University of Tennessee Athletics
Five Lady Vols Named to 2026 SEC Soccer Preseason Watchlist
August 10, 2026 | Soccer
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southeastern Conference released its 2026 soccer preseason watchlist on Monday morning, featuring five players from Tennessee.
Fifth-year midfielder Dakota Brown, junior midfielder Ines Derrien, junior goalkeeper Cayden Norris, fifth-year forward Shae O'Rourke, and fifth-year forward Kylee Simmons were among the 75 players selected conference-wide.
Brown is the lone player on Tennessee's roster entering her fifth season with the program. She has been an integral part of the Lady Vols' midfield over the past two seasons, appearing in all 39 matches and making 27 starts. Brown's four assists in 2025 were tied for the most on the team.
Derrien is the lone newcomer among Tennessee's five preseason honorees. She arrives on Rocky Top after spending the first two seasons of her collegiate career at USC, where she has proven to be a strong box-to-box force in the midfield. In her time with the Trojans, Derrien appeared in all 40 games, scoring five goals and adding five assists. As a freshman in 2024, she started all four games during USC's NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal run, contributing two assists.
Norris returns between the sticks for Tennessee after a stellar sophomore campaign in 2025. She anchored the defense to a joint program-record 13 clean sheets, including seven consecutive shutouts to open the season. The Johnson City, Tennessee, native wrapped up 2025 with 46 saves and an impressive .793 save percentage.
O'Rourke represents a dangerous attacking threat as she enters her second season with Tennessee. After transferring into the program ahead of the 2025 season, she wasted no time making an impact with a brace against No. 1 North Carolina and the game-winning goal at No. 4 UCLA. O'Rourke tallied five goals in just five appearances for the Lady Vols before a season-ending injury delivered an abrupt end to her penultimate collegiate season.
Simmons is another fifth-year forward returning from a season-ending injury. After transferring to Tennessee from Missouri, she was ruled out for the entirety of the 2025 season due to a preseason injury. In her time with the Tigers, Simmons was a 2023 First Team All-SEC selection, netting 16 goals and contributing eight assists across three seasons. The West Chester, Ohio, native will look to return to all-conference form in her first season of action with Tennessee.
Tennessee begins the 2026 season at Regal Soccer Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 13. The Lady Vols welcome Rutgers to town for a 7 p.m. ET kickoff.
Fifth-year midfielder Dakota Brown, junior midfielder Ines Derrien, junior goalkeeper Cayden Norris, fifth-year forward Shae O'Rourke, and fifth-year forward Kylee Simmons were among the 75 players selected conference-wide.
Brown is the lone player on Tennessee's roster entering her fifth season with the program. She has been an integral part of the Lady Vols' midfield over the past two seasons, appearing in all 39 matches and making 27 starts. Brown's four assists in 2025 were tied for the most on the team.
Derrien is the lone newcomer among Tennessee's five preseason honorees. She arrives on Rocky Top after spending the first two seasons of her collegiate career at USC, where she has proven to be a strong box-to-box force in the midfield. In her time with the Trojans, Derrien appeared in all 40 games, scoring five goals and adding five assists. As a freshman in 2024, she started all four games during USC's NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal run, contributing two assists.
Norris returns between the sticks for Tennessee after a stellar sophomore campaign in 2025. She anchored the defense to a joint program-record 13 clean sheets, including seven consecutive shutouts to open the season. The Johnson City, Tennessee, native wrapped up 2025 with 46 saves and an impressive .793 save percentage.
O'Rourke represents a dangerous attacking threat as she enters her second season with Tennessee. After transferring into the program ahead of the 2025 season, she wasted no time making an impact with a brace against No. 1 North Carolina and the game-winning goal at No. 4 UCLA. O'Rourke tallied five goals in just five appearances for the Lady Vols before a season-ending injury delivered an abrupt end to her penultimate collegiate season.
Simmons is another fifth-year forward returning from a season-ending injury. After transferring to Tennessee from Missouri, she was ruled out for the entirety of the 2025 season due to a preseason injury. In her time with the Tigers, Simmons was a 2023 First Team All-SEC selection, netting 16 goals and contributing eight assists across three seasons. The West Chester, Ohio, native will look to return to all-conference form in her first season of action with Tennessee.
Tennessee begins the 2026 season at Regal Soccer Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 13. The Lady Vols welcome Rutgers to town for a 7 p.m. ET kickoff.
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