COACH KIM CALDWELL: STRENGTH AND SACRIFICE

One week after giving birth to her first child and while battling the flu, University of Tennessee women’s basketball head coach Kim Caldwell returned to the sidelines on Monday night, CNN reports.
The first-year head coach received a standing ovation at Food City Center in Knoxville before her No. 18 Lady Volunteers faced No. 2 South Carolina in a high-stakes conference matchup.
“I wasn’t expecting it,” Caldwell said of the ovation. “I try to sneak in and go unnoticed. But it made coming back worth it.”
Caldwell’s son, Conor Scott, was born just a week earlier, weighing six pounds, 10 ounces. Named after her father, the baby arrived as Caldwell temporarily stepped away from her team. Missing only one game, she returned to practice on Friday, determined to be there for her players despite the physical and emotional challenges of new motherhood.
“Adrenaline kept me going,” she admitted after the game. “I’ll feel it tomorrow, but I appreciate my team and staff for stepping up. It’s hard for me to yell, so I relied on them to help run the show.”
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, a four-time national coach of the year, praised Caldwell’s resilience. “Women have the strength of ten men,” Staley said. “It’s incredible what she’s doing. When women make sacrifices like this, we need to honor them.”
Although Tennessee fell 70–63, the Lady Vols fought hard, inspired by their coach’s return. Senior guard Samara Spencer said, “We know how much she’s sacrificed for us, so we wanted to give her our all.” Senior forward Jillian Hollingshead added, “She just had a baby, isn’t feeling 100%, and still shows up for us. That’s the kind of leader she is.”
For Caldwell, the moment wasn’t just about basketball—it was about setting an example. “Being here means showing my team that we fight through challenges together,” she said.
South Carolina secured its 15th consecutive win and set an SEC record with 55 straight regular-season conference victories. Tennessee (15−5, 3–5 SEC) will look to bounce back when