Weekend Preview: #22 Lady Vols Host Tennessee Tournament To Begin 2026 Season

Friday, August 28

Knoxville, Tenn.

7 p.m. ET

University of Tennessee

Colgate

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Weekend Preview: #22 Lady Vols Host Tennessee Tournament To Begin 2026 Season

August 27, 2026 | Volleyball

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The 2026 season officially gets underway on Friday, as the No. 22 Tennessee volleyball program hosts the Tennessee Tournament Aug. 28-30. The Lady Vols will welcome three teams to Rocky Top, with Colgate, Fairfield and Morehead State playing in the season-opening tournament at Food City Center.

Tennessee opens play on Friday against Colgate at 7 p.m. ET. UT will play three matches during the tournament, and closes out the weekend on Saturday against Morehead State at 1 p.m. and Fairfield at 7 p.m. All three of Tennessee's matches will be available on SEC Network+.

Fans planning to attend this weekend's matches should follow Tennessee's clear bag policy. Parking is available free of charge to fans in the G-5/G-30 garage. Gates B and E will be the entrance for all general fans and player guests, while students will be directed to Gate A. Any additional items to know before coming out for any of the matches can be found on the Volleyball Gameday Page.

Tennessee Tournament Schedule (All Times in Eastern)
Friday, August 28
Fairfield vs. Morehead State – 4 p.m.
Colgate vs. Tennessee – 7 p.m.

Saturday, August 29
Colgate vs. Fairfield – 10:30 a.m.
Morehead State vs. Tennessee – 1 p.m.
Fairfield vs. Tennessee – 7 p.m.

Sunday, August 30
Morehead State vs. Colgate – 12 p.m.

Tennessee returns four proven veterans to the 2026 squad in Caroline Kerr, Mackenzie Plante, Chelsea Sutton and Maggie Dostic. Kerr played an integral role for an offense that ranked top 15 in Division I in both hitting percentage (.292) and kills per set (14.97), the second time in the last three seasons that the Lady Vols ranked in the top 15 in both categories. One of the best setters to wear the Orange & White, Kerr currently sits sixth in program history in both career assists (3,259) and assists per set (10.65).

Sutton was the team leader in blocks a season ago with 116, while finishing the campaign second on the team in kills with 215. The Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. native also led the team in hitting percentage at .362, which ranked among the top five marks in the SEC. Plante had a career year in 2025, reaching career-high totals in all major categories. The rising senior was fourth on the team with 182 kills and played a vital role in the team's floor defense with 175 digs. Plante tallied five matches with double-digit kills, including a career-high 14 kills against both Texas and Alabama. Dostic logged 150 digs as a freshman, while adding 23 aces. After playing in a defensive specialist role last season, Dostic will shift to the outside hitter position.

Transfers Bring Experience to Tennessee Roster

The Lady Vols added four transfers in the offseason, each bringing experience to Knoxville ahead of the 2026 season. The group of experienced newcomers includes Raegan Burns (Kansas), Nia Hall (South Carolina & Cleveland State), Kennedi Rogers (SMU), and Jalyn Stout (Coastal Carolina).
Burns comes to Rocky Top after three seasons at Kansas. The libero started for two seasons at Kansas, compiling 756 digs, 246 assists and 31 aces. In her freshman year in 2023, Burns was tabbed to the All-Big 12 Rookie Team after notching a team-leading 374 digs and posting 107 assists. The senior has reached double-digit digs in 42 matches, including setting a career high with 28 against Texas Tech back on Sept. 22, 2023.
Hall joins the program after one season at South Carolina and two seasons at Cleveland State. Last season with the Gamecocks, Hall led the team in both kills (273) and kills per set (3.07). A 2024 All-Horizon League First Team selection, Hall put up 550 kills and 185 digs across her two seasons at Cleveland State. The Lorain, Ohio, native has played 83 matches in her collegiate career, reaching double-figure kills in 43 matches.
Rogers garnered ACC All-Freshman honors in her lone season at SMU in 2025. The sophomore outside hitter finished her first collegiate season with 175 kills on a .272 hitting percentage. Rogers closed the 2025 season on an impressive run, posting double figure kills in five of her last six matches, hitting at a 3.95 kills per set clip and a .296 hitting percentage.
A three-time All-Sun Belt honoree, Stout holds the NCAA record for the most triple-doubles in a career at 46. Stout tallied 1,112 kills, 1,545 assists and 1,041 digs across her three seasons at Coastal Carolina. A two-time AVCA All-Region First Team selection, Stout is the only in Sun Belt history to have over 1,000 career kills, assists and digs.

