University of Tennessee Athletics
Caroline Kerr Earns Preseason All-SEC Honors
July 29, 2026 | Volleyball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Southeastern Conference announced Wednesday that Tennessee fifth-year setter Caroline Kerr was named to the preseason All-SEC team by the league's head coaches. A three-time All-American and all-conference athlete enters her fourth season as Tennessee's starting setter in 2026 and ranks sixth in program history with 3,259 career assists.
Kerr earned All-SEC first team honors last season after once again leading one of the top offenses in the country. She tallied 945 assists and 9.84 assists per set, both ranking in the top ten in the conference. Kerr helped the Lady Vols average 14.17 kills per set while hitting .292 as a team, with both figures ranking among the top 15 nationally last season. It marked the second time in the last three seasons that Tennessee finished in the top 15 in Division I in both hitting percentage and kills per set.
Kerr logged 40 or more assists in 12 matches, and recorded 11 double-doubles during the 2025 season. Kerr had two matches with 50-plus assists, and tied her career high of 57 assists on Oct. 15, 2025, against Florida. Through her three seasons on the court, Kerr has 39 matches with 40-plus assists and 24 double-doubles. Her 24 double-doubles in her collegiate career are the 10th-most in program history.
The Champaign, Illinois, native, was one of 15 student-athletes named to the 2026 Preseason All-SEC Team, which is determined by a vote from the league's head coaches. Tennessee was also picked to finish fifth in the conference.
Kerr and the Lady Vols will hit the floor for the first time in 2026 on Aug. 13, as they host an exhibition against Eastern Kentucky at 6:30 p.m. ET. The 2026 campaign officially gets underway on Aug. 28 with a contest against Colgate at Food City Center, with first serve slated for 7 p.m. ET.
2026 SEC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll
(First-Place Votes in Parentheses)
1. Kentucky (9)
2. Texas (6)
3. Texas A&M (1)
4. Florida
5. Tennessee
6. Georgia
7. Auburn
8. LSU
9. Missouri
T-10. Oklahoma
T-10. Vanderbilt
12. Ole Miss
13. Mississippi State
14. South Carolina
15. Alabama
16. Arkansas
2026 Volleyball Preseason All-SEC Team
Lauren Dreves, Auburn
Jordyn Byrd, Florida
Alec Rothe, Florida
Bianna Muoneke, Georgia
Lizzie Carr, Kentucky
Brooklyn DeLeye, Kentucky
Morgan Gaerte, Kentucky
Kassie O'Brien, Kentucky
Molly Tuozzo, Kentucky
Jurnee Robinson, LSU
Lindsey Mangelson, Mississippi State
Caroline Kerr, Tennessee
Cari Spears, Texas
Torrey Stafford, Texas
Kyndal Stowers, Texas A&M
Kerr earned All-SEC first team honors last season after once again leading one of the top offenses in the country. She tallied 945 assists and 9.84 assists per set, both ranking in the top ten in the conference. Kerr helped the Lady Vols average 14.17 kills per set while hitting .292 as a team, with both figures ranking among the top 15 nationally last season. It marked the second time in the last three seasons that Tennessee finished in the top 15 in Division I in both hitting percentage and kills per set.
Kerr logged 40 or more assists in 12 matches, and recorded 11 double-doubles during the 2025 season. Kerr had two matches with 50-plus assists, and tied her career high of 57 assists on Oct. 15, 2025, against Florida. Through her three seasons on the court, Kerr has 39 matches with 40-plus assists and 24 double-doubles. Her 24 double-doubles in her collegiate career are the 10th-most in program history.
The Champaign, Illinois, native, was one of 15 student-athletes named to the 2026 Preseason All-SEC Team, which is determined by a vote from the league's head coaches. Tennessee was also picked to finish fifth in the conference.
Kerr and the Lady Vols will hit the floor for the first time in 2026 on Aug. 13, as they host an exhibition against Eastern Kentucky at 6:30 p.m. ET. The 2026 campaign officially gets underway on Aug. 28 with a contest against Colgate at Food City Center, with first serve slated for 7 p.m. ET.
2026 SEC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll
(First-Place Votes in Parentheses)
1. Kentucky (9)
2. Texas (6)
3. Texas A&M (1)
4. Florida
5. Tennessee
6. Georgia
7. Auburn
8. LSU
9. Missouri
T-10. Oklahoma
T-10. Vanderbilt
12. Ole Miss
13. Mississippi State
14. South Carolina
15. Alabama
16. Arkansas
2026 Volleyball Preseason All-SEC Team
Lauren Dreves, Auburn
Jordyn Byrd, Florida
Alec Rothe, Florida
Bianna Muoneke, Georgia
Lizzie Carr, Kentucky
Brooklyn DeLeye, Kentucky
Morgan Gaerte, Kentucky
Kassie O'Brien, Kentucky
Molly Tuozzo, Kentucky
Jurnee Robinson, LSU
Lindsey Mangelson, Mississippi State
Caroline Kerr, Tennessee
Cari Spears, Texas
Torrey Stafford, Texas
Kyndal Stowers, Texas A&M
Players Mentioned
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