No. 1 Tennessee opens SEC play this weekend, March 6-8, as it welcomes No. 17 LSU to Sherri Parker Lee Stadium for a three-game series.
Tennessee (20-0) enters the weekend off to its third-best start in program history. Next up for the 2026 team is the 2007 squad that opened at 23-0. UT's best start to a season was in 2006 at 24-0.
LSU (17-4) comes to Rocky Top riding a 10-game winning streak.
Tennessee enters the weekend holding its unanimous No. 1 ranking across the NFCA, USA Softball, D1 and Softball America polls.
It will be interesting to see if ace pitcher Karlyn Pickens, who left a game earlier this week with a strained right arm, will be available throughout the weekend.
Redshirt sophomore infielder Ella Dodge has wasted no time asserting herself as one of the Lady Vols' top hitters this season. Dodge is batting .367 with 20 runs, eight doubles, six home runs and 30 RBIs. She has 44 total bases through 20 games and has drawn 15 walks. Dodge is second on the team with eight stolen bases and has an OPS of 1.427. The second baseman is riding a 29-game reached base streak dating to last season.
The Bradenton, Florida, native, has also been rock solid at second base with a .981 fielding percentage in 54 chances and is third on the team in assists with 25. Dodge has helped turn four double plays.
Tennessee brought in a small transfer class of three, but the group has been impressive. Sophia Knight (OF - Boise State) leads the team in average (.556), at-bats (63), hits (35) and stolen bases (11), while also leading the team in runs scored (26) through 20 games this season. She ranks third in the SEC in average, second in stolen bases and is fifth in hits.
Tabbed a Freshman All-American by Softball America and was named MWC Freshman of the Year in 2024. At Boise State, had back-to-back 200-hit seasons with a .405 and .486 batting average, respectively. Totaled 144 runs and 45 stolen bases over two seasons with the Broncos.