Kim Caldwell’s debut season as the head coach of the No. 5 seed Tennessee Lady Vols came to a bittersweet end on Saturday in Birmingham. Her team fell to the No. 1 seed Texas Longhorns in the Elite Eight. While the loss was disappointing, it did not overshadow the remarkable progress Caldwell made throughout her first season in Knoxville.
Kim Caldwell’s First Season Ends in Reflection
The Tennessee Lad Volunteers finished with a strong 24-10 record in Caldwell’s first year at the helm. Under her leadership, the team achieved significant milestones, including the program’s first victory over UConn since 2007. The Lady Vols also pushed some of the top teams in the nation, including LSU, South Carolina, and Texas, to the brink.
Caldwell expressed her gratitude to her team after the season-ending loss. In a heartfelt post on her X page, she shared a picture with her players.
God knew I needed this team. I will FOREVER be grateful for them. #3G pic.twitter.com/vYeyk0BjnP
— Kimberly Caldwell (@CoachKim_) March 30, 2025
“God knew I needed this team. I will FOREVER be grateful for them.”
It was a touching tribute to the bond she built with her players throughout the season, one that extended far beyond wins and losses.
Despite falling short of reaching the program’s first Elite Eight since 2016, the Lady Vols’ season was undeniably a success. Caldwell was a relatively unknown coach before being hired by Tennessee athletic director Danny White last April. She proved she was more than capable of leading a storied program like Tennessee.
Following the game, Caldwell reflected on her team’s journey and shared the message she delivered in the locker room after their final game of the season.
“I told them to keep their heads up,” Caldwell said.
“I told them that I am proud of them, that I am thankful for them. I know for a fact that God put this team together because this is the team that we needed to have. These are the people that I needed to have in my life, and we needed each other.”
This year’s Lady Vols team set the stage for what is to come under Caldwell’s leadership. The players who remained at Tennessee and bought into her vision will be instrumental in shaping the program’s future. Caldwell was quick to recognize their importance.
“Any success that we have at Tennessee from here on out is because of this team,” she said.
When Caldwell was first hired away from Marshall, some Vols fans were skeptical. She was an outsider, and her up-tempo, three-point-heavy system was a stark contrast. Especially to the traditional style Tennessee had been known for under the legendary Pat Summitt.
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The defining characteristic of Caldwell’s first Tennessee team was its relentless effort. Even in the face of adversity, the Lady Vols played with intensity and heart. After the loss to Texas, Samara Spencer, a transfer from Arkansas, summed up Caldwell’s philosophy:
“She really only asks for two things: energy and effort. That’s all she really wants from us.”
With her first season in the books, Caldwell has laid a strong foundation for the future of the Lady Vols program. While the sting of defeat may linger for now, there is no doubt that Tennessee is heading in the right direction under her leadership.
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