By Stephen Mason
In an offseason when change was the only constant for Tennessee Volleyball, one key component of the roster from the prior three seasons remained. Since 2023, fifth-year setter Caroline Kerr has played a role in head coach Eve Rackham Watt’s offense; however, this year the All-American will face her biggest task yet.
After falling to Utah State in the opening round of the NCAA tournament last year, the floodgates opened for the Lady Vols roster, with seven players leaving through the transfer portal and seven returning for the 2026 season. In response, Rackham Watt put together a roster that relies on high-powered transfers on the pins and towering freshmen in the middle.
SMU transfer Kennedi Rogers has already established herself as the engine of the Tennessee offense, recording 49 kills in three appearances in this young season. Jalyn Stout, a transfer from Coastal Carolina, has already proven her versatility with 39 kills and 28 digs in four appearances.
Besides returning junior Chelsea Sutton, Rackham Watt has also utilized three freshman middle blockers in her rotation. Camille Perry (6-foot-4), Anni Tang (6-foot-7), and Jolene Oddo (6-foot-5) have all seen playing time already.
The glue holding this lineup together is Kerr, who will quarterback the offense through a challenging nonconference schedule and the gauntlet of the SEC; however, she is equipped for the challenge.
For a setter, there is hardly a better coaching staff to help you reach your full potential than Tennessee’s.
Rackham Watt was the starting setter at North Carolina from 1999 to 2002. During her time as a Tar Heel, she helped her team reach four NCAA tournaments, including a Round of 16 run in 2002.
Personally, Rackham Watt still holds the school record with an average of 12.58 assists per set, and in 2002 received first-team All-ACC and first-team AVCA All-Region honors.
Tennessee assistant coach and director of player development Gavin Watt has a similar setting pedigree. From 2004 to 2013, Watt was a setter for Scotland’s junior national and national teams.
As Scotland’s No. 1 setter, he made a 24-man roster for the 2012 London Olympic Games, representing Team Great Britain. Watt also played professionally for three years in France before starting a coaching career in the United States.
Having played under these coaches for a few years, Kerr has already established herself as one of the best setters in the nation. In her first three years, Kerr notched 3,313 assists and won countless honors.
In the first four games of 2026, she has recorded 137 assists and built a very productive connection with Rogers. Kerr can also look forward to senior outside hitter Mackenzie Plante returning to the lineup from injury. The two have played together before and were key to creating a winning culture for this season.
After finding their stride in a fairly noncompetitive Tennessee Tournament to start the season, the Lady Vols stunned Illinois in the Big Ten-SEC Challenge with a dominating sweep. Now 4-0 on the season, the road is about to get a lot tougher for the team.
On Sunday, the No. 22 Lady Vols will face the No. 21 Indiana Hoosiers at the Nashville Block Party in Bridgestone Arena. The team will then travel down to Florida to face No. 2 Pitt on Tuesday. Both games will be televised on ESPN2.
In order to navigate this difficult stretch and prepare for the SEC schedule, Tennessee will need Kerr to operate with efficiency and creativity to beat some stacked rosters.