NCAA women's basketball: Tennessee dismisses senior guard Ruby Whitehorn after second arrest since August

The Tennessee women's basketball team has dismissed senior guard Ruby Whitehorn, head coach Kim Caldwell announced on Sunday. The decision came a few days after Whitehorn was charged with simple possession of marijuana following a traffic stop in Knoxville.

"It is my responsibility to protect the high standards of this historic program," Caldwell said. "In light of recent events, Ruby has been unable to reflect those standards, and I have made the difficult decision to dismiss her from our team. I love Ruby and will always be rooting for her, but my priority is to uphold the respected reputation of the Lady Vols."

Whitehorn was arrested on Thursday around 4:30 a.m. as police confiscated 5.59 grams of marijuana, which is illegal in the state of Tennessee. This incident happened just hours after the Lady Vols took a 148-48 victory in an exhibition game against Columbus State. Whitehorn had one of the best performances for Tennessee with 18 points on 8 of 9 shooting along with 7 rebounds.

This was her second arrest since August, when she was charged with aggravated burglary and domestic assault. She served a suspension from team activities after that one.

Whitehorn joined the Lady Vols ahead of their 2024-25 campaign after spending her first two college basketball years with Clemson. She quickly earned a spot in the starting lineup and averaged 11.6 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. Whitehorn was expected to be one of the key returners for Tennessee this season and was recently named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Preseason Top 20 Watch List.

Her absence takes away some important depth for the team, but Caldwell said this decision is what's best for the program in the long run.

"We have standards in this program and it's a sad situation. It's a difficult situation." the coach said. "I feel bad for this current team that we have, and time will tell if it's the right choice for this team. But I have no doubt that it's the right choice for the team four or five years from now."

On Sunday after the news of her dismissal, Whitehorn shared a message on social media and said she was going to take time to work on her mental health.

"As most of you know, this has not been my best year," she said. "I'm not usually one to open up about my personal life or challenges and that is part of the reason I am in this position today. For the past couple of months I have walked by fear and not faith. Fear of asking for help, for guidance, fear of failure.

"To my coaches & teammates, I appreciate the support on and off the court. I have failed to uphold the standards of the lady vol legacy and what it represents and for that I apologize. To the Lady Vol community and fans your support and encouragement will forever be appreciated."

The Lady Vols enter the season as the No. 8 team in the AP Top 25 poll. Their season opener will be on Tuesday night against No. 9 NC State in the Ro Greensboro Invitational. The game will tip off at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN2.