Tennessee Lady Vol News

Charleston played about even with SC yesterday for 1 1/2 quarters. I don’t care that it was an exhibition or who played and didn’t dress out. Tennessee this season can beat any team in the SEC if they continue on the current trajectory of this offseason through official practice with this current roster available for the season. If they can compete with any team then yes they are contenders in the SEC. So Vol2012 isn’t the judge of the talent, and is wrong. They have enough talent to win the SEC.
Years ago, a Kentucky team that got blown out by multiple teams over the course of the regular season including Tennessee won the SEC. Team chemistry, buy-in, and a bit of luck which all teams that win titles get during the season is enough. There is not a dominant team in the SEC this season. The key to reaching full potential this season is getting the 5-in/5-out substitutions right now. Can’t wait until the season starts to figure it and determine who plays well together. If this is the philosophy 100% then each group has to be ready to go any moment of the game, and CKC finally has an overall roster built to substitute 5 in and take 5 out which doesn’t result not in a disadvantage in terms of execution and ability on the court.
 
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Toddlers can be just as hard if not way harder than infants. But is this fair to working women? Is anyone asking if her hubby is as good a coach now that he's a father? This feels like a stereotype. Also an excuse.

The Caldwells have the advantage of far more available help already and far more financial ability to get more help with their child than most working first time parents.
True, but regardless of the fact that she kept working nearly up to the minute she gave birth, then came back to work a week later, and then took no time off for the rest of the season, her body spent much of last season recovering from a pregnancy and birth. A woman’s body goes through a LOT to grow and birth an infant, and just because Kim came back quickly it doesn’t mean she was fully recovered.

This season she may have a toddler, but she will not be still in the early stages of inner physical recovery like she was last season. I am fairly certain having an active toddler is still way easier physically than what went through, and worked through, last season.
 


Riley Makalusky​

looking a lot more athletic this season than her last one at West Virginia. Certainly looks more in shape and more fit. She could be huge for us looks a lot quicker and she has always been able to shoot the ball.

Effective use of the backboard. Had huge problems with that last year.
 


Riley Makalusky​

looking a lot more athletic this season than her last one at West Virginia. Certainly looks more in shape and more fit. She could be huge for us looks a lot quicker and she has always been able to shoot the ball.

I hope you are right. We sure need some depth for our Bigs, especially given the past injury issues. I had look at Riley's past stats which admittedly were unimpressive but missed that she had made the Big East All Freshman Team.
 
Uncalled for

A lot of words available to define one’s thoughts and used in free speech situations, the later use of thinking is certainly one, believe is a great alternative, but KNOW in talent analysis, especially when comparative talent levels with the rest of the SEC would also be required is a huge reach. Hope is a safer position for anyone identified as a supporter, especially when this squad individually and collectively as a team has zero game minutes in this program.
Personally I am following ALL the reports by actual observers in my Sgt. Schulz mode, “I KNOW nothing”.
 
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I hope you are right. We sure need some depth for our Bigs, especially given the past injury issues. I had look at Riley's past stats which admittedly were unimpressive but missed that she had made the Big East All Freshman Team.
Not looking for star status from her, but think she is more than competent to give us 10 to 12 minutes of effective play. She lost most of her minutes with other teams due to weak defense so that is where she would have to make the biggest gains. Her ability to score and shoot from distance is her biggest strength. Definitely looks a lot lighter this coming season than the way she looked at W Va last season. A lot quicker as well this I hope will help her defensively.
 
