BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Tennessee junior outfielder Alerick Soularie was named to the Preseason All-SEC first team as announced by the league office on Thursday.
This is the latest preseason accolade for the Houston native, who has already been named to Preseason All-America teams by D1Baseball, Baseball American and Perfect Game after a breakout sophomore season. Soularie led the Vols in batting average (.357), slugging percentage (.602), on-base percentage (.466) and runs scored (52) while ranking second on the team in hits (70), home runs (11), runs batted in (46) and total bases (118) in 2019.
Soularie earned numerous postseason honors in 2019, including first-team All-SEC recognition after finishing the year ranked in the top five in the conference in batting average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage. He was also named a third-team All-American by D1Basaeball.com and an All-America Honorable Mention by Perfect Game.
Vols Pick to Finish Fourth in Eastern Division
The league office also released the preseason coaches’ poll on Thursday.
Tennessee was picked fourth in the eastern division after finishing third in the eastern division standings last season.
Defending SEC and National Champion Vanderbilt was picked to win the division and the league with eight first-place votes, while Arkansas was chosen to win the western division and was one of six teams to receive at least one vote to win the conference.
The Country Music Association will visit the Pacific Rim in March with an international showcase featuring Abby Anderson, Niko Moon, Cassadee Pope and Mitchell Tenpenny.
The five-date tour, dubbed Introducing Nashville, will visit Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
As part of CMA’s mission to support the expansion of country music around the globe, Introducing Nashville will provide a platform to introduce exciting current artists to international audiences for the first time. Each tour stop will replicate a Nashville writer’s round, with artists appearing onstage together in an acoustic lineup to introduce their songs and talks about their careers and personal stories.
Since its launch in 2019, Introducing Nashville has featured a lineup that includes Danielle Bradbery, Brandy Clark, Devin Dawson, Travis Denning, Lindsay Ell, Walker Hayes, Lauren Jenkins, Logan Mize, Tenille Townes and Rachel Wammack.
March 23 | Brisbane, Australia | The Old Museum
March 24 | Melbourne, Australia | The Thornbury Theatre
March 25 | Sydney, Australia | The Factory Theatre
March 28 | Auckland, New Zealand | The Tuning Fork
March 30 | Tokyo, Japan | Blue Note Tokyo
Kane Brown will showcase his hoop skills at the 2020 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Feb. 14.
Kane will join a star-studded lineup from across music, film, TV and sports in the nationally televised game on ESPN. Additional participants include Common, Chance the Rapper, Alex Moffat, Jon Batiste, Taylor Bennett and more.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith and Michael Wilbon will serve as the celebrity coaches.
The game tips off at 7 p.m. ET on Feb. 14 on ESPN.
Team Michael Wilbon
Common
Bad Bunny
Hannibal Buress
Kane Brown
Jon Batiste
Alex Moffat
Jose Andres
Famous Los
Jidenna
Chelsea Gray
Quentin Richardson
Team Stephen A. Smith
Chance The Rapper
Quavo
Taylor Bennett
LaRoyce Hawkins
Anthony “Spice” Adams
Marc Lasry
Ronnie 2K
Katelyn Ohashi
Lil Rel Howery
A’ja Wilson
Darius Miles
Shania will serve as the creative director for the new shows, which feature her past catalog of music, videos, seven-piece band, eight male dancers and multiple wardrobe changes. Tickets go on sale on Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. PT, with pre-sale for Citi cardmembers beginning on Feb.11 at 10 a.m. PT. General tickets prices begin at $60 plus taxes and fees.
A limited number of tickets are available for Shania’s previously announced shows:
Kenny Chesney will return to country radio on Feb. 21 with the release of his new single, “Here and Now.”
The new tune, which was penned by Craig Wiseman, David Garcia and David Lee Murphy, follows Kenny’s recent Top 10 single, “Tip of My Tongue.”
“This song kind of blew my mind,” says Kenny. “The chorus is everything I feel about my time onstage with No Shoes Nation . . . the rush of it absolutely being the best place, best moment in the entire world. There’s no rush like it.
“But what really got me was the way the song puts everybody on notice. It says everything about how we all put off living our lives because there’s so much other stuff to do. Only thing is, that’s exactly how you miss everything that matters! It’s not the big stuff that gets you laughing or breaks the bad momentum, it’s what’s right here if you’ll bother to dial in and really feel it.”
