On a team with so many talented shooters, such as transfers Destinee Wells and Jewel Spear, Darby’s role will be one that is more than just a wing shooter. It will be one that emphasizes defense and passing, which requires more skills to help the Lady Vols win.

Wells and Spear bring a new dimension to the Tennessee offense, which Darby believes will help her own game.

“At their previous schools, they were offensive threats,” Darby said. “They created so much for their teammates, and they make whoever’s around them so much better.”

At Belmont, Wells played over 32 minutes per game, averaging 19.5 points and 4.9 assists per game. Spear averaged over 33 minutes last year at Wake Forest, shooting over 35% from 3-point range.

Wells and Spear join a Tennessee team that once again has WNBA-caliber players on its roster after three consecutive years of first-round selections in the draft. Rickea Jackson is widely believed to be one of the top selections in the 2024 draft after deciding to return to the Lady Vols for her fifth season of eligibility.

“I think it’s an incredible opportunity for our program and then especially like for example Rickea Jackson, Tamari Key for the ones that are wanting to go play at that next level,” Darby said. “Getting them to experience basically competing with high-level WNBA players.”

The USA Women’s National Team will be Tennessee’s strongest opponent all season. No team in college basketball can match the strength of what the national team brings, which is simply due to the collective experience of the players. While Darby is not backing away from the challenge, she recognizes it will be a hard contest to win.

“It’s definitely going to be a reality check for us,” Darby said. “We’re going to have to be prepared at all positions but most importantly just have fun.”

Most of all, Darby wants another shot at two players who beat Tennessee when they were playing SEC basketball.

“It was really cool to see Rhyne Howard and Aliyah Boston on the list, just knowing that we played against them in the SEC and the WNBA,” Darby said. “I’m just really excited for the opportunity.”

Following the exhibition, Tennessee once again has a difficult non-conference slate, playing three teams ranked in the preseason top 10. The Lady Vols also travel to play No. 18 Florida State in just the second game of the season, which will be a challenging road test.

Last year, the Lady Vols suffered seven losses in non-conference games, which led the team to finish with a 23-11 record. However, the games prepared Tennessee for conference play and the SEC tournament, which featured a 69-67 win over LSU.

“I think it’s definitely important just to figure out adversity,” Darby said. “You never know when adversity is going to hit, and why not get the first punch out in the first game of the season?”

Darby has the unique opportunity to play with her sister at the highest level of college basketball. Edie Darby entered as a walk-on freshman a season ago, and although she does not play as much as some players, she still makes a great impact on her team. Although the relationship between the two has changed over their college careers, the two sisters are still very close.

Along with playing with her sister, Tess Darby appreciates being able to represent the state of Tennessee. She has lived in the state her whole life and takes great pride in playing for Tennessee.

“Sometimes I have to take a step back and kind of put it into perspective that I am at the University of Tennessee and playing for my home state,” Tess Darby said. “It’s awesome.”