This is remarkably high level execution in these practice footage clips.
Kaylene Smikle is the best player to wear a LV uniform since Jordan Horston & Rickea Jackson. I think the only other player that I’ve seen look this close to this impactful on the court in this system under CKC is Samara Spencer.
Smikle looks way better already than Cooper or Whitehorn in practice. If she maintains this efficiency in games this could be a big year for Smikle & this team. She is playing high level basketball and not isolation or street ball.
The 2nd vid caught my attention with the defensive player deflecting the pass, and Jada Eads maintaining possession by saving the ball inbounds to Janneh, then Janneh hitting Craft in the lane for a short jumper.
Eads and Fauntleroy really operate like true PGs. Some fans aren’t aware of the fact that Flauntleroy in HS was the starting PG for the #1 ranked team in the nation for a few years. Eads started on a state/nationally ranked team out of Florida in HS. I watched Jada Eads former HS team beat Jaida Civil former HS team in a Florida HS playoff game some years ago.

 
I know stuff like that is funny to you but if you look at every single WBB male practice team the player height/weight build (all schools post these vids on public social media accounts) it looks exactly the same.
I don’t see how when someone watches these clips that’s the first thing to come to their mind honestly. But again we all have our own opinion(s).

Looks like we need some bigger, weightier bodies on the male practice team, if they're gonna simulate going up against SEC wimmin. Some of those guys are just one good SEC blocking out butt cheek from becoming airborne.

(...and I don't mean as in Fort Benning.)
 
I would bet that they have the exact body types that they want on the male practice team to simulate high-level SEC basketball competition.
Nah, it’s not really that organized. Or wasnt under previous coaches. It’s basically whatever guys dont have class when practice is going on. Y’all are overthinking the practice guys.
 
I just appreciate that the guys are willing to show up to help the team, and I hope they get some kind of special perk for doing it. Does anyone know if they do? Or even if receiving a perk is within NCAA rules? I would think they would at least get some free gear, but it also wouldn’t surprise me to learn it’s just a labor of love for them.

Much 🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡 to our practice guys!
 
I just appreciate that the guys are willing to show up to help the team, and I hope they get some kind of special perk for doing it. Does anyone know if they do? Or even if receiving a perk is within NCAA rules? I would think they would at least get some free gear, but it also wouldn’t surprise me to learn it’s just a labor of love for them.

Much 🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡 to our practice guys!
Male practice players for the Tennessee Lady Vols do not receive any financial compensation, athletic scholarships, or direct monetary NIL deals.
Per NCAA rules, it is strictly illegal for universities to provide financial assistance (such as tuition, room and board, or cash) to male students in exchange for practicing with a women's team.
However, playing on the scout team comes with distinct, non-monetary perks:
• Official Athletic Gear: Players receive free team merchandise, including exclusive Tennessee Volunteers Nike sneakers, practice jerseys, shorts, t-shirts, and hoodies. The more practices they consistently attend, the more gear they accumulate.
• Access to Elite Facilities & Care: They are granted access to the basketball program's state-of-the-art training facilities. Under standard NCAA guidelines, they are also eligible to receive medical care and athletic trainer support while participating in practices.
• Complimentary Tickets: Scout team members typically receive free tickets to Lady Vols home games at Thompson-Boling Arena.
• The Experience: They get the high-level competitive experience of playing against elite SEC athletes and learning professional-grade scouting reports and schemes.

Strict Requirements to Join

Because they are on the court with an official NCAA team, the NCAA Compliance Office requires these practice players to be treated like standard student-athletes in terms of eligibility. To participate daily, they must:
• Be enrolled as full-time undergraduate students at the University of Tennessee.
• Maintain a minimum GPA and remain in good academic standing.
• Be cleared through the NCAA Eligibility Center, which includes passing a mandatory medical screening and drug test.
If you are a student at UT looking to join or want to know more about the schedule, let me know. I can provide details on how tryouts are structured or what a typical practice day looks like for the scout squad.
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I would bet that they have the exact body types that they want on the male practice team to simulate high-level SEC basketball competition.
I would agree a 5'-11" , 155 # guy versus a 5'-11", 155# girl for instance, the guy has a lot more strength.
While they have identical dimensions on paper, men and women distribute mass differently and possess distinct physical advantages on the court.
 
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