Category: Lady Vols

Nicole Whiston named SEC Newcomer of the Week

UT’s Nicole Whiston named SEC Newcomer of the Week.

Lady Vols’ golfer Nicole Whiston has been named the Southeastern Conference Newcomer of the Week.

Whiston, a sophomore who hails from San Diego, California and graduate of La Jolla High School, received the award Thursday.

She posted a second top-20 finish in her last three tournaments after finishing in a sixth-place tie in the LSU Tiger Golf Classic.

The event was the final regular-season tournament for Tennessee. Tennessee competes next in the SEC Championship, which opens April 14 in Birmingham, Alabama.

The Newcomer of the Week award was initiated this year in response to freshmen golfers having the 2020 spring season cut short due the COVID-19 pandemic.

Whiston had 15 birdies, leading the tournament field in Baton Rouge.

Tennessee-Mississippi State series postponed

Lady Vols’ series at Mississippi State postponed due to COVID-19 concerns in Tennessee program.

The University of Tennessee softball team has postponed its Southeastern Conference series this weekend.

The Lady Vols were scheduled to play at Mississippi State (19-15, 0-9 SEC) for a three-game weekend series in Starkville.

A member of Tennessee’s Tier 1 personnel returned a positive COVID-19 test this week and has postponed the series.

Tennessee (28-6, 4-5) entered the week as the No. 21 team in the country after winning its recent series against Kentucky.

The Lady Vols also had its scheduled midweek doubleheader against Tennessee Tech at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium canceled on Tuesday.

UT is working with the SEC and Mississippi State to reschedule the series.

Lady Vols win series against Kentucky

Tennessee downs Wildcats to claim SEC softball series.

The third time was the charm for Tennessee on the softball diamond this weekend.

No. 21 Tennessee captured its first Southeastern Conference series of the season. The Lady Vols claimed a rubber game against No. 8 Kentucky, 6-2, on Sunday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

The Lady Vols (28-6, 4-5 SEC) were only victorious in one game during each of its previous two league series against Alabama and LSU.

In the series finale against Kentucky (27-6, 4-5 SEC), pitcher Ashley Rogers posted a dominant performance.

Rogers (16-4) threw a complete game, giving up two runs, three hits and three walks. She had 13 strikeouts.

Two of Kentucky’s hits came from catcher and leadoff hitter Kayla Kowalik, who had an RBI triple during the third inning. She hit a solo home run in the sixth inning,

For the Lady Vols, Ally Shipman went 2-for-3 with a two-run double that gave UT a 2-0 lead in the second.

Ashley Morgan went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer.

Shipman hit an RBI single in the fourth inning, and Cailin Hannon drove in a run during the sixth.

Kentucky powers past Lady Vols

Lady Vols fall to Wildcats, 13-2.

After winning their series opener against Kentucky in impressive fashion, the Lady Vols dropped a 13-2 five-inning tilt against the Wildcats Saturday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

No. 21 Tennessee (27-6, 3-5) committed three errors that led to six unearned runs for the No. 8 Wildcats (27-5, 4-4 SEC).

Kentucky also used the long ball as the Wildcats totaled four home runs.

Kentucky’s Erin Coffel hit two homers, including a two-run shot that gave the Wildcats a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

She added a three-run homer in the third and later came up with an RBI single. Renee Abernathy also had a two-run homer in the third.

Rylea Smith clubbed a three-run homer in the fifth to help the Wildcats bring an early end to the evening.

Tennessee was able to get on the scoreboard with an unearned run in the third. Chelsea Seggern recorded an RBI single who had two of the Lady Vols’ five hits.

UT picked up its other run on Rylee West’s solo homer in the bottom of the fourth.

Big fifth inning lifts Lady Vols over Kentucky

Tennessee topples Kentucky 6-1 in softball.

The Lady Vols won its sixth consecutive game on the diamond Friday night.

No. 21 Tennessee used a big fifth inning to topple No. 8 Kentucky, 6-1, in a Southeastern Conference tilt at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

The Lady Vols (27-5, 3-4 SEC) and the Wildcats were locked in a 1-1 tie when UT tallied four times in the bottom of the fifth.

In the frame, Amanda Ayala clubbed a two-run homer, while Ashley Morgan and Kiki Milloy had RBI singles.

Ayala had a big night against Kentucky (25-5, 3-4) as she went 3-for-4 and drove in two runs and scored three. She also stole a base.

Morgan went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and added a scoring single in the sixth for Tennessee, which took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.

Cailin Hannon, the Lady Vols’ left fielder, knocked in the game’s first run when her double plated Ayala.

Hannon was 2-for-4 win a run and an RBI against Kentucky, which pulled even in the top of the third on a home run by Kayla Kowalik.

In the circle, UT’s Ashley Morgan posted a dominant performance as she pitched a complete game. She surrendered one run, three hits and one walk.

Rogers (15-4) had 10 strikeouts in the contest.

Destiny Salary enters transfer portal

Lady Vols’ guard Destiny Salary enters transfer portal.

