Tennessee Volleyball Year-by-Year Archive
2024Â Season
Record:Â 15-12
SEC Finish:Â 8-8Â (T6th)
Postseason:Â NCAA First Round
Coach: Eve Rackham Watt (7th season)
Despite losing three All-Americans to graduation and five starters from the previous season, the 2024 Tennessee Lady Vols earned a fourth straight bid to the NCAA Tournament and finished in the top half of the SEC. The Big Orange ultimately fell in five sets against No. 18 Georgia Tech in the first round of the postseason.
The Big Orange was led by graduate student Nina Cajic, who garnered AVCA All-America Second Team honors as one of the nation's top offensive players. In her lone season on Rocky Top, Cajic broke the Tennessee single-match record and SEC modern era record for kills (42) as well as UT's 25-point rally-scoring era record for aces in a match (7) and aces per set (0.39) in a single season. She ranked third in aces (41), fourth in kills per set (4.31) and seventh in kills (448) for a single season in school history during the 25-point rally-scoring era.
During Tennessee’s win against Western Michigan on Sept. 19, Cajic had a performance for the ages, tallying 42 kills on 76 attacks and .500 hitting. She shattered the Tennessee all-time record for kills in a match, besting the previous record of 41 kills by Stephanie Ehlers against Washington State on Sept. 24, 1988. She became the first player in SEC history to eclipse 40 kills in a match during the modern era. She is one of two NCAA players during the 25-point rally scoring era to have 40-plus kills in a four-set match. It marked the most kills by a DI player in a match for the season; no other player had more than 38. For the contest, she averaged averaged 10.5 kills per set and had 20 kills in the final frame, including the match winner.
The All-SEC First Team selection led the league in aces per set (0.51) and ranked ninth in kills per set (4.16) during conference play. She was the first Lady Vol during the modern era to post 30 kills in a match, and she did so twice. The AVCA All-Region team member eclipsed 20 kills in five matches throughout the season. Her final numbers for the year were 513 points, 448 kills, 204 digs, 42 blocks, 41 aces and 19 assists.
Redshirt sophomore setter Caroline Kerr garnered All-American status for the second year in a row, becoming the first setter in program history to earn the recognition in multiple seasons. The All-SEC selection finished with 1,069 assists—her second year in a row eclipsing 1,000—to mark the eighth most for a single year during the UT 25-point rally-scoring era, while her 10.28 assists per set ranked sixth. She also ranked sixth in the SEC and 33rd nationally in assists per set.
To open the 2024 campaign, UT saw its program record for single-match attendance shattered when 6,193 fans packed out Food City Center for the contest against Penn State. Over the course of the season. the top five largest home crowds in Tennessee history occurred, and for the second year in a row, UT shattered its records for total attendance (41,544) and average attendance (3,196).
2023Â Season
Record:Â 26-5
SEC Finish:Â 15-3Â (2nd)
Postseason:Â NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Coach: Eve Rackham Watt (6th season)
The Big Orange enjoyed one of the best campaigns in program history, advancing to the regional semifinals for the first time since 2005, hosting the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011 and earning the program's best-ever national seed at No. 10. The Lady Vols finished second in the SEC, which produced a conference-high eight NCAA Tournament teams, with a 15-3 record, and they defeated five ranked opponents throughout the season. The team reached as high as eighth in the AVCA rankings, which marked the highest regular season ranking and second-best ranking ever in program history.
In her sixth year at the helm, Rackham Watt was named SEC Co-Coach of the Year. Tennessee swept 19 opponents in 31 matches on the year, marking the second-highest total for a single season in program history and the most since having 20 in 1983. UT boasted one of the country's elite offenses, ranking inside the top five nationally and leading the SEC in kills per set (2nd/14.75), assists per set (3rd/13.60) and hitting percentage (4th/.304). Defensively, the Lady Vols paced the SEC in kills per set allowed (11.39) and assists per set allowed (10.78), while ranking second in the conference in both opposing hitting percentage (.194) and aces per set allowed (0.82).
