Tennessee Volunteers softball

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Tennessee Volunteers softball
Softball current event.svg 2021 Tennessee Volunteers softball team
Tennessee Lady Volunteers logo.svg
Founded1996
University University of Tennessee
Athletic director Danny White
Head coach Karen Weekly (20th season)
Conference SEC
Location Knoxville, TN
Home stadium Sherri Parker Lee Stadium (Capacity: 1,614 Record: 2,549)
Nickname Volunteers
ColorsOrange and white [1]
         
NCAA WCWS runner-up
2007, 2013
NCAA WCWS appearances
2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015
NCAA Super Regional appearances
2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019
NCAA Tournament appearances
1999, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021
Conference Tournament championships
2006, 2011
Conference championships
2007

The Tennessee Volunteers softball team represents the University of Tennessee (UT) in Knoxville, Tennessee in NCAA Division I women's softball competition. Coached by Karen Weekly, the team has become a consistently top tier team in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

Contents

Along with all other UT women's sports teams, it used the nickname "Lady Volunteers" (or the short form "Lady Vols") until the 2015–16 school year, when the school dropped the "Lady" prefix from the nicknames of all women's teams except in basketball. [2] In September 2017, the “Lady Volunteers” name was reinstated for all women’s athletics teams. [3]

Overview

Volunteers softball legend Monica Abbott Lady Vols Softball.jpg
Volunteers softball legend Monica Abbott

The Lady Vols first fielded a softball team in 1996 with Jim Beitia as head coach. In 2002, Tennessee brought in the husband and wife team of Ralph and Karen Weekly as co-head coaches. Since 2004, the team has reached the NCAA Tournament every year and the Women's College World Series five times. In 2007 the Lady Vols managed to make history and set the benchmark by which all future Lady Vol teams will be compared as the squad finished 63–8 for the program's best winning percentage of .887. A third-straight trip to the WCWS ended with Tennessee becoming the first SEC program to reach the best-of-three NCAA Championship Series, before falling to champion Arizona. That year the team managed two wins over No. 4 Arizona and triumphs against No. 6 Northwestern and No. 7 Texas A&M which led to Tennessee spending a record 11 consecutive weeks at No. 1 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, becoming the first SEC school to reach the lofty top ranking in the league's softball history. [4]

Sherri Parker Lee Stadium

The Sherri Parker Lee Stadium is the home venue for the Vols replacing Tyson Park. Opened in 2008, the stadium can seat 1,614 spectators as well as three press boxes, four VIP suites and an observation deck for television crews. [5] In addition to Tennessee home games, Lee Stadium has hosted the SEC Softball Tournament (in 2009 and 2017) and exhibition games involving the US national team (2008) and the Dutch national team (2011, 2012).

Sherri Parker Lee Stadium SPL Stadium.jpg
Sherri Parker Lee Stadium

Situated next to the stadium, the Volunteers clubhouse is approximately 7,000 square feet (650 m2) and features a team room, whirlpools, training area and conference room. Its other amenities include a kitchen, 30-seat theater, trophy room and a recreation room with a big-screen television, pool table, video games and comfortable furniture for the student-athletes. The locker room is also equipped with full laundry facilities, a mud room, 24 large lockers, shower and bathroom facilities. Also next to the clubhouse is one of the largest batting cage facilities in the nation. It contains four 16-by-60-foot (18 m) cages which are designed to provide plenty of room to walk or film between each. All four cages are covered from the weather and possess high-quality Astroturf. [5]

In 2011 the field was recognized as the NFCA/Stabilizer Solutions Field of the Year. [6]

In 2017 general admission outfield bleachers were added to the stadium.

Head coaches

Since Ralph and Karen Weekly took over the Lady Vols they have guided the program from a team struggling to make a name for themselves in the SEC to a team that has garnered world recognition for their success. The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) has chosen to honor Ralph for his efforts throughout a distinguished, three-decade career, that has spanned from his time in the U.S. Air Force through stops at Pacific Lutheran, Chattanooga and now Tennessee, with a 2011 induction into the NFCA Hall of Fame. Voted in by his coaching peers and with the organization consisting of just 49 previous inclusions, Weekly will join Ithaca Head Coach Deb Pallozzi in ceremonies to be held at the annual NFCA Convention. Ralph and Karen have taken the Vols to their first Southeastern Conference regular season and tournament championships as well as the team's first Women's College World Series appearance. Their over-all record at Tennessee is 465–150–2 and they have recorded the programs most wins in a season with 67, a then national record in the NCAA. Ralph and Karen have also authored a book, High-Scoring Softball. [7] [4]

