Greenfield’s Tess Darby Extends Career as Lady Vol

Lady Vols basketball is thrilled to announce the return of guard Tess Darby.

Darby decided to take advantage of the additional year of eligibility granted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Darby’s decision was announced five days after Kim Caldwell was named the new coach of the Lady Vols.

In a heartfelt announcement shared on social media, Darby expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to represent the university she loves and the immense blessings it has brought her. She stated, “I am thankful for the opportunity to represent a university that I love and one that has blessed me so much. I’m so excited about the future of Lady Vol Basketball and thrilled to spend my final college season on Rocky Top! GBO!”

Darby, a 6-foot-1 guard from Greenfield has been an integral part of the team. She is currently number 5 all-time with 170 career 3-pointers for the Lady Volunteers.

Darby’s decision to return showcases her unwavering commitment to the program and her determination to leave a lasting legacy on the court.

The news of Darby’s return has ignited a wave of excitement and anticipation among fans, the new coaching staff, and her teammates. Her presence on the court will undoubtedly elevate the Lady Vols’ performance and add another dynamic to the team, providing a strong foundation for future victories.

The Lady Vols basketball program proudly embraces the return of Tess Darby. With her exceptional skills and leadership, she is poised to make a substantial contribution to the team’s success in the upcoming 2024-25 season.

Caldwell, who has a 217-31 career record with eight NCAA Tournament berths in eight seasons as a head coach, most recently led Marshall University to a school-best 26-7 overall record and a 17-1 league mark in her first year there in 2023-24. She was named the 2024 Spalding Maggie Dixon NCAA Division I Rookie Coach of the Year and the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year after directing the Thundering Herd to both the league’s regular season and tournament titles as well as the school’s second NCAA Tournament berth ever and first since 1997.

Prior to that, she served as head coach at NCAA Division II Glenville State, leading her alma mater to a pair of DII Final Four appearances and the 2022 national championship. From 2016-23, she directed GSU to six Mountain East Conference regular season titles (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023) and four MEC Tournament trophies (2018, 2019, 2020, 2023), earning MEC Coach of the Year honors four times in 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023, and accepting the WBCA’s Pat Summitt Trophy as the NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year in 2022.