Tennessee Lady Vols Earn 10th Seed in March Madness

Tennessee's talented but young squad faces tough test against NC State in opening round

Mar. 16, 2026 at 12:34am

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The Tennessee Lady Volunteers have officially earned a spot in the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, securing a 10th seed in the third region. Despite a challenging regular season, the Lady Vols will look to pull off an upset as one of the tournament's potential underdog stories. Tennessee will face off against North Carolina State in the opening round, a rematch of an early-season loss for the Lady Vols.

Why it matters

The Tennessee Lady Vols are one of the most prestigious women's basketball programs, having won 8 national championships. However, they have struggled this season under second-year head coach Kim Caldwell, making their tournament berth a bit of a surprise. A strong tournament run could help establish the Lady Vols as a force to be reckoned with once again.

The details

Tennessee was awarded a 10th seed in the third region of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. They will face off against 7th-seeded North Carolina State in the opening round, a rematch of an early-season loss for the Lady Vols. Tennessee is led by a talented but young roster, which has led to some inconsistent play throughout the regular season. However, the Lady Vols have the potential to become one of the tournament's Cinderella stories with a deep run.

  • Tennessee was awarded their tournament seeding on Selection Sunday, March 16, 2026.
  • The Lady Vols will face North Carolina State in the opening round on Friday, March 21, 2026.

The players

Kim Caldwell

The second-year head coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols, tasked with leading the storied program back to national prominence.

Mia Pauldo

A key player for the Tennessee Lady Vols, who will look to lead her team on a deep tournament run.

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What’s next

The winner of the Tennessee-NC State matchup will advance to face the winner of the Texas-Gonzaga game in the second round.

The takeaway

Despite a challenging regular season, the Tennessee Lady Vols have the talent and opportunity to become one of the Cinderella stories of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. A strong tournament run could help re-establish the Lady Vols as one of the premier programs in the country.