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Tennessee Lady Vols pause activities, postpone first two SEC games due to COVID

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee basketball coach Kellie Harper during the NCAA women's basketball game against Lipscomb in Knoxville, Tenn. Monday, December 28, 2020.Kns Lady Vols
Tennessee basketball coach Kellie Harper during the NCAA women's basketball game against Lipscomb in Knoxville, Tenn. Monday, December 28, 2020.Kns Lady Vols /
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The Tennessee Lady Vols first two SEC games are postponed, as are women’s basketball Volunteers’ team activities.

Their return to the court didn’t last long. One day after they moved to 6-1 on the year with a 77-52 win over the Lipscomb Bisons in their first game since being off for Christmas, the Tennessee Lady Vols are now having to stall the momentum once again.

UTSports announced that Kellie Harper’s team, in the midst of a four-game winning streak, has paused team activities due to a COVID outbreak. There was apparently one positive COVID-19 test and subsequent contact tracing among coaches, players, managers and support staff.

Because of these issues, the Tennessee Lady Vols’ next two games, at the Texas A&M Aggies on New Year’s Eve and at home against the Kentucky Wildcats on Jan. 3, have been postponed. Those were set to be the first two SEC games for Rocky Top.

This pause of team activities comes just over a week after Tennessee football was forced to pause team activities, effectively ending the season and canceling their Liberty Bowl appearance, due to a COVID outbreak that affected several players, coaches and support staff. Jeremy Pruitt was among those to have a positive test.

In addition to Pruitt, athletic director Phillip Fulmer and men’s basketball head coach Rick Barnes have tested positive for the virus within the last two months. According to the CDC, the state of Tennessee was averaging 79.9 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days leading up to the news of the women’s basketball program, third worst in the nation.

Monday marks the first time the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team had to cancel or postpone games due to a COVID outbreak within its own program. Men’s basketball canceled its first four weeks of the season, and football, as we mentioned, canceled its bowl appearance. Two other football games were postponed during the regular season due to outbreaks involving other teams.

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There had already been a Tennessee Lady Vols game canceled, however, due to the pandemic, although it wasn’t from them. Their opening matchup with the Florida A&M Rattlers was scrapped after FAMU decided to shut down the season. Assuming there are no more changes, their next game will be Thursday, Jan. 7 against the Arkansas Razorbacks.