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Lady Vols Head Coach Kim Caldwell Sets Bold Standard for Year Two

Kim Caldwell is setting a bold tone for year two at Tennessee — aiming to score 10 points more per game and return the Lady Vols to the Final Four.
Josh Greer|
Mar 29, 2025; Birmingham, AL, USA; Tennessee Lady Vols head coach Kim Caldwell works with her team during the first half of a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament basketball game against the Texas Longhorns at Legacy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images
Mar 29, 2025; Birmingham, AL, USA; Tennessee Lady Vols head coach Kim Caldwell works with her team during the first half of a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament basketball game against the Texas Longhorns at Legacy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

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Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee Lady Vols head coach Kim Caldwell isn’t one to rest on early success.

In a recent appearance on The Mike Keith Show, Caldwell laid out her vision for the Lady Vols heading into the 2025-26 season. And the message is clear: score more, win more, and get back to the elite level Tennessee fans expect.

“Everything we’re going to do from this point forward is how to get 10 points better,” Caldwell said. “And if we are 10 points better, we make it to the Final Four, in my opinion. The majority of our games, with the exception of one, was eight points or less.”

Last season, the Lady Vols averaged 87 points per game — one of the highest marks in the nation. But Caldwell isn’t satisfied. She’s aiming for a 10-point boost in production to help bridge the gap between Tennessee and the program’s Final Four aspirations.

“How do we get 10 points better?” she asked. “Is that who we sign? Is that how we prep in the summer? Is that our portal class? Is that just because we’re a little older [and] more experienced as we do different drills in practice?”

That pursuit of growth is already underway. Caldwell is counting on a combination of returning players, impact freshmen, and a strong transfer portal class to fuel the next step in the Lady Vols’ evolution.

“The obsession of finding those 10 points has already started,” she said. “Our portal class that we are going to bring in right now, on top of our freshmen and on top of the return of the players that we have — they’re going to be here in talks of helping us get to the Elite Eight or the Final Four. And that’s going to be the conversations that we have.”

Caldwell has already transformed the Lady Vols’ offensive identity. Known for her uptempo, high-scoring style from her previous coaching stop — where her team averaged an eye-popping 106 points per game — she wants to bring that same mentality to Knoxville.

“We like to score,” Caldwell added. “If you want to play and you want to score… one year we averaged 106. And I know it was Division Two, but we want to get players on the floor that are aggressive, that can score, that can go downhill. We take more shots than any team in the country. Our players take more shots and so there’s a lot of opportunity.”

With the foundation laid and expectations rising, Caldwell is positioning the Lady Vols not just as a perennial Sweet 16 team — but as a legitimate Final Four contender. The standard has been set, and the goal is clear: end Tennessee’s Final Four drought, which dates back to Pat Summitt’s last championship run in 2008.

In year two, it’s not just about winning — it’s about dominating. And if Caldwell gets her 10 extra points, Tennessee could be cutting down nets again soon.

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Josh Greer
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