Tubner Joins [New Team Name] Basketball Staff | Alabama Coaching Update

The Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball program has fired assistant coach Roman Tubner, according to reports from multiple outlets on Thursday, April 2, 2026. The move comes after a disappointing season for the Lady Vols and marks the second coaching change for head coach Kim Caldwell this offseason.

USA TODAY was the first to report the firing, with confirmations following from Knox News Headlines, WATE, NewsBreak, and Rockytopinsider.com. Tubner was hired by Caldwell shortly after she was named head coach in April 2024, joining her inaugural staff.

“I want to thank Coach Tubner for his contributions to our program during the past two seasons,” Caldwell said in a statement reported by Rockytopinsider.com. “We wish him the very best moving forward.”

Tubner previously spent three seasons on the Alabama women’s basketball staff, serving as associate head coach in his final season with the Tide. He joined the Lady Vols staff with a reputation for defensive coaching, having held the title of defensive coordinator at Alabama.

Second Coaching Change for Caldwell

Tubner’s departure follows the resignation of Gabe Lazo last Friday, who has since accepted a position on the staff at LSU as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Caldwell quickly filled that vacancy, announcing the hiring of Brian Ferrara as an assistant coach from Florida State on Monday.

The coaching changes come after a challenging 2025-26 season for the Lady Vols, who finished with a 16-14 overall record and an 8-8 mark in SEC play. Tennessee lost to Alabama in the second round of the SEC Tournament and suffered a first-round exit in the NCAA Tournament, falling to NC State.

The team endured an eight-game losing streak and lost 11 of their final 13 games to close out the season. Following the NCAA Tournament loss, Caldwell addressed the possibility of staff changes, stating, “Yeah, the staff is good,” and attributing the struggles to herself.

“It was a rough year all around and I think all of that stems from me. And I’ve built a staff around me where a majority of them have come from me, so when they have learned from you and I start to question me, then it’s a little bit hard there because that’s all we know.”

Kim Caldwell via Rockytopinsider.com

Adding to the offseason challenges, seven potential returners from the Lady Vols roster have entered the transfer portal, signaling potential further roster adjustments for the upcoming season.

Tubner’s firing and the ongoing roster turnover represent a period of significant change for the Lady Vols basketball program under Caldwell’s leadership. The program will look to rebuild and improve upon its recent performance as it prepares for the 2026-27 season.