“Here and Now” features live-in-the-moment lyrics: “Lotta people dreaming ’bout one day, someday / Waiting just around the bend / I used to be one / Wondering when they’d come, but now I’m living in . . .”
“Here and Now” is expected to be featured on Kenny’s upcoming album, which is slated to drop this spring.
Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt held his National Signing Day press conference to review UT’s 2020 Class. Watch that in full below. Video is courtesy of VFL Films and UT Athletics.
Vols HC Jeremy Pruitt / Credit: VFL Films & UT Athletics
What constitutes a strong work ethic? It can be a challenge to measure, but the effort a student-athlete gives toward achieving goals by showing initiative through hustle and intensity in their respective sport certainly assists in calculating work ethic.
For sophomore wing Rae Burrell, her work ethic on the basketball court is defined in her ability to create defensive stops and initiate transition opportunities for the Lady Vols.
The Las Vegas, Nevada, native has formed beneficial habits that have led to her breakout second season under first-year head coach Kellie Harper.
Burrell has given Lady Vol Nation a glimpse into her spirited work ethic during the 2019-20 campaign. That energy, she said, was sparked by her parents, both of whom attended the University of Nevada. Her mother was a ferocious rebounder on the basketball court, averaging double-digit boards for a complete season, while her dad was a track and field All-American for the Wolf Pack.
Acknowledging her parents for their influence on her playing career, Burrell shows appreciation for her upbringing, crediting her father for instilling in her, from a young age, a mentality of ceaseless hard work.
“They definitely gave me my athletic ability, Burrell said of parents John and Ann Burrell. They’ve always taught me to go 100 percent with everything. My dad used to train me when I was younger,” Burrell recalled. “In elementary school, I literally would get up before school to go work out and then go to school after that.
“I’ve always been taught to give it your all and go hard every time.”
The Vegas native’s attraction to the prestigious Lady Vols program steered her cross-country travel to Knoxville.
“I just wanted to be part of the legacy, and then just the environment here is unmatched anywhere else,” Burrell said. “The fans and the program itself, everything that goes into it is for the student-athletes. I appreciate that, so I wanted to be a part of that.”
Specifically, Burrell admires Tennessee’s 2020 SEC Women’s Legend Candace Parker and desires to carry on the Lady Vol tradition.
As a freshman on Rocky Top last season, Burrell recorded 3.6 points and 2.8 rebounds per game, connecting on .317 of her shots from the field in just under 13 minutes of action per game. She certainly made the most of her time on the court, logging 88 rebounds and 13 assists, along with 10 blocks, seven steals and 44 made field goals last year.
One of the more efficient games of her freshman campaign came in her second career outing, as she posted a 10-point, eight-rebound effort in just 17 minutes against UNC Asheville.
As this season got underway, Burrell immediately showed signs of a player ready to make a vast leap from year one to year two.
The surging sophomore believes her dedication to the gym this offseason allowed her to make great strides during her second season.
“I was training a lot with my trainer back in Vegas. Then, just getting in the gym and getting up extra shots – more than before… I feel like I worked hard in the offseason.”
That work paid off, as Burrell has burst onto the scene this year.
Along with increasing her field goal percentage from last season by 11.4 percent, from .317 to .431, Burrell has improved her 3-point accuracy by 9.8 percent, from .219 to 317. She has made strides in terms of crashing the glass this season, collecting more rebounds through the season’s first 15 games (91), than in her entire freshman season (88).
All of the improvements seen from year one to year two have been with an increase of less than eight minutes per game. Coach Harper has been by Burrell’s side for the journey.
Burrell scored in double figures five times as a freshman and has already exceeded that total with nine such performances this year – four of which have come away from Thompson-Boling Arena.
In terms of what the biggest factor has been in her improvement this season, Burrell stated that it’s due, at least in part to the fact that Harper “really believes in me and really encourages me to play hard and do better, to get better for the team.”
Balance is a word that Coach Harper would use to describe the growth of Burrell’s game. “We have talked a lot about how she can continue to improve,” she said. “Rae has been working on finding a balance with being aggressive yet making good decisions with the ball.”
The Lady Vols have reaped the benefits of that aggressiveness this season, especially on the defensive end of the floor.
