Kim Caldwell’s third season at Tennessee is almost here, and the long stretch of change around the Lady Vols has started to look like real progress. After months of turnover and adjustment, Caldwell said this group feels unusually tight.
“April to October, it seems like it’s been 10 years,” Caldwell said Oct. 22.
“But it’s been growth, it’s been needed growth. It’s been great.
It’s maybe looked uncomfortable at times. But it’s been necessary for our program to take the steps that we need.”
Caldwell made those comments before Tennessee’s media day, and the Lady Vols then opened up practice for an extended viewing window. What stood out most was how clearly the backcourt is taking shape. Kennedy Fauntleroy and Jada Eads both looked like genuine floor generals, moving the offense with pace, vision and poise.
Eads, now fully cleared and settled in, showed how dangerous she can be in multiple ways. She pushed the ball after a defensive turnover and fired a long pass to freshman Gabby Minus for a layup, a clean example of how quickly she sees the floor. She also showed a smooth jumper and the ability to score when she gets into the paint.
Fauntleroy brought a different kind of control. She handled heavy pressure without blinking, worked her way out of traps and kept the ball moving. Defensively, she stood out just as much, whether she was locked onto a player or reading passing lanes.
In the frontcourt, senior forward Fatmata Janneh kept doing the steady work that makes a team function. She was active on the glass, vocal, and always seemed to know where she needed to be.
Janneh also helped set the tone defensively by getting the press organized right away. Her confidence as a driver appears to be growing, even if the finishing still has room to tighten up.
She also knocked down a few 3-pointers, which adds another layer to what she brings.
Janneh has been the most consistent player in preseason open practices, and there’s no reason she shouldn’t be averaging a double-double this season.
Senior guard Rylie Theuerkauf also made her case as a major weapon in a specific role. She looked comfortable as a shooter, especially on catch-and-shoot looks and kick-out 3s after drives or offensive rebounds.
Theuerkauf showed some added confidence attacking off the dribble as well, getting to the paint for layups and midrange chances. Still, her calling card remains the 3-point shot, and she brings value because she stays within herself and doesn’t force the issue.
There were other encouraging signs throughout practice. Riley Makalusky had a strong offensive showing, highlighted by a drive and Eurostep finish through traffic along with a few 3s. Gabby Minus hit several triples during a half-court 5-on-5 segment against the practice squad.
Zhen Craft and Harissoum Coulibaly also flashed as connectors who can fit cleanly into their roles. Both move well, pass well and work off the ball, and if they can finish around the rim and rebound, they should matter for Tennessee.
Naomi White’s jumper looked sharp too, with a smooth stroke and plenty of confidence behind it.
If this practice is any indication, the rotation is starting to come into focus. The top 10 appears to be Fauntleroy, Eads, White, Theuerkauf, Makalusky, Janneh, Craft, Coulibaly, Kaylene Smikle and Aaliyah Moore, with Minus likely next in line.
In Other News...
Tennessee Just Entered A Bigger Week 8 Conversation
A Tennessee team that has spent the fall trying to prove its place in the SEC spotlight has now been pulled into a broader Week 8 conversation, at least in the prediction game. Among a slate of upset calls circling college football, the Volunteers are the ones getting singled out for a potential edge over South Carolina, a matchup that would carry plenty of weight for a program still trying to stack consistency behind its stronger performances.
South Carolina has the kind of profile that can make these forecasts interesting, especially when recent results and individual play begin to tilt opinion one way or the other. For Tennessee, the appeal is obvious: a road to momentum, a chance to firm up its standing, and another test of whether the Volunteers can turn promising stretches into something more durable when the conference schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees Defensive Turnaround Is Suddenly Paying Off With Elite Recruits
Tennessees defensive resurgence has started to show up in ways that reach beyond the scoreboard. After holding Alabama to 10 points and forcing four turnovers in a recent game, the Volunteers gave 2028 four-star cornerback Tyler Boyd plenty to notice during his visit, and the performance lined up with the kind of progress the new defensive staff under Jim Knowles has been working to build.
Boyd came away talking about those improvements, and his interest in Tennessee appears to have grown after seeing the unit in person. The Vols are keeping the pressure on the recruiting trail, too, with Derek Jones and Josh Heupel staying in regular contact as they try to keep Boyds attention moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees Passing Game Has A Real Opening If The Vols Hold Up Front
South Carolina has given up plenty through the air in SEC play, and that creates a clear opening for Tennessee as it looks to get its passing game moving in the right direction. For the Vols, this is less about chasing a big number and more about taking what the defense has already shown on film, especially if the matchup lets Tennessee stay on schedule and avoid obvious passing downs.
The key, as always, starts up front. If Tennessee can hold up in pass protection, George MacIntyres reads should come easier, and the rest of the offense will have a chance to do its part as receivers and backs work into the right spots. The opportunity is there, but it only matters if the Vols can keep the pocket clean long enough to make South Carolina pay for what it has been giving up. [Read more 🡒]