Tuesday, Oct. 13, Tennessee women’s basketball head coach Kim Caldwell will take to the stage in Birmingham, Alabama, and preview the upcoming season.
Caldwell, along with senior guard Rylie Theuerkauf and fifth-year guard Kaylene Smikle, will represent the Lady Vols basketball program at Southeastern Conference Tip-Off ‘27. Several media opportunities will take place that day, including a news conference, radio and television interviews and other engagements from 4:50 to 7:10 p.m. ET (3:50 to 6:10 p.m. CT) at the Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook in suburban Birmingham.
In the main media room, Caldwell will take questions from 4:50 to 5:05 p.m. ET (3:50 to 4:05 p.m. CT), followed by Smikle and Theuerkauf from 5:05 to 5:15 p.m. ET (4:05 to 4:15 p.m. CT). The Lady Vol trio will appear together live on the SEC Network set from 6:05 to 6:20 p.m. ET (5:05 to 5:20 p.m. CT).
Theuerkauf, a transfer from Georgia, has already spoken highly of her experience inside Caldwell’s program. A known sharpshooter, she has taken great responsibility in expanding her craft. A guard with pro aspirations needs to get downhill on offense and defend to not only survive in the SEC, but reach that next level.
“I’m attacking the basket a lot more, my defense, and probably my conditioning,” Theuerkauf said in response to what she’s improved. “When we first got here and started running, I was like, ‘Oh, goodness.’ But now I’m in much better shape.”
Being in better shape has also helped her adjust to Caldwell’s defensive schemes.
Smikle, who came in from Rutgers, is back in the groove after missing all but seven games last season due to a knee injury that required surgery. She brings 87 games and 71 starts to Knoxville, along with career averages of 17.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.7 steals per game.
Recently on “The Mike Keith Show,” Smikle spoke on transitioning to the SEC. She doesn’t see any major changes required of her game.
“I anticipate my game to be the same,” she told Keith. “I don’t think when I transfer from schools that they change my game. I’ve transferred to schools where I fit their system. So it’s not like I have to change the way I play or become a different player coming into a new school. It blends seamlessly because I do my research on how the school plays so that I know that I’m a fit for the school.”
Tennessee will host an exhibition game vs. Florida A&M at 6:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 27 and open the season at Food City Center at 6:30 p.m. ET on Nov. 2 vs. Duquesne. Both contests will be streamed on SECN+.
