Tennessee sets the foundation with successful first season of the Kim Caldwell era

Despite a 67-59 loss to top-seeded Texas in the Sweet 16, the Volunteers surpassed expectations, racing out to a 13-0 start — the program’s best since 2017-18 — and leading the nation in points per game (87.5) to secure a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament.

“I am incredibly thankful for this group that I got to coach,” Caldwell told reporters postgame. “[We] did exactly what we said we were going to do, which was get Tennessee back into the top 25… We as a team spent a lot of the season trying to prove people wrong, but I think you have to re-frame it and prove the people that believed in right.”

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Tennessee fought hard against Texas, diving for loose balls, chasing long rebounds and recovering on defense to stay within striking distance.

Late in the third quarter, Tennessee forward Zee Spearman lost her shoe on offense, and teammate Sara Puckett quickly recognized the situation. She grabbed the shoe, handed it back to Spearman, and then sprinted down the court to block Texas center Taylor Jones at the rim, preventing an easy layup.

“Coach Kim [Caldwell] is big on effort and culture, and that was an effort play,” center Jillian Hollingshead told The Next. “We … hyped from that and build on those plays, whether it’s diving for loose balls or blocking shots, and I think that’s what makes our program different from everyone else.”

Tennessee tied the game up at 50, entering the fourth quarter with a free throw from guard Ruby Whitehorn. However, when Texas started to score on consecutive offensive possessions, the Volunteers couldn’t keep up. It managed only nine points on 33.3% shooting from the field in the final period.

“A big point of emphasis was rebounding, and we did what we needed to there,” Caldwell said. “They just did such a great job of rushing us into shots and forcing some turnovers down the stretch when we needed to get some shots off.”

In her postgame press conference, Caldwell reflected on her first season as a Power-4 head coach, and reiterated how the team’s senior class — led by guards Jewel Spear and Samara Spencer — helped set the tone for the future of Tennessee women’s basketball. 

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“I thanked them, and I told them that any success we have going forward is because of them,” Caldwell said. “They can be former Lady Vols, and they can cheer us on, and they can know that they helped build the foundation. And they set the tone, and they set what it was.”

Spear, who returned to Knoxville for her fifth season despite the coaching change, said she feels like she positively impacted the program on and off the court. She hopes the impact she leaves will help Tennessee do something special next season and in the years to follow.

The joy and energy required to excel in Caldwell’s up-tempo system is something Spencer cherishes from her one season with the program. She compared it to her AAU days, when her team used to press full-court throughout the entire game. Spencer said she hasn’t had that much fun playing basketball in a long time.

With Spencer and Spear out of eligibility, Tennessee will lean on its No. 2-ranked recruiting class, according to ESPN, to replace its senior class in 2025-26. The Volunteers have signed five Top 60 prospects, including Mia and Mya Paudo, Deniya Prawl, Jaida Civil and Lauren Hurst.