By Jack Glennon
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Coming off the heels of a 30-win season, which featured a trip to both the SEC championship game and the Elite Eight, it’s no mystery where expectations lie for this year’s group.
However, it’s also no secret that the Volunteers will be without a number of contributors from the 2024-2025 season.
Backcourt duo Zakai Zeigler and Chaz Lanier, among others, departed from Rocky Top after exhausting their NCAA eligibility.
Tennessee, though, added multiple exciting athletes to help it remain competitive despite the loss of last season’s core. Five-star recruit Nate Ament, along with transfers like Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Jaylen Carey, will look to have an immediate impact.
Gillespie, a Tennessee native, finally gets his moment to play for a fanbase he has been a part of from a young age at Thompson-Boling Arena, a venue he grew up attending games at.
“[Tennessee] is home for me”, Gillespie said.
The question remains: who will step into the leadership role now vacant with the loss of four-year Volunteers Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack? Barnes isn’t worried.
“The older guys that have been here… [are] trying to get [new] guys to understand [the program],” said Barnes.
Tuesday marked the official start of pre-season practice for the Volunteers. They have just over one month to prepare for the campaign’s first match, as they will host the perennially competitive Duke Blue Devils in an exhibition on Oct. 26.
Although this highly anticipated matchup will not count towards either team’s official season record, Tennessee has multiple early-season games with significant implications.
On Nov. 26, in the Players Era Championship, they get their shot at Kelvin Sampson’s national champion runner-up Houston Cougars in Las Vegas.
The Volunteers also host Illinois and Louisville in December before beginning SEC play on Jan. 3 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, against the John Calipari-led Razorbacks.