Tennessee
How Tennessee softball benefited from star Kiki Milloy’s ‘reset’ in history-making SEC season
Tennessee softball coach Karen Weekly on Kiki Milloy since ankle injury
Coach Karen Weekly described how Kiki Milloy helps the Lady Vols since her return from injury after the team’s series win over LSU on Sunday.
Karen Weekly could only describe it as “euphoria.”
The Tennessee softball coach watched her team dash around Sherri Lee Parker Stadium. Weekly did the “griddy,” the dance her players taught her for moments like these. Mid-interview, she was kissed by two of her players not too long after she was doused with Gatorade while beaming alongside her Lady Vols family.
This unbridled happiness could be spawned only by making history.
No. 3 Tennessee won back-to-back SEC regular-season championships for the first time in program history, beating No. 24 Kentucky 8-3 on Friday to clinch the series win.
“It feels absolutely amazing,” Weekly said. “I’m just so happy for them because they’re the ones that have to go out there . . . to find a way and get this done. I’m just overjoyed for them.
“I told them, ‘You’re back-to-back regular-season champions in the toughest conference in America, that’s something to be super proud of.’”
UT (39-9, 18-5) clinched the regular-season title outright after Texas A&M dropped its series opener Friday. Kentucky is 30-20, 8-15.
In the Lady Vols’ win, Kiki Milloy had a home run and team-high three RBIs, and Karlyn Pickens arrived in relief as she struck out five and allowed no hits or runs in four innings. This is the sophomore’s 18th win of the season.
How a ‘reset’ helped Kiki Milloy
Milloy, a graduate outfielder, had a magical senior season last year. She hit .406 and set three Tennessee single-season records with 25 homers, 86 runs scored and a .929 slugging percentage.
This season has been more up-and-down; she is hitting .362 and has 11 home runs. It didn’t help that she missed a series against Georgia after she rolled her ankle. She has remained a steadying presence as a leader, but it’s understood that her play is essential for Tennessee to excel in the playoffs.
“You learn about people when things don’t go perfect,” Weekly said. “That’s the real measure of who you are as a competitor and really who you are as a human being.”
No one at Tennessee is surprised to learn Milloy perseveres. After trailing 3-2 after three innings, Milloy drilled a three-run homer, her 11th of the season, to deep center field, which helped the Lady Vols regain control of the game and galvanize the team and the fans.
“She had her struggles this year but what a champion,” Weekly said. “Things weren’t easy but she just dug in . . . now she’s getting her stroke back. Boy, we need it and that was a huge dagger.”
“Kiki plays a huge role for our team,” Pickens said. “Always just getting the momentum going and she always steps up in big situations like that.”
Milloy said that a major reason she was able to have her first home run since April 23 and second three-RBI game of the year is because of her injury, which she described as a “blessing in disguise.”
“It was a good reset for me because at that point in the season, I wasn’t really playing the way I wanted to play,” she said.
She never would wish to be sidelined, she said, but not playing helped her be more mentally secure.
“Taking that time to step back and reevaluate and kind of realize this is my last season, I don’t need to put as much pressure on myself,” she said. “I think that just really helps.”
Toyloy Brown III is a Knox News sports reporter. Email toyloy.brown@knoxnews.com. On X, formerly Twitter, @TJ3rd_.
Published on Mar. 4, 2026
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Vanderbilt basketball guard Frankie Collins is leaving the program, head coach Mark Byington announced on Tuesday night. The news comes just days before the Commodores are set to face off against Tennessee in the regular season finale, with the Volunteers looking to clinch a top-four seed and double-bye in the SEC Tournament.
Why it matters
Collins was Vanderbilt’s most highly touted transfer last offseason, but injuries limited him to just nine games this season. His departure leaves the Commodores shorthanded heading into a crucial matchup against their in-state rival Tennessee, who are seeking to complete a regular season sweep.
The details
The 6-foot-1 guard averaged 7.8 points, 4.7 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game this season, but suffered a meniscus injury in December that sidelined him for the majority of the year. With the emergence of sophomore point guard Tyler Tanner and Oklahoma transfer Duke Miles, Collins never quite found his footing in the Vanderbilt lineup.
- Frankie Collins left the Vanderbilt program on Tuesday, March 4, 2026.
- Vanderbilt is scheduled to face Tennessee on Saturday, March 8, 2026.
The players
Frankie Collins
A 6-foot-1 guard who was Vanderbilt’s most highly touted transfer last offseason, coming to Nashville after spending the 2024-25 season at TCU and the three prior years at Arizona State and Michigan.
Mark Byington
The head coach of the Vanderbilt Commodores basketball team.
Tyler Tanner
The sophomore point guard who emerged as a key player for Vanderbilt this season.
Duke Miles
An Oklahoma transfer shooting guard who joined the Vanderbilt roster this season.
Rick Barnes
The head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers basketball team.
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What they’re saying
“Frankie has left Nashville, and he’s not gonna be on the team. It’s gonna be good for both sides of it. We wish him well. So we’ll roll with the guys we got.”
— Mark Byington, Head Coach, Vanderbilt Commodores (rockytopinsider.com)
What’s next
With a victory over Vanderbilt, Tennessee will clinch a top four-seed and a double-bye in next week’s SEC Tournament. Vanderbilt could potentially earn a double-bye themselves with a win and a little extra help.
