Kim Caldwell’s first season on campus as head coach for the Lady Vols proved to be a step in the right direction as she guided Tennessee back to the Sweet 16.
Now, things move over to Caldwell’s second official season with Tennessee, one where the expectations have only risen as her team found itself tabbed No. 8 in the preseason AP Poll.
Caldwell, along with players Talaysia Cooper, Zee Spearman and Janiah Barker, joined their head coach in Birmingham, Alabama, for SEC Media Days.
Now a year into her Lady Vols’ tenure, Caldwell is better aware of what will be on her plate in her second season.
“It’s so much different,” Caldwell said. “It’s so nice to be able to know what to expect. You walk into a room, you know people, you know your fan base a little bit better. You have returners that can help your newcomers. You have your foundation set with your team, so year two is going much more smoothly.”
Caldwell arrived on campus in April of 2024 after spending just one season as the head coach for Marshall. Caldwell displayed her high-speed playing style with the Thundering Herd before bringing things over to the winningest program in women’s college basketball.
The Parkersburg, West Virginia, native brings a new-look squad into the new year, a young contingent that will likely experience some growing pains.
“We don’t want to get in our own way,” Caldwell said. “We have the talent to be one of the top teams, and I think that’s what you see reflected in the polls. As a coach, it’s my job to look at it, how do I make sure we get better, and better, and better. So you’re always looking at your floor and looking at ways to raise that.”
Barker joined the team after spending two seasons at Texas A&M and UCLA.
Over two seasons with the Aggies, Barker averaged 12.4 points per game. In her one season with the Bruins, the senior saw a dip in her average due to playing eight fewer minutes per game compared to her time with Texas A&M.
Adjusting to Caldwell’s fast-paced scheme is a welcome adjustment for the Marietta, Georgia product.
“Just the freeness of it,” Barker said. “There’s not really a lot of plays, just a whole bunch of hooping. Just get to your bag, do what you do, and feel confident in it. I think that’s the main thing that drew me in, and the main thing she told me when I got here, she just wants me to be myself. I’m super excited.”
Caldwell’s demeanor on and off the floor is one that her players have become accustomed to.
“You know when she flips the switch because she’s got the serious face,” Cooper said. “She comes in there ready to go. It’s kind of hard to explain, but you know when it’s time to go.”
As the calendar nears Tennessee’s season opener with NC State on Nov. 4, Caldwell is encouraged by a key difference compared to last year’s team.
“We’re really just now getting to the thick of it,” Caldwell said. “It’s fun to see them out there together. It’s special to see them out there together. The times we’ve had in practice, it’s been so nice to me and such a great feeling to know you can count on more than one person. It takes pressure off. From the moment they all got on campus together and warmups, I was looking at how big we were in warmups. It was a different feel from last year.”
