Tennessee and Georgia will clash for the first time this season int he NCAA Tournament Super Regionals.
The seventh-seeded Lady Vols and 10th-seeded Bulldogs are both headed to their fourth straight Super Regional, setting up a showdown between programs that have recorded 40+ wins behind elite pitching, depth, and reliable hitters.
Georgia comes to Rocky Top after Addisen Fisher, a former No. 1 overall recruit who transferred from UCLA, threw a complete-game shutout against Clemson in the regional championship.
Lady Vols coach Karen Weekly said Georgia’s balance makes the Bulldogs one of the toughest teams remaining in the NCAA Tournament.
“Everybody’s good,” Weekly said. “You get to super regionals because you have something in every facet of the game, and Georgia does. They hit really well, they defend really well, and they’ve got a really good pitching staff.”
Weekly pointed specifically to Fisher’s elite drop ball and ability to attack hitters at multiple speeds.
“It’s an elite drop ball,” Weekly said. “She throws 70 miles an hour, and then she can change speeds too. If she’s nailing that drop at the corners and right at the knee, it’s a tough one to square up.”
However, Tennessee counters with one of its own versatile pitching groups led by ace Karlyn Pickens. The Lady Vols have leaned heavily on matchup flexibility this season, using pitchers in starting, relief, and closing roles depending on opponent and situation.
Weekly said the evolution of the sport has forced elite programs to build deeper staffs capable of navigating explosive offenses.
“Hitting gets better, and you watch how difficult it is to face a lineup for the third and fourth time,” Weekly said. “You’re constantly trying to find ways to match your pitchers with different parts of the lineup.”
The familiarity between the programs only adds to the intrigue. Tennessee and Georgia have routinely battled near the top of the SEC standings, and both programs expect to still be playing in June.
“We’ve often said the toughest weekend is supers,” Weekly said. “It’s going to be neck and neck.”
The winner will advance to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.