Lady Vols’ freshman Destiny Salary has entered the NCAA transfer portal.

She announced her decision Thursday and will have four years of college eligibility remaining.

Salary, a guard who played at Jonesboro High School in Arkansas, appeared in 24 contests for Tennessee last season, averaging 12 minutes per game for the Lady Vols.

She scored 10 points in her debut on Rocky Top in the Lady Vols’ 87-47 victory over Western Kentucky at Thompson-Boling Arena. Salary made four field goals, including a pair of 3-pointers against the Hilltoppers.

The Lady Vols went 17-8 last season and reached the NCAA Tournament for the 39th consecutive year. Salary appeared in both tournament games for UT.

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Rennia Davis to enter WNBA draft

UT basketball player Rennia Davis to enter WNBA draft.

University of Tennessee women’s basketball player Rennia Davis is entering the WNBA draft.

Davis, a guard and forward for the Lady Vols, announced her decision to go pro on Thursday in a social media post via Twitter.

She leaves the tradition-rich Tennessee basketball program as one of its most decorated players.

Davis ranks ninth in program history for career scoring with 1,815 points. She is No. 10 in career rebounding (947) and ranks fourth in double-doubles (39).

She was an AP Honorable Mention All-American and a First-Team All-Southeastern Conference standout during her senior season on Rocky Top.

Davis was also an All-SEC performer as a junior and made the conference’s Academic Honor Roll, as well as being an AP All-America Honorable Mention.

She also earned other academic and basketball awards during her four years in Knoxville.

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Lady Vols power past Liberty

Recapping Tennessee’s win over Liberty Tuesday.

The Lady Vols used the long ball to claim a 6-0 victory over Liberty on Tuesday.

No. 21 Tennessee used two-run homers by Ally Shipman and Kiki Milloy to down the Flames, 6-0, in an afternoon game at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

After a scoreless first inning, Tennessee (26-5) broke through when Shipman, a catcher, clubbed a two-run homer in the bottom of the second frame.

The Lady Vols extended their lead against Liberty (21-10) with two more runs in the third as Shipman, who went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored, came up with a scoring single.

Milloy scored when pinch hitter KK McCrary drew a walk with the bases loaded to make it 4-0.

Milloy, who went 2-for-2 and scored two runs and drove in two more, clubbed a two-run homer in the fourth to provide the final margin.

In the circle, Ashley Rogers (14-4) picked up her third win in two days as she hurled a complete game. She posted a two-hit shutout, while giving up one walk and recording eight strikeouts.

Rogers picked up a pair of wins Monday as she had two scoreless relief appearances in the Lady Vols’ doubleheader sweep of Furman.

Lady Vols sweep Furman

Lady Vols sweep Paladins despite trailing early in both games.

The Lady Vols swept a doubleheader against Furman Monday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

No. 21 Tennessee took the opener over the Paladins, 11-4, despite spotting three runs over the first two innings.

After falling behind 3-0, the Lady Vols scored its first run in the bottom of the third when Ally Shipman’s sacrifice fly plated Ivy Davis.

Trailing 4-1 in the fifth, the Lady Vols scored twice to pull within 4-3 as Amanda Ayala had a solo home run and Ashley Morgan came up with an RBI single.

Tennessee scored eight runs in the sixth inning.

Cailin Hannon had a grand slam in the frame for UT, which batted around.

Shipman had a two-run double in the inning. Morgan recorded another RBI single and Ayala drew a walk with the bases loaded.

The Lady Vols (25-5) notched a 7-2 win over Furman (6-14) in the nightcap and erased a 2-0 deficit, tallying once in the fifth and six times in the sixth.

Ayala was able to get Tennessee on the scoreboard in the fifth with an RBI double to make it 2-1.

She also had a two-run double in the sixth. Davis hit a two-run homer and Rylie West had chipped in with another two-run double in the frame.

In the circle, Ashley Rogers (13-4) made two relief apearances and picked up a pair of wins against the Paladins.

North Carolina defeats Lady Vols, 7-0

Recapping UT’s soccer loss to Tar Heels Saturday.

The University of Tennessee closed out the home portion of its soccer season with a rough night on the pitch against one of the country’s top women’s teams.

The Lady Vols dropped its second consecutive match after winning their first four games of the spring semester. UT lost to No. 2 North Carolina, 7-0, on a rainy night at Regal Soccer Stadium.

Tennessee (8-6-1) had nine shots in the match, including six over the first 45 minutes. The Lady Vols outshot North Carolina, 6-5, in the first half, but UT only had one land on target from Makenzie George.

The Tar Heels (13-1-0) had a 3-0 lead at halftime before scoring four markers late in the match.

Ruby Grant and Brianna Pinto scored a hat trick for North Carolina and each posted an assist for the Tar Heels.

Isabel Cox also had a marker for North Carolina and Ashleigh Gambone dished out three helpers for the Tar Heels.

Goalkeeper Lindsey Romig made six saves for the Lady Vols.