The Tennessee Lady Vols softball team enters the 2008 season with a completely different look from last year's national runners-up. 

He or she who has the best pitcher wins. Ralph Weekly

Tennessee was led by three senior All-Americans last season: pitcher Monica Abbott, a 50-game winner last year, and outfielders India Chiles and Lindsay Schutzler.

Still the Lady Vols enter this season ranked sixth in the NFCA Preseason Poll. 

Senior pitcher Megan Rhodes, who was in the shadow of Abbott for three years, will be counted on to be the ace this season.

"I think I and many coaches believe that she may be the best pitcher in the SEC, but she has never been in the ace role," co-head coach Ralph Weekly said.

In three years, Rhodes has made 86 appearances and complied a record of 44-11 with a 1.51 earned run average.

She has 17 career shutouts and four no hitters, including a perfect game against Oakland last March.

"She is the same style pitcher as [Taryne] Mowatt, and she beat us last year," said Weekly.

Rhodes will be joined at pitcher by freshman Ashton Ward out of Charlotte N.C.

Ward was named to the 2006 and 2007 EA Sports All-American Softball teams and was a 2007 Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association High School All-American.

UT has also gone through several other changes with new starters at eight fielding positions.

The biggest of those changes could be the move of senior Tonya Callahan from first base back to third base where she played in high school.

"We know what it takes and what we have to do in order to get back [to the college world series]," Callahan said. "A lot of people thought it was all Monica, but it is a new year and we have new seniors. We're ready to compete."

Callahan and sophomore Tiffany Huff were named to the top 50 preseason watch list for the USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year award.

Last year Huff finished tied with catcher Shannon Doepking for second on the team with six homeruns and was second in RBIs.

We can't focus on last year. We want to strive for excellence. The kids talk about when Peyton Manning graduated and Tee Martin won the championship.Ralph Weekly

The offense for the Lady Vols could be much better then last year as the team's two leaders in RBIs from last season both return.

"We have more hitting in the two through eight spots and the same speed in the one, two and nine spots," Weekly said.

Callahan and Doepking are two of the team's five seniors this season and their leadership will be key for a very young team.

11 players on the roster are either a freshman or sophomore. 

"It's going to be different, we each contribute in a different way," Doepking said of the senior class.

New Home for '08

The Lady Vols have moved into their new training facility and stadium for the 2008 season.

"I'm excited about the entire facility," Weekly said. "The university is doing everything first class."

Sherri Parker Lee Softball Stadium will hold approximately 1,600 people, more the double the size of Tyson Park.

Alongside the stadium a state of the art clubhouse was also built.

The clubhouse includes a conference room, medical facility, coach's office, player's room, bullpen and a large batting cage area.

"I wish I could have enjoyed it for the last three years," said Callahan. "It's a great facility and I couldn't ask for more."

Tough Opening Stretch

The Lady Vols will play in four weekend-long events to begin the season.

I think we might struggle a little bit in the first half of the season. By April, I feel the team will be hitting its stride. Ralph Weekly

Each event will test the strength and conditioning of the team as most of them include five games in three days.

"I probably scheduled to tough," Weekly said. "It's here and we got to play it. The first tournament we scheduled three top teams in Cal Poly, Oregon and Oregon State."

The Lady Vols will play Utah State and UC Davis on Friday, the opening day of the Cathedral City Kickoff.

Saturday the team plays No. 20 Oregon and Cal Poly before wrapping up the weekend with a game against No. 18 Oregon State on Sunday.