Burrell has garnered 18 steals this season, which is 11 more than all of last year. The sophomore has also accumulated 32 more rebounds than last year’s 88, with seven regular season match-ups still remaining.
Burrell has dished out 34 assists this season. She needed just six games this season to exceed her assist total from her freshman campaign. Burrell spoke on the importance of balance and sharing the ball, emphasizing, “We just try to get everybody involved and move the ball around. I feel like we do better as a team when the points are distributed.”
The Lady Vols have proven this to be accurate, with a 6-0 record when four players score in double figures.
Burrell has nearly tripled her scoring average from last year, which is good for third-highest on the team.
As the first player off the bench, Rae values her role as the sixth woman for the Lady Vols. She sees herself as a ‘do-it-all’ type of player and understands that her multifaceted skill set is invaluable for the success of the team.
The value of the first player off the bench cannot be overstated. Whether it be three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams, or the WNBA’s latest winner of the Sixth Woman of the Year award, Dearica Hamby of Burrell’s hometown Las Vegas Aces. The spark provided by the sixth player is crucial toward a team’s momentum and overall success.
Burrell has solidified herself as a candidate for the SEC’s Sixth Woman of the Year award. If she brings home the accolade, it would be the first time a Lady Vol has won it since 2017.
In the Lady Vols’ 41-point handling of Arkansas-Pine Bluff in late November, Burrell’s defensive instincts were brought to light, as she recorded a career-high five steals. That effort marks the most steals by a Lady Vol in a game since Meme Jackson’s six on November 18, 2018.
Burrell describes herself as an “athletic, energetic and gritty” player who also focuses on bringing a selfless attitude to the court.
“My motivation is to do what I can for the team, think about the team and us as a whole, winning,” Burrell said.
This season, Burrell has shot at least 50 percent from the field in nine games, connecting on a combined 64 percent of her shot attempts in those contests. Her scoring has naturally followed suit. After scoring a season-high 14 points as a freshman last season, she has surpassed that point total on five occasions this year.
Burrell’s uptick in minutes has led to her setting single-game career highs in points (21), made field goals (10), rebounds (12), assists (four), blocks (three) and steals (five) this season.
Coach Harper views Burrell as player who thrives when pushing the tempo and playing with her naturally high motor.
“Rae plays hard and brings great energy to the court,” Harper detailed. “She is aggressive, plays downhill and attacks the boards on the offensive end. Her size and athleticism, combined with that high energy, gives us a terrific defensive threat…Rae’s role is crucial for our team. We need a spark off the bench. She helps our tempo by running the floor and being aggressive.”
Her best performance of the year came on the Lady Vols’ two-game December West Coast trip, when Burrell registered a near double-double with 21 points and 9 rebounds on 10-of-13 field goal shooting in a win against Portland State. The ten made field goals serve as her career high. It also marked the best shooting performance in 37 games in which a Lady Vol has attempted 10+ field goals.
The first double-double of Burrell’s young career occurred in a 10-point, 11-rebound showing that came with three assists against Stetson early this season.
In SEC action, Burrell compiled an impressive stat line of 16 points, six boards, three blocks and two steals in a hard-fought road match-up at Kentucky.
The “bundle of energy,” as Coach Harper calls Burrell, gives relentless energy to the Lady Vols, whether it be cleaning up a possession with a key rebound or attacking the basket on the offensive end.
Burrell, who Coach Harper considers to be exceptionally coachable, praised Harper’s approach to coaching.
“My favorite thing about Coach (Harper) is that she really cares about us and really believes in us. You can really feel that when she’s talking or coaching. It just makes you want to play hard for her,” Burrell said.
The defensive energy that Burrell brings has helped the Lady Vols in holding opponents to just 56.5 points per game. Coach Harper believes in Burrell’s potential, emphasizing throughout the season the importance of having a reliable sixth woman off the bench to provide energy to the rest of the team. She has reiterated her excitement in being able to continue assisting Burrell in becoming an even better player.
Burrell’s work ethic is contagious amongst her teammates and it starts with a simple, yet powerful principle taught to her at an early age: “Give it your all and go hard every time.”
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The 2020 baseball season is right around the corner and leading up to Opening Day, UTSports.com will preview each position group for this year’s team.
First up are Tennessee’s pitchers.
