With the 2025-26 season almost here, the SEC has released its projected order of finish as voted on by a select panel of both SEC and national media members. For Kim Caldwell and Lady Vols basketball, Tennessee is projected to finish fourth in the conference.
The projected winner of the SEC is South Carolina. Second is Texas, then LSU, before getting to the Lady Vols in fourth. The rest of the way is Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Alabama and Mississippi State to round out the top 10. The bottom six are Florida, Georgia, Missouri (coached by Kellie Harper), Texas A&M, Auburn and finally Arkansas.
The AP Poll won’t be out until Tuesday, but ESPN has released its early rankings across the country, as well.
Charlie Creme of ESPN slots Tennessee as the No. 7 team in the country. This makes the Lady Vols the fifth-highest-ranked team in the SEC. The No. 1 spot goes to defending champion UConn, with South Carolina then UCLA rounding out the top three. Then it’s Texas, LSU and Oklahoma before Tennessee makes its appearance.
The remainder of the top 10 features NC State (who the Lady Vols open the season with), Duke and Maryland.
Creme also noted the most impactful transfer that each team will have. He picked former Texas A&M and UCLA forward Janiah Barker for Tennessee.
“Back in the SEC after a season in Los Angeles, Barker was once the chief building block in Joni Taylor’s remaking of the Texas A&M program,” Creme wrote. “She became an effective role player with the Bruins and now could be a key presence in the deep rotation in Knoxville.”
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Here is the Lady Vols’ full schedule for the 2025-26 season:
- Nov. 4: vs. 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 UCLA
- Dec. 3: at Stanford
- Dec. 14: vs. Winthrop
- Dec. 20: vs. 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. Kentucky
- Jan. 26: at Ole Miss
- Jan. 29: vs. Mississippi State
- Feb. 1: at UConn
- Feb. 5: at Georgia
- Feb. 8: at South Carolina
- Feb. 12: vs. Missouri
- Feb. 15: vs. Texas
- Feb. 19: vs. Texas A&M
- Feb. 22: at Oklahoma
- Feb. 26: at LSU
- March 1: vs. Vanderbilt
The Lady Vols will also meet North Carolina for a closed-door scrimmage during its preparation for the season. Fans can get their first look at the program in 2025 on Oct. 29 in an exhibition against Columbus State in Knoxville.
