The soccer team officially started the 2026 regular season for fall sports at Tennessee with Thursday’s 4-1 against Rutgers.

“I think we’re the first sport every year to get the season rolling,” soccer coach Joe Kirt said when talking with the media the day before the match. “Obviously, a great start last year for us. We’ve got a fun group but graduated a number of players last year. Lost two All-Americans but really excited about our freshmen coming in, some of the transfers really impactful and mature, exciting group to watch.”

Among the freshmen are Jayla Blue, the younger sister of junior Nyla Blue, and the daughters of former Lady Vols basketball player Kristen Blue, who was known as Ace Clement during her playing days at Tennessee from 1997-01. Both sisters were standout soccer players at Bearden High School.

It’s great to have them, two local products who are incredibly talented, love that they’re a part of our program,” Kirt said. “Obviously, with their mom’s time here, it’s great to see both of them with us.”

Freshman Ayva Jordan, a 5-6 forward from Las Vegas, was a four-time high school All-American and ranked No. 4 in the country by TopDrawerSoccer.com. She was one of several newcomers who enrolled early and participated in spring workouts and exhibition games.

Freshman Ayva Jordan (Tennessee Athletics)

“I think back to our first scrimmage in February, and I’m not sure if she was on the ground more than she was running,” Kirt said. “She very quickly met Nyla and then met the ground. But her physicality against Clemson (Aug. 5) at midfield, she won a ball and a really strong tackle. Her really understanding not only being a great attacking player, but what she can do against the ball and the physicality that requires, I think she’s done a really great job of stepping into that role.”

In total, Tennessee signed 10 freshman and five transfers to account for 15 of the 26 members of the team. TopDrawerSoccer.com ranked it No. 5 for combined transfers and freshmen.

Jayla Blue (Tennessee Athletics)

The Blue sisters are two years apart in age and vastly different in personality.

“They’re two very different individuals,” Kirt said. “Jayla is a creative, funny, charismatic individual, which would fit her position as a winger and attacking player. She’s got a little bit more flair about her, and Nyla’s a little bit more business and I’m going to make your life pretty difficult, be physical with you.

“They’ve got a good little bit of banter here and there. It’s fun when they get matched up on the training field. Two very different players but both very good at what they do. Jayla’s creativity up top. Nyla’s physicality. Jayla scored a great goal the other night (Aug. 8 exhibition against UNC Asheville) off a corner, really competing at a high level. I think both of them get that from their mom and her tenacity when she played here.

“Jayla’s got some personality to her, and Nyla’s there to help her out once in a while. It’s great having both of them here. Nyla’s going to have a big part of what we do in the back, and Jayla’s certainly going to bring some attacking charisma to it.”

Nyla Blue (Tennessee Athletics)

The Lady Vols have two forwards returning from knee injuries in Shae O’Rourke and Kylee Simmons. O’Rourke, a fifth-year forward from Wheatfield, New York, scored five goals in five games before her season-ending injury. Simmons, a fifth-year forward from West Chester, Ohio, sustained a preseason injury and didn’t play in 2025.

“She’s going to be a big part of what we do, and she’s a goal scorer,” Kirt said. “We lacked that last year and to have both Shae and Kylee back is a huge addition for our team, along with all the other newcomers we have. But it’s not easy to come back off that injury, and Shae’s in the same place, back to back, knees, and that’s long, grueling, eight- to 12-month processes.

“I’m incredibly proud of her and Shae. It’s not easy to do what they do.”

The anchor of the defense is junior goalkeeper Cayden Norris, who is from Johnson City, Tennessee, and earned 2025 Second Team All-SEC honors.

“She’s really honed her ability as an individual goalkeeper,” Kirt said. “I think she’s even expanded her shot stopping range. With any goalkeeper, it starts with doing your own job really well, and then how much can you impact the game above you? Her voice, her command, her ability. Her distribution range is really improved, as well, (and) her ability to see the field with the ball.

“She’s calm, cool and collected all the time, and she brings a calming presence to our team.”

Tennessee started 2025 on a hot streak and even reached No. 1 in the country in September after beating North Carolina, but the Lady Vols struggled to score with the loss of O’Rourke and then lost to the Tar Heels in a rematch in the first round of the NCAA tourney to finish 12-4-3 on the season. Tennessee will start the 2026 season ranked No. 24.

Soccer head coach Joe Kirt (Tennessee Athletics)

“Scoring goals helps,” Kirt said wryly when asked how the team can sustain momentum all season. “We talk about who we are every day and being consistent in that. And it’s not doing extraordinary things. It’s doing the everyday things with a great level of discipline and perseverance to do those well, and I think that consistency is what brought us through and not getting too high or too low.

“We never talked about what other people think of us. It’s great to be number one in the country (last season), but that’s irrelevant. It’s what we do each and every day that’s going to lead to our success. So, staying focused on the things that we can control, and if we do those really well, we’re going to play great teams, and we’re going to hopefully put ourselves in a great spot, not in the middle of the year, but the end of the year, and that’s what matters.”

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Maria M. Cornelius started her journalism career at the Knoxville News Sentinel and began writing about the Lady Vols in 1998. In 2016, she published her first book, “The Final Season: The Perseverance of Pat Summitt,” through The University of Tennessee Press and a 10th anniversary edition was released June 16, 2026. A third book, “The Legacy of Pat Summitt” will be released Nov. 17, 2026.