KNOXVILLE (UTLADYVOLS.com) - Several preseason prognosticators have published their predictions for the 2010-11 women’s collegiate basketball season and once again they predict the Tennessee Lady Vols will be in the hunt for the national championship.

The Lady Vols, 32-3 during the 2009-10 campaign, were preseason ranked No. 3 by Athlon Sports, No. 4 by Lindy's Sports and No. 5 by the Sporting News heading into 2010-11. Additionally, 6-0 senior guard Angie Bjorklund (Spokane Valley, WA) and 6-2 junior guard Shekinna Stricklen (Morrilton, AR) both received preseason All-America recognition in the publications.

The Sporting News placed Stricklen on its All-America Second Team while Bjorklund earned All-America Third Team honors. Lindy’s selected Stricklen to its All-America Third Team and neither was mentioned on the Athlon team.

Athlon Sports ranked Tennessee as the No. 3 team behind Connecticut and Stanford, while Lindy's Sports placed the Lady Vols a notch back with Connecticut, Baylor and Stanford ahead of the Big Orange. The Sporting News' Women's College Preview predicted UT as the fifth-best team in the nation coming in behind Connecticut, Baylor, Stanford and Xavier.

The Lady Vols will enter their 37th season under UT head coach Pat Summitt who sports a mind-boggling record of 1,037 wins and just 196 losses (.842). Tennessee returns the entire team from last season and adds 6-4 junior pivot Vicki Baugh (Sacramento, CA) back into the mix after her recovery from ACL surgery. The Lady Vols are also joined by a pair of 5-9 rookie guards in Lauren Avant (Memphis, TN) and Meighan Simmons (Cibolo, TX).

Tennessee officially opens the 2010-11 season on Nov. 12 taking on Louisville on the road in the brand new KFC Yum! Arena in Louisville, Kentucky.