University of Tennessee Athletics
Thursday, April 2
Knoxville
6 PM ET
University of Tennessee
vs
South Carolina
SB Preview: #7 Tennessee Hosts #25 South Carolina Easter Weekend
April 01, 2026 | Softball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 7 Tennessee looks to get back on track in SEC play as it plays host to No. 25 South Carolina this weekend at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. The series is set for Thursday-Saturday, April 2-4.
The Lady Vols (30-5, 7-5 SEC) have dropped their last two conference series and welcome in a South Carolina (22-15, 2-7 SEC) squad that is looking for its first series win in league play.
PARKING AND TRAFFIC
As improvements are underway to Sherri Parker Lee Stadium (SPL) and surrounding areas this season, fans will notice that parking near SPL is extremely limited this year. We thank you in advance for your patience and cooperation as upgrades are being made to enhance the gameday experience and ensure our program continues to compete at the highest level nationally. Please note that these are challenges only for the 2026 season, and we look forward to delivering an enhanced gameday experience for Lady Vol Nation in 2027 and beyond!
Parking is available for FREE on Stephenson Drive on a first-come, first-serve basis for all games this season in Lot CR25 to the south of Regal Soccer Stadium and along Stephenson Drive, parallel to the train tracks. (see parking map).
When parking has been filled to capacity on Stephenson Drive, fans will be directed to park for FREE at the Ag Campus in Lot CC1. If Lot CC1 reaches capacity, overflow parking will be available in the G7 Garage near the Allan Jones Aquatics Center.
Regardless of whether fans park at Lot CC1 or G7 Garage, a FREE shuttle will pick up fans pregame and drop them off postgame on the corner of Joe Johnson Dr & River Dr, adjacent to Lot CC1. The shuttle will drop off fans in front of Joan Cronan Volleyball Center on Stephenson Drive pregame, and will pick up fans at the same location postgame.
ADA shuttles will also be available from the Ag Campus, picking up fans pregame and dropping them off postgame at the corner of Joe Johnson Dr & River Dr. The shuttle will drop off fans pregame and pick them up postgame at the main entrance of Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
All shuttles will begin running 2 hours prior to first pitch and will stop running once the stadium has been cleared by Event Staff following the conclusion of the game (approximately 45-60 minutes after the game).
BROADCAST INFO
Friday and Saturday's contests will be available to stream on SEC Network+ or through the WatchESPN app. Charley Collier (play-by-play) and Rylie West (analyst) will call the action on Thursday, with Jill Jelnick joining West in the booth on Friday. Saturday's game will be broadcast on SEC Network. Kevin Fitzgerald (play-by-play) and Danielle Lawrie (analyst) will describe the action.
Fans can also listen to Voice of the Lady Vols Brian Rice call the action via a free audio stream on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics Gameday App. Streaming, live stats, and radio links are available on the Tennessee softball schedule page at UTSports.com.
NOTABLE
RANKINGS
Tennessee enters the weekend at No. 7 in the NFCA poll, with a No. 8 ranking in the USA Softball and D1Softball polls. Softball America has UT at No. 11.
PITCHING LEADS THE WAY
Tennessee's dominance in the circle continues to be the backbone of its success under pitching coach Megan Rhodes Smith. The Lady Vols rank among the nation's best in nearly every major category, including No. 1 nationally this season in ERA (1.08), WHIP (0.75), shutouts (14) and hits allowed (93), while also sitting top 10 in strikeouts per seven innings and strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Since Rhodes Smith's return in 2021, Tennessee has consistently produced elite arms, including multiple 20-game winners and a steady stream of historic performances. The staff has combined for 12 no-hitters and four perfect games during that span.
TWINS HEATING UP
Junior outfielders and twins Gabby Leach and Alannah Leach have continued to shine for the Lady Vols, following breakout postseason performances in 2025.
Gabby Leach is hitting .316 with 35 runs scored. She has six doubles, six home runs and 26 RBIs. The right fielder has 14 putouts, one assist and helped turn a 9-4-6 double play in the opening weekend of the season.
Against LSU, Gabby hit two home runs in Game 2 of the series before hitting a walk-off three-run homer to clinch the series sweep in Game 3.
Alannah Leach is batting .333 with 16 runs, five home runs and 11 RBIs. She has three stolen bases. Over in left field, Alannah has 25 putouts.
On March 7, the twins hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning against LSU. It was the first time they went back-to-back at any level of softball in their careers and marked the first time sisters have hit back-to-back bombs in Tennessee softball history.
SEC SUCCESS
Tennessee has been one of the best teams in the SEC since the beginning of the 2023 season, winning 23 of 28 series. That run includes nine sweeps. South Carolina's last visit to Knoxville was the final weekend of the 2023 season. Tennessee won Games 1 and 2 to clinch its second SEC regular-season title in program history. The Lady Vols and Gamecocks met a week later in the SEC Tournament Championship Game in Fayetteville, Arkansas, which UT won 3-1.
MAGIC NUMBER
Since the beginning of the 2023 season, the Lady Vols' magic number has been three (3). Tennessee is 159-9 when scoring three or more runs over that span.
SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA
Head Coach (Record at SC): Ashley Chastain Woodard (66-32)
2026 Record: 22-15, 2-7 SEC
Series Record: Tennessee leads, 47-23
In Knoxville: Tennessee leads, 23-9
In Columbia: Tennessee leads, 21-14
At Neutral Sites: Tennessee leads, 3-0
Last Meeting: Tennessee won 8-0 (6) on March 25, 2024, in Columbia.
