Ranking Tennessee Vols sports worst affected by coronavirus ending season

9. Women’s Outdoor Track and Field 

Just like the men, women’s outdoor track and field finished outside of the top 60, coming in tied at No. 66 in the 2019 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association rankings, which was even wore than what the men did. It was a program low after one of the worst showings in history at NCAA National Championships last June, and that makes this program a problem also.

However, there is a major difference. Women’s track and field has a good bit of young talent returning. The program actually outperformed the men throughout the season last year. It was just the fact that the men outperformed the women at NCAAs. We can’t ignore everything else that went into play, though, and the returning talent creates a bright outlook for UT.

Of the Tennessee Vols women’s track and field program, there were nine Lady Vols who earned 11 All-American honors last year. Six of those honorees are back. Beyond that, of there were 12 participants on the women’s side in the tournament last year, and seven of them are back overall. Six of them were competing in their first NCAA Outdoor Championships last year.

That suggests a very bright future for the women’s side on Rocky Top, and it’s why we have this sport higher for right now. However, because it was all based on projections with no actual performance, we can only keep it at No. 9. We can’t be sure what would have happened if play took place this year.