Video Emerges of Taylor Pannell, Karen Weekly’s Postgame Interaction After Tennessee Beat Texas Tech

Tennessee softball is on to the 2026 Women’s College World Series Semifinals. To punch its ticket to the round, the Lady Vols defeated Texas Tech via a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth off the bat of Emma Clarke.

After the game, former Tennessee star Taylor Pannell, turned Red Raider via the transfer portal, made an accusation about Lady Vols head coach Karen Weekly. She was asked about the interaction with her former coach in the handshake line after the game, and said Weekly told her she made a mistake.

“We were walking through the line just saying ‘good game’, and she said that I made a mistake instead of saying ‘good game’, which is kind of crazy,” Pannell said. “Like celebrate with your team. I just think it’s funny she’s still thinking about it. It’s old news. Whatever.”

After the accusation from Pannell, Weekly immediately fired back. In a phone call with Cora Hall of Knox News, Weekly said it was an ‘outright lie’.

Now, video has come out. ESPN showed Weekly seemingly saying ‘good game’ to Pannell in the handshake line, and Pannell having no reaction in the moment. Then, as Pannell walks off the field, she turns around with Weekly not in the proximity to say something in the direction of UT.

Texas Tech-Tennessee postgame controversy explained. pic.twitter.com/Fl3eX3XJuY

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 31, 2026

More From RTI: Taylor Pannell’s Dad Attacks Writer For Posting Screenshots of His Deleted Posts After WCWS Debacle

Pannell finished the game 1-for-4, but was the key run to cross to force extra innings. In the seventh, she led off the frame with a single before avoiding a tag at home to tie the game on a sac-fly.

Pannell spent three seasons with Tennessee, proving to be one of the team’s finest hitters during her final redshirt-sophomore season. In 2025, she posted a .398 batting average with 16 home runs on the WCWS squad.

Now, Texas Tech will play UCLA with both teams’ seasons on the line. The winner advances to play Alabama in the semifinals for a spot in the national championship series. On the other side of the bracket, Tennessee will play the winner between Nebraska and Texas in the semifinals.