Right side Morgahn Fingall, the 2023 AVCA Southeast Region Player of the Year and SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, was tabbed to the AVCA All-America First Team after finishing with 457 kills on .321 hitting, 193 digs, 84 blocks and 30 aces. She joined Beverly Robinson (1982) as the only Lady Vols in program history to achieve this feat. After being named a Second Team All-American last year, Fingall became the only player in program history to be tabbed a First or Second Team All-American in back-to-back seasons.
Setter Caroline Kerr claimed a spot on the All-America Second Team, joining Julie Knytych (2004-05) and Mary Pollmiller (2011) as the only setters in program history to earn All-America recognition. One of the best setters in the nation, Kerr finished with 1,245 assists, 210 digs, 70 kills, 40 blocks and 33 aces during her first season of competition. She ranked third nationally, second in the SEC and led all NCAA freshmen in assists per set at 11.75. Outside hitter Jenaisya Moore and libero Yelianiz Torres received All-America Honorable Mention accolades. Fingall, Kerr and Moore were also members of the All-SEC Team after pacing the conference's top offense.
For the season, the Lady Vols broke the program record during the 25-point rally-scoring era for kills per set (14.75), assists per set (13.60), hitting percentage (.304) and aces per set (1.67).
It wasn't just the team making history, the Lady Vol fanbase saw record-breaking attendance numbers for the season. The Big Orange finished with its highest total attendance (27,553) and best average attendance (1,722) in program history, shattering the previous records of 19,127 and 1,471 during the 2019 campaign. Five of the 10 largest crowds in UT history occurred in Food City Center this year, including the fourth-largest crowd of 2,575 fans during Tennessee's win against No. 22 Auburn.
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2022Â Season
Record:Â 17-14
SEC Finish:Â 11-7Â (T-4th)
Postseason: NCAA 1st Round
Coach: Eve Rackham Watt (5th season)
In 2022, the Lady Vols made their 17th NCAA Tournament appearance after overcoming adversity all season long. Tennessee battled injuries throughout the year - only becoming fully healthy in November - to finish the campaign 17-14 overall and 11-7 in SEC play, tying for fourth place in the league. Once at full strength, UT closed the season with a 7-2 mark to punch its ticket to the tournament. The Lady Vols traveled to Louisville for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The Big Orange showed their fight and resiliency in a five-set thriller against No. 8 seeded Purdue but ultimately fell to the Boilermakers.
During the season, senior Morgahn Fingall eclipsed the 1,000 career kill mark and earned All-America recognition. She became the 23rd player in program history to reach the 1,000-kill milestone and just the 10th to reach it in the rally-scoring era. She was named to the All-SEC Team for the first time in her career and was tabbed the league's scholar-athlete of the year. The Fairfax, Virginia, native finished the season with a career-high 483 kills - the second-most in Tennessee history during the 25-point rally-scoring era. Her 4.39 kills per set mark was also the second-most by a Lady Vol during the 25-point era.Â
True freshman Keondreya Granberry earned SEC All-Freshman Team recognition as she capped her first year on Rocky Top with 149 kills and a team-leading 103 blocks.Â
With a sweep of Norfolk State on Sept. 10, head coach Eve Rackham Watt became the third-winningest coach in program history. Rackham Watt holds a 90-51 overall mark and a 59-33 SEC record.
2021Â Season
Record:Â 20-10
SEC Finish:Â 11-7Â (4th)
Postseason:Â NCAA 2nd Round
Coach: Eve Rackham Watt (4th season)
2021 saw the Lady Vols earn their 24th 20-win season in program history and make their 16th NCAA Tournament appearance. Tennessee finished the year 20-10 overall and 11-7 in SEC play as it placed fourth in the league. UT traveled to Ohio State for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The Big Orange defeated North Carolina in four sets in the opening round before falling to No. 9 seed Ohio State in four in the second round.
UT finished with an SEC-best 3.01 blocks per set and closed out the year third in the conference in kills (14.15), assists (12.95) and hitting percentage (.271). Tennessee's blocks per set ranked second nationally in 2021.Â
A pair of Lady Vols secured All-SEC Team honors as setter Natalie Hayward and outside hitter Breana Runnels landed spots on the team. The season also witnessed head coach Eve Rackham Watt become the fourth winningest coach in program history and Knoxville native Lily Felts surpass 1,000 career kills.
