Latest news with #KimCaldwell
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lady Vols basketball matchup vs MTSU set for 2025-26 season
Lady Vols basketball will face Middle Tennessee State on Nov. 20 at the Murphy Center during the 2025-26 season, MTSU announced July 21. The matchup is the third of a four-game series the two teams agreed to ahead of the 2023-24 season. Tennessee lost 73-62 to MTSU in Huntsville, Alabama, in the first matchup, which was the first time in program history the Lady Vols fell to the Blue Raiders. Tennessee won 89-75 at Food City Center in November during Lady Vols coach Kim Caldwell's first season. The matchup on Nov. 20 is the only game of the four-game series that will be played in Murfreesboro. The final matchup will be played in Knoxville during the 2026-27 season. The Lady Vols lead the all-time series 23-1. Before the current four-game series began, the two programs had only faced off once since 2013, and it was in the NCAA Tournament. Tennessee beat MTSU 87-62 in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. PAT SUMMITT: Maggie Stanley's path to Lady Vols basketball started at Pat Summitt's camp 17 years ago The matchup is the fifth nonconference game announced for the 2025-26 season. The Lady Vols will open the season against NC State on Nov. 4 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Tennessee also has a trip to the West Coast with a game at UCLA on Nov. 30 and a game at Stanford on Dec. 3 in the ACC/SEC Challenge. UT will then return to the Women's Champions Classic in Brooklyn, New York, where it will face Louisville on Dec. 20. The Lady Vols also have a trip to face reigning national champion UConn on the road as part of a home-and-home series that started last season. Tennessee beat the Huskies 80-76 in Knoxville, notching its first win over UConn since 2007. Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women's athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @ Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks: This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Lady Vols basketball schedule: Date set for MTSU road game in 2025-26
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Lady Vols schedule two-game basketball series with Big Ten opponent
Tennessee will play a home-and-home women's basketball series against UCLA in 2025-26. The Lady Vols will play at UCLA on Nov. 23 during the 2025-26 campaign. The nonconference contest will take place at Pauley Pavillion in Los Angeles, California. Tennessee is slated to host the Bruins during the 2026-27 basketball season at Food City Center. A tipoff time and date will be announced at a later time. The Lady Vols lead the all time women's basketball series against UCLA, 18-3, dating to Jan. 5, 1979. UCLA recorded wins in 1981, 2019 and 2022 during the series. Tennessee last played at UCLA on Dec. 17, 2011. The Bruins' last game at Food City Center took place Nov. 28, 2009. More: Lady Vols' SEC opponents announced for 2025-26 basketball season The 2025-26 campaign will mark Tennessee's second season under head coach Kim Caldwell. Caldwell guided the Lady Vols to a 24-10 (8-8 SEC) record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in the 2024-25 season. Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kim Caldwell details All-ACC transfer who will be 'a perfect fit' for Lady Vols
Tennessee announced the signing of transfer guard Nya Robertson to the Lady Vols' 2025-26 basketball roster. The 5-foot-7 guard played at SMU during the 2024-25 season and earned All-ACC Second Team honors. She appeared in 27 contests, including 25 starts, for the Mustangs, averaging 18.5 points, three rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Advertisement Robertson led SMU in scoring during 19 games last season. She also converted 62 three-point attempts and 111 free throws. "We are excited about Nya," second-year Tennessee head coach Kim Caldwell said. "She is going to be a perfect fit for us, because she can play at our speed and be a three-level scorer. She flies around on defense, pushes pace and can help us right away." Robertson transferred to SMU from George Washington ahead of the 2024-25 season. She appeared in 48 games, including 24 starts, at George Washington from 2022-24. Robertson is from Boswell High School in Fort Worth, Texas. Advertisement PHOTOS: Kim Caldwell through the years Follow us at @VolsWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of University of Tennessee athletics. This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Lady Vols sign All-ACC basketball transfer guard
USA Today
20-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Kim Caldwell details All-ACC transfer who will be 'a perfect fit' for Lady Vols