Year-by-year results

Season
Overall
Record
SEC
Record
NCAA
Tournament Results
SEC
Tournament Results
SEC Regular
Season Finish
199654–14 [9]
199745–22 [9] 20–7L 0–2 vs. Auburn
L 1–2 vs. Florida
2nd Eastern
199837–31 [9] 13–15L 1–2 vs. Alabama
W 2–1 vs. Arkansas
L 0–8 vs. No. 12 LSU
3rd Eastern
199944–27 [9] 17–11L 1–12 vs. Cal State Fullerton
L 1–12 vs. Washington
W 11–3 vs. Florida
W 4–2 vs. Mississippi State
L 2–3 vs. Arkansas
L 1–3 vs. Arkansas
Tied 1st Eastern
200029–34 [9] 5–225th Eastern
200124–35 [9] 9–205th Eastern
200235–25–1 [9] 8–174th Eastern
200345–25 [9] 14–15L 0–1 vs. No. 12 LSU
W 4–3 vs. Auburn
W 5–3 vs. No. 7 Georgia
L 4–3 vs. No. 16 Alabama
4th Eastern
200455–16 [9] 20–8W 10–0 vs. Illinois-Chicago
L 0–4 vs. Oregon State
W 4–0 vs. DePaul
L 5–6 vs. Illinois-Chicago
L 2–8 vs. Mississippi State
W 7–5 vs. No. 23 Florida
W 1–0 vs. No. 15 Alabama
L 0–4 vs. No. 10 Georgia
1st Eastern
200567–15 [9] 20–8W 9–0 vs. Miami (Ohio)
W 4–0 vs. College of Charleston
W 2–0 vs. College of Charleston
W 2–0 vs. No. 6 Stanford
W 6–0 vs. No. 6 Stanford
*W 1–0 vs. No. 3 Arizona
*L 1–3 vs. No. 7 UCLA
*W 4–0 vs. No. 12 Alabama
*W 2–0 vs. No. 1 Michigan
*L 2–3 vs. No. 1 Michigan
W 4–0 vs. No. 23 Florida
L 3–5 vs. No. 8 Georgia
W 3–0 vs. Mississippi State
W 3–1 vs. No. 9 Alabama
L 0–3 vs. No. 9 Alabama
2nd Eastern
200661–12 [9] 21–9W 6–4 vs. Tennessee Tech
W 9–1 vs. Virginia Tech
W 8–1 vs. Louisville
W 5–3 vs. No. 9 Michigan
L 1–5 vs. No. 9 Michigan
W 1–0 vs. No. 9 Michigan
*W 4–3 vs. No. 1 UCLA
*L 0–2 vs. No. 4 Northwestern
*W 3–1 vs. No. 6 Arizona State
*W 1–0 vs. No. 2 Arizona
*L 0–6 vs. No. 2 Arizona
W 6–0 vs. Florida
W 2–1 vs. No. 4 Alabama
W 3–0 vs. No. 12 LSU
SEC Tournament Champions
2nd Eastern
200763–8 [9] 23–4W 8–0 vs. Furman
W 2–0 vs. North Carolina
W 7–0 vs. Winthrop
W 9–0 vs. Hawaii
L 6–9 vs. Hawaii
W 7–1 vs. Hawaii
*W 2–0 vs. No. 4 Texas A&M
*W 1–0 vs. No. 1 Arizona
*W 3–0 vs. No. 2 Northwestern
*W 3–0 vs. No. 1 Arizona
*L 0–1 vs. No. 1 Arizona
*L 0–5 vs. No. 1 Arizona
W 6–0 vs. Ole Miss
L 0–1 vs. No. 19 Florida
SEC Champions
200850–16 [9] 14–2W 3–0 vs. Winthrop
L 0–4 vs. Virginia Tech
W 8–1 vs. Louisville
W 7–1 vs. Virginia Tech
L 2–4 vs. No. 17 Virginia Tech
W 5–2 vs. No. 25 Georgia
L 1–6 vs. No. 1 Florida
2nd Eastern
200940–18–1 [9] 12–12–1W 4–3 vs. James Madison
W 5–2 vs. Nebraska
L 1–6 vs. Jacksonville State
L 1–2 vs. Jacksonville State
W 6–5 vs. No. 20 LSU
L 3–11 vs. No. 1 Florida
3rd Eastern
201049–15 [9] 17–8W 5–0 vs. Ball State
W 11–2 vs. Virginia
W 3–1 vs. Louisville
W 5–0 vs. No. 2 Michigan
W 4–3 vs. No. 2 Michigan
*W 9–0 vs. No. 10 Arizona
*W 7–5 vs. No. 6 Georgia
*L 0–8 vs. No. 10 Arizona
*L 2–5 vs. No. 10 Arizona