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2020-21Â Season
Record:Â 12-8*
SEC Finish:Â 12-8*Â (5th)
Postseason:Â N/A
Coach: Eve Rackham Watt (3rd season)
*Played an SEC-only schedule due to COVID-19 pandemic
The 2020-21 season presented many challenges for teams across the country, including the Lady Vols as the UT volleyball program had to deal with adjusting schedules and an unprecedented fall and spring schedule. Tennessee played just eight matches in the fall, going 4-4, before returning to the court in the spring.Â
In the second half of the season, UT went 8-4 to finish the unusual year at 12-8 overall and placed fifth in the conference standings. Tennessee earned three victories vs. top-16 opponents during the season and was one of four teams from the SEC ranked in the AVCA top-50 programs nationally. In the SEC, the Lady Vols were second in the conference in digs, third in kills and blocks and were fourth in the league in hitting percentage and opponent hitting percentage.
Two Lady Vols nabbed postseason honors in 2020-21, as junior Lily Felts was tabbed to the SEC All-Conference Team and middle blocker Ava Bell landed AVCA Honorable Mention All-Region Honors.Â
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2019 Season
Record:Â 15-13
SEC Finish:Â 9-9Â (T-7th)
Postseason:Â N/A
Coach: Eve Rackham (2nd season)
Led by All-SEC performer Tessa Grubbs, the Lady Vols won six of their last seven matches. It helped them move up three spots in the conference standings to finish in a tie for seventh. Grubbs, who was the first player to earn back-to-back conference honors since 2012, posted 4.06 kills per set and had seven matches of 20-plus kills in 2019.
Fellow senior Sedona Hansen joined an exclusive club as she was just the fourth player in program history to reach the 3,000-career assist and 1,000-career dig marks. She finished fourth all-time in assists with 3,494 and 11th in assists with 1,129 in her four-year career.
The Lady Vols also set a new attendance record in 2019 with seven of the top-25 crowds coming over the course of the season including the largest crowd in program history (Illinois, 3,342). Tennessee totaled 19,137 fans over 13 home matches with an average attendance of 1,471 fans.
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2018 Season
Record:Â 26-6
SEC Finish:Â 16-2Â (2nd)
Postseason:Â NCAA 2nd Round
Coach: Eve Rackham (1st season)
In Eve Rackham’s first season at University of Tennessee, she helped orchestrate the largest single-season turnaround in program history. She guided the Lady Vols to a 14-win increase overall, 11-win increase in SEC play and an eight-place jump in the conference standings. After being picked to finish 10th, she led Tennessee to 16 SEC wins and a second-place finish in her first season as a head coach.Â
Senior Erica Treiber and junior Tessa Grubbs garnered AVCA All-American honors and led the Lady Vols into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012. Treiber finished her decorated career second in hitting percentage (.358), third in blocks per set (1.15), fourth in total blocks (507) and 16th in kills (1,097).
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2017 Season
Record: 12-15
SEC Finish: 5-13 (t-11th)
Postseason: N/A
Coach: Rob Patrick (21st season)
With experienced returning players and a talented freshman class, the Lady Vols finished with a 12-15 record with a difficult schedule including matches against #1 Florida and #2 Minnesota. Junior Erica Treiber received MVP honors at the Rocky Top Invitational recording 25 kills and 1.08 blocks per set in three matches and led the team in kills (226) and blocks (131.0). Freshman Callie Williams had an impressive season, leading the team in assists (541) and service aces (21).
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2016 Season
Record: 17-14
SEC Finish: 7-11 (t-7th)
Postseason: N/A
Coach: Rob Patrick (20th season)
With newcomers starting in the lineup, including freshman setter Sedona Hansen, Tennessee finished the 2016 season with a 17-14 record with a more difficult schedule than the year before. Sophomore middle hitter Erica Treiber earned AVCA All-America honorable mention and was also named to the AVCA All-South Region Team after leading the team in hitting percentage (.348), blocks (107) and aces (21). Playing her first season at outside hitter, Tessa Grubbs was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team thanks to a team-leading 3.60 kills per set.