Kim Caldwell details All-ACC transfer who will be 'a perfect fit' for Lady Vols Tennessee announced the signing of transfer guard Nya Robertson to the Lady Vols' 2025-26 basketball roster. The 5-foot-7 guard played at SMU during the 2024-25 season and earned All-ACC Second Team honors. She appeared in 27 contests, including 25 starts, for the Mustangs, averaging 18.5 points, three rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Robertson led SMU in scoring during 19 games last season. She also converted 62 three-point attempts and 111 free throws. "We are excited about Nya," second-year Tennessee head coach Kim Caldwell said. "She is going to be a perfect fit for us, because she can play at our speed and be a three-level scorer. She flies around on defense, pushes pace and can help us right away." Robertson transferred to SMU from George Washington ahead of the 2024-25 season. She appeared in 48 games, including 24 starts, at George Washington from 2022-24. Robertson is from Boswell High School in Fort Worth, Texas. PHOTOS: Kim Caldwell through the years Follow us at @VolsWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of University of Tennessee athletics.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why Kim Caldwell's Lady Vols will make Final Four before Rick Barnes, Tennessee
Basketball national championships were decided Sunday and Monday, and Tennessee wasn't involved. That's not a shocking development. The Tennessee men have never have made the Final Four, and the Lady Vols haven't made the Final Four since they won a national title in 2008. Advertisement Just because you aren't cutting down nets hardly constitutes failure, though. The Vols won 30 games and reached the Elite Eight in back-to-back seasons for the first time in school history. The Lady Vols reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament in coach Kim Caldwell's first season. Both accomplishments are noteworthy. But the Lady Vols are more likely to make another Final Four before the Vols make their first Final Four − for multiple reasons. First, there's history to consider. The Lady Vols have never failed to make the NCAA tournament. And even though they are far removed from their glory days, their glory days under coach Pat Summitt included eight national championships, more than any other program except UConn's. Advertisement The history of the men's program is altogether different. You can't ignore the obvious: It's 0-for-forever in Final Fours. Rick Barnes is a masterful program builder. He has proved that wherever he has coached. Thanks to him, UT basketball has never enjoyed so much sustained success. He has led them to seven consecutive NCAA tournaments and an average of 27 victories per season the past four years. But as good as his teams have been, they haven't been Final Four good. They just haven't fared as well as in the postseason. You can't dismiss that track record when considering future postseasons. I tried dismissing it this March, and Houston proved me wrong by dominating the Vols for most of their Elite Eight matchup. Advertisement That track record isn't the only reason to believe the Lady Vols will reach the Final Four first. We have seen the Vols' and Barnes' upside. We haven't seen Caldwell's. Maybe, the Sweet 16 is it. But I don't believe that. You could argue that her team advanced only one rung higher on the NCAA tournament ladder than her predecessor did. And Kellie Harper was fired after the 2023-24 season. But look below the tournament surface. Caldwell had to execute a complete overhaul to implement an unusual system that relies on a deep bench, 3-point shooting and a frantic pace. She made that extreme transition by combining players who were recruited for a different system with well chosen transfers. She also signed the nation's second-ranked recruiting class in her first year. How many coaches could have pulled that off? Advertisement Another question: If she could do that much in one season – and have a baby in the middle of it – how much more can she do in two years? Something else to consider: It's much easier to make the women's Final Four than the men's. ADAMS: Lady Vols basketball comes up short, but long-range view is promising under Kim Caldwell Never mind that the women's game has developed more parity than when UConn and Tennessee so often decided championships between themselves. You still have far more Final Four candidates in the men's game. I'm not ruling out the possibility that both Tennessee programs eventually could advance to the Final Four. Barnes has proved he can work the transfer portal effectively, and UT has shown it can close NIL deals. That's significant. Advertisement But history favors the Lady Vols making the Final Four first. So does Caldwell's first season. John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or Follow him at: This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Why Kim Caldwell's Lady Vols will make Final Four before Rick Barnes
