Popular reporter drops take on the Lady Vols’ struggles and it’s not a good look for Tennessee athletic director Danny White
The Lady Vols are one of the most prestigious programs in the history of college sports, but Tennessee hasn’t found much success since the legendary Pat Summitt stepped down in 2012.
The Lady Vols are officially at rock bottom.
Well, at least I’m pretty sure this is rock bottom.
The Lady Vols went 16-14 in year two of the Kim Caldwell era. Tennessee kept its streak of making every NCAA Tournament intact, but just barely. Caldwell’s team lost the final eight games of the regular season, including a loss to NC State in the first round of the tournament.
To make matters worse, as of Monday, the Lady Vols will have zero returning players next season.
Popular reporter drops take on the Lady Vols’ struggles and it’s not a good look for Tennessee AD Danny White
Longtime ESPN/ABC reporter Holly Rowe, who has covered major events such as the College Football Playoff, is one of the most well-respected journalists in sports these days. In an industry that’s often full of hot air, Rowe is a voice worth listening to.
That’s why it was interesting on Monday when Rowe expressed some thoughts on the current state of the Lady Vols.
“What Danny White is allowing to happen to [the Lady Vols] is making me so sad,” tweeted Rowe. “Gut wrenching to watch him let one of the greatest programs in women’s sports history disintegrate. I am devastated.”
White is certainly feeling the pressure from fans to get the Lady Vols back on track. But unfortunately, things continue to trend in the wrong direction.
Right now, Caldwell has no roster for the 2026-27 season. Expectations, though, will be high for the Lady Vols next season as the fan base’s patience continues to dwindle. That’s not entirely fair to Caldwell — we don’t even know who will be playing for the Lady Vols next season — but that’s the kind of expectations this program faces due to the decades of success that Tennessee experienced under the legendary Pat Summitt.
White knew the standard at Tennessee when he hired Caldwell. He knows what the Lady Vols program means to fans. But he’s still choosing to play with fire. He’s still choosing to “see how things play out” with Caldwell.
Maybe White ends up being right. I don’t know how things are going to play out for Caldwell next season.
But right now, there isn’t a lot of reason for hope that the Lady Vols will be any better next season. And Rowe’s tweet is a reminder that fans are justified in feeling frustrated with the current state of the Lady Vols under White.
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