In a move that fills a key vacancy behind the scenes, Lady Vols head coach Kim Caldwell has officially named Denise Jilka as the program's new executive director of basketball operations. The announcement, made on May 15, brings an experienced Tennessee staffer into a role that had been open for the entire 2025-26 season.

Jilka steps in for Catherine Greene, who departed in October to become the ACC's director of women's basketball. Greene had been with the Lady Vols since 2019, serving as both executive director of basketball operations and chief of staff for the last four seasons. Her exit left a significant gap in the program's operational backbone—one that Caldwell has now filled with a familiar face.

"I could not be happier to announce Denise Jilka as our executive director of basketball operations," Caldwell said in a university release. "Because of her work ethic and her familiarity with our program, our staff and personnel around the university and SEC, I expect this to be a seamless transition. Her energetic personality and spirit, her organizational skills and her ability to connect with people will serve her and our program well in this role."

Jilka's journey at Tennessee began in 2014 as an assistant academic counselor. She steadily climbed the ladder: promoted to academic counselor and tutor coordinator in 2015, then to assistant director of academic services in 2021, and most recently to director of academic services for Olympic sports in 2023—a role she held for the past three years. While this is her first stint as a director of basketball operations, her deep roots in the university's athletic ecosystem suggest a smooth transition.

In her new capacity, Jilka will team up with Maggie Stanley, the assistant director of basketball operations, to oversee the program's logistics. That means managing team travel, academics, daily scheduling, and the countless moving parts that keep a top-tier program running. Stanley, who also serves as special assistant to the head coach, was promoted this spring after working as a graduate assistant last season. Notably, she previously served as Caldwell's director of basketball operations during their lone season together at Marshall.

Before her tenure at Tennessee, Jilka played softball at Bradley University, graduating in 2011. She went on to earn a master's in sport and performance psychology from the University of Denver in 2013, followed by a master's in sport management from Tennessee. That blend of on-field experience and academic expertise positions her well to handle the demands of a high-profile women's basketball program.

For fans tracking the Lady Vols' off-court moves, this hire signals a commitment to stability and continuity. With Jilka's institutional knowledge and Stanley's prior experience under Caldwell, the operations room looks ready for the challenges ahead.