Breaking: After a promising debut season under head coach Kim Caldwell, the Tennessee Lady Volunteers are poised to make a significant impact in the 2025–26 women’s college basketball season.

Breaking: After a promising debut season under head coach Kim Caldwell, the Tennessee Lady Volunteers are poised to make a significant impact in the 2025–26 women’s college basketball season.

ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 ranks the Lady Vols at No. 8 nationally, reflecting the program’s upward trajectory under Caldwell’s leadership .

 

In the 2024–25 season, Tennessee achieved a 24–10 record and advanced to the Sweet 16, highlighted by a notable victory over eventual national champion UConn . Key contributors such as Talaysia Cooper (16.6 PPG), Zee Spearman (11.7 PPG), and Ruby Whitehorn (11.6 PPG) are expected to return, providing a solid foundation of experience and talent .

 

Complementing the returning core is an exceptional recruiting class, ranked No. 2 nationally—the highest for Tennessee in seven years. The class features five McDonald’s All-American nominees, including five-star recruits Mia Pauldo (No. 11) and Deniya Prawl (No. 14), as well as four-star prospects Jaida Civil (No. 32), Lauren Hurst (No. 42), and Mya Pauldo (No. 56) .

 

With a blend of seasoned players and elite newcomers, the Lady Vols are well-positioned to contend for a top seed in the NCAA Tournament and challenge for supremacy in the competitive SEC. Caldwell’s dynamic coaching style and the team’s depth suggest that Tennessee could reestablish itself as a powerhouse in women’s college basketball.