Senior guard Alexa Middleton transferring from Lady Vols

Alexa Middleton (University of Tennessee Athletics)
Alexa Middleton (University of Tennessee Athletics)

KNOXVILLE - Tennessee women's basketball coach Holly Warlick announced Friday that Alexa Middleton will transfer out of the program.

Middleton, a 5-foot-9 guard from Murfreesboro, averaged 7.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game as a junior this past season. The former Riverdale High School standout led the Lady Volunteers by making 42 3-pointers.

"I appreciate the contributions Alexa made to our program," Warlick said in a news release from the school. "She's a great young lady who felt like she needed a change, and we will do our best to help her find that opportunity. I wish her nothing but the best as she pursues a new path."

Tennessee will welcome one of the nation's top recruiting classes to campus this summer. The group includes two guards ranked among ESPN's top 10 players in the 2017 recruiting class.

During a postseason news conference earlier this month, Warlick said she knew of no players looking to transfer. At the time, she was still in the process of meeting with returning players.

But Warlick did offer a strong message about the culture of transferring in college basketball.

"My first reaction is they're all coming back, but who knows," Warlick said on April 6. "I feel good about it, but my philosophy is if you have any doubt, or if you don't think things are going the way you want them to, then you need to find somewhere else to go."

ESPN ranked Middleton No. 28 in the 2014 recruiting class, and her playing time more than doubled from her sophomore season to her junior season.

"I am so thankful for Coach Holly and the rest of the staff, my teammates and the amazing fans at Tennessee," Middleton said in the release. "I had some incredible experiences here, competing on a big stage, playing in some highly competitive games and even traveling to Italy. This was a personal decision, and I just felt I needed to go somewhere to reach the goals I have set."

Tennessee's season ended with a loss to Louisville in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Lady Vols finished 20-12.

Kyle Serrano done

Kyle Serrano's Tennessee baseball career is over.

The program's official Twitter account posted Friday that the redshirt junior pitcher has left the team and university "due to personal medical reasons."

"Regarding Kyle Serrano: We ask for the respect of privacy for Kyle, his family and the team at this time," @Vol_Baseball posted on the social media website.

Serrano, the son of Vols coach Dave Serrano, underwent Tommy John surgery in 2016 and returned to action for the first time on March 10, a year to the day since the surgery. The former Farragut High School star last pitched April 14, throwing a scoreless inning against Auburn in a 5-4 Tennessee win. It was his ninth appearance of the season.

The Vols lost 2-1 Friday in the first game of their series at Texas A&M.

Contact staff writer David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com.

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