2026 Tennessee Lady Volunteers softball team

2026 Tennessee Lady Volunteers softball
2026 Tennessee Lady Volunteers softball
Knoxville Regional champion; Knoxville Super Regional champion
Women's College World Series, 2–2
Conference	Southeastern Conference
Record	49–12 (16–8 SEC)
Head coach	Karen Weekly (24th season);
Home stadium	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium

2026 Southeastern Conference softball standings
	Conf.				Overall
Team	W		L	PCT	W		L	PCT
No. 8 Oklahoma ‍†‍‍^y	20	–	4	.833	52	–	10	.839
No. 3 Alabama ‍‍‍^y	19	–	5	.792	56	–	9	.862
No. 9 Florida ‍‍‍^y	17	–	7	.708	52	–	12	.813
No. 1 Texas ‍‍‡‍^y	16	–	8	.667	53	–	12	.815
No. 4 Tennessee ‍‍‍^y	16	–	8	.667	49	–	12	.803
No. 20 Texas A&M ‍‍‍^y	16	–	8	.667	38	–	19	.667
No. 7 Arkansas ‍‍‍^y	15	–	9	.625	47	–	13	.783
No. 18 LSU ‍‍‍^y	13	–	11	.542	40	–	19	.678
No. 15 Georgia ‍‍‍^y	12	–	12	.500	41	–	20	.672
No. 10 Mississippi State ‍‍‍^y	9	–	15	.375	43	–	21	.672
Missouri ‍‍‍	9	–	15	.375	28	–	29	.491
South Carolina ‍‍‍^y	7	–	17	.292	32	–	28	.533
Ole Miss ‍‍‍^y	6	–	18	.250	36	–	26	.581
Auburn ‍‍‍	4	–	20	.167	27	–	28	.491
Kentucky ‍‍‍	1	–	23	.042	26	–	29	.473

† – Conference champion ‡ – Tournament champion y – Invited to the NCAA tournament As of June 4, 2026^[1] Rankings from NFCA/USA Today^[2]

The 2026 Tennessee Lady Volunteers softball team was an American softball team that represented the University of Tennessee during the 2026 Southeastern Conference softball season and the 2026 NCAA Division I softball season. The team played their home games at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, and was coached by Karen Weekly in her 24th season.

The Lady Vols finished with a record of 49–12, 16–8 in the SEC, and earned an invitation to the NCAA Division I tournament as the 7th overall seed. They swept the Knoxville Regional and Super Regional to advance to the Women's College World Series for the 10th time, where they were eliminated in the semifinals by eventual champion Texas.^[3]^[4]

Personnel

Roster

2026 Tennessee Lady Volunteers roster^[5]

Pitchers

6 - Sage Mardjetko - Junior
21 - Maddi Rutan - Junior
23 - Karlyn Pickens - Senior
33 - Erin Nuwer - Sophomore
44 - Kailey Plumlee - Freshman
80 - Peyton Hardenburger - Freshman

Catcherss

22 - Elsa Morrison - Freshman
50 - Jackie Kirkpatrick - Senior

Outfielders

2 - Sophia Knight - Junior
10 - Alannah Leach - Junior
11 - Zoie Shuler - Sophomore
15 - McCall Sims - Freshman
20 - Saviya Morgan - Sophomore
27 - Taelyn Holley - Freshman
55 - Gabby Leach - Junior

Infielders

5 - Meredith Barnhart - Freshman
12 - Bella Faw - Junior
13 - Emma Clarke - Sophomore
16 - Camryn Sarvis - Senior
25 - Ella Dodge - Sophomore
42 - Amayah Doyle - Sophomore
98 - Makenzie Butt - Sophomore

Coaching staff

2026 Tennessee Lady Volunteers coaching staff
Karen Weekly – Head coach - 24th season Megan Rhodes Smith – Assistant coach - 6th season Craig Snider – Assistant coach - 3rd season Stephanie Sanders – Assistant coach - 3rd season

