As the 2023-24 Lady Vols basketball season begins, it is important to prepare yourself for the talent you will see on the court.
Here is a breakdown of the Lady Vols roster, starting with one of the most important returners for the 2023-24 season.
Fifth-year forward Rickea Jackson was voted to both the Coaches and Media Preseason All-SEC First Team and is on the Cheryl Miller Award Preseason Watch List. Last season, Jackson was first-team All-SEC along with No. 3 in scoring, No. 4 in field goal percentage and No. 5 in free throw percentage in the SEC last year. Jackson brings a lot to the table for the Lady Vols.
“Our No. 1 goal is to win a National Championship and the SEC Championship,” Jackson said about her goals this season. “Just to be the best person and player that I can be. To play at a high level with my sisters and continue to build a great bond on and off the court.”
In addition to Jackson at forward, there is Karoline Striplin and Jillian Hollingshead. Striplin started 28 games for Tennessee last season and averaged 4.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 13.7 minutes per outing after stepping in for Tamari Key. Hollingshead played in 36 games last season and averaged 6.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 16.6 minutes per contest.
“First off, you have Karoline and Jillian who will be playing the five,” head coach Kellie Harper said. “We do not have a starting lineup set at this point. At the four, you can always slide Jillian there, Rickea or Sara Puckett. If you go with a big lineup, you can put Sara in at the wing as well. When you’re talking lineups, we have probably eight starters on our team truly.”
As for injuries on the team, senior center Key’s 2022-23 season ended abruptly after nine games when she was diagnosed with blood clots in her lungs during testing. Key is on the preseason All-SEC Second Team and Lisa Leslie Award Preseason Watchlist.
“I thought Tamari was good,” Harper said after the Carson-Newman game. “I thought her minutes were very good for her. I thought we were able to extend her a little bit push her a little bit, and she did a great job communicating with our staff about minutes. It’s just good to see her out there. Giving her an opportunity to get out there and make plays is what she needs to do right now.”
The Lady Vols have an assortment of talent at the wing. Returning starters Sara Puckett and Tess Darby are looking to be weapons for the Lady Vols. In her 2022-23 season, Puckett played 37 games and started 15, averaging 4.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 15.6 minutes per game. Puckett is ranked second on the team in 3-pointers and had a career-best of 26 last season.
“There is nothing shocking to us about how Sara played and how Sara looked,” Harper said. “Sara has had a great summer and a great fall. She’s playing confidently. She’s playing very strong. She’s rebounding well and shooting the ball well. I’m really proud of her, and she’s got a voice and has been a leader, so I am really excited about her game.”
Darby started 35 of 37 games last season and 65 of 70 over the past two seasons. Darby has specialized in threes, knocking down 70 last season. Her 41.9% 3-point shooting ranked her third in the SEC last year. Darby is ranked No. 7 all-time in 3-point percentage at Tennessee.
“I’ll be honest with you, I think Tess had a great summer and an early fall,” Harper said. “I thought she was one of our most improved players this summer. I thought she did a much better job putting the ball on the floor, a much better job playing physically. I thought she guarded better this summer. You know she’s going to be able to make shots. I think it’s important that she helps in different areas. We’ve got to get her growth beyond the 3-point line to help this basketball team.”
Finally, at guard, the Lady Vols have starting returner Jasmine Powell and Belmont transfer Destinee Wells. Powell averaged 4.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 19.6 minutes per her 37 games. She had a career-high of 116 assists last season. Wells tallied a career-high of 684 points, 172 assists and 65 3-pointers last season and averaged 32.4 points per game over the last five games of the year at Belmont.
“I think right now both Destinee and Jasmine have given us some really solid play,” Harper said. “We can play them both together if we need to. I think what Jasmine gives you, in addition to playing point guard, she’s defending really well right now, especially on the ball. I think they’re giving you something different. I feel very confident and comfortable with either of those players running the offense. I think they can create for themselves as well as others.”
Transfer guard Jewel Spear made her unofficial debut against Team USA after suffering an ankle injury in preseason. She finished the exhibition with three points, but her potential is a lot more.
During Spear’s three seasons at Wake Forest, she was a two-time All-ACC Team and ACC All-Tournament Team honoree.
It’s safe to say that Harper has a lot of options to test out with the lineup this season.
