Vols lost everything today as Edie Darby set her resignation from Lady..
Tess Darby knows that the team she started with her freshman year is nothing like the Lady Vols in her senior season.
“We have a new team,” Darby said. “It’s not going to look the same. So just figuring out what this team does best and kind of just running with it.”
Still, Darby will be an important piece to a team that is trying to return to the Final Four for the first time since Pat Summitt’s eighth and final championship in 2008. With that, she will need to make improvements to her personal game in order to help the team succeed. As she moves into her senior season, being a vocal voice both in games and in practice is important.
Being a leader on the floor, helping encourage my teammates, you know, just staying vocal at all times,” Darby said. “And then secondly, probably doing more, being more than just the 3-point threat.”
On a team with so many talented shooters, such as transfers Destinee Wells and Jewel Spear, Darby’s role will be one that is more than just a wing shooter. It will be one that emphasizes defense and passing, which requires more skills to help the Lady Vols win.
Wells and Spear bring a new dimension to the Tennessee offense, which Darby believes will help her own game.
“At their previous schools, they were offensive threats,” Darby said. “They created so much for their teammates, and they make whoever’s around them so much better.”
At Belmont, Wells played over 32 minutes per game, averaging 19.5 points and 4.9 assists per game. Spear averaged over 33 minutes last year at Wake Forest, shooting over 35% from 3-point range.
Wells and Spear join a Tennessee team that once again has WNBA-caliber players on its roster after three consecutive years of first-round selections in the draft. Rickea Jackson is widely believed to be one of the top selections in the 2024 draft after deciding to return to the Lady Vols for her fifth season of eligibility.
“I think it’s an incredible opportunity for our program and then especially like for example Rickea Jackson, Tamari Key for the ones that are wanting to go play at that next level,” Darby said. “Getting them to experience basically competing with high-level WNBA players.”
The USA Women’s National Team will be Tennessee’s strongest opponent all season. No team in college basketball can match the strength of what the national team brings, which is simply due to the collective experience of the players. While Darby is not backing away from the challenge, she recognizes it will be a hard contest to win.
“It’s definitely going to be a reality check for us,” Darby said. “We’re going to have to be prepared at all positions but most importantly just have fun.”
