University of Tennessee Athletics
Thursday, December 4
Tempe, Ariz.
6:30 p.m. ET
University of Tennessee
vs
Utah State
NCAA Tournament Preview: #18 Lady Vols Open NCAA Tournament Against Utah State
December 03, 2025 | Volleyball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- #18 Tennessee Lady Vols begin their journey in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, as they take on the Utah State Aggies at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, Arizona. First serve for the match is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET and will be streamed on ESPN+.
The Lady Vols enter the Big Dance with a 20-7 record and 10-5 mark in the SEC. Tennessee was selected as the seventh seed in their bracket. They will play in the Tempe regional, which also features two seed Arizona State and Coppin State. The winners of both first round matchups in Tempe will move on the the Round of 32, which will take place Friday, Dec. 5 at 8 p.m. ET.Â
This marks the 20th time in program history that the Lady Vols have earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament. This is the fifth consecutive year the team has reached the postseason under head coach Eve Rackham Watt, and sixth overall. The Lady Vols are 13-7 in first round matchups, and have advanced past the first round three times under Rackham Watt. Tennessee advanced to the Round of 16 in 2023 under Rackham Watt, the furthest the program had advanced in the tournament since 2005 when it reached the Final Four.
Tennessee earned the fourth seed in the SEC Volleyball Tournament. The Big Orange opened play against Florida in the quarterfinals, picking up a four set win. Hayden Kubik led the team in kills with 15, and had a double-double with 11 digs. Caroline Kerr also picked up a double-double in the contest, finishing with 43 assists and ten digs. Tennessee moved on to the semifinals of the tournament, where it battled but ultimately fell in a contest with one seeded Kentucky in four sets. Kubik once again led the team kills, with her fourth 20-plus kill performance of the year with 25. Kubik achieved her second double-double of the tournament, adding 17 digs. Kerr joined her with her second consecutive double-double performance, notching 42 assists and 12 digs.
Utah State enters the NCAA Tournament with a 23-7 record. The Aggies were the regular season and tournament champions of the Mountain West Conference, currently in the midst of a 21-game winning streak which is the third-longest active streak in the nation. The Aggies are led by Mountain West Player of the Year Kaylie Kofe. The sophomore setter led the conference in assists (1,232) and assists per set (11.10) this season, helping lead an attack that ranks eighth in the nation in kills per set at 14.29. Leading the team in kills is the duo of Mara Štiglic and Loryn Helgesen. Štiglic leads the team with 402 kills and 3.59 kills per set, followed by Helgesen with 358 kills and 3.51 kills per set. On the defensive side, redshirt junior libero Kendel Thompson leads from the back row with 384 digs. At the net, All-Mountain West performer Lauren Larkin leads the Aggies with 97 blocks.
The Lady Vols enter the Big Dance with a 20-7 record and 10-5 mark in the SEC. Tennessee was selected as the seventh seed in their bracket. They will play in the Tempe regional, which also features two seed Arizona State and Coppin State. The winners of both first round matchups in Tempe will move on the the Round of 32, which will take place Friday, Dec. 5 at 8 p.m. ET.Â
This marks the 20th time in program history that the Lady Vols have earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament. This is the fifth consecutive year the team has reached the postseason under head coach Eve Rackham Watt, and sixth overall. The Lady Vols are 13-7 in first round matchups, and have advanced past the first round three times under Rackham Watt. Tennessee advanced to the Round of 16 in 2023 under Rackham Watt, the furthest the program had advanced in the tournament since 2005 when it reached the Final Four.
Tennessee earned the fourth seed in the SEC Volleyball Tournament. The Big Orange opened play against Florida in the quarterfinals, picking up a four set win. Hayden Kubik led the team in kills with 15, and had a double-double with 11 digs. Caroline Kerr also picked up a double-double in the contest, finishing with 43 assists and ten digs. Tennessee moved on to the semifinals of the tournament, where it battled but ultimately fell in a contest with one seeded Kentucky in four sets. Kubik once again led the team kills, with her fourth 20-plus kill performance of the year with 25. Kubik achieved her second double-double of the tournament, adding 17 digs. Kerr joined her with her second consecutive double-double performance, notching 42 assists and 12 digs.
Utah State enters the NCAA Tournament with a 23-7 record. The Aggies were the regular season and tournament champions of the Mountain West Conference, currently in the midst of a 21-game winning streak which is the third-longest active streak in the nation. The Aggies are led by Mountain West Player of the Year Kaylie Kofe. The sophomore setter led the conference in assists (1,232) and assists per set (11.10) this season, helping lead an attack that ranks eighth in the nation in kills per set at 14.29. Leading the team in kills is the duo of Mara Štiglic and Loryn Helgesen. Štiglic leads the team with 402 kills and 3.59 kills per set, followed by Helgesen with 358 kills and 3.51 kills per set. On the defensive side, redshirt junior libero Kendel Thompson leads from the back row with 384 digs. At the net, All-Mountain West performer Lauren Larkin leads the Aggies with 97 blocks.
Players Mentioned
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/ Volleyball
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/ VolleyballVB | Eve Rackham Watt Media Availability (12.2.25)
Tuesday, December 02
VB | Hayden Kubik Media Availability (12.2.25)
Tuesday, December 02
VB | Caroline Kerr Media Availability (12.2.25)
Tuesday, December 02
Everything Orange S3 | Chelsea Sutton (Volleyball)
Friday, October 03
