Manny Marin and Levi Clark are some of the better returning stars for the Tennessee baseball program. Clark and Marin are returning and will have a bigger role with the Vols, as the new season approaching leads many to believe they will be A+ players.

Josh Elander commented on the players during a press conference this week. Here is what he said.

Manny Marin and Levi Clark’s Importance

“Well, that’s what you hope as a coaching staff, that those guys make a jump. Usually, it’s between freshman and sophomore year. Manny, the one thing I talk with him about is like, if you’re going to play in the middle of the field, you need to run the show. You need to over-communicate it. Also, we need to tell him, like, ‘Hey, be quiet. You’re talking too much.’ So really, that’s never going to happen, but he’s done a great job just kind of commanding the field. And then Levi has been awesome, balancing catching and playing first. I think guys respect those guys because they’ve played in the league. They know what it’s like, but they also were very lucky, where some of our better players are some of our best people, too. It’s easy for our young guys to have an example to look up to. And in our program, we always talk about competition is king. Internal should be every single day. There’s somebody right next to you, behind you, in front of you, that’s capable of doing it at the same level, but at the same time, those guys have been great teammates and making sure this freshman class that is really talented, bringing those guys along too, and making sure they’re getting better along the way.”

Tennessee Baseball’s Preseason Is Closing

“Yeah, we’re just excited to get going. I know the guys — it’s been nice how the NCAA has opened it up. We’ve had a little bit more time. Had to battle the weather a little bit, but had a good weekend. We’re able to get outside for three consecutive days, see those guys compete a little bit. But again, the start of the season is here. We’re excited. But again, this will be a process where I told the guys, hey, Opening Day is right around the corner, but this needs to be a deal, this is just the beginning of getting better and better as we go through the course of the year, and then eventually get into SEC play.”

More Vols News

• Former Christian Brothers High School basketball coach Bubba Luckett was surprised with the news that he will be joining the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
• Luckett, who coached for 42 years, is the first Memphis high school basketball coach to receive the honor.
• He won more than 700 games and two state titles during his career before retiring in 2025.

Bubba Luckett was seated in the first row of bleachers just behind the Christian Brothers High School bench he once manned for 42 years.

He was flanked by several family members as they watched his son, Brad Luckett, coach their alma mater. It’s the younger Luckett’s first season as head coach, so Bubba presumed the extra family was just there to support Brad. But on Feb. 9, they were once again there for Bubba.

During halftime of CBHS’ game against MUS, Luckett was surprised with the announcement that he will be inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame’s 2026 class.

“I had no clue,” Luckett said after receiving a medallion and a standing ovation at halftime. “A lot of my family is here, and I thought they were just coming to watch Brad. I didn’t have any clue what was going on.”

Luckett joins former Tennessee Volunteers football stars Charles McRae, Antone Davis and the late Reggie Cobb as members of the 2026 class, according to a new release shared with The Commercial Appeal. He is the first Memphis high school basketball coach to join the Tennessee hall of fame.

The full class will be announced in the coming weeks ahead of July 11’s induction ceremony at the Omni Nashville Downtown.

“Bubba has been successful at every level — as a CBHS player, as a Tiger player . . . And then his coaching career, you can put those numbers up against anybody,” said Harold Graeter, chairman of the Tennessee Sports HOF, who presented Luckett with the news at halftime. “He’s one of the winningest coaches in the history of our city, Shelby County and the entire state of Tennessee.”

Luckett was also inducted as a member of the Memphis Sports Hall of Fame in October 2025. In his 42 years as a coach, the CBHS and Memphis alum won more than 700 games, including two state titles and four state runner-up finishes. He now enjoys his time as a grandfather and supporter of the school he’ll forever love and call home.

“I did the right thing, but I miss it, no doubt,” said Luckett, who retired in 2025. “I’m watching it as a spectator. I’m not really thinking about what they should or shouldn’t do. (Brad’s) a better coach than me. I wouldn’t dare second-guess what he’s doing.”

Christian Brothers (14-9) dropped the Feb. 9 game to MUS (14-6), 50-33.

“He’s lived a Hall of Fame life, and he deserves the recognition,” Graeter said. “We’re proud to be able to induct Coach Luckett. When I look at coaches, it’s not just the wins and the championships — it’s the lives they touched.”

Wendell Shepherd Jr. is The Commercial Appeal’s high school sports beat writer. Reach Wendell at wendell.shepherd@commercialappeal.com or on X @wendellsjr_.

Tennessee women’s basketball head coach Kim Caldwell is struggling in her second year with the Lady Vols.

“We just had a lot of quit in us tonight,” Caldwell said after a 93-50 loss to South Carolina on Sunday; the 43-point margin a record for the largest defeat in Tennessee women’s basketball history. 

“And that’s been something that’s been consistent with our team is ― we’re not comfortable, and things don’t go our way, and I have a team that’ll just quit on you. And you can’t do that in big games, can’t do that anytime in the SEC, but you certainly can’t do that at a program like this.”

Caldwell had no answers for why, when things are going badly, the Lady Vols struggle to stay composed. They seemingly unravel to the point of no return. (This season, the team has five ranked losses of 15 points or more, including a 30-point loss to UConn and 43-point loss to the Gamecocks. Three of those losses to top teams also included 20 turnovers.) Caldwell appeared to shift the blame to her team.

“That’s a question for them, about why they can’t stick together,” the Tennessee coach said.

When asked if she had advice for Caldwell as a young head coach, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley offered up some reassuring words after Caldwell’s head-turning admissions.