⚽️Lady Vols Soccer Thread

#6,276
#6,276
brittannica said:
I get very frustrated by the NIL (or lack thereof). I donate the BoostHer Club, but that’s pennies seemingly compared to what other programs are doing. Bubba Cunningham at UNC has made some noise about how NIL is hurting their non-revenue sports (particularly women’s sports), and I would imagine that’s the case here too.
Click to expand...
I agree with you, it’s doing a disservice to the team and the players.
 
  • Like
Reactions: brittannica and chuckiepoo
#6,278
#6,278
From the daily beacon

Tennessee soccer forward Kameron Simmonds announces transfer to Florida State​


Lady Vols soccer forward Kameron Simmonds announced her transfer to Florida State on Monday afternoon on social media.

Simmonds was part of Jamaica’s World Cup team this summer, playing in two games for the Reggae Girlz in Australia. She scored her first goal for Jamaica in the 2023 Cup of Nations against Czechia in February. She was part of Jamaica’s squad to attempt to qualify for the 2024 Olympics.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled to announce that I will be transferring to Florida State University!” Simmonds wrote in her statement. “I’m so excited for this new opportunity and next chapter in my life and soccer career. Thank you to my family and everyone who has supported me throughout my journey with love, prayers, and encouragement.


Simmonds will join former Tennessee soccer head coach Brian Pensky, who recently coached the Seminoles to a national championship. Florida State completed the season with a 22-0-1 record, defeating Stanford 5-1 in the national championship game.

Simmonds played in 18 games for the Lady Vols, starting all of them. She finished the season with eight goals and three assists for a total of 19 points, leading Tennessee in both goals and points. She scored a game-winning goal against Vanderbilt on the last day of the 2023 regular season, allowing the Lady Vols to advance to the SEC tournament.


She played 103 minutes of Tennessee’s NCAA first-round game against Xavier, assisting on Sizzy Lawton’s game-winning goal. She also played 83 minutes of Tennessee’s second-round game against Nebraska, recording three shots.

In her freshman season, Simmonds played in 16 games. She scored four goals for the Lady Vols as a true freshman.

“Huge thank you to my friends, teammates and especially the coaches and staff at Tennessee for all of the love and support this past year and half,” Simmonds wrote. “Tennessee will forever have a special place in my heart.”
 
#6,280
#6,280
MAD said:
www.knoxnews.com

Tennessee soccer leading scorer Kameron Simmonds transfers to play for Brian Pensky at Florida State

Tennessee soccer lost leading scorer Kameron Simmonds, who is transferring to play for former UT coach Brian Pensky at Florida State.
www.knoxnews.com
Click to expand...

It's a loss for us, but not sure it's a huge loss. Excellent athlete but not an excellent soccer player, in my view. I'm not surprised she ended up at FSU as they've lost two of their starting forwards---but if Dudley returns she'll be the main scoring option for the 'noles. Let's see if Simmonds plays wide for FSU as she did for us--or maybe Pensky will play a 4-4-2 and have Dudley and Simmonds up top. Pensky may get more out of her than our staff did--wouldn't be a surprise. We've lost some serious talent since Kirt took over.

