Senior Staff Writer/Editor/Host
It has been 259 days since Tennessee fell short in the semifinals of the Women’s College World Series against the Texas Longhorns. The Lady Vols managed just three hits in a 2–0 loss. Flash forward to today, and Tennessee isn’t chasing the standard of college softball; they are the standard, ranked No. 1 in the country.
Tennessee isn’t just beating teams on its way to the No. 1 ranking — it’s overwhelming them. Through 10 games, the Lady Vols have outscored opponents 76–4.
The scary part for the rest of the country? All 10 wins have come on neutral fields.
Six of those victories came against Top 25 opponents, including No. 5 Oregon Ducks softball (2–0), No. 6 UCLA Bruins softball (11–0), and No. 7 Florida State Seminoles softball (9–1).
Against ranked competition, Tennessee has a 40–3 scoring margin.
And they haven’t even played at home yet.
What happens when they finally get home to Knoxville? That should terrify everyone else in the sport.
Of course, Karlyn Pickens is the star in the circle. But this season, the Lady Vols have something they’ve desperately needed behind her — reliable depth.
Sophomore Erin Nuwer has already shown she’s more than capable of carrying her share of the load. She tossed a complete five-inning shutout against No. 6 UCLA, holding the Bruins scoreless in an 11–0 statement win.
Nuwer also threw the second no-hitter of her career in Tennessee’s season opener against the BYU Cougars softball team — the 62nd in program history.
And that might be the most important development of all. Tennessee isn’t just elite at the top — it’s built to last through May and into Oklahoma City.
Two hundred fifty-nine days ago, Tennessee walked off the field in Oklahoma City in silence.
This team looks determined to make sure the next trip ends differently.
If you want to beat the Lady Vols, you’ll have to earn every inch.
And if you come for the queens, you'd better not miss.
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