New Kids on the Block

Seven freshmen make their debuts on Rocky Top in 2026, including three middle blockers, one setter, one outside hitter, one opposite hitter, and a libero/defensive specialist.
Setter Mallory Matheny was tabbed as the No. 22 overall recruit in the 2026 by Prep Volleyball. She earned a selection to the 2026 Under Armour All-American Game and was a 2025 AVCA High School All-American watch list member. Throughout her high school career, she finished with 1,800 assists, 756 digs, 219 aces, and 202 kills.
Ranked as the No. 43 overall player according to Prep Dig, first-year libero Emma Frietch had over 1,300 digs in her high school career at Saint Ursula Academy. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native also garnered Under Armour MVP honors and was named a Prep Volleyball All-American Selection.
Tabbed the No. 82 player and No. 4 player in Virginia by Prep Dig, Morgan Williams holds her high school's program record with over 1,000 kills. The outside hitter was selected to the UA Next All-American Watch List, while also earning three USA Volleyball NTDP invitations in her prep career.
Jolene Oddo was tabbed the No. 111 player in the nation by Prep Volleyball and rated as one of the top players in her region. The middle blocker was named to three USA Volleyball NTDP camps, while also earning Prep Volleyball All-American honors in 2025.
Coming from Sydney, Australia, Anni Tang brings international experience to the Tennessee lineup. The 6-foot-7 middle blocker has earned multiple call-ups with the Australian national team, including representing the Volleyroos at the 2026 Asian Volleyball Cup.
Middle blocker Camille Perry joins the Lady Vols after posting 1,000 kills in her high school career. The Frisco, Texas, native earned a UA Next Invite in 2025 and led Frisco Lone Star to four Texas 5A state playoff appearances.
Joining the Lady Vols from Atlanta, Jade Williams led Woodward Academy to a 5A State Championship in 2025 and garnered 5A State Championships MVP honors. The opposite hitter was a two-time All-State selection and was also named to the UA All-American Watch List.

Sustained Excellence on Rocky Top

In year nine under head coach Eve Rackham Watt, the Tennessee volleyball program continues to sustain high-level performance each season.
Last season, the Lady Vols reached their fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament, which is tied for the longest streak in program history, last occurring from 2008-12.
The Big Orange went 20-8 a season ago, giving head coach Rackham Watt her fourth 20-win season at the helm. UT won 10 conference matches, finishing fourth in the conference.
The Tennessee offense once again ranked as one of the best in Division I, with its 14.17 kills per set average and .292 hitting percentage ranking top 15 nationally. It marked the second time in the last three seasons that Tennessee's attack ranked top 15 in both categories.

Setting the Stage

UT boasts a top non-conference slate this season, featuring some of the best programs in the country.
Five non-conference opponents on this season's schedule reached the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Tennessee returns to Nashville for the second annual Broadway Block Party, this year facing Indiana. Last season, Indiana reached the Round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament.
The Lady Vols face Pitt on Sept. 9 in the Showdown at the Net at the ESPN Wide World of Sport Complex at Walt Disney World Resort. Pitt reached the national semifinals for the fifth-straight year in 2025 and returns AVCA Player of the Year Olivia Babcock.
Tennessee will face a pair of 2025 NCAA tournament qualifiers on Sept. 19 & 20, as they face USF and Penn State as part of the Penn State Classic. The Lady Vols are no strangers to facing both teams, having faced both opponents in their season-opening matches over the last two seasons (USF in 2025 & Penn State in 2024).
Tennessee will play in the inaugural Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge, hosting Illinois on Sept. 1. The two teams have met on eight occasions, last playing on Sept. 1 in Champaign, Illinois.