University of Tennessee Athletics
Friday, September 8
Chicago, Ill.
7 p.m.
University of Tennessee
at
Loyola Chicago
VB Weekend Preview: #18 Lady Vols Cap Midwest Tour with Road Matches at Loyola Chicago, #24 Marquette
September 07, 2023 | Volleyball
The 18th-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols cap off their tour of the Midwest this weekend, as the Big Orange takes on Loyola Chicago and No. 24 Marquette on the road.
Â
The Lady Vols open with Loyola on Friday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+ before facing the Golden Eagles on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. That match will be live streamed on FloSports ($). Both opponents made the NCAA Tournament last season, and this weekend comes on the heels of Tennessee's tough slate last weekend against No. 1 Wisconsin, San Diego and Boston College.
Â
After breaking into the rankings for the first time since November 2021 last week, Tennessee moved up to 18th in the AVCA rankings earlier this week. That marks the highest ranking for the Lady Vols since being No. 17 during the Week 3 poll in 2012.
Â
FINGALL BACK FOR FINAL YEAR: Morgahn Fingall will look to follow up on her All-America campaign in 2022, when she was one of the nation's top attackers. She was named to the preseason All-SEC Team heading into the year. Against No. 1 Wisconsin, she went for a season-best 22 kills to pace the Lady Vols, and she's the top attacker in Tennessee's high-powered offensive front with 75 kills on the season.
Â
KERR TABBED SEC FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK: After a strong effort at the USD Invitational and against No. 1 Wisconsin, setter Caroline Kerr was recognized by the league for her performances. On Sunday's match versus the Badgers, she recorded her first-career double-double with personal bests in assists (55) and digs (11). See page 5 for full note.
Â
SPREAD THE ATTACK: Boasting one of the best attacking groups in the country, the Big Orange has a balanced front that can get a point for the Lady Vols. Five different players are currently averaging more than two kills per set, including two individuals who are averaging more than three.Â
Â
LADY VOLS START 5-0: Tennessee won its first five matches to begin the year, marking the second time the team achieved this feat under the direction of head coach Eve Rackham Watt. The previous time was in her first season on Rocky Top in 2018, when the Lady Vols went 26-6 for the year. Prior to that, UT only started 5-0 three times between 2005-17.
Â
BIG ORANGE DEFENSE SHINES: Tennessee has held opposing teams to 15 points or less in a 25-point set nine times this season, which is 45 percent of the sets played. So far, UT boasts four sweeps on the year.
Â
West Coast Trip & Wisconsin Recap
2023 Roster Breakdown
Â
The Lady Vols open with Loyola on Friday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+ before facing the Golden Eagles on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. That match will be live streamed on FloSports ($). Both opponents made the NCAA Tournament last season, and this weekend comes on the heels of Tennessee's tough slate last weekend against No. 1 Wisconsin, San Diego and Boston College.
Â
After breaking into the rankings for the first time since November 2021 last week, Tennessee moved up to 18th in the AVCA rankings earlier this week. That marks the highest ranking for the Lady Vols since being No. 17 during the Week 3 poll in 2012.
Â
FINGALL BACK FOR FINAL YEAR: Morgahn Fingall will look to follow up on her All-America campaign in 2022, when she was one of the nation's top attackers. She was named to the preseason All-SEC Team heading into the year. Against No. 1 Wisconsin, she went for a season-best 22 kills to pace the Lady Vols, and she's the top attacker in Tennessee's high-powered offensive front with 75 kills on the season.
Â
KERR TABBED SEC FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK: After a strong effort at the USD Invitational and against No. 1 Wisconsin, setter Caroline Kerr was recognized by the league for her performances. On Sunday's match versus the Badgers, she recorded her first-career double-double with personal bests in assists (55) and digs (11). See page 5 for full note.
Â
SPREAD THE ATTACK: Boasting one of the best attacking groups in the country, the Big Orange has a balanced front that can get a point for the Lady Vols. Five different players are currently averaging more than two kills per set, including two individuals who are averaging more than three.Â
Â
LADY VOLS START 5-0: Tennessee won its first five matches to begin the year, marking the second time the team achieved this feat under the direction of head coach Eve Rackham Watt. The previous time was in her first season on Rocky Top in 2018, when the Lady Vols went 26-6 for the year. Prior to that, UT only started 5-0 three times between 2005-17.
