UT co-head coach Mike Patrick knew his team was competitive. The Lady Vols have been a top 16 fixture the past six seasons. Despite a final regular-season ranking of No. 17 last season, the Lady Vols reached the final 16 at the NCAA Championships for the fourth consecutive season. Patrick was concerned, though, about this season's squad being short-handed. Meiling Parks and Dana Noel, two players who were being counted on, have been hurt by knee problems.
Parks now is a student assistant coach.
The biggest obvious addition was Gates, a transfer from Texas who comes from good athletic stock. Her sister, Tiffany, played collegiate tennis at Notre Dame and Minnesota. Her brother, Brent, played professional baseball. However, Patrick didn't know what he had in walk-on Brooke Cordell. Fellow walk-on Catherine Hall also has contributed victories.