The Associated Press released its preseason women’s basketball poll on Tuesday, and Tennessee will open the 2025-26 campaign as the No. 8 team in the nation.
With this ranking, the Lady Vols now have appeared in 795 out of the 886 polls that the organization has conducted dating back to 1976. UT ranks first in appearances by a significant amount over its nearest pursuers, Stanford (646), Texas (643) and UConn (640). It also marks the 46th time in 50 seasons the Big Orange women have earned a spot in the preseason poll, including 39 times inside the top 10.
Tennessee, which finished last year’s campaign ranked 15th by AP, reached a season high of 11th in the Feb. 24 poll during Kim Caldwell’s first season as head coach. This year’s first ranking marks the program’s highest poll position since standing at fifth in the 2022-23 preseason edition.
A year ago, Caldwell guided the Lady Vols to a 24-10 record and NCAA Sweet 16 finish in her first season at the Power 4 level and did so while expecting her first child. Among the team’s triumphs, victories over eventual NCAA champ UConn as well as Ohio State, Iowa and Florida State.
In 2025-26, the Lady Vols return three of their top four scorers and rebounders from a year ago. That group includes redshirt junior guard and All-SEC Second Team/SEC All-Defensive Team performer Talaysia Cooper (16.6 ppg., 5.6 rpg., 3.2 apg., 3.1 spg.), who was named Monday by league media members to their six-person preseason All-SEC Second Team. She is joined by senior forward Zee Spearman (11.7 ppg., 6.0 rpg.) and senior guard Ruby Whitehorn (11.6 ppg., 4.0 rpg., 1.7 apg.) as the team’s top returnees.
Caldwell added a transfer portal class rated No. 1 by ESPN’s Charlie Creme and a high school signing group rated No. 1 or No. 2 in the nation by most analysts. The transfer class includes 6-foot-4 forward and Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year Janiah Barker (7.4 ppg., 6.0 rpg., 1.4 apg.), who played for UCLA last season, 5-7 guard and All-ACC Second Team selection Nya Robertson of SMU (18.5 ppg., 62 3FGs, 111 FTs) and 6-5 forward Jersey Wolfenbarger of LSU (4.6 ppg., 3.4 rpg., 63% FG).
The stellar prep class includes McDonald’s All-Americans Mia Pauldo, Deniya Prawl and Jaida Civil, as well as Mia’s twin sister, Mya Pauldo, and Lauren Hurst, all of whom rank among espnW’s top 60 recruits in the class of 2025. Mia Pauldo (No. 9), Prawl (No. 17) and Civil (No. 20) make UT the only school with three players rated among the top 20 in the 2025 class by espnW.
Tennessee opens its itinerary with a home exhibition game vs. Columbus State on Oct. 29 at 6:30 p.m. (SECN+). The regular season tips off in Greensboro, N.C., on Nov. 4 vs. No. 9 NC State in the RO Greensboro Invitational at 4 p.m. ET (ESPN2), and the home opener vs. ETSU commences at 6:30 p.m. ET at Food City Center on Nov. 7 (SECN+).
To keep up with the University of Tennessee women’s basketball team on social media, follow @LadyVol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /BallWithTheLadyVols on Facebook.
