LEXINGTON, Ky. – Coming off one of the best seasons in program history, Tennessee volleyball opens the 2024 season ranked 15th overall, the AVCA announced Monday.
The Lady Vols have been ranked in the preseason poll 10 times in the program’s history, with the most recent occasion coming in 2019. That year, the Big Orange ranked 19th to kick off the campaign. Last season, Tennessee was a mainstay in the national rankings, reaching as high as eighth and ending the year at No. 9 overall.
All-Time Preseason Rankings
1983 – 14
1984 – 16
1985 – 19
2005 – 9
2006 – 11
2010 – 19
2011 – 25
2012 – 15
2019 – 19
2024 – 15
The Big Orange’s 2024 schedule includes 18 matches against 15 different teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season, including seven teams that earned national seeds and five that advanced to the Sweet 16. The Lady Vols will face the reigning league champs from the SEC, Big 12, Conference USA, Mid-Atlantic Conference, Sun Belt Conference, Southern Conference and Northeast Conference.
Tennessee is slated to face seven teams ranked in the preseason poll: Texas (1), Louisville (6), Penn State (7), Kentucky (9), Florida (11), Arkansas (19) and Georgia (25). The Lady Vols will also take on several teams who received votes. Western Kentucky was the top vote getter of the group and just missed being ranked, while Auburn, UCLA, Missouri and Western Michigan also earned spots on coach ballots.
After losing four starters to graduation, including three All-Americans, Tennessee’s new-look roster during the 2024 campaign will be led by All-American setter Caroline Kerr and veteran middle blocker Keondreya Granberry. The Lady Vols boast five other returners who played at least 25 sets last season and two who started double-digit matches.
Kerr, who was named Preseason All-SEC by league coaches, ranked third nationally, second in the SEC and led all NCAA freshmen in assists per set at 11.75, recording 14 40-assist efforts and five 50-assist performances on the year. Granberry has led the Lady Vols in blocks each of her first two seasons on Rocky Top, totaling 211 with back-to-back seasons with more than 100, and she ranked second in the SEC in hitting percentage (.356) last year.
UT brought in nine newcomers to help replace the production from last year, with four transfers and five freshmen. Of the transfers, outside hitters Nina Cajic and Hayden Kubik are expected to play a major role in replacing the duo of Morgahn Fingall and Jenaisya Moore. Cajic was the 2023 CAA Player of the Year at Towson and owns 983 kills for her career, while Kubik was one of the top-rated recruits in the 2022 signing class. She saw limited action during her time at Nebraska but finished with the most kills and digs during Tennessee’s foreign trip to Italy and Poland this summer.
The Big Orange’s schedule features 13 home matches, starting with a contest against Penn State on Aug. 30. Season tickets are available now with a new reserved seating option.
