‘Nothing is better’: Karen Weekly, Lady Vols greet fans after season’s end

KNOXVILLE — After their 2026 campaign came to a close, the Tennessee Lady Vols softball team returned home on Tuesday to a crowd of fans outside Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

“I’m so grateful for these fans and the way they support us through wins, through losses, through good times, bad times, and I just know it makes the girls just feel so appreciated for all the effort that they put in,” Lady Vol head coach Karen Weekly told Southeastern Softball Wire.

“And it means a lot to us to go out and play hard and play with joy and give these fans something to get excited about and to celebrate,” Weekly said. “And when you see the joy on the fans’ faces and how much we mean to them, I mean, it’s just nothing is better.”

Fans of all ages greeted coach Weekly and players with cheers and support. The Lady Vols’ season ended with a 49-12 record after falling to Texas in the semifinals of the program’s 10th NCAA Women’s College World Series appearance.

Lady Vol ace pitcher Karlyn Pickens was among those signing autographs and taking pictures. I had the chance to catch up with one fan, Ellie Kalb. Kalb shared her thoughts on watching Tennessee play and having the chance to meet the Lady Vols.

“I love being here,” Kalb told Southeastern Softball Wire. “I love watching the team play. They obviously have great connection with each other. I feel like it’s just an honor to be able to meet them, and I look up to each and every one of them. They’re good inspirations.”

Kalb got an autograph and photo with Pickens. Pickens has inspired a lot of young players in her time at Tennessee, and it seems surreal for some to meet their role model.

“I don’t even know how to describe it,” Kalb said of meeting Pickens. “It was just crazy to see that she’s a real person, and that someday maybe we could all, you know, play like her. It’s definitely a goal of mine to just be able to hold my own like she does. You know, it’s just a great feeling.”

One thing that Kalb has taken away from watching the Lady Vols play is their continuous fight and the ability to just have fun. Tennessee fought to the end, and from the very beginning they have kept it simple and enjoyed the process.

“I feel like whenever I have fun, I play better,” Kalb said. “And they obviously didn’t stop fighting, even when it got a little hard. They just continued to have fun and just kept smiling.”

There were many smiles and appreciation shown Tuesday when the team arrived, and the Lady Vol brand is getting stronger by the year.

“How special you feel here at Tennessee, this university, this community, this state supports female athletes like no other,” Weekly said. “That’s why Ralph and I came here, because the Lady Vol brand is so special, and these girls know it. They feel it. They see it when they come on their recruiting visits, and this is just a reflection of, of why you want to be a Lady Vol.”