DUE UP
Tennessee closes out its nine-game homestand with a pair of midweek games against ETSU on April 7 and Kennesaw State on April 8.
The Lady Vols (30-5, 7-5 SEC) have dropped their last two conference series and welcome in a South Carolina (22-15, 2-7 SEC) squad that is looking for its first series win in league play.
PARKING AND TRAFFIC
As improvements are underway to Sherri Parker Lee Stadium (SPL) and surrounding areas this season, fans will notice that parking near SPL is extremely limited this year. We thank you in advance for your patience and cooperation as upgrades are being made to enhance the gameday experience and ensure our program continues to compete at the highest level nationally. Please note that these are challenges only for the 2026 season, and we look forward to delivering an enhanced gameday experience for Lady Vol Nation in 2027 and beyond!
Parking is available for FREE on Stephenson Drive on a first-come, first-serve basis for all games this season in Lot CR25 to the south of Regal Soccer Stadium and along Stephenson Drive, parallel to the train tracks. (see parking map).
When parking has been filled to capacity on Stephenson Drive, fans will be directed to park for FREE at the Ag Campus in Lot CC1. If Lot CC1 reaches capacity, overflow parking will be available in the G7 Garage near the Allan Jones Aquatics Center.
Regardless of whether fans park at Lot CC1 or G7 Garage, a FREE shuttle will pick up fans pregame and drop them off postgame on the corner of Joe Johnson Dr & River Dr, adjacent to Lot CC1. The shuttle will drop off fans in front of Joan Cronan Volleyball Center on Stephenson Drive pregame, and will pick up fans at the same location postgame.
ADA shuttles will also be available from the Ag Campus, picking up fans pregame and dropping them off postgame at the corner of Joe Johnson Dr & River Dr. The shuttle will drop off fans pregame and pick them up postgame at the main entrance of Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
All shuttles will begin running 2 hours prior to first pitch and will stop running once the stadium has been cleared by Event Staff following the conclusion of the game (approximately 45-60 minutes after the game).
BROADCAST INFO
Friday and Saturday's contests will be available to stream on SEC Network+ or through the WatchESPN app. Charley Collier (play-by-play) and Rylie West (analyst) will call the action on Thursday, with Jill Jelnick joining West in the booth on Friday. Saturday's game will be broadcast on SEC Network. Kevin Fitzgerald (play-by-play) and Danielle Lawrie (analyst) will describe the action.
Fans can also listen to Voice of the Lady Vols Brian Rice call the action via a free audio stream on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics Gameday App. Streaming, live stats, and radio links are available on the Tennessee softball schedule page at UTSports.com.
NOTABLE
RANKINGS
Tennessee enters the weekend at No. 7 in the NFCA poll, with a No. 8 ranking in the USA Softball and D1Softball polls. Softball America has UT at No. 11.
PITCHING LEADS THE WAY
Tennessee's dominance in the circle continues to be the backbone of its success under pitching coach Megan Rhodes Smith. The Lady Vols rank among the nation's best in nearly every major category, including No. 1 nationally this season in ERA (1.08), WHIP (0.75), shutouts (14) and hits allowed (93), while also sitting top 10 in strikeouts per seven innings and strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Since Rhodes Smith's return in 2021, Tennessee has consistently produced elite arms, including multiple 20-game winners and a steady stream of historic performances. The staff has combined for 12 no-hitters and four perfect games during that span.
TWINS HEATING UP
Junior outfielders and twins Gabby Leach and Alannah Leach have continued to shine for the Lady Vols, following breakout postseason performances in 2025.
Gabby Leach is hitting .316 with 35 runs scored. She has six doubles, six home runs and 26 RBIs. The right fielder has 14 putouts, one assist and helped turn a 9-4-6 double play in the opening weekend of the season.
Against LSU, Gabby hit two home runs in Game 2 of the series before hitting a walk-off three-run homer to clinch the series sweep in Game 3.
Alannah Leach is batting .333 with 16 runs, five home runs and 11 RBIs. She has three stolen bases. Over in left field, Alannah has 25 putouts.
On March 7, the twins hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning against LSU. It was the first time they went back-to-back at any level of softball in their careers and marked the first time sisters have hit back-to-back bombs in Tennessee softball history.
SEC SUCCESS
Tennessee has been one of the best teams in the SEC since the beginning of the 2023 season, winning 23 of 28 series. That run includes nine sweeps. South Carolina's last visit to Knoxville was the final weekend of the 2023 season. Tennessee won Games 1 and 2 to clinch its second SEC regular-season title in program history. The Lady Vols and Gamecocks met a week later in the SEC Tournament Championship Game in Fayetteville, Arkansas, which UT won 3-1.
MAGIC NUMBER
Since the beginning of the 2023 season, the Lady Vols' magic number has been three (3). Tennessee is 159-9 when scoring three or more runs over that span.
SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA
Head Coach (Record at SC): Ashley Chastain Woodard (66-32)
2026 Record: 22-15, 2-7 SEC
Series Record: Tennessee leads, 47-23
In Knoxville: Tennessee leads, 23-9
In Columbia: Tennessee leads, 21-14
At Neutral Sites: Tennessee leads, 3-0
Last Meeting: Tennessee won 8-0 (6) on March 25, 2024, in Columbia.
DUE UP
Tennessee closes out its nine-game homestand with a pair of midweek games against ETSU on April 7 and Kennesaw State on April 8.
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
OF
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