The Tennessee Lady Volunteers women's tennis team represents the University of Tennessee, in Knoxville, TN. The program has qualified for 31 NCAA Tournaments, including 20 straight from 1995 to 2014. They are led by former player and current 8th year head coach Alison Ojeda.
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. In 2017 the university announced the return of the “Lady Volunteer” name.
History All-time, the Lady Vols have appeared in 30 NCAA tournaments with their best result being a semifinal berth in 2002. This puts them at 4th in the SEC in terms of NCAA appearances behind Florida (40), Georgia (36), and South Carolina (32). Additionally the women's tennis team is one of only 2 programs at Tennessee (the other is women's golf) to never win a conference championship. The Lady Vols have finished 2nd in the SEC Regular Season 5 times (2001, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2011), and lost in the final of the SEC Tournament 4 times (2001, 2009, 2010, 2011).
Mike Patrick and Sonia Hahn-Patrick era Mike Patrick led the Lady Volunteer Tennis program for 30 years, 20 of which where he served as Co-Head Coach with his with Sonia Han-Patrick, before he resigned on November 16, 2016. Patrick was the winningest coach in Lady Vol program history compiling a 473-310 all-time record. Of Patrick's 30 seasons, 23 teams finished the year ranked in the top 25. Patrick's best finish in the NCAA tournament came with a semifinal appearance in 2002. Additionally, the 2001 team achieved the programs first #1 national ranking, and finished 6th in the nation with a 25-4 (10-1 SEC) record. They came within 1 match of an SEC Regular season title following a 4-3 loss to #5 Florida, and subsequently lost the SEC Tournament final to #2 Georgia. Patrick's assistant coach Alison Ojeda, a former All-American at Tennessee, took over the program in 2017.
Alison Ojeda era In Ojeda's first six seasons as head coach, she has guided the Lady Vols to the NCAA Tournament every season but 2020 when the tournament was cancelled.
The 2017 season saw Tennessee finish with their most wins since 2011, posting a 19-12 record, and finishing the season ranked #24 in the ITA rankings. The season ended in the NCAA round of 32 with a 4-1 loss to #15 seed Duke.
The 2018 season began with a 12-0 record, the programs best start in program a history; however, the team struggled in SEC play finishing with a 3-10 conference record. The year ended with an 18-12 mark, and a 4-2 loss to Oregon in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
In Ojeda's third season (2019), Tennessee reached new heights by finishing with their most wins since 2003, and making their third consecutive NCAA tournament. The team finished 4th in the SEC with a 9-4 record, and was ranked #20 in the ITA rankings with a 20-8 record. The run ended with a 4-0 loss in the NCAA second round to #12 seed NC State.
In 2020, Tennessee got off to a 10-3 (1-2 SEC) before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic after their 4-3 match win against Ole Miss.
The 2021 season saw Tennessee finish 5th in the SEC with an 8-5 mark in SEC play. They entered the NCAA Tournament with a 16-8 record after a loss in the SEC tournament semifinal to #3 ranked Georgia. Despite being ranked 15th in the ITA rankings, the Lady Vols were not awarded one of the NCAA Tournament's top 16 seeds, who host the first and second rounds of the tournament. Thus, they travelled to the Charlottesville regional, where the beat James Madison 4-0 in the round of 64, then fell to #14 seed Virginia, in a close match, 4-2. This concluded the 2021 season, and the team's 17-9 campaign.
The 2022 season saw the Lady Vols return to the NCAA tournament for the 5th season in a row (2020 tournament was cancelled), and finish 7th in the conference with a 7-6 record. They advanced to the semifinals of the SEC Tournament via a 4-2 upset of #2 seed and twelfth ranked Auburn. The season concluded with a 16-10 record and a 4-1 loss to #6 NC State in the NCAA round of 32.
Under Ojeda, the 2023 team had their best season in over a decade. Big SEC wins over #17 Vanderbilt (4-3), #8 Auburn (6-1), and #17 Florida (4-1) propelled the Lady Vols a 3rd place SEC finish, their highest since 2013. Tennessee advanced to the semifinals of the SEC tournament for the 3rd year in a row, and hosted an NCAA Regional for the first time since 2011. As the #15 seed, Tennessee defeated Southeast Missouri State (4-0), and Wake Forest (4-1) to advance to the Round of 16 for the first time since 2010. There, they concluded the 21-6 campaign by falling in the College Station Super Regional to #2 Texas A&M 4-1.
