After a successful first season that featured a trip to the Sweet 16, expectations are high for Kim Caldwell in her second season as head coach of the Lady Vols basketball program. This is being reflected by a preseason AP Poll ranking of No. 8 and strong odds to win the national championship.
According to FanDuel, the odds for Tennessee to hoist the national title trophy for the ninth time in program history are set at +2500. This is the eighth-best mark of any team in the country.
The favorite to win the title is UConn at +240. Despite losing key pieces, the Huskies reloaded and returned talent in an attempt to repeat as champions. The Lady Vols did knock off UConn in Knoxville a year ago, though, and will now return the trip this season.
Second place goes to South Carolina, which UT will play within its SEC schedule this year. Third is UCLA, which the Lady Vols will play on the road this year. Fourth is Texas and fifth is LSU, which Tennessee will also play on its SEC schedule. Both conference games against the Gamecocks and Tigers are on the road, while the Longhorns head to Knoxville.
Other teams ahead of the Lady Vols in odds are Notre Dame and USC. Tennessee is followed by SEC foe Oklahoma, then Duke, which is coached by LVFL Kara Lawson.
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Here is the Lady Vols’ full schedule for the 2025-26 season, including AP Poll rankings for each opponent
- Nov. 4: vs. No. 9 NC State (Greensboro)
- Nov. 7: vs. ETSU
- Nov. 9: at UT Martin
- Nov. 13: vs. Belmont
- Nov. 20: at MTSU
- Nov. 23: vs. Coppin State
- Nov. 30: at No. 3 UCLA
- Dec. 3: at Stanford
- Dec. 14: vs. Winthrop
- Dec. 20: vs. No. 20 Louisville (Brooklyn)
- Dec. 22: vs. Southern Indiana
- Jan. 1: vs. Florida
- Jan. 4: at Auburn
- Jan. 8: at Mississippi State
- Jan. 11: vs. Arkansas
- Jan. 18: at Alabama
- Jan. 22: vs. No. 24 Kentucky
- Jan. 26: at No. 12 Ole Miss
- Jan. 29: vs. Mississippi State
- Feb. 1: at No. 1 UConn
- Feb. 5: at Georgia
- Feb. 8: at No. 2 South Carolina
- Feb. 12: vs. Missouri
- Feb. 15: vs. No. 4 Texas
- Feb. 19: vs. Texas A&M
- Feb. 22: at No. 6 Oklahoma
- Feb. 26: at No. 5 LSU
- March 1: vs. No. 19 Vanderbilt
The Lady Vols also played against North Carolina in a closed-door scrimmage this past weekend. Fans can get their first look at the program in 2025 on Oct. 29 in an exhibition against Columbus State in Knoxville.
Tennessee returns a good bit of production, including Talaysia Cooper, Ruby Whitehorn and Zee Spearman. The Lady Vols also brought in three highly-touted transfers in Janiah Barker, Jersey Wolfenbarger and Nya Robertson. Caldwell signed five freshmen, as well, including McDonald’s All-Americans Mia Pauldo, Deniya Prawl and Jaida Civil.
