the conclusion of the regular season and two days before the Lady Vols begin postseason play. She stated the decision was “not made lightly or instantly,” indicating she had considered her options carefully. The Lady Vols, with a 16-12 record, are seeded No. 6 in the SEC Tournament and will face the winner of the matchup between No. 11 Alabama and No. 14 Missouri on Thursday. The team has struggled in recent games, losing six straight contests and nine of their past 11. Wynn, who played in 103 games over four seasons, saw her playing time diminish significantly in the 2025-26 season. She logged just 52 minutes across nine games, averaging 2.6 points in 8.7 minutes per game. Her best statistical season came in 2023-24, when she averaged 4.4 points and 1.6 assists in 13.4 minutes per game. However, her 2024-25 season was cut short after she tore her Achilles tendon before the season began.#sec_tournament #kaiya_wynn #lady_vols #food_city_center #ensworth
