The 2024 season was supposed to be a turning point for the Lady Vols.
Head coach Kellie Harper, entering her fifth season with the team, had recently signed a contract extension through the 2027-28 season. She led the Lady Vols to back-to-back Sweet 16s and was expected to build on that experience.
Although Tennessee lost Jordan Horston to the WNBA Draft, it returned much of the roster and added firepower through the transfer portal.
Rickea Jackson returned for her second season with the Lady Vols. In her first season, Jackson averaged 19.2 points a game, the third-highest mark in the SEC. She was widely regarded as one of the nation’s top players and would have likely been a first-round pick in the WNBA Draft, had she not returned to Tennessee.
Tamari Key also returned for the Lady Vols after missing most of the previous season due to medical issues. Key’s return was noticed on defense since she was one of the most prolific Tennessee defenders of all time.
To bolster their roster, the Lady Vols landed offensive talent in the transfer portal. They added Jewel Spear, a guard who averaged 15.6 points a game in three years at Wake Forest. They also added Destinee Wells, who averaged 18.1 points a game in three years at Belmont. Avery Strickland, another addition, came from Pitt. She led the team in made 3-pointers in her lone year, knocking down 39 triples.
Ranked No. 11 in the preseason AP Poll, the Lady Vols were set to play one of the hardest schedules in the NCAA. Their non-conference slate included Ohio State and Notre Dame, both of who ranked inside the top 10 to start the season.
The Lady Vols’ conference slate was even more demanding. They would have to play preseason No. 1 LSU and No. 6 South Carolina among other SEC opponents.
Tennessee struggled to find its footing throughout the season.
After starting at No. 11, the Lady Vols began sliding and dropped outside the top 25 in early December. They finished the season 20-13 and 10-6 in SEC play, including a 1-8 record against ranked teams.
Tennessee managed to land the fifth seed in the SEC Tournament. The Lady Vols took down Kentucky and Alabama by double-digits and found themselves in the semifinals against No. 1 seed South Carolina.
After falling 66-55 in their last contest against the Gamecocks, the Lady Vols fell in heart-breaking fashion. They left Kamilla Cardoso open on the perimeter, and she knocked down the first 3-pointer of her career in the final seconds. The Lady Vols lost 74-73.
The Lady Vols took the sixth seed in Portland 4 Regional and smothered Green Bay in the first round, taking home a 92-63 win. The magic didn’t last long as the Lady Vols were eliminated in the second round by host NC State, 79-72.
Tennessee’s second-round finish was its worst since the 2020-21 season, Harper’s second season with the team.
On April 1, just a week after their NCAA Tournament exit, Tennessee would make a coaching change. Athletic Director Danny White announced that Harper, who played under Pat Summitt at Tennessee, would not be returning.
Harper finished her coaching tenure with the Lady Vols boasting a 108-52 record through five seasons. She was also the second Lady Vol head coach to lead the program to four NCAA tournament appearances.
Just about a week later, White announced the Lady Vols’ head coach moving forward.
On April 7, Marshall’s Kim Caldwell would be named as Harper’s replacement. Caldwell was named the 2023-24 Maggie Dixon Award winner, which is given to the best rookie head coach in Division 1.
Jackson and Key both graduated after their fifth year. Jackson would go on to be selected in the first round by the WNBA’s LA Sparks, getting selected fourth overall. The only player the Lady Vols lost to the transfer portal was Karoline Striplin, who transferred to Indiana.
