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Aug. 19, 2010

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The first individual workouts of the 2010-11 season for the Tennessee Lady Vol basketball team on Thursday in Pratt Pavilion marked the return of assistant coach Mickie DeMoss and junior post Vicki Baugh and the rookie debuts of freshmen guards Lauren Avant and Meighan Simmons.

DeMoss came back to Rocky Top after stints at Kentucky, as head coach, and Texas, as an assistant. She was an assistant and associate head coach for the Lady Vols from 1985-2003, as UT won the first six of its eight national titles.

"It's like I'm a kid at Christmas right now," DeMoss said. "These players are so motivated and so focused right now. It's really very refreshing for me. To be back with Pat, Holly and Dean - and to be around the energy and passion they have, it's motivating. I'm really excited to be back."

On Thursday, DeMoss took her spot on the court directing drills for the Orange and White as four separate groups practiced a variety of shooting and conditioning exercises.

Among those on the court was Baugh, who looked like her old self after redshirting the 2009-10 season to fully recover from the knee injuries that had plagued her since 2008.

Baugh was an integral cog on the 2008 National Championship squad, coming off the bench to average 5.3 ppg and 4.0 rpg.

She tore her anterior cruciate ligament in the national championship game that year, but returned to play in 14 games in 2008-09, totaling three double doubles and averaging 6.5 points and 7.3 boards a contest. However, she suffered another ACL tear in February and returned to the sideline for the remainder of the season.

Baugh is expected to be a key member of a deep UT post unit this season, joining All-SEC redshirt junior center Kelley Cain and fellow juniors Alyssia Brewer, the 2010 SEC Tournament MVP, and Glory Johnson, a career double-figure scorer.

She looked the part during the first basketball workout session of the school year, running the length of the floor with no restrictions.

Simmons, of Cibolo, Texas, and Avant, of Memphis, Tenn., also got their first hoops action as Lady Vols, while sophomore guard/forward Taber Spani appeared recovered from the turf toe injury that severely limited her down the stretch in 2009-10.