The Volunteers will have to replace a trio of talented right-handed pitchers that were selected in last year’s MLB Draft in Garrett Stallings, Zach Linginfelter and Andrew Schultz, as well as Will Neely, who made 68 appearances and started 37 games over his four-year career.
However, UT returns plenty of experienced arms, led by projected first-round draft pick Garrett Crochet. The Big Orange return seven pitchers who saw action last season while also adding a talented group of newcomers to the mix.
Heflin enters 2020 as one of the Vols most reliable bullpen arms after having the best season of his career in 2019. The crafty lefty went 4-1 with a 2.20 ERA in 26 appearances for the Big Orange while posting career bests in strikeouts (35), appearances and ERA.
The Morristown native is expected to miss part of the season as he recovers from a knee injury sustained in the fall but should be back for the heart of conference play. Heflin will likely be one of Tennessee’s top options out of the pen and also had the ability to start if needed.
Sewell is coming off an exceptional freshman season in 2019. The lanky right hander posted a 4-1 record and 2.18 ERA, which was the lowest by a true freshman in program history. Sewell was an important piece of the Vols’ bullpen and also made five starts last season. In his first-career start, Sewell pitched six innings of shutout ball, allowing just one hit in a win over Middle Tennessee.
The Cleveland, Tennessee native, is in contention for a spot in the weekend rotation this season and could also be a valuable piece of the bullpen once again.
Wallace was exclusively used as a relief pitcher during his first two seasons with the Vols but has parlayed a solid summer in the prestigious Cape Code League and an impressive showing during fall ball into a potential starting role.
The junior from nearby Sevierville was expected to be one of UT’s top relief pitchers last season but made just nine appearances after being hampered by injuries. Wallace recorded a team-leading three saves and held opposing hitters to a .179 batting average as a freshman in 2018 while posting a 1-1 record and a 2.86 ERA.
After being used sparingly as a freshman in 2019, look for Pleasants to take on a bigger role this season as a sophomore. The Clarksville, Tennessee native, was effective in his limited playing time last year, posting a 2.45 ERA while holding opponents to just two hits in 11.0 innings of work. Pleasants could see time as a midweek starter as well as out of the bullpen for the Vols deep pitching staff in 2020.
Hunley has been one of the Vols most productive and versatile pitchers over the past two seasons, having spent time as a midweek and weekend starter as well as an important reliever. The Mount Juliet, Tennessee native, posted a solid sophomore season after an outstanding freshman campaign that saw him earn Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Freshman All-America honors in 2018.
Hunley’s 11 career wins are the most of any returning pitcher on the team. The junior right hander posted a perfect 4-0 record and a 2.60 ERA in 45.0 innings of work while splitting time as a starter and relief pitcher last season. Hunley will battle for a spot in the weekend rotation this season but could prove to be a vital piece of UT’s bullpen as well.
Crochet enters his junior campaign as Tennessee’s projected ace and Friday-night starter after showing flashes of dominance during his first two seasons on Rocky Top. The Ocean Springs, Mississippi native, made 18 appearances and struck out 81 batters in 65.0 innings pitched in 2019. Crochet started the season in the bullpen before eventually working his way into the weekend rotation during SEC play, finishing the year with a 5-3 record as well as three saves.
The powerful left hander was rated as the No. 10 overall prospect for the 2020 MLB Draft by MLB.com back in December and has been projected as a potential top-10 pick by numerous outlets. He was also named a preseason third team All-American by Perfect Game earlier this month. During his two seasons on Rocky Top, Crochet has appeared in 35 games while making 12 starts and has recorded 10 wins, four saves and 143 strikeouts.
After a solid redshirt freshman season in 2018, Walsh broke out in a big way last year, cementing himself as one of the top closers in the conference. Walsh’s 1.38 ERA was the lowest on the team and his career ERA of 1.56 is the best of any returning pitcher for the Vols. He also led the team with nine saves, which is tied for the fifth most in a single season in program history. His four saves in league play were tied for sixth in the SEC.
In 2019, the Louisville, Tennessee native, set career bests in ERA, wins (two), appearances (27), innings pitched (45.2), saves, strikeouts (48) and opponent batting average (.232) on the way to earning ABCA/Rawlings All-South Region Second Team honors. Walsh is expected to open this season as UT’s closer.
Newcomers (Listed Numerically) #12 Drew Gilbert: LHP – Freshman – 5-9 / 170 – Stillwater, Minn.
