A season that had so much promise is already over way before any of us thought it would end. On Friday evening, the Tennessee Lady Vols and Kim Caldwell took the floor against NC State and yet another disappointing showing was posted.
Tennessee's NCAA failure must be a wakeup call for Kim Caldwell and Lady Vols
This time, though, the 76-61 loss has ended what has proven to be a brutal campaign for the second-year head coach. For a few weeks now, Tennessee fans have been quite upset with Caldwell, as the play has been poor and rumors of her losing the locker room have been consistent. Following this latest defeat, plenty of Lady Vols supporters are calling for her to get fired. Will Danny White make a move here or bring her back for Year 3?
Our season comes to an end in Ann Arbor. pic.twitter.com/gJT5K37qPi
— Lady Vols Basketball (@LadyVol_Hoops) March 21, 2026
Tennessee fans are calling for Kim Caldwell to get fired after the loss to NC State
From our chair, it may be way too early to throw in the towel on Caldwell, but it's her job to make sure this team is at its best and winning games. In 2025-26, that just wasn't the case for the Lady Vols, as rough showings became a bit of a norm for people to tune into.
With this loss, Tennessee has finished the season with a 16-14 record. The Vols barely sneaked into the tournament, and the effort against the Wolfpack only had the UT haters even more convinced that this team shouldn't have even been in the field.
A loss for Tennessee means they'll finish the season 16-14, the lowest single-season win total in program history. #ncaaW
— Mitchell Northam (@primetimeMitch) March 21, 2026
Not only are the 14 losses tough to look at, but Caldwell's players ended the year with an eight-game losing streak. Wait, what? Leading up to the season, there indeed was a ton of promise for this group, as Caldwell worked her tail off in landing some big-time talent.
For the 2026 class, things are headlined by 5-star playmaker Oliviyah Edwards, who will make an immediate impact for Tennessee. Again, we're not saying here that Caldwell should lose her job, but unless a total 180 is posted next season, White may have to make a move.
Her returning to Knoxville next season doesn't feel like a lock, though, as the 14 losses are tied for a program worst in a single season. There's a standard for the Tennessee Lady Vols and Caldwell isn't coming close to reaching it.