2015 Season
Record: 21-12
SEC Finish: 7-11 (t-8th)
Postseason: N/A
Coach: Rob Patrick (19th season)
With improved returners and key freshmen arrivals, Tennessee recorded its first 20-win season in three years with a 21-12 overall record and 7-11 in conference. Middle hitter Erica Treiber became the first Vol since 2011 to earn SEC All-Freshman Team accolades. She started all 33 matches and led the team with a .354 hitting percentage and 1.14 blocks per set. Seniors Lexi Dempsey and Meghan Hatcher ended their Tennessee careers. Dempsey started at setter for three seasons and finished with 2,951 assists, the sixth-most in program history.
2014 Season
Record: 8-24
SEC Finish: 1-17 (13th)
Postseason: N/A
Coach: Rob Patrick (18th season)
Fielding a roster that featured 12 underclassmen and just one senior, Tennessee battled a steep learning curve through a challenging SEC slate on its way to an 8-24 record in 2014. Of those 12 underclassmen, nine appeared in 25 or more matches with three earning 20 or more starts.
Still, the youth movement displayed flashes of promise as freshman Kendra Turner led the team in kills and fellow rookie Kanisha Jimenez finished inside the team?s top three in four major statistical categories, including kills and digs. Lone senior and captain Shealyn Kolosky closed out her four-year career on Rocky Top.
2013 Season
Record: 9-23
SEC Finish: 1-17 (11th)
Postseason: N/A
Coach: Rob Patrick (17th season)
Setting six Tennessee volleyball records during the 2013 season, Ellen Mullins capped off her Lady Vol carer as the program?s all-time career digs leader with 1,801 scoops. She led a youthful Tennessee squad featuring nine underclassmen that finished the year 9-23 overall with a 1-17 mark in league action.
Head Coach Rob Patrick earned his 350th career victory with a four-set win over Coastal Carolina. Mullins was named to the AVCA All-Southeast Region Team, the second-straight year she was recognized regionally.
2012 Season
Record: 22-8
SEC Finish: 15-5 (3rd)
Postseason: NCAA 1st Round
Coach: Rob Patrick (16th season)
Led by a talented senior class, the Tennessee volleyball team returned to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth consecutive season. The four-year group finished their careers with the highest winning percentage (.786) in program history.
The Lady Vols, who posted a 22-8 overall record and a 15-5 mark in the SEC, had three players earn postseason honors. Ellen Mullins and Kelsey Robinson were named AVCA Honorable Mention All-Americans, while Robinson and Tiffany Baker earned All-SEC accolades.
2011 Season
Record: 28-4
SEC Finish: 19-1 (1st)
Postseason: NCAA 2nd Round
Coach: Rob Patrick (15th season)
A young and talented Tennessee volleyball squad earned the program its first outright SEC championship after finishing with a record of 28-4 and earning an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
Head coach Rob Patrick was named SEC Coach of the Year for a third time and a league-best five Lady Vols were named All-SEC, including conference Player of the Year and Second-Team All-American Kelsey Robinson.
2010 Season
Record: 25-7
SEC Finish: 15-5 (2nd in East)
Postseason: NCAA 2nd Round
Coach: Rob Patrick (14th season)
The Lady Vols recorded their most wins since 2004, going 25-7 thanks in large part to the most potent offensive attack in school history as UT hit at a school-record .291 clip as a team.
Tennessee returned to the second round of the NCAA Tournament where it dropped a heartbreaking five-set match at Indiana to bring an end to the remarkable career of three-time All-American Nikki Fowler.
2009 Season
Record: 24-8
SEC Finish: 16-4 (2nd in East)
Postseason: NCAA 2nd Round
Coach: Rob Patrick (13th season)
Utilizing a stifling brand of defense, the Lady Vols had a school-record tying five players pick up All-SEC honors as they advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and won 24 matches in 2009.