Gilbert was one of the highest rated recruits in the 2019 signing class after a standout prep career at Stillwater High School. The hard-throwing left hander was selected in the 35th round by the Minnesota Twins in the 2019 MLB Draft and was the No. 10 rated left-handed pitcher in the nation by Prep Baseball Report. Gilbert was a two-time Perfect Game Preseason All-American as well as a Gatorade Player of the Year finalist in 2018.
In 2018, Gilbert earned All-State honors after leading Stillwater High to the Class 4A State Championship, where he threw a complete-game shutout in the title game, scattering three hits in seven innings while striking out 15 batters. Gilbert was also an excellent hitter and outfielder during his prep career and could be a two-way player while at Tennessee.
#15 Kody Davidson: RHP – Junior – 5-9 / 170 – South Fulton, Tenn.
Davidson comes to Tennessee by way of Walters State Community College, where he helped lead the Senators to the NJCAA College World Series in 2019. The South Fulton, Tennessee native, was 6-2 with a pair of saves in 15 appearances (eight starts) while posting a 4.11 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 46.0 innings pitched.
Prior to his time at Walters State, Davidson spent his freshman year at Dyersburg State College, where he posted a team best 8-4 record and led the team with 87 strikeouts, five complete games and three shutouts. Davidson was a two-sport athlete at South Fulton High School where he also played on the football team. He was the 2016 District 14-A Pitcher of the Year and also rushed for over 4,000 yards and 42 touchdowns during his junior and senior seasons.
#20 Connor Housley: RHP – Freshman – 6-4 / 170 – Tyrone, Ga.
Housley was a four-year letterwinner at Sandy Creek High School, where he was a first-team All-Region and All-County selection as a senior. The freshman right hander was a top 500 rated player nationally by Perfect Game and the No. 74 rated player in the state of Georgia. Housley was also a Perfect Game Preseason All-American in 2019. As a senior, he threw four complete games and racked up 65 strikeouts in just 41.0 innings pitched.
#25 Christian Delashmit: RHP – Freshman – 6-3 / 195 – Covington, Tenn.
Delashmit was a standout pitcher for Covington High School, where he helped lead the Chargers to three consecutive state tournament appearances and a Class 2A State Title in 2019. He was a top 500 rated player nationally by Perfect Game and the No. 22 rated player in the state of Tennessee. Delashmit was a three-time Perfect Game Preseason All-American and a two-time All-State selection.
#26 Jason Rackers: RHP – Junior – 6-7 / 246 – Jefferson City, Mo.
Rackers comes to Tennessee after two seasons at junior college powerhouse Jefferson College, where he helped lead the Vikings to 101 wins over the past two years. The imposing right hander went 8-3 with a 3.97 ERA, two complete games and 82 strikeouts in 65.2 innings pitched in 2019.
Rackers earned NJCAA All-Region XVI second team honors after an impressive freshman campaign in 2018. The Jefferson City, Missouri native, was 11-1 on the year with a 2.63 ERA and tossed four complete games to help the Vikings reach the NJCAA Division I College World Series. He also racked up 103 strikeouts and issued just 23 walks in 82.0 innings of work. Rackers could be a key contributor as a starter or reliever for the Vols this season.
#31 Jackson Leath: RHP – Junior – 6-1 / 181 – Waxahachie, Texas
Leath is another addition from the junior college ranks who has a chance to make an instant impact on the mound this season. The junior right hander earned NJCAA Region XIV All-Conference honors in 2019 after starting 10 games and posting a 5-2 record while striking out 61 batters over 61.1 innings of work at Blinn College in Brenham, Texas. His 2.93 ERA ranked third on the team and his three complete games led the Buccaneers. As a freshman, Leath made eight relief appearances and finished with a 2-1 record. He could see time as a starter and reliever this season for the Orange and White.
#33 Mark McLaughlin: RHP – Freshman – 6-3 / 200 – Johns Creek, Ga.
McLaughlin was a three-year letterwinner at Northview High School and the No. 249 rated player in the country by Perfect Game. The freshman right hander was a 2019 Perfect Game Preseason All-American and All-Southeast Region team selection. He was also chosen to play in the MLB East Coast Pro Showcase during his prep career.
#35 Kirby Connell: LHP – Freshman – 5-10 / 195 – Blacksburg, S.C.
