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Vol Club Confidential: Talaysia Cooper

On3 imageby:Austin Price•02/17/25•

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Tennessee sophomore guard Talaysia Cooper has been a key contributor for the Lady Vols this season. The transfer from South Carolina joined Vol Club Confidential sponsored by Knoxville Smiles to detail her first season on Rocky Top.

“It’s been great,” Cooper said. “Just adjusting to a new system transferring from Carolina. Having to sit out last year and get to know new coaches has been great. She treats me like I belong here and it’s all great vibes. She be on me every day and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Having to sit out last season, Cooper believes she was still able to find her footing with a new team.

“Honestly I feel like I never skipped a beat,” Cooper said. “I stayed in the gym the whole time when I wasn’t playing. Just learning the game and seeing how I can be a better person on and off the court.”

Cooper knows how to score the basketball. Being able to create is something she has always been good at doing.

“It’s just coming with the instinct,” Cooper said. “Just knowing the game and knowing the personnel of my teammates. Knowing where they like the ball and just having the IQ of knowing how to get the ball out when they collapse on me.”

When she got here, it was a whole new team with a new concept of playing the game a different way under head coach Kim Caldwell. She has seen the team grow exponentially over the last few months.

“Honestly at the beginning of the year it was tough with all the running,” Cooper said. “This is the most conditioning I’ve done my whole career for basketball but we adjusted to it. Now we can see it really helped us in the end. We are in great shape and not getting as tired as we used to in the subbing in and out part.”

Watch the full episode of Vol Club Confidential below.

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