A year after winning their seventh national title, the No.1 ranked Tennessee Lady Vols find themselves in a familiar position atop the polls heading into the 2007-08 season.  Leading the way for the Lady Vols is junior Candace Parker, last season's Final Four MVP. 

 Parker, who averaged 19.2 points per game last season, is a unanimous preseason All-American heading into this year.  She joins just four other players to be unanimously selected, including former Tennessee great Chamique Holdsclaw. 

 When asked if she felt any added pressure, Parker replied, "No, not really.  It's a nice honor, but that's just people's opinions so it doesn't really affect me."

 While Coach Pat Summit knew Parker could score, she continues to be impressed with the other aspects of her game. 

 "If there is one thing to separate her out, it's her commitment to defending," Summitt told ESPN.com. ""Her intensity on the defensive end is so much better. She's also much better attacking the basket."

 Tennessee, no stranger to being defending champions, understands the challenges of repeating.

 "We're UT, and we just won a national title, so we have a pretty big target on our backs," Parker said. "However, we're going for another title.  That's our goal."

 During the off season, Parker had a chance to play with the U.S. team, where she was the top scorer on the team that won the FIBA Americas tournament in September to qualify for the 2008 Olympics. 

 "It was so amazing playing for the U.S. team," Parker said excitedely. "Getting to play with and learn from the best players in the country was awesome."

 One difference this year will be the absence of Tennessee's toughest rival, the UConn Huskies.  The two teams will not meet for the first time in 13 seasons.  Although she didn't say publicly why, Tennessee coach Pat Summit said UConn coach Geno Auriemma knows the reason.

 "He knows absolutely, exactly why. I was very specific," Summitt said.

 Despite not playing UConn this year, which has arguably been Tennessee's biggest game during the regular season, Candace Parker still has plenty to get ready for.

 "Every game is big, but the one I've had circled on my calendar this year is when we go to my home state, Illinois, and play DePaul," Parker said.

 While she is surrounded with great talent, Candace Parker is the face of Tennessee's women's basketball team, and if the Lady Vols' are to continue to be successful you can bet she'll have a lot to do with it.