The Lady Vols are officially losing one of their starters who had the option to return for an additional season.

Tennessee center Tamari Key had a Covid year of eligibility remaining but has decided to finish her college career and move on, instead.

She played with the Lady Vols for five seasons before wrapping up a historic tenure.

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Key averaged five points and 3.7 rebounds per game as a starter in her final season. This came a year after she was forced to sit out for the majority of her true senior year with blood clots found in her lungs.

She recovered enough to return to the Lady Vols and would start 14 of 32 games in the 2023-24 campaign.

Before her diagnosis, Key averaged 10.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, one assist and 3.5 blocks per game as a junior. The 119 blocks she recorded that season is a program record topping the mark of 113 set by Kelley Cain in the 2009-10 season.

Key was also a member of Kellie Harper's team in all five seasons before the university fired Harper on Monday.

Key sits atop the Tennessee record book in career blocks. In 2022, she passed Candace Parker's mark of 275 to claim the title.

Her record sits at 347 as she ties a bow on her historic career. Her 2.6 blocks per game throughout her career is also a record.

Other seniors with the opportunity to return are Jewel Spear and Tess Darby. Spear previously indicated her intention to return prior to the firing of Harper. Darby has not made it clear what her intentions are at this point.

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