Head coaches Source # Coach Years Seasons Overall Conference Won Lost % Won Lost %1Mary Jane Ramsey1977–197822117.553 –––2Mary Ellis Richardson1978–198134914.778 –––3Frank Ackley1981–198324619.708135.7224Elizabeth Henderson1983–198745257.477832.2005Mike Patrick1988–201629473310.604187133.5846Sonia Hahn-Patrick1998–201619314203.60712295.5627Alison Ojeda2016-Pres.712160.6694338.531 Total47762477.615251208.547
Yearly Record Source Season Coach Record Conference standingConferencetournament ITA rank Postseason Overall Conference Independent (AIAW)1977Mary Jane Ramsey7-4–––––1978Mary Jane Ramsey14-13–––––1979Mary Ellis Richardson14-3–––––1980Mary Ellis Richardson16-4–––––1981Mary Ellis Richardson19-7––––– Southeastern Conference (NCAA)1982Frank Ackley25-77-24th–––1983Frank Ackley21-126-34th–––1984Elizabeth Henderson9-162-99th–––1985Elizabeth Henderson14-143-86th–––1986Elizabeth Henderson14-141-88th–––1987Elizabeth Henderson15-132-78th–––1988Mike Patrick17-86-35th–24th–1989Mike Patrick15-77-23rd–17thNCAA First Round1990Mike Patrick19-86-24thSemifinal12thNCAA Round of 161991Mike Patrick17-145-65thQuarterfinal15thNCAA First Round1992Mike Patrick20-98-33rdSemifinal11thNCAA Round of 161993Mike Patrick13-146-56thQuarterfinal21st–1994Mike Patrick6-163-89thFirst Round39th–1995Mike Patrick16-88-33rdQuarterfinal12thNCAA First Round1996Mike Patrick16-138-34thQuarterfinal17thNCAA Second Round1997Mike Patrick20-108-34thSemifinal13thNCAA Round of 161998Mike Patrick & Sonia Hahn-Patrick20-116-56thSemifinal15thNCAA Round of 161999Mike Patrick & Sonia Hahn-Patrick18-85-67thQuarterfinal14thNCAA Round of 162000Mike Patrick & Sonia Hahn-Patrick20-127-45thSemifinal14thNCAA Round of 162001Mike Patrick & Sonia Hahn-Patrick25-410-12ndFinal6thNCAA Round of 162002Mike Patrick & Sonia Hahn-Patrick21-107-45thQuarterfinal12thNCAA Semifinal 2003Mike Patrick & Sonia Hahn-Patrick22-79-2T-2ndSemifinal10thNCAA Round of 162004Mike Patrick & Sonia Hahn-Patrick15-147-44thQuarterfinal19thNCAA Round of 162005Mike Patrick & Sonia Hahn-Patrick15-97-4T-4th Quarterfinal18thNCAA Second Round2006Mike Patrick & Sonia Hahn-Patrick12-136-55thSemifinal32ndNCAA First Round2007Mike Patrick & Sonia Hahn-Patrick14-116-5T-5thSemifinal23rdNCAA Second Round2008Mike Patrick & Sonia Hahn-Patrick15-106-54thQuarterfinal24thNCAA Second Round2009Mike Patrick & Sonia Hahn-Patrick18-78-32ndFinal10thNCAA Second Round2010Mike Patrick & Sonia Hahn-Patrick19-98-32ndFinal13thNCAA Quarterfinal2011Mike Patrick & Sonia Hahn-Patrick20-89-22ndFinal17thNCAA Second Round2012Mike Patrick & Sonia Hahn-Patrick15-134-75thQuarterfinal24thNCAA Second Round2013Mike Patrick & Sonia Hahn-Patrick13-127-63rdQuarterfinal31stNCAA Second Round2014Mike Patrick & Sonia Hahn-Patrick13-136-76thSecond Round34thNCAA First Round2015Mike Patrick & Sonia Hahn-Patrick11-153-1013thFirst Round61st–2016Mike Patrick & Sonia Hahn-Patrick8-171-1213thFirst Round––2017Alison Ojeda19-124-911thSecond Round24thNCAA Second Round2018Alison Ojeda18-123-1012thSecond Round40thNCAA First Round2019Alison Ojeda20-89-44thQuarterfinal22ndNCAA Second Round2020Alison Ojeda10-31-2–––Postseason not held (COVID-19)2021Alison Ojeda17-98-55thSemifinal18thNCAA Second Round2022Alison Ojeda16-107-67thSemifinal24thNCAA Second Round2023Alison Ojeda21-611-23rdSemifinal14thNCAA Round of 16 Total762–477SEC: 251-208 30 NCAA Appearances
NCAA Tournament Results In the NCAA Tournament, Tennessee holds a 37-30 record. In the first two rounds of regional matches hosted in Knoxville, the Lady Vols have a 17-2 record, compared with a 32-20 record at other regional sites. In the Round of 16 and beyond, the team is 3-10.
