Phil Kaplan, and Dan Fleser

Knoxville News Sentinel

Alexa Middleton will complete the spring semester at UT and plans to transfer.

Middleton says Lady Vols coach Holly Warlick was "very supportive" in her decision.

The 5-foot-9 guard played in 97 career games for the Lady Vols, starting 18.

Tennessee senior guard Alexa Middleton said Friday her decision to leave the Lady Vols program was a personal decision and allows her to go "somewhere to reach the goals I have set."

The 5-foot-9 Middleton, a former star at Murfreesboro Riverdale High School, will complete the spring semester at UT and plans to transfer.

She will have to sit out one season and will have year of eligibility remaining.

Middleton, in an interview with USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee, said Lady Vols coach Holly Warlick was "very supportive" in her decision.

“This is something that my family discussed over the last couple of days," Middleton said. "We decided it would be best if I explored other options. I’ve talked with Holly. I would say that she was very supportive – not in a way that she was trying to get me to leave. She wants what is best for me. She let that be known. I was very grateful for that.”

Middleton played in all 32 games during her junior season, starting 13 times and averaged 25.5 minutes. She averaged 7.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists and led the team with 42 3-pointers.

“I appreciate the contributions Alexa made to our program,” coach Holly Warlick said in a school release. “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.”

Middleton played in 97 career games for the Lady Vols, starting 18, and averaged 4.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists.

Four freshmen, who comprise last year's No. 1 ranked recruiting class, will be joining Tennessee for next season. Two of them - Evina Westbrook and Anastasia Hayes - are guards. Westbrook was ranked the top prospect in the Class of 2017 by the All-Star Girls Report.

Middleton wanted to make it clear that the possibility of reduced playing time did not affect her decision.

“That recruiting class had nothing to do with why I left,” Middleton said. “I feel confident in my abilities. People are going to think that they know everything. People always have their opinions. That had nothing to do with my decision.”

With Middleton's departure, the Lady Vols currently have 12 players for next season.

Warlick broached the possibility of someone transferring earlier this month while conducting meetings with the players. At the time, she thought everyone would return but added: "My philosophy is if you have any doubt or you don't think things are going the way you want them to then you need to find somewhere else to go."

Tom Kreager of the USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee contributed to this story.