Tennessee Volunteers' recruiting: Five-star forward Deniya Prawl commits to Kim Caldwell's 2025 recruiting class

Deniya Prawl, the 5-star recruit from IMG Academy, committed to the Tennessee Volunteers on Tuesday. The 14th-ranked recruit in the 2025 women’s class per ESPN preferred the Lady Vols over Miami, Baylor, Duke, Louisville, and more.

As to why she chose the University of Tennessee over other programs, the small forward credited the consistency of the Lady Vols staff and their support to make things comfortable for her as the primary reason to go with Tennessee.

“Honestly, from the beginning, I'd say they were just so consistent, and they made sure they checked all the boxes for me. Coming from the visit all the way until now,” Deniya Prawl shared with SportsCentre Next.

“You know, I feel like I heard from the coaching staff every single day since they just show they truly care for me as a person and my family, so that was what led to my decision,” she added.

Deniya Prawl is a versatile player with “solid all-round skill sets,” per Brandon Clay, Director of Scouting at 247Sports. Playing for Canada in the 2023 FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup, Prawl managed 13 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks against the USA in the finals.

Coach Kim Caldwell is only starting her first season at the Lady Vols; however, she is already making a solid impact with her recruiting skills.

---

Coach Caldwell building a solid Lady Vols roster ft. Deniya Prawl

Known for her impeccable 218-31 record as a head coach, Kim Caldwell is bringing high expectations for Tennessee, and her recruitment strategy is certainly paying off. The 2025 class is already shaping up to be one of the Lady Vols’ best years, with Caldwell’s ability to draw top talent.

With Prawl’s commitment, Caldwell has brought two top-15 players into the same recruiting class, which hasn’t happened since 2017. Besides the Canadian star, Caldwell also secured the commitment of Mia Pauldo, a 5-star recruit ranked No. 13 in her class.

Deniya Prawl, on the other hand, is the No.6 overall prospect in the 2025 class per 247sports. Prawl will also play alongside Mia’s twin sister Mya Pauldo, a four-star recruit from Morris Catholic High who ranks No. 49 nationally per ESPN.

The Lady Vols have started the season with a 3-0 record, posting convincing wins over Samford, UT Martin and MTSU. Their latest game was Tuesday’s 89-75 win over Middle Tennessee at the Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center.

Caldwell has kicked off the campaign positively, and fans will hope the momentum continues. Deniya Prawl’s addition brings a host of skill sets in both attack and defense for the Lady Vols.

It will be interesting to see how Kim Caldwell utilizes Prawl to improve the Tennessee women’s basketball roster further.