W 6–4 vs. No. 9 Georgia
L 3–4 vs. No. 4 Alabama
3rd Eastern
201149–12 [9] 20–8W 8–0 vs. Liberty
L 1–6 vs. Oklahoma State
W 7–0 vs. No. 19 Georgia Tech
L 5–6 vs. Oklahoma State
W 4–1 vs. No. 20 Kentucky
W 2–1 vs. No. 24 Auburn
W 6–5 vs. No. 9 Georgia
SEC Tournament Champions
2nd Eastern
201252–14 [10] 22–6L 0–1 vs. Miami (OH)
W 8–0 vs. UAB
W 8–0 vs. Miami (OH)
W 2–1 vs. Virginia Tech
W 10–2 vs. Virginia Tech
W 3–2 vs. No. 10 Georgia
L 0–1 vs. No. 10 Georgia
W 2–1 vs. No. 10 Georgia
*L 3–5 vs. No. 2 Alabama
*L 1–3 vs. No. 11 Oregon
W 2–1 vs. Auburn
L 1–2 vs. No. 7 Florida
1st Eastern
201352–12 [11] 16–6W 9–0 vs. Longwood
W 1–0 vs. NC State
W 7–0 vs. NC State
W 3–2 vs. No. 10 Alabama
W 5–3 vs. No. 10 Alabama
*W 9–2 vs. No. 2 Florida
*W 1–0 vs. No. 11 Washington
*W 2–1 vs. No. 5 Texas
*L 3–5 vs. No. 1 Oklahoma
*L 0–4 vs. No. 1 Oklahoma
W 5–0 vs. South Carolina
L 0–3 vs. No. 8 Missouri
1st Eastern
201446–12 [12] 17–8W 12–3 vs. Charleston Southern
W 12–0 vs. Virginia Tech
W 2–0 vs. Lipscomb
L 1–8 vs. No. 7 Oklahoma
W 4–0 vs. No. 7 Oklahoma
L 2–8 vs. No. 7 Oklahoma
L 2–0 vs. No. 15 Kentucky 2nd SEC
201547–17 [13] 15–9W 2–0 vs. Longwood
W 9–1 vs. Utah
W 3–1 vs. Utah
W 3–2 vs. No. 9 Florida St.
L 1–6 vs. No. 9 Florida St.
W 2–1 vs. No. 9 Florida St.
*L 2–7 vs. No. 1 Florida
*L 2–4 vs. No. 4 Auburn
W 5–4 vs. No. 24 Kentucky
W 7–5 vs. No. 8 LSU
W 2–1 vs. No. 1 Florida
L 5–6 vs. No. 5 Auburn
5th SEC
201643–16 [14] 16–7W 10–2 vs. Marist
L 0–4 vs. Arizona
W 10–1 vs. Ohio St.
L 3–4 vs. Arizona
W 5–1 vs. South Carolina
L 1–3 vs. No. 13 LSU
3rd SEC
201748–12 [14] 16–7W 5–0 vs. Longwood
W 7–3 vs. USC Upstate
W 3–0 vs. Longwood
W 8–1 vs. No. 11 Texas A&M
L 5–6 vs. No. 11 Texas A&M
L 3–5 vs. No. 11 Texas A&M
L 2–6 vs. No. 21 LSU 3rd SEC
201848–14 [14] 14–10W 9–0 vs. Monmouth
W 12–3 vs. James Madison
W 5–1 vs. Ohio
L 3–4 vs. No. 7 Georgia
L 1–2 vs. No. 7 Georgia
W 1–0 vs. No. 11 LSU
L 2–10 vs. No. 4 Florida
4th SEC
*Women's College World Series

NCAA Tournament seeding history

National seeding began in 2005. The Tennessee Volunteers are one of only three teams to have a national seed every year, along with Florida and Alabama.

Years → '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '11 '12 '13 '14 '15 '16 '17 '18 '19 '21
Seeds →1185131315147710813810129

All-Americans

Four time All- American Monica Abbott Monica abbott.jpg
Four time All- American Monica Abbott

The Tennessee Volunteers softball program has garnered 36 Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-American honors.

National Awards

Monica Abbott – 2007
Monica Abbott – 2007
Madison Shipman – 2014
Raven Chavanne – 2013
Annie Aldrete – 2014
Madison Shipman – 2014 [21]

SEC Awards