The Lady Vols are not merely a college hoops team —they’re purely an empire. Led by the icon Pat Summitt for decades, Tennessee established itself as a team of excellence. With dominant post players, clutch shooters, and shut-down defenders, the program produced some of the all-time greatest to ever touch the court. These ten ladies didn’t play basketball — they revolutionized it.
Tennessee’s Greatest Women’s Basketball Players
1. Chamique Holdsclaw | Tennessee Career: 1995–1999
Chamique Holdsclaw is the template. The 6-foot-2 senior forward was a walking double-double. The athlete accumulated 3,025 points and 1,295 rebounds, both Tennessee and SEC records, in her Vols career. She guided the Lady Vols to three consecutive national championships (1996–98) and was the Naismith Player of the Year in 1998 and 1999. Holdsclaw’s career record at Tennessee? A ridiculous 131–17.
“She is the best all-around player I’ve ever coached,” Pat Summitt once said — and she meant it.
2. Bridgette Gordon | Tennessee Career: 1985–1989
Prior to Chamique, there was Bridgette Gordon. Famed for her aggressive scoring, Gordon scored 2,462 career points. She even assisted in bringing Tennessee its initial two national championships in 1987 and 1989.
She was the 1989 Final Four Most Outstanding Player and SEC Player of the Year in the same year. Her signature moment? Sinking the game-winning free throws with 06 remaining to beat Virginia in the ’89 national semifinal.
3. Candace Parker | Tennessee Career: 2004–2008
Candace Parker did not only transform Tennessee basketball — she transformed basketball, plain and simple. A 6-foot-4 do-everything forward, Parker was the first female to dunk in an NCAA Tournament game. She led the Lady Vols to consecutive NCAA championships in 2007 and 2008, earning Final Four Most Outstanding Player both seasons.
She averaged 19.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game in her career. Parker would eventually collect two WNBA MVPs, three WNBA championships, and two Olympic gold medals — but her roots began in Knoxville.
4. Tamika Catchings | Tennessee Career: 1997–2001
Tamika Catchings was the consummate two-way player. As a standout among standouts on Tennessee’s perfect 1998 season (39–0), she averaged 15.9 points and 7.6 rebounds. A four-time All-American, she concluded her career with 2,113 points, 1,004 rebounds, 449 assists, and a reputation for toughness. She recovered from a late college ACL injury to be a 10-time WNBA All-Star, league MVP, and five-time Defensive Player of the Year.
“She’s what you want in a teammate and what you fear in an opponent,” Summitt once remarked.
5. Kara Lawson | Tennessee Career: 1999–2003
Kara Lawson was famous for her clutch shooting and high IQ. She was the glue for Tennessee during the early 2000s. Lawson amassed 1,950 career points, handed out 456 assists, and led the Lady Vols to three Final Four berths.
Lawson was a three-time All-SEC player and a 2001 Kodak All-American. Post-college, she captured Olympic gold in 2008 and became the first female to be an ESPN analyst before serving as a coach at Duke. That’s where she continues to motivate young players.
6. Dena Head | Tennessee Career: 1988–1992
A rugged, aggressive defender, Dena Head guided the Lady Vols to the 1991 NCAA title and was SEC Player of the Year in 1992. She accumulated 1,943 career points and had more than 500 assists.
The star athlete made herself one of the most reliable floor generals in school history. Head was also the first-ever No. 1 draft choice in the WNBA Draft in 1997, cementing her place in history further.
7. Patricia Roberts | Tennessee Career: 1976–1977
Patricia Roberts had only a season at Tennessee but made the most of it. In 1977, she scored a breathtaking 29.9 points per game. And if that wasn’t a lot already, then she ranked among the all-time school greats.
A 1976 Olympic silver medalist and a coach-administrator of 20 years, Patricia Roberts’s performance at Tennessee may have lasted one season. However, this ignited like fireworks that exploded loudly yet briefly.
8. Meighan Simmons | Tennessee Career: 2010–2014
Lightning-quick and deadly from outside, Meighan Simmons was a scoring machine. She scored 2,064 points, sixth on the all-time program list, and guided Tennessee to several SEC championships. Simmons was twice SEC Player of the Year (2013, 2014) and helped maintain the program in the national picture in the post-Summitt era.
9. Holly Warlick | Tennessee Career: 1976–1980
Holly Warlick was a defensive specialist and the program’s first All-American. A fireball of a guard, she recorded 141 career steals, a Lady Vols record. Well, she definitely paved the way for what would be a national dynasty. Warlick went back to coaching at Tennessee and took the team to several Elite Eight appearances. The basketballer carried on the legacy as a player and coach.
10. Daedra Charles | Tennessee Career: 1988–1991
The physical force in the paint, Daedra Charles, was the heart and soul of Tennessee’s 1991 championship team. She averaged 14.4 points and 6.9 rebounds throughout her career.
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With that, she was the 1991 SEC Player of the Year. Whoa! Crazy, right? A two-time All-American, she was also an Olympian in 1992 and is best remembered as one of the Lady Vols’ most consistent post players.
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