Tennessee finished the regular season on top of the SEC charts in all three major defensive categories and earned its first year-end ranking in four years, coming in at No. 24 in the final AVCA poll.
2008 Season
Record: 22-10
SEC Finish: 15-5 (3rd in East)
Postseason: NCAA 1st Round
Coach: Rob Patrick (12th season)
The Tennessee volleyball program got back on track in 2008, closing the season with wins in 12 of its final 13 regular-season matches as it returned to the NCAA Tournament after a one-year hiatus.
Lady Vol head coach Rob Patrick was named the SEC Coach of the Year for the second time in his career. UT?s season came to a heartbreaking conclusion with a five-set loss at Clemson in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
2007 Season
Record: 11-18
SEC Finish: 6-14 (5th in East)
Postseason: N/A
Coach: Rob Patrick (11th season)
A youthful Tennessee squad featuring nine underclassmen struggled with injuries and inconsistency en route to an 11-18 overall record in 2007.
Despite the tough year, the Lady Vols showed flashes of greatness as they took down two ranked teams and freshman Nikki Fowler posted the only triple-double in school history.
2006 Season
Record: 19-2
SEC Finish: 10-10 (3rd in East)
Postseason: NCAA 1st Round
Coach: Rob Patrick (10th season)
Despite losing three All-Americans off the 2005 NCAA Final Four squad, the Lady Vols were still able to put together a solid 2006 campaign, winning 19 matches and reaching the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season.
After opening the year with a 15-3 record, Tennessee struggled down the stretch, dropping nine of its final 13 matches, including a four-set loss to No. 25 Duke in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Knoxville.
2005 Season
Record: 25-9
SEC Finish: 13-3 (2nd in East)
Postseason: NCAA Final Four
Coach: Rob Patrick (9th season)
Coming off one of the best seasons in school history, the Lady Vols one-upped themselves in 2005, advancing to the NCAA Final Four and finishing No. 6 in the national polls, their best-ever year-end ranking.
Tennessee overcame a 9-6 start to the year, winning 16 of its final 19 matches before falling to eventual national champion Washington in the NCAA National Semifinals in San Antonio, Texas.
2004 Season
Record: 32-3
SEC Finish: 15-1 (SEC Champions)
Postseason: NCAA Sweet 16
Coach: Rob Patrick (8th season)
The Tennessee volleyball program exploded onto the national scene in 2004, winning the SEC regular season and tournament championships and advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
In the process of winning the two SEC titles, the Lady Vols defeated perennial power Florida twice on its own court in an eight-day span. Rob Patrick earned his first national coach of the year honor while four different players were named All-Americans.
2003 Season
Record: 22-9
SEC Finish: 10-6 (2nd in East)
Postseason: N/A
Coach: Rob Patrick (7th season)
The Lady Vols tallied their third 20-plus win season in four years as the young squad continued to mature and set the groundwork for its future success.
Tennessee's 10 wins in SEC play marked the most conference victories in school history at the time.
2002 Season
Record: 20-11
SEC Finish: 8-8 (4th in East)
Postseason: N/A
Coach: Rob Patrick (6th season)
Tennessee posted its second 20-win season in three years and second since 1988, but struggled down the stretch, dropping six of its final nine matches.
Freshmen Kristen Andre, Julie Knytych and Jasmine Fullove each received extensive playing time, which would pay off significantly over the next few years.
2001 Season
Record: 16-11
SEC Finish: 7-7 (3rd in East)
Postseason: N/A
Coach: Rob Patrick (5th season)
After a rough start to the year, Tennessee won 12 of its final 18 matches in 2001. Rob Patrick picked up his first career win over a ranked opponent when the Lady Vols downed No. 17 South Carolina on Oct. 7.
2000 Season
Record: 23-10
SEC Finish: 9-5 (3rd in East)
Postseason: NCAA 1st Round
Coach: Rob Patrick (4th season)
Tennessee never lost consecutive matches during the regular season en route to earning the program's first NCAA Tournament berth since 1993.
The Lady Vols dropped their first-round match to Washington State but still finished with 23 wins, their highest total since 1998.
