Kaylene Smikle is a 6-foot versatile guard who brings Lady Vols head coach Kim Caldwell the on-floor leadership the team needs in this new-look season. In Saturday’s open practice, she was a force on both ends of the court. According to unofficial stats, she scored 30 points in the scrimmage.
“She’s a great player,” Caldwell said during Thursday’s media day. “She finds a way to make things happen. And she’s more than just her offense. She’s very good on the defensive end of flying around, getting to the ball, getting a deflection, making sure that we get the ball back. And she is tremendous at 50-50 balls. There’s a ball going out of bounds where one player will stop and look because they think the play is dead.
“She’s gonna beat you to it, and she’s gonna save it and continue to play. She has a winner mentality. She has a no-quit mentality. And I didn’t necessarily know that watching her film. So it’s been a great surprise seeing her in practice compete the way she competes. She wants to be coached. She wants to work hard. She wants to be the best player she can possibly be.”
Smikle arrives from the Big Ten, where she spent her previous seasons at Rutgers and Maryland. The Bay Shore, New York, native brings a competitive edge, but she also has the discipline to let the game come to her, which cuts down on mistakes.
“I just focus on playing my game, not forcing anything and letting the game come to me,” Smikle said. “I think that’s when I play my best, being able to play in the flow of the game.”
That patience matters more than usual this year. Smikle missed all but seven games last season at Maryland due to a knee surgery, and the long wait has her ready to get back to competing for real.
“I think to get back on the court,” Smikle said when asked what she’s most excited for. “I was out last season, so being able to feel that emotion and intensity again is going to be amazing.”
The adjustment to Caldwell’s system has been its own challenge. If you’ve watched a Caldwell coached team, you know they like to press a lot. The energy that demands is different from anything Smikle saw in the Big Ten, even if the concepts weren’t entirely new.
“I was kind of used to it, but at the same time it was brand new, pressing every game, the intensity we bring to the press,” Smikle said. “She really prides a lot on defense, so I feel like we have to really tune into that. It definitely takes more conditioning, I would say.”
Smikle looked well-conditioned and comfortable in the press during practice. Her length lets her disrupt passing lanes, and her scoring ability gives Tennessee a go-to option when the half-court tightens up. For a roster still finding its identity, a veteran who can do both while setting the tone with effort is exactly what Caldwell is counting on.
Off the court, Smikle has settled into Knoxville quickly. She spent the summer with her teammates at the lake a few times a week. Smikle has also experienced how loud Neyland Stadium gets, but not from the inside.
“Tennessee fans are amazing,” Smikle said. “They’re very energetic and they show a lot of support here. I haven’t been to a football game yet. I’m planning on it though. I can hear it from my apartment though. It’s very loud.”
Smikle and the Lady Vols will host Florida A&M in an exhibition on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 6:30 p.m. ET. The game will stream on SEC Network+.
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