Tennessee’s season ended with more frustration than celebration, but a pair of Lady Vols still found a way to earn postseason recognition from the SEC.
The conference released its All-SEC honors after a year in which Tennessee went through a long stretch of results that included losses and ties across most of league play. The Lady Vols managed just two conference wins, with the final one coming against Oklahoma. Even with that finish, the program still produced two players worthy of league awards.
Junior midfielder Ines Derrien was named to the All-SEC third team as a midfielder. It was a deserved nod for one of Tennessee’s most dependable players, and her season-long presence showed up in the numbers and the workload. Derrien scored three goals and spent most of the year on the field, giving the Lady Vols a steady option in a season that fell well short of expectations overall.
Freshman forward Ayva Jordan also earned postseason recognition, landing on the SEC freshman team. She was one of three Tennessee freshmen to start at least nine games, and she made her presence felt early.
One of her biggest moments came against South Alabama, when she scored the game-winning goal. Jordan has also been viewed as a threat in the attack, and she could become one of the pieces Tennessee builds around going forward.
The honors arrive as Tennessee moves on from Joe Kirt, with the two sides reportedly parting ways after the season. Still, Derrien and Jordan gave the Lady Vols something to point to in a difficult year: two players who stood out enough to get noticed across the conference.
In Other News...
Tennessee Just Got A Huge Edge In A Massive Kentucky Showdown
Saturday night at Neyland Stadium already had the feel of a measuring-stick game, and now Tennessee enters it with a clean bill of health on the current roster. The 13th-ranked Volunteers will host No. 6 Kentucky at 6:15 p.m. ET in an SEC rivalry matchup that carries real weight for both teams, with each still eyeing the playoff picture and knowing a win would do plenty for the rsum.
For Tennessee, the absence of any new injury changes matters as much as the ranking gap. The Vols are still dealing with six season-ending injuries, but otherwise look ready for a game that could reshape the league conversation, while Kentucky got a small boost of its own with defensive back Isaiah McMillian moving to probable after previously being listed as questionable. In a matchup this big, the margins are thin, and availability could end up being part of the story before the first snap even arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Faces A Costly Problem At The Worst Time Against Kentucky
Penalty issues have been a recurring problem for Tennessee all season, and they come into this matchup with Kentucky needing a cleaner performance than the one that has too often followed them around. The Volunteers have been flagged 61 times and have given away too many yards in the process, a costly habit for a team trying to stay sharp in a rivalry game where every mistake can swing momentum.
Kentucky brings a different kind of challenge, one that shows up in the details. The Wildcats have been much better at avoiding self-inflicted damage and have built a strong turnover margin, while Josh Heupel has already pointed to the importance of Tennessee playing a disciplined game. Against an opponent that protects the football and limits mistakes, the margin for error is thin, and the Volunteers cannot afford another sloppy afternoon. [Read more 🡒]
Kim Caldwell Sees One Clear Issue Despite Tennessees 2-0 Start
Tennessee opened the season 2-0 and handled Coppin State 98-60, but Kim Caldwell still found room for a sharp critique in the aftermath. In her postgame interviews on MEAC Network TV and Vol Network radio, the Lady Vols coach pointed to the teams defensive adjustments, the play of younger pieces, and the early contributions from Kennedy Fauntleroy and Gabby Minus as reasons for optimism, even with the lopsided win in hand.
The bigger concern, Caldwell said, was the kind of issue that can linger long after a comfortable result: ball sharing, defense and shot selection. With a young roster still settling in, Tennessee has already shown it can overwhelm an opponent, but the next step is making those stretches more complete and more consistent, especially once the competition tightens and the margin for error shrinks. [Read more 🡒]