Tennessee Volunteers Sports Returns Today

The Tennessee Volunteers finally have a team sport that is returning to action on Thursday, after what felt like a never-ending cycle of no sports in Knoxville. The sport that is returning on Thursday is soccer, as the Tennessee soccer team makes their season debut on Thursday.

The Lady Vols' Soccer Team's Success During 2025

Tennessee midfielder Dakota Brown (23) moves the ball ahead of LSU forward Ryann Denecour (7) during an NCAA college soccer game on September 21, 2025, in Knoxville, Tennessee. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Vols only have one soccer team, as they do not have a men's soccer team on campus. This means that the team may be referred to as soccer, but this would technically be women's soccer. The women's soccer team was excellent a season ago, as they finished the season with 12 wins, 4 losses, and 3 ties. They were also undefeated in Regal Stadium, the home stadium of the Lady Vols.

Despite reaching a ranking of No. 1 at one point, the Lady Vols would be upset by the North Carolina Tar Heels in the first game of the postseason, bringing their national championship hopes to an end.

The Lady Vols will be playing against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, who are expected to be a measuring stick game for the Vols. Last season, their women's team only finished with 4 wins, as they finished with a 4-7-5 overall record. This means that the Lady Vols will be considered the favorite entering the event.

The Lady Vols Look to Defend Their Current Ranking

Shae o'Rourk — Tennessee forward Shae O'Rourke (2) during the NCAA college soccer game against LSU on September 21, 2025, in Knoxville, Tennessee. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

In fact, the Lady Vols are entering this game ranked, while the Scarlet Knights will enter the contest unranked. At the moment, the Lady Vols are ranked No. 24, which is a good start for the team, which couldn't get it done in the big moment last season. It is also just a great starting point, as this will leave them with an easy opportunity to grow, considering they are already ranked.

The match is set to kick off at 7:00 PM EDT and is going to be streamed on SECN+ and ESPN+. This will also be the only game that the soccer team plays before Sunday, as their next contest will be against South Alabama on Sunday. If Coach Kirt and his squad live up to the potential, they could begin this first stretch of the season with two major victories. The Lady Vols will also be watched very closely in this period, as there are no other sports on, which means that fans will make it a point to watch the team.

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