The takeaway
The loss of Frankie Collins leaves Vanderbilt shorthanded heading into a crucial matchup against in-state rival Tennessee, who are seeking to complete a regular season sweep. The Commodores will have to rely on the emergence of players like Tyler Tanner and Duke Miles to try and pull off the upset and keep their own postseason hopes alive.
Published on Mar. 3, 2026
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According to ESPN’s latest NFL mock draft, three former Tennessee Volunteers players are projected to be selected in the top 60 picks of the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. Cornerbacks Jermod McCoy and Colton Hood are both projected to be first-round picks, while wide receiver Chris Brazzell II is projected to be a second-round selection.
Why it matters
The strong NFL Draft projections for Tennessee players highlight the continued talent development and success of the Volunteers football program under head coach Josh Heupel. If these projections hold true, it would mark the first time Tennessee has had two first-round picks and three players selected in the top 60 overall during Heupel’s tenure.
The details
Cornerback Jermod McCoy is projected to be selected 29th overall by the Los Angeles Rams, despite not participating in on-field workouts at the NFL Combine due to a previous ACL injury. Teammate Colton Hood is projected to be the final pick of the first round, going 32nd overall to the Seattle Seahawks. Wide receiver Chris Brazzell II impressed at the Combine with a 4.37 40-yard dash and is projected to be a second-round pick, going 60th overall to the Buffalo Bills.
- The NFL Combine was held in late February 2026.
- Tennessee’s Pro Day workouts are scheduled for the end of March 2026.
- The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in April-May 2026.
The players
Jermod McCoy
A cornerback for the Tennessee Volunteers who is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, despite missing the 2025 season due to an ACL injury.
Colton Hood
A cornerback for the Tennessee Volunteers who is projected to be a first-round pick, going 32nd overall to the Seattle Seahawks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Chris Brazzell II
A wide receiver for the Tennessee Volunteers who impressed at the NFL Combine with a 4.37 40-yard dash and is projected to be a second-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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What they’re saying
“If we’re going strictly by talent, McCoy is a top-10 prospect in this class. But he hasn’t played a game since 2024, missing all of last season after suffering an ACL tear in January 2025. We’re still not sure where he’s at in his recovery, as he did not participate in testing or drills at the combine. This gives the Rams — who haven’t drafted a corner in the first round since 2006 or before Day 3 since 2019 — the potential to get a steal here. McCoy is an easy mover who has squeaky-clean technique.”
— Jordan Reid, ESPN Analyst (ESPN)
“The reigning champions have a clear need at corner, as Josh Jobe and Riq Woolen are both scheduled to be free agents. Hood is a scheme-versatile player who can thrive in press man while also having the fluidity to excel in zone. A former all-state center fielder in high school, Hood’s ball skills frequently show up on tape (10 pass breakups and an interception last season). With his poised technique and wrap-up-and-finish tackling, he would fit well on the outside of Mike Macdonald’s secondary.”
— Jordan Reid, ESPN Analyst (ESPN)
“The Bills need someone who can separate on the outside, and Brazzell is an ‘X’ receiver who can be a deep vertical threat. He can also sink his weight and run a true route tree, making him a good fit with quarterback Josh Allen.”
— Jordan Reid, ESPN Analyst (ESPN)
What’s next
Tennessee’s Pro Day workouts are scheduled for the end of March 2026, where McCoy plans to participate in on-field drills to further showcase his recovery from the ACL injury. Strong performances at the Pro Day could potentially push McCoy back up draft boards into the top half of the first round.
The takeaway
The strong NFL Draft projections for Tennessee players demonstrate the continued talent development and success of the Volunteers football program under head coach Josh Heupel. If these projections hold true, it would mark a significant milestone for the program, with Tennessee potentially having two first-round picks and three players selected in the top 60 overall for the first time during Heupel’s tenure.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WCYB) — Tennessee Athletics’ “Big Orange Caravan” presented by Pilot will roll into the Tri-Cities on April 30, bringing some of the university’s most recognizable faces to Kingsport.
The statewide tour, a collaboration between Tennessee Athletics and the UT Knoxville Office of Alumni Affairs, features Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White, men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes, women’s basketball coach Kim Caldwell, head football coach Josh Heupel and “Voice of the Vols” Mike Keith.
The Tri-Cities stop is scheduled for Thursday, April 30, at Meadowview Convention Center, 1901 Meadowview Parkway, Kingsport, Tennessee. Doors open at 5 p.m., followed by a meet-and-greet session with the headliners from 5:30-6:15 p.m. The program begins at 6:15 p.m.
Hosted by Keith, the evening will include stories, program insight and a question-and-answer session with Tennessee’s athletics leaders and coaches. The UT Spirit Squads also will be in attendance.
Tickets are $30, plus taxes and fees, and include light food options. A cash bar, along with additional light food and appetizers, will be available.
Of each ticket sold, $5 will benefit the local UT Alumni chapter’s scholarship endowment and $10 will go toward the My All Campaign.
The Tri-Cities event is the final stop of the three-city spring tour. The caravan opens in Chattanooga on April 28 before heading to Nashville on April 29. As announced last spring, Chattanooga and Memphis will alternate as tour stops each year.
The Big Orange Caravan is designed to connect Tennessee coaches and administrators with fans across the state, offering behind-the-scenes insight and celebrating the support of the Volunteer community.
Tickets for the Tri-Cities stop can be purchased at https://www.gofevo.com/event/BOCTriCities26
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