Connell comes to Tennessee after a decorated prep career in South Carolina and Missouri. The freshman lefty was a four-time All-State selection and a three-time Perfect Game Preseason All-American. Connell was the South Carolina Coaches Association Class 2A Player of the Year in 2018 and earned back-to-back All-Region Player of the Year and Diamond Prospects 2A Player of the Year awards in 2018 and 2019 while at Blacksburg High School.
Connell spent his freshman and sophomore seasons at Butler High School in Missouri, where he set numerous records during career, including state records for single-season ERA (0.00) and consecutive innings pitched without an earned run allowed (59.1). He helped lead Butler High to a 22-3 record and their first-ever district title as a sophomore. Over his four-year prep career, Connell posted 13 shutouts and threw five no-hitters while posting 27-5 record with a 0.29 ERA and 434 strikeouts. He also put up huge numbers at the plate with a career .396 batting average, 101 runs scored, 15 home runs and 82 RBI.
#36 Chad Dallas: RHP – Sophomore – 5-11 / 208 – Orange, Texas
Dallas spent his freshman year of college at Panola College in Carthage, Texas, where he was one of the team’s top pitchers. Dallas posted a perfect 5-0 record on the year while leading Panola’s pitching staff with a 1.15 ERA. He recorded 71 strikeouts (16.38 K/9) for the season despite ranking fifth on the team with just 39.0 innings pitched.
The sophomore right hander played his prep baseball at West Orange-Stark High School in Orange, Texas. Dallas earned Texas Sports Writers Association All-State second-team honors in 2017 and was a three-time All-District selection. He was also named Orange County’s Most Valuable Player as a senior in 2018 after allowing just four earned runs for the entire year while also batting .410 at the plate. Dallas helped lead West Orange-Stark to the state semifinals as a freshman and starred on the football team as well, helping the team win a state title in 2016.
#38 Ethan Anderson: RHP – Freshman – 6-2 / 180 – Woodstock, Ga.
Anderson starred at River Ridge High School in Woodstock, Georgia. He was a four-time Perfect Game Preseason All-American and was No. 188 rated player in the country according to Perfect Game. He was a two-time Georgia Class 6A All-State selection and was also a gifted hitter for the Knights, winning the Silver Slugger Award in 2018 after batting .395 with seven home runs and 63 RBI. Anderson could also see time in the outfield for UT this season.
#41 Will Mabrey: LHP – Freshman – 6-0 / 181 – Cookeville, Tenn.
Mabrey played his prep ball for Upperman High School in Baxter, Tennessee and is the first baseball player from the school to ever sign with an SEC program. Mabrey was the No. 6 rated left-handed pitcher in the state of Tennessee by Perfect Game and was a two-time Perfect Game Preseason All-American. The freshman lefty was named District Pitcher of the Year in 2019 after posting a perfect 7-0 record with a 0.15 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 46.2 innings of work, setting school records for wins, ERA and strikeouts in the process.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – 20-point outputs from senior Jordan Bowden and junior John Fulkerson, along with junior Yves Pons’ second career double-double propelled the Tennessee men’s basketball team past Alabama, 69-68, on Tuesday in Tuscaloosa.
The win ended Tennessee’s (13-9, 5-4 SEC) three-game losing skid and was the first time the Vols overcame a 15-point deficit to win a game since knocking off Alabama in March of 2017.
The Vols were led by Fulkerson’s career-high 22 points, with 14 coming in the first half. Fulkerson also added a season-high-tying three blocks.
Bowden’s 20 points were the third time he’s reached 20, with 16 coming in the second half. Bowden was also huge on the defensive end, nabbing a career-high six steals.
Pons added 12 points and pulled in a career-high 14 rebounds. Eight of his 14 rebounds came on the offensive glass, helping to keep alive multiple key possessions in the second half.
The contest was the first time the Vols had multiple 20-point scorers since last season’s NCAA Tournament contest with Purdue.
To get things going, the Crimson Tide knocked down six of their first 12 attempts from the field to take a 16-10 advantage at the 11:25 mark of the first half.
As the half progressed, Alabama stretched its lead to as many as 15 points, however a late run spearheaded by six consecutive points from Fulkerson meant the Crimson Tide took a 40-32 lead into the locker room.
Out of the break, both squads went bucket-for-bucket, allowing Alabama to hold a 50-43 lead as the second frame neared its mid-point.
