GREENVILLE , SC - MARCH 07 - Ole Miss's Head Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin during the 2026 SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament between the Ole Miss Rebels and the Texas Longhorns at Bon Secours Arena in Greenville , SC on Saturday, March 7, 2026. Photo by Noelle Iglesias/SEC

The First Piece of Ole Miss Women Basketball’s Reload Has Arrived

BY Taylor Hodges

The first two days of the week has only seen players leave Ole Miss. That trend changed Wednesday.

On3, citing unnamed sources, is reporting that Tennessee transfer Talaysia Cooper has committed to the Rebels.

Cooper, a 6‑foot junior from Turbeville, South Carolina, averaged 16 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.7 steals last season for the Lady Vols. She began her career at South Carolina before transferring to Knoxville after her freshman year.

She was named to the SEC All‑Defensive Team for the 2024‑25 season and was a five‑star recruit coming out of high school.

Cooper becomes Ole Miss’ first pickup from the portal. Considering the number of players who just exhausted their eligibility this last season, Cooper is going to be the first of many commitments to Ole Miss in the coming days and weeks.

“We don’t rebuild at Ole Miss,” Ole Miss coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin said after the Rebels’ NCAA Tournament loss to Minnesota. “We lost six last year and had the best start that we’ve ever had here at Ole Miss in my tenure, so we reload.”

Ole Miss women’s basketball was one of the most active programs in last year’s portal cycle, bringing in eight transfers to join Ole Miss. The Rebels will likely need to be just as active this time. Of the 12 players on the roster, all but five are seniors, including key pieces like Cotie McMahon, Christeen Iwuala, and Latasha Lattimore. They’re also losing Tianna Thompson, a shooting guard who led the team in threes last season. 

But the Rebels have secured the return of Sira Thienou, one of the best returning players for Ole Miss.

Ole Miss Basketball Transfer Portal Tracker

Men

Outgoing

  • Augusto Cassiá, F, 6-8, Jr.
  • Corey Chest, F, 6-8, So.
  • Hobert Grayson IV, G, 6-4, Sr.
  • Eduardo Klafke, G, 6-5, So.
  • Koren Johnson, G, 6-2, Jr.
  • Tylis Jordan, F, 6-9, Fr.

Women

Outgoing

  • J’Adore Young, 6-4, C, Soph.
  • Tianna Thompson, 5-10, G, Soph.

Incoming

  • Talaysia Cooper, 6-0, G, Jr. (Tennessee)

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