Lady Vols Open Practice Oct. 17: Parking, Times and Roster

Tennessee fans attending the Lady Vols basketball open practice on Oct. 17 will need to plan their arrival around one of the biggest football games on the university’s calendar. With campus parking lots reserved for the Volunteers’ 3:30 p.m. SEC matchup against Alabama, attendees driving to Food City Center must secure off-campus transportation or parking well in advance.

The free event opens its doors at 9:30 a.m., with access restricted to Gates C and D. Fans are directed to lower-bowl Sections 103 through 107 for seating. Arena concession stands will remain closed throughout the morning, meaning visitors should eat before arriving or bring sealed water bottles if permitted under venue policies.

Head coach Kim Caldwell will run her squad through a scrimmage against male practice players beginning at 10 a.m. The session serves as the first live look at a roster that has undergone a near-total reconstruction during the offseason. Caldwell, entering her third year leading the program, is managing 15 new players who arrived through the transfer portal and the high school recruiting cycle.

This level of roster turnover reflects the broader reality of modern college basketball. Programs across the Southeastern Conference routinely replace double-digit players annually as athletes leverage expanded transfer eligibility and name, image, and likeness compensation. For Tennessee, integrating such a large group of newcomers quickly is essential to competing in an SEC that consistently sends multiple teams deep into the NCAA Tournament.

Among the players expected to take the floor are guards Naomi White and Zhen Craft, forward Kennedy Fauntleroy, and center Fatmata Janneh. International additions like Harissoum Coulibaly and Irene Oboavwoduo add distinct skill sets to Caldwell’s system, which relies heavily on pace and defensive pressure. Returning pieces and transfers such as Kaylene Smikle, Gabby Minus, Riley Makalusky, Shaelyn Steele, Jada Eads, Aaliyah Moore, Rylie Theuerkauf and Harper Peterson round out the available depth chart heading into the winter.

A select group of players will remain on the court after the scrimmage concludes around noon for a 30-minute autograph session. Fans hoping for signatures should position themselves near the designated seating sections early, as arena staff typically begin clearing the floor shortly after the session ends to prepare the building for afternoon football operations.

The October practice functions as an informal introduction to the team ahead of sanctioned competition. Tennessee’s official exhibition game is scheduled for Oct. 27 against Florida A&M, with tipoff set for 6:30 p.m. ET and coverage streaming on SEC Network+. The regular season begins Nov. 2 when Duquesne visits Knoxville.