Tennessee Women’s Basketball Head Coach Kim Caldwell shared her program’s 2026 non-conference schedule on Monday, and the out-of-league slate features a pair of top-10 ranked foes and two other confirmed contests vs. Power 4 opponents who are perennial NCAA Tournament teams.
A home game vs. defending NCAA champion and No. 9-ranked UCLA, trips to Virginia Tech and No. 3 UConn (location to be announced), and a neutral site battle in Nashville vs. Baylor highlight the pre-conference itinerary. Including an exhibition game, Big Orange fans will have 10 opportunities to cheer on the Lady Vols at home before Southeastern Conference play begins. Season tickets are available now at AllVols.com.
Tennessee also will play a total of seven non-league contests away from the friendly confines of Food City Center. Among those will be a pair of match-ups in an unannounced, multi-team event in late November.
Including SEC foes on the previously-released league home and away schedule, UT is set to play 10 games vs. teams ranked in the USA TODAY “Way-Too-Early” preseason poll during the 2026-27 campaign. That list includes contests at home vs. No. 7 LSU, No. 9 UCLA, No. 14 Ole Miss, No. 18 Kentucky and No. 23 Oklahoma. Road trips are set to No. 3 UConn, No. 3 South Carolina, No. 6 Vanderbilt, No. 13 Texas and No. 18 Kentucky. For the second straight season, Caldwell’s squad will face all four teams from the previous season’s NCAA Final Four.
In all, UT is guaranteed to play 14 of its 32 total contests vs. teams advancing to the NCAA Tournament a year ago. The total of foes seeing postseason action rises to 21 when including those who competed in the 2026 WBIT and WNIT events.
The Lady Vols take the floor for their first contest on Oct. 27, as Florida A&M comes to Knoxville for an exhibition with UT legend Bridgette Gordon leading the Rattlers. Tennessee then opens the regular season on The Summitt vs. Duquesne on Nov. 2, followed by a trip to Coppin State on Nov. 5 and home games against New Haven and Middle Tennessee on Nov. 10 and 12. After traveling to Nashville to meet Belmont on Nov. 17, the Big Orange women play host to Radford and No. 9 UCLA on Nov. 19 and 22. The aforementioned MTE will take place on Nov. 27 and 29, with that event to be announced later.
UT opens the year’s 12th month with an SEC/ACC Challenge clash at Virginia Tech on Dec. 3, followed by back-to-back Food City Center appearances from Georgia State and NC Central on Dec. 6 and 8. The remainder of the non-conference slate features a trip to the Nutmeg State to meet No. 2 UConn on Dec. 12, a home contest vs. Alabama A&M on Dec. 15, a neutral site tussle with Baylor at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Dec. 18 and a visit to Rocky Top by Morehead State on Dec. 21.
2026 LADY VOL BASKETBALL NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE & NOTES
Florida A&M – Exhibition Game (Oct. 27)
- This will mark the first time these programs meet in an exhibition game.
- Tennessee is 3-0 all-time during the regular season vs. the Rattlers, who play in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
- FAMU is coached by Lady Vol great Bridgette Gordon, who is in her fourth season in Tallahassee.
- As a two-time All-American forward, Gordon helped UT win NCAA titles in 1987 and 1989.
- She is one of six LVFLs to have her jersey number hanging from the rafters at Food City Center.
Duquesne (Nov. 2)
- This will mark the first meeting between these schools.
- Duquesne is located in Pittsburgh, Pa., and coached by 14th-year skipper Dan Burt, the program’s all-time winningest coach.
- The Dukes are members of the Atlantic 10 Conference.
- Tennessee is 26-0 all-time vs. current members of the A-10.
- DU was 12-19 last season, including 4-14 in league play.
At Coppin State (Nov. 5)
- This will mark the second meeting between these programs.
- UT picked up an 88-35 triumph over the Eagles last season in Knoxville.
- Coppin State finished 10-23 overall and 6-8 in the MEAC in 2025-26 during Darrell Mosley’s first season in Baltimore.
- Tennessee is 4-0 vs. current members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
- This will mark the Lady Vols’ first game on the home court of an HBCU school, with South Carolina also playing in CSU’s Physical Education Complex Arena last January.
New Haven (Nov. 10)
- This will mark the first meeting between these schools.
- New Haven is located in West Haven, Connecticut.
- UT is 1-0 all-time vs. schools in the Northeast Conference.
- The Chargers finished 7-22 overall and 5-13 in NEC play in 2025-26.
- UNH is led by Debbie Buff, who previously coached at Wheeling Jesuit (W.Va.) vs. Kim Caldwell when she was at Glenville State in the same Mountain Empire Conference.
Middle Tennessee (Nov. 12)
- This is the 26th meeting between these programs.
- UT is 24-1 all-time vs. Middle Tennessee.
- The Lady Vols rolled to an 85-41 victory in Murfreesboro last season on Nov. 20.