Schedule

Legend
	Tennessee win
	Tennessee loss
*	Non-Conference game

2026 Tennessee Lady Volunteers softball game log^[6]

Regular season

February
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	SEC record
Feb 5	vs BYU*	No. 4	Eddie C. Moore Complex • Clearwater, FL (NFCA Leadoff Classic)	W 10–0 ⁽¹⁰⁾	1–0
Feb 6	vs No. 21 Liberty*	No. 4	Eddie C. Moore Complex • Clearwater, FL (NFCA Leadoff Classic)	W 6–1	2–0
Feb 6	vs Rutgers*	No. 4	Eddie C. Moore Complex • Clearwater, FL (NFCA Leadoff Classic)	W 9–1 ⁽¹⁰⁾	3–0
Feb 7	vs Boston College*	No. 4	Eddie C. Moore Complex • Clearwater, FL (NFCA Leadoff Classic)	W 6–0	4–0
Feb 7	vs No. 5 Oregon*	No. 4	Eddie C. Moore Complex • Clearwater, FL (NFCA Leadoff Classic)	W 2–0	5–0
Feb 13	vs No. 11 Nebraska*	No. 3	Eddie C. Moore Complex • Clearwater, FL (Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational)	W 4–1	6–0
Feb 13	vs James Madison*	No. 3	Eddie C. Moore Complex • Clearwater, FL (Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational)	W 11–0	7–0
Feb 14	vs Florida Atlantic*	No. 3	Eddie C. Moore Complex • Clearwater, FL (Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational)	W 8–0 ⁽⁶⁾	8–0
Feb 14	vs No. 6 UCLA*	No. 3	Eddie C. Moore Complex • Clearwater, FL (Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational)	W 11–0 ⁽⁵⁾	9–0
Feb 15	vs No. 7 Florida State*	No. 3	Eddie C. Moore Complex • Clearwater, FL (Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational)	W 9–1	10–0
Feb 20	vs Missouri State*	No. 1	Mary Bowers Field • Birmingham, AL (Green and Gold Classic)	W 5–0	11–0
Feb 20	at UAB*	No. 1	Mary Bowers Field • Birmingham, AL (Green and Gold Classic)	W 6–1	12–0
Feb 21	vs Mercer*	No. 1	Mary Bowers Field • Birmingham, AL (Green and Gold Classic)	W 17–0 ⁽⁵⁾	13–0
Feb 22	vs Southern Illinois*	No. 1	Mary Bowers Field • Birmingham, AL (Green and Gold Classic)	W 9–0 ⁽⁵⁾	14–0
Feb 27	Appalachian State*	No. 1	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 9–1 ⁽⁶⁾	15–0
Feb 27	Penn State*	No. 1	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 4–1	16–0
Feb 28	Penn State*	No. 1	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 3–1	17–0
Feb 28	North Carolina Central*	No. 1	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 8–0 ⁽⁵⁾	18–0

March
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	SEC record
Mar 1	Appalachian State*	No. 1	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 6–2	19–0
Mar 3	Belmont*	No. 1	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 1–0	20–0
Mar 6	No. 17 LSU	No. 1	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 5–0	21–0	1–0
Mar 7	No. 17 LSU	No. 1	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 11–6	22–0	2–0
Mar 8	No. 17 LSU	No. 1	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 8–5	23–0	3–0
Mar 10	vs Austin Peay*	No. 1	Ridley Complex • Columbia, TN (Mid-State Classic)	W 9–1 ⁽⁶⁾	24–0
Mar 11	at Lipscomb*	No. 1	Draper Diamond • Nashville, TN	W 12–0 ⁽⁵⁾	25–0
Mar 13	at No. 12 Mississippi State	No. 1	Nusz Park • Starkville, MS	W 3–1 ⁽⁹⁾	26–0	4–0
Mar 14	at No. 12 Mississippi State	No. 1	Nusz Park • Starkville, MS	L 0–1	26–1	4–1
Mar 15	at No. 12 Mississippi State	No. 1	Nusz Park • Starkville, MS	W 4–1	27–1	5–1
Mar 20	at No. 5 Florida	No. 1	Katie Seashole Pressly Softball Stadium • Gainesville, FL	W 2–1	28–1	6–1
Mar 21	at No. 5 Florida	No. 1	Katie Seashole Pressly Softball Stadium • Gainesville, FL	L 2–5	28–2	6–2
Mar 22	at No. 5 Florida	No. 1	Katie Seashole Pressly Softball Stadium • Gainesville, FL	L 2–3	28–3	6–3
Mar 24	Tennessee Tech*	No. 4	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 8–0 ⁽⁶⁾	29–3
Mar 27	Ole Miss	No. 4	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	L 1–2	29–4	7–3
Mar 28	Ole Miss	No. 4	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	L 1–2	29–5	7–4
Mar 29	Ole Miss	No. 4	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 4–3	30–5	8–4

