Tennessee women's basketball coach Kim Caldwell has been tasked with returning the program to its former glory. Thanks to a 2025 signing class headlined by five-star prospect Deniya Prawl, Caldwell is off to an excellent start.
In just her first year on Rocky Top, Caldwell inked a top-two recruiting class with Prawl as the biggest name on the marquee. Prawl is the No. 6 player and the No. 3 small forward in the 2025 class, according to 247Sports.
Prawl is a native of Toronto, Ontario but transferred down to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. prior to her junior year. Since that move, Prawl has shown she can affect the game in a number of ways.
247Sports Director of Scouting for women's basketball, Brandon Clay, says Prawl's versatility is what really sets her apart from other players in the class.
"She is comfortable in a role where she is a primary scoring option or playing a more versatile role," Clay said. "That was on full display as Prawl helped lead her Double Dynasty team to the championship of the inaugural Overtime Select league earlier in the fall. Few of Prawl's peers possess that versatility."
That versatility will be necessary to succeed in Caldwell's up-tempo and aggressive style of play. CBS Sports women's basketball analyst Isabel Gonzalez said that Prawl should fit like a glove in that system.
"Prawl should be a great fit because of how versatile and athletic she is," Gonzalez said. "She has the ability to defend any position and get steals. On offense, Prawl can get to the basket but also has a smooth jumper from the perimeter."
Prawl, speaking with 247Sports after announcing her commitment on Nov. 11, cited her ability to defend multiple positions as one of her biggest strengths.
"They're a really good transition and defensive team," Prawl said. "When I get there, I'm looking to use my length and versatility on defense to force a lot of steals. Offensively, they'll have me running on the wing and finishing in transition a lot. They also play pretty open, so I can create for myself. I like the way they play."
Although Prawl is the highest-rated recruit in Tennessee's 2025 signing class, she is far from the only blue-chip prospect. The Lady Vols signed four more top-50 recruits in Jaida Civil, Mia Pauldo, Mya Pauldo and Lauren Hurst.
Signing classes of this caliber haven't come around often in Knoxville since the Pat Summitt era ended in 2012. Clay noted that this class proves the Lady Vols' ceiling is incredibly high under Caldwell.
"The Class of 2025 is the most heralded recruiting class to arrive on Rocky Top since Summitt's departure," Clay said. "Prawl is a key piece of that haul that includes five consensus Top 50 rated prospects. With scholarship offers from schools nationwide, Prawl's pledge signifies just how much upside first-year Lady Vols coach Kim Caldwell has in Knoxville."
The Lady Vols need a bit of a shot in the arm because they haven't won a national championship, or even reached the Final Four, since 2008. Tennessee hasn't even made an Elite Eight appearance since 2016.
Thanks to this elite signing class, those droughts may not last much longer. If Prawl is able to lead Tennessee back to its former place atop women's basketball, she could build a legacy not unlike those of recent stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, according to Gonzalez.
"Prawl said her intention is to bring the program back to where it was in the Pat Summitt era, and if she can do that, she could be in the same conversations as those players you mentione," Gonzalez said. "Angel Reese helped LSU get the school's first ever basketball national title, and even though Caitlin Clark didn't do that with Iowa, she broke the all-time Division I scoring record while also taking the Hawkeyes to back-to-back championship games.
"Again, it's too early to start the comparisons, but helping Tennessee be in the national title conversations again would be huge for Prawl's legacy."