- Matt Insell takes the reins as head coach after the retirement of his father, Rick Insell.
- MTSU was 17-16 last season, including 11-7 in Conference USA, and advanced to the second round of the WNIT.
At Belmont (Nov. 17)
- This marks the 13th meeting between these programs.
- The all-time series is tied at 6-6 after the Lady Vols won the past four contests.
- Tennessee evened things up with a 68-58 victory last season on Nov. 13.
- Belmont was 20-12 overall and 16-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference last season under Bart Brooks, who now is in his 10th season there.
- This will be UT’s first appearance at BU for a game since Jan. 28, 1977, a 60-59 Bruins win.
Radford (Nov. 19)
- This will mark the second meeting between Tennessee and Radford.
- UT is 1-0 all-time vs. the Highlanders.
- The Lady Vols handled RU, 97-56, on March 16, 1996, the only other time these programs met.
- Former UT director of recruiting operations Jessica Jackson (2019-21) is an associate coach at Radford.
- The Highlanders were 23-13 overall and 12-4 in the Big South last season, advancing to the second round of the WNIT under veteran coach Mike McGuire.
UCLA (Nov. 22)
- UCLA is ranked No. 9 in USA TODAY’s “Way Too Early” Top 25.
- This will mark the 23rd meeting between these programs.
- Tennessee leads the all-time series, 18-4.
- These teams met last season on Nov. 30 at Pauley Pavilion, with the Bruins claiming a 99-77 victory.
- UCLA went 37-1 overall in 2025-26, won the Big Ten at 18-0 and claimed its first NCAA title under Head Coach Cori Close.
TBD (Nov. 27)
- At unannounced multi-team event.
TBD (Nov. 29)
- At unannounced multi-team event.
At Virginia Tech (Dec. 3)
- Tennessee and Virginia Tech will meet in the SEC/ACC Challenge in Blacksburg, Va.
- This will mark the 13th meeting between these programs.
- The Lady Vols lead the all-time series, 8-4, but the Hokies have won the past two clashes.
- VT was 23-10 last season and 12-6 in the ACC, losing in the NCAA First Round.
- Virginia Tech is led by third-year head coach Megan Duffy.
Georgia State (Dec. 6)
- This marks the third meeting between these schools in women’s hoops.
- Tennessee holds a 2-0 lead in the all-time series, with Marcilina Grayer assuming the head coaching role this season for Georgia State.
- The last time these programs met, UT claimed an 84-60 decision on Dec. 12, 2021.
- The Panthers were 10-21 last season, including 5-13 in the Sun Belt Conference.
- The Lady Vols are 53-15 all-time vs. schools in the SBC.
NC Central (Dec. 8)
- Tennessee and NC Central will meet for the second time, with new head coach Olivia Gaines leading the Eagles.
- The Lady Vols hold a 1-0 lead in the series.
- UT claimed a 111-37 victory over NCCU on Dec. 14, 2024, in the first clash.
- In that game, Tennessee made an NCAA-record 30 three-pointers vs. the Eagles.
- NC Central was 9-20 last season and 5-9 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
At UConn (Dec. 12, site to be announced)
- UConn is ranked No. 3 in USA TODAY’s “Way Too Early” Top 25.
- This will mark the 29th meeting between Tennessee and UConn.
- The Huskies hold an 18-10 all-time series lead.
- UConn claimed a 96-66 decision in Hartford last season.
- The Huskies finished 38-1 overall and 20-0 a year ago to capture the BIG EAST Conference crown, losing in the NCAA Final Four semifinal round.
Alabama A&M (Dec. 15)
- Tennessee and Alabama A&M will meet for the first time.
- The Bulldogs are members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
- UT is 9-0 all-time vs. current members of the SWAC.
- A&M was 22-11 overall and 17-1 in league play in 2025-26, falling in the WBIT First Round.
- The Bulldogs are led by third-year head coach Dawn E. Brown.
Vs. Baylor (Dec. 18)
- Tennessee and Baylor will meet for the ninth time in history, playing a neutral site game in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena.
- The Bears lead the all-time series, 6-2, winning the past six meetings.
- BU was victorious in Knoxville, 88-66, on Dec. 4, 2016, the last time these programs faced off.
- Baylor was 25-9 overall and 13-5 in Big 12 play in 2025-26, advancing to the NCAA Second Round.
- Nicki Collen is 127-45 in five seasons at BU with five NCAA berths to her credit.
Morehead State (Dec. 21)
- Tennessee and Morehead State will meet for the first time.
- The Eagles are members of the Ohio Valley Conference and are led by first-year head coach Jackie Alexander.
- UT is 42-14 all-time vs. schools currently in the OVC.
- MSU was 18-15 overall, including 13-7 in league play, last season.
- The Eagles lost in the first round of the 2026 WNIT.