April/May
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	SEC record
Apr 2	No. 25 South Carolina	No. 7	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 3–1	31–5	9–4
Apr 3	No. 25 South Carolina	No. 7	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	L 1–5	31–6	9–5
Apr 4	No. 25 South Carolina	No. 7	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 4–2	32–6	10–5
Apr 7	East Tennessee State*	No. 9	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 12–0	33–6
Apr 8	Kennesaw State*	No. 9	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 13–5	34–6
Apr 11	at Kentucky	No. 9	John Cropp Stadium • Lexington, KY	W 5–0	35–6	11–5
Apr 12	at Kentucky	No. 9	John Cropp Stadium • Lexington, KY	W 6–0	36–6	12–5
Apr 13	at Kentucky	No. 9	John Cropp Stadium • Lexington, KY	W 10–3	37–6	13–5
Apr 15	at No. 17 Duke*	No. 7	Duke Softball Stadium • Durham, NC	L 3–6	37–7
Apr 21	Radford*	No. 8	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 2–1	38–7
Apr 25	No. 3 Alabama	No. 8	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	L 0–12 ⁽⁵⁾	38–8	13–6
Apr 26	No. 3 Alabama	No. 8	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 2–0	39–8	14–6
Apr 27	No. 3 Alabama	No. 8	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 4–1	40–8	15–6
Apr 30	at Missouri	No. 8	Mizzou Softball Stadium • Columbia, MO	W 3–1	41–8	16–6
May 1	at Missouri	No. 8	Mizzou Softball Stadium • Columbia, MO	W 4–2	42–8	17–6
May 2	at Missouri	No. 8	Mizzou Softball Stadium • Columbia, MO	L 3–4	42–9	17–7

Postseason

SEC Tournament
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	SECT record
May 6	(13) Ole Miss	No. 5 (5)	John Cropp Stadium • Lexington, KY	L 1–4	42–10	0–1

NCAA Knoxville Regional
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	Reg. record
May 15	Northern Kentucky	No. 8 (7)	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 3–1	43–10	1–0
May 16	No. 24 Virginia	No. 8 (7)	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 7–5	44–10	2–0
May 17	No. 24 Virginia	No. 8 (7)	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 5–1	45–10	3–0

NCAA Knoxville Super Regional
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	SR record
May 21	No. 16 Georgia	No. 8 (7)	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 3–1	46–10	1–0
May 22	No. 16 Georgia	No. 8 (7)	Sherri Parker Lee Stadium • Knoxville, TN	W 2–1	47–10	2–0

NCAA Women's College World Series
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	SECT record
May 28	No. 6 (2) Texas	No. 8 (7)	Devon Park • Oklahoma City, OK	W 6–3	48–10	1–0
May 30	No. 4 (11) Texas Tech	No. 8 (7)	Devon Park • Oklahoma City, OK	W 2–1 ⁽⁹⁾	49–10	2–0
June 1	No. 6 (2) Texas	No. 8 (7)	Devon Park • Oklahoma City, OK	L 2–5	49–11	2–1
June 1	No. 6 (2) Texas	No. 8 (7)	Devon Park • Oklahoma City, OK	L 0–4	49–12	2–2

Rankings from NFCA/USA Today prior to the game, tournament seeds in parentheses.

Ranking movements

Ranking movements
**Legend:** ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Final
NFCA/USA Today	4	3	1	1	1	1	1	4	7	9	7	8	8	5	8	4
ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25	4	3	1	1	1	1	1	4	8	10	9	9	9	7	8	4
D1Softball	4	3	1	1	1	1	1	4	8	9	8	9	7	7	7*	4
Softball America	4	2	1	1	1	1	1	4	11	10	9	11	11	6	6*	4

References

↑ "Softball Standings". SEC. June 4, 2026. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
↑ "2026 NFCA/GoRout Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll (Week 15)". NFCA. June 4, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
↑ Cora Hall; Tia Reid (June 1, 2026). "Tennessee softball season ends with second WCWS semifinal loss vs Texas". Knoxville News Sentinel. Knoxville, Tennessee. Retrieved Jun 9, 2026.
↑ Caleb Sisk (June 1, 2026). "Tennessee Softball Season Comes to an End in the Women's College World Series Semifinals". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
↑ "2026 Softball Roster". University of Tennessee Athletics. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
↑ "2026 Softball Schedule". Tennessee Volunteers. Retrieved June 14, 2026.

[1] "Softball Standings". SEC. June 4, 2026. Retrieved June 4, 2026.

[NFCA-2] "2026 NFCA/GoRout Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll (Week 15)". NFCA. June 4, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2026.

[3] Cora Hall; Tia Reid (June 1, 2026). "Tennessee softball season ends with second WCWS semifinal loss vs Texas". Knoxville News Sentinel. Knoxville, Tennessee. Retrieved Jun 9, 2026.

[4] Caleb Sisk (June 1, 2026). "Tennessee Softball Season Comes to an End in the Women's College World Series Semifinals". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 9, 2026.

[roster-5] "2026 Softball Roster". University of Tennessee Athletics. Retrieved June 9, 2026.

[6] "2026 Softball Schedule". Tennessee Volunteers. Retrieved June 14, 2026.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

Tennessee Lady Volunteers softball
Venues	Tyson Park (1996–2007) Sherri Parker Lee Stadium (2008–Present)
Head coaches	Jim Beitia (1996–2001) Ralph Weekly (2002–2021) Karen Weekly (2002–Present)
Seasons	1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
Women's College World Series appearances in italics