the big question for us, now, is if Thomas will return. We need her--but that would mean moving Runyon out wide, so we'd have Runyon, Thomas and transfer Woods as our front three. Runyon could have the same issue as Simmonds did playing wide--just not enough experience playing out there, and it's different from being a CF. At CF you're getting service from the wide players. As a winger your job is in large part to provide service to the CF. Our wings last year simply did not create enough good opportunities for themselves or our CFs, or our mids with their play. Kirt has to show he can coach up the team next season. He's coached us down for two years and that doesn't cut it. Pensky now treats his former assistant like a red-headed stepchild.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Volfan1000, chuckiepoo, orange beard and 2 others
#6,285
#6,285
brittannica said:
I get very frustrated by the NIL (or lack thereof). I donate the BoostHer Club, but that’s pennies seemingly compared to what other programs are doing. Bubba Cunningham at UNC has made some noise about how NIL is hurting their non-revenue sports (particularly women’s sports), and I would imagine that’s the case here too.
Click to expand...
Probably 90% of BHC money goes to basketball.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tbwhhs, brittannica, MAD and 1 other person
#6,287
#6,287
I had assumed--foolishly--that White had given Kirt a 3-year contract, since three years would seem to me a logical term for a coach
who had no head experience. Wrong! Perhaps I was just being hopeful, if you know what I mean. I decided to look it up, and according to the KNS, White gave Kirt a 5-year contract, running through 2026, paying him $175K a year. Oh, my. So the contract term was White's /second/ bad decision.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chuckiepoo, orange beard, MAD and 1 other person
#6,288
#6,288
turbovol said:
I had assumed--foolishly--that White had given Kirt a 3-year contract, since three years would seem to me a logical term for a coach
who had no head experience. Wrong! Perhaps I was just being hopeful, if you know what I mean. I decided to look it up, and according to the KNS, White gave Kirt a 5-year contract, running through 2026, paying him $175K a year. Oh, my. So the contract term was White's /second/ bad decision.
Click to expand...
I’ll set this one on the back burner for another year or so before turning up the heat on White.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Volfan1000, tbwhhs and MAD
#6,289
#6,289
turbovol said:
It's a loss for us, but not sure it's a huge loss. Excellent athlete but not an excellent soccer player, in my view. I'm not surprised she ended up at FSU as they've lost two of their starting forwards---but if Dudley returns she'll be the main scoring option for the 'noles. Let's see if Simmonds plays wide for FSU as she did for us--or maybe Pensky will play a 4-4-2 and have Dudley and Simmonds up top. Pensky may get more out of her than our staff did--wouldn't be a surprise. We've lost some serious talent since Kirt took over.

the big question for us, now, is if Thomas will return. We need her--but that would mean moving Runyon out wide, so we'd have Runyon, Thomas and transfer Woods as our front three. Runyon could have the same issue as Simmonds did playing wide--just not enough experience playing out there, and it's different from being a CF. At CF you're getting service from the wide players. As a winger your job is in large part to provide service to the CF. Our wings last year simply did not create enough good opportunities for themselves or our CFs, or our mids with their play. Kirt has to show he can coach up the team next season. He's coached us down for two years and that doesn't cut it. Pensky now treats his former assistant like a red-headed stepchild.
Click to expand...
Apparently the players of today have no real allegiance to the program they signed on to. Sorry to see that happening but with the reality of NIL money beckoning I guess we can think otherwise.
 
  • Like
Reactions: orange beard, chuckiepoo, Stmichael and 1 other person
#6,290
#6,290
turbovol said:
I had assumed--foolishly--that White had given Kirt a 3-year contract, since three years would seem to me a logical term for a coach
who had no head experience. Wrong! Perhaps I was just being hopeful, if you know what I mean. I decided to look it up, and according to the KNS, White gave Kirt a 5-year contract, running through 2026, paying him $175K a year. Oh, my. So the contract term was White's /second/ bad decision.
Click to expand...

The jury is still out on Kirt.

White has not made any bad decisions yet as the Tennessee athletic director.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Aladywhovolunteer, chuckiepoo, tbwhhs and 1 other person
#6,291
#6,291
I'm a broken record...for every year a 5th year covid player transfers to a new program and gets the 'starter' status, that program is setting itself back. The following year, when the 5th year player is gone, the team continues to have a deficit and no one is developed to play it. Now, add x2, x3,x4 Covid transfers and the coach just compounded the problem. And, the regular portal won't fix it. Got to recruit smartly from high school, train and develop the young player and then, that program has greater potential to become legacy. Huge mistake brining in 5th year covid players now. Take the bumps and bruises that come with developing , don't cut corners creating a pseudo- top team (ie Alabama).
 
  • Like
Reactions: chuckiepoo and MAD
#6,293
#6,293
Kirt can do it. Got to stop bandaiding perceived deficits and train and develop the real recruits. Recruiting, solid recruiting, that leads to the creation of stellar programs, always returns to the grass roots. Grass roots = getting players from top club teams that teach core fundamentals. The portal is and should always be, for emergencies.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chuckiepoo and MAD
#6,298
#6,298
MAD said:
Crap another one
Click to expand...

Eskin got some decent minutes at wing in the 4-4-2 in 2021 (Pensky's last year--20 win season) and played well--helped us. Wingback (outside mid) is a good position for her. Kirt takes over and Eskin hardly played at all the last two years. She would have been better than Nelson at wing in 2022---faster, quicker---but Kirt clearly--and illogically--LOVED Nelson. Kirt played Eskin a tiny bit at forward late in the season--but that is not a good position for her. I didn't think she had another year of eligibility--but she's doing the right thing and I hope she gets some PT on a good Memphis squad.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chuckiepoo, Stmichael, MAD and 1 other person
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top