1989 First Round #15 San Diego L 7-2 1990 #10 Round of 16 #7 USC L 7-2 1991 First Round #15 San Diego St L 5-1 1992 #13 Round of 16 #4 Georgia L 5-01995 #16 First Round LSU L 5-31996 Regional QF Regional SF Auburn #14 Georgia W 5-0 L 5-31997 #12 Regional QF Regional SF Regional Final Round of 16 Baylor Houston LSU #5 UCLA W 5-1 W 5-0 W 5-2 L 5-0 1998 #15 Regional QF Regional SF Regional Final Round of 16 Clemson South Alabama Vanderbilt #2 Stanford W 5-0 W 5-3 W 5-4 L 6-01999 #15 First Round Second Round Round of 16 Tennessee Tech Wisconsin #2 Stanford W 5-0 W 5-2 L 5-12000 First Round Second Round Round of 16 Princeton #14 William & Mary #3 Wake Forest W 5-1 W 5-3 L 5-02001 #5 First Round Second Round Round of 16 Furman Washington State #12 Washington W 4-0 W 4-0 L 4-32002 #13 First Round Second Round Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Marshall Alabama #4 Vanderbilt VCU #1 Florida W 4-0 W 4-0 W 4-2 W 4-3 L 4-12003 #7 First Round Second Round Round of 16 Murray State Virginia #10 Vanderbilt W 4-0 W 4-1 L 4-32004 #14 First Round Second Round Round of 16 Wisconsin North Carolina #3 Vanderbilt W 4-3 W 4-3 L 4-1 2005 First Round Second Round Boston U #16 Harvard W 4-0 L 4-12006 First Round Penn L 4-22007 First Round Second Round Tulsa #16 Vanderbilt W 4-0 L 4-02008 First Round Second Round Illinois #3 Georgia Tech W 4-0 L 4-02009 #10 First Round Second Round East Tennessee State South Carolina W 4-0 L 4-3 2010 #13 First Round Second Round Round of 16 Quarterfinals Winthrop Vanderbilt #4 Michigan #5 Notre Dame W 4-0 W 4-1 W 4-0 L 4-22011 #13 First Round Second Round College of Charleston Vanderbilt W 4-1 L 4-32012 First Round Second Round VCU #14 Virginia W 4-0 L 4-12013 First Round Second Round VCU #2 North Carolina W 4-0 L 4-12014 First Round Georgia State L 4-32017 First Round Second Round Winthrop #15 Duke W 4-1 L 4-12018 First Round Oregon L 4-22019 First Round Second Round Furman #12 NC State W 4-0 L 4-02021 First Round Second Round James Madison #14 Virginia W 4-0 L 4-22022 First Round Second Round VCU #6 NC State W 4-1 L 4-12023 #15 First Round Second Round Round of 16 SE Missouri State Wake Forest #2 Texas A&M W 4-0 W 4-1 L 4-12024 #16 First Round Second Round Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Murray State Duke #1 Oklahoma State #8 UCLA #13 Texas A&M W 4-0 W 4-0 W 4-2 W 4-3 L 4-1
See also Tennessee Volunteers men's tennis
References
External links