Â
BIG ORANGE DEFENSE SHINES: Tennessee has held opposing teams to 15 points or less in a 25-point set nine times this season, which is 45 percent of the sets played. So far, UT boasts four sweeps on the year.
Â
West Coast Trip & Wisconsin Recap
- On the second weekend of the season, the Lady Vols traveled to the West Coast for the USD Invitational followed by a road matchup against No. 1 Wisconsin, going 2-1 on the weekend.
- In the first match, Tennessee defeated San Diego, 3-1, thanks to a pair of Lady Vols recording double-doubles.
- The Big Orange swept its fourth opponent of the season when it took on Boston College. Three Lady Vols hit for better than .300 with a minimum of 15 attacks. As a team, Tennessee won big in the hitting percentage battle, out hitting the Eagles .369 to -.020. Defensively, UT had 11 blocks compared to just three for BC.
- Against the top-ranked Badgers, Tennessee fell just shy in a five-set thriller. The Lady Vols faced a 2-0 deficit in the match but fought back to force the fifth set. A lot of the success came during serves, as UT posted an impressive 12 aces. Graduate RS Morgahn Fingall paced the Lady Vols with 22 kills, five digs and three service aces.
- Fingall tallied 47 kills on the weekend to go along with 20 digs, six blocks, four aces and four assists.
- Sophomore MB Keondreya Granberry posted 27 kills on .417 hitting and 19 total blocks during the Lady Vols' three matches. Her top performance came against Boston College, when she led the Lady Vols with 11 kills and nine blocks—four of which were solo. She hit an impressive .667 against the Eagles, pacing Tennessee to its fourth sweep of the season. Against San Diego, she went for seven kills and six blocks during the 3-1 victory. In Tennessee's 3-2 loss to the Badgers, she posted nine kills and four blocks.
2023 Roster Breakdown
- The 2023 edition of Tennessee volleyball looks to be a fun one with plenty of big-time matchups in store and a cast of talented student-athletes ready to compete.
- With a roster of 21 student-athletes, the Lady Vols boast one on of the deepest squads in the league. Head coach Eve Rackham Watt and her staff will have plenty of options at each position this season.
- In total, there are 12 returners from a year ago, including five starters and the libero, while four transfers arrived on Rocky Top with a combined 15 seasons of Division I experience. Three of the four will be playing in their fifth season thanks to the extra COVID year. Rounding out the roster, UT brought in five freshmen from around the country.
- Tennessee will be led by Morgahn Fingall, who earned All-America honors last season as one of the nation's top attackers. Between Fingall, Erykah Lovett and Jenaisya Moore, the Big Orange enjoys a formidable group of outside hitters.
- Moore was the highlight of this transfer class, arriving in Knoxville after four seasons at Ohio State. Lovett was a huge addition from the transfer portal last season, when she totaled 379 kills, 312 digs and 13 double-doubles as a sophomore.
- With the departures of middle blocker Danielle Mahaffey and setter Natalie Hayward, the Lady Vols have options to address those positions.
- After earning SEC All-Freshman Team honors last year, Kiki Granberry and transfer Raeven Chase will present a strong front for Tennessee at the middle blocker spot. Granberry posted 103 total blocks last year, while Chase has crossed the triple-digit blocks mark during each of her last three seasons.
- At setter, graduate transfer Lauren Woodford from Syracuse, graduate student Kylie Robinson and redshirt freshman Caroline Kerr will battle it out for the spot.
- Rounding things out, the libero position will be up for grabs between Ashllyn King, who transitioned to the role last year after starting out as an outside hitter and defensive specialist, and graduate transfer Yelianiz Torres.
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
RS
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
DS
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
L
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballVB | Eve Rackham Watt Press Conference (9.22.25)
Monday, September 22
VB | Eve Rackham Watt Press Conference (8.25.25)
Monday, August 25
Everything Orange S2 I Volleyball Mashup
Thursday, October 03
VB | Tennessee vs. Western Kentucky Highlights (12.2.23)
Saturday, December 02
