Lady Vols basketball’s resume is set in stone for the NCAA Tournament. There will be no more data points for the selection committee to weigh as Tennessee finishes the year on a seven-game losing streak and 16-13 (8-8 SEC) record.
Now, the Lady Vols must wait and see where they will be placed in the NCAA Tournament. Currently, the expectation is that Tennessee will be firmly in the field. Despite the ugly losses and losing streak, UT is typically found on the 8-seed line in bracketologies.
There is always a chance the selection committee doesn’t see things the same way, though. If that seemingly unlikely scenario is the case and the Lady Vols don’t make the field, it’d be the first time in program history.
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This streak dates all the way back to the inception of the women’s basketball NCAA Tournament in 1982. Tennessee is the only school to make the field in every single season the tournament has been held.
The entirety of this streak has been under the direction of Pat Summitt, Holly Warlick, Kellie Harper, and now, Kim Caldwell.
Here’s a year-by-year list of how these Lady Vols seasons have ended:
- Pat Summitt
- 1982: 2-seed, Final Four
- 1983: 1-seed, Elite Eight
- 1984: 3-seed, Title Game
- 1985: 3-seed, Sweet 16
- 1986: 4-seed, Final Four
- 1987: 2-seed, National Championship
- 1988: 1-seed, Final Four
- 1989: 1-seed, National Championship
- 1990: 1-seed, Elite Eight
- 1991: 1-seed, National Championship
- 1992: 1-seed, Sweet 16
- 1993: 1-seed, Elite Eight
- 1994: 1-seed, Sweet 16
- 1995: 1-seed, Title Game
- 1996: 1-seed, National Championship
- 1997: 3-seed, National Championship
- 1998: 1-seed, National Championship
- 1999: 1-seed, Elite Eight
- 2000: 1-seed, Title Game
- 2001: 1-seed, Sweet 16
- 2002: 2-seed, Final Four
- 2003: 1-seed, Title Game
- 2004: 1-seed, Title Game
- 2005: 1-seed, Final Four
- 2006: 2-seed, Elite Eight
- 2007: 1-seed, National Championship
- 2008: 1-seed, National Championship
- 2009: 5-seed, First Round
- 2010: 1-seed, Sweet 16
- 2011: 1-seed, Elite Eight
- 2012: 2-seed, Elite Eight
- Holly Warlick
- 2013: 2-seed, Elite Eight
- 2014: 1-seed, Sweet 16
- 2015: 2-seed, Elite Eight
- 2016: 7-seed, Elite Eight
- 2017: 5-seed, Second Round
- 2018: 3-seed, Second Round
- 2019: 11-seed, First Round
- Kellie Harper
- 2020: Tournament canceled
- 2021: 3-seed, Second Round
- 2022: 4-seed, Sweet 16
- 2023: 4-seed, Sweet 16
- 2024: 6-seed, Second Round
- Kim Caldwell
- 2025: 5-seed, Sweet 16
