Five LVFLs On WNBA Opening Night Rosters

The WNBA tips off its 30th year on Friday night, and there are five former Lady Vols on active rosters around the league.

LVFLs currently listed on WNBA rosters around the U.S. and now Canada include Janiah Barker (Las Vegas Aces), Rae Burrell (Los Angeles Sparks), Isabelle Harrison (Toronto Tempo), Jordan Horston (Seattle Storm) and Rickea Jackson (Chicago Sky).

Barker was drafted by the Aces on April 13 with the 14th pick of the second round and 29th overall. The 6-foot-4 forward is the second Lady Vol to be selected all-time by the organization, following in the footsteps of Jaime Nared, a second-round choice and the No. 13 overall pick in 2018. Barker, the first player coached by Kim Caldwell to make a WNBA roster, is part of the same club where LVFL and former UT assistant Nikki (Caldwell) Fargas serves as the team's president.

All-time, 55 Lady Vols have moved on to the WNBA. A total of 48 of those Tennessee products were taken in league drafts, including 21 first-rounders and three No. 1 overall selections. Barker was joined in the 2026 WNBA Draft by teammate Zee Spearman, but the 6-4 forward has since been waived by the Dallas Wings, who took her in the third round with the 31st overall pick.

Burrell, now in her fifth year with the Sparks, appeared in 28 games in 2025 and averaged career bests of 7.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 18.4 minutes per contest. The 6-2 guard/forward has appeared in 97 games for Los Angeles during her career, earning 12 starts and putting up 5.6 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 15.0 minutes per outing.

After averaging 4.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 10.6 minutes in 34 games with the Liberty last season, Harrison makes her debut in Toronto with the expansion Tempo. The 6-3 forward is in her ninth season in the WNBA and has put up 7.7 points and 4.4 rebounds while starting 103 of 237 games played in previous stints with Phoenix, San Antonio, Dallas, Chicago and New York.

Horston returns to the court in 2026 for the Storm after missing last season while recovering from an offseason ACL injury. The 6-2 guard embarks on year three in the league after averaging 6.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 22.4 minutes while appearing in 75 games over two seasons and earning 31 starts with Seattle. In 2024, she started 14 of 39 contests, putting up 6.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 22.3 minutes per outing while shooting a career-best 49.3 percent from the field.

After spending her first two professional seasons in Los Angeles, where she made the WNBA All-Rookie Team in 2024, Jackson will suit up for Chicago in 2026 after being traded to the Sky during the offseason. The 6-2 forward appeared in 78 games for the Sparks, starting 72 of them and putting up 14.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists over 29.8 minutes per contest. Last season, Jackson started 37 of 38 games, producing a career-best 14.7 points while also contributing 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists over a career-high 30.9 minutes per outing.

The WNBA season, which will feature 44-game schedules for the expanded 15-team league that now includes Toronto and Portland, runs from Friday through September 24 and features games airing across ABC, ESPN, ION, USA and Amazon Prime Video.

Harrison is slated to be the first LVFL to make her 2026 regular-season debut, as Toronto hosts the Washington Mystics on Friday at Coca-Cola Coliseum. The game will tip at 7:30 p.m. ET and be available for viewing on ION and WNBA League Pass.

Horston will follow at 10 p.m. on Friday, as Seattle plays host to the Golden State Valkyries in Climate Pledge Arena. The game will be shown on ION and WNBA League Pass.

Barker and the Aces will open play on Saturday, as they host the Phoenix Mercury at 3:30 p.m. ET in T-Mobile Arena. The game will be broadcast on ABC and Disney+. Jackson and the Sky also open on Saturday, with Chicago traveling to Portland to take on the Fire at 9 p.m. ET in the Moda Center. That game will appear on NBA TV.

Los Angeles finally swings into action on Sunday, as Las Vegas comes to Crypto.com Arena for a 6 p.m. ET contest. That tilt will be shown on USA.

University of Tennessee Athletics

Related News

Players Mentioned

Janiah Barker

Isabelle Harrison

Zee Spearman

Related Videos