Over the next three minutes, the Vols used an 11-3 run to take their first lead since the 18:44 mark of the first half, holding a slim 54-53 advantage with 8:22 remaining.
The next four minutes saw the teams trade the lead four times, with the largest lead during that stretch being three points in favor of the Crimson Tide.
In the final minutes, two timely buckets, steady free-throw shooting and a game-winning rejection from Pons as time was expiring, put a lid on the contests final score.
Defense Comes Up Big: Coming into tonight’s game Alabama was the SEC’s highest scoring offense. The Vols held the Crimson Tide to under 70 points for just the second time during league play.
Le Streak is Feeling 22:Yves Pons finished the night with three blocks, extending his streak of consecutive games with at least one block to 22 games.
Up Next: The Vols return to action for a Saturday afternoon matchup with SEC rival Kentucky. Tipoff from Thompson-Boling Arena is set for 1 p.m. ET on CBS.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee football head coach Jeremy Pruitt announced the promotion of Joe Osovet to tight ends coach on Wednesday. Osovet, a former junior college head coach, joined the Volunteers staff in an off-the-field role as a director of player development in 2018 before being named the director of football programming in 2019.
“I’m excited to announce Joe Osovet as our new tight ends coach,” Pruitt said. “Joe’s track record as an outstanding college coach and a top offensive mind speaks for itself. He’s been successful at every stop he has been, and he’s done a tremendous job behind the scenes here at Tennessee over the last two years. He’s ready to be an on-field coach and eager to get to work. He’s an excellent relationship builder and I believe he will do a great job in our tight end room.”
Pruitt also announced that Brian Niedermeyer will move to the defensive side of the ball. The position he will coach will be announced at a later time. Niedermeyer has coached tight ends the past two seasons and was named the National Recruiter of the Year by 247Sports and ESPN in 2019. He previously was a defensive graduate assistant working with linebackers under Pruitt at Georgia and Alabama, and worked on defense at Miami (Fla.) in 2013.
“When I first got hired at Tennessee I knew Brian was a guy that was going to be a coach on my first staff,” Pruitt said. “I didn’t know what position he was going to coach, but I knew he was a rising star in the profession and a guy that knows ball. Like a lot of the guys on our staff, Brian could coach any position – offense or defense. He started out working with linebackers for me as a graduate assistant at Georgia and did the same for me at Alabama. He’s a great motivator and a very detail-oriented, fundamental coach.”
Osovet Moves to Tight Ends in Year 3 with the Vols
Osovet worked closely behind the scenes with Tennessee’s offense during the past two seasons as the Vols’ made dramatic improvements across the board, including in total offense where the Vols averaged over 70 yards more per game in 2019 compared to 2017 – the year before he arrived.
He came to Rocky Top after a successful tenure as one of the nation’s top junior college head coaches. Osovet coached 11 NFL players and developed 47 NCAA Division I players as a JUCO head coach at ASA (N.Y.) College and Nassau (N.Y.) Community College, finishing with a combined record of 33-11 with two Northeast Football Conference Coach of the Year awards (2014 and 2017) and the 2014 USA Sports Writer JUCO Coach of the Year honor.
At ASA College (2016-17), Osovet directed an offense that averaged 41.9 points per game, including a stretch during the final two games of the 2016 season where the Avengers averaged 75.0.
Prior to his time at ASA College, Osovet was the head coach and offensive coordinator at Nassau Community College. He was named interim head coach for the final three games of the 2013 season before serving as head coach in 2014 and 2015. In his first full season, Osovet directed Nassau to a 10-0 mark in 2014, earning conference and national coach of the year honors. He guided the Lions to a 6-3 record in 2015 before taking the reins at ASA.
Osovet played one season at Northeastern (1993) after graduating from Nassau Community College. He is married to Sandra and the couple has two children: son, Austin, and daughter, Brooke Marie.
Niedermeyer Moves Back to Defense
Niedermeyer has solidified himself as a valuable member of the Tennessee coaching staff over the past two seasons as the tight ends coach. He will move to the defensive side of the ball in a coaching position still to be determined.
A relentless recruiter and one of the coaching profession’s up-and-coming stars, Niedermeyer is also an accomplished fundamental coach on both sides of the ball. After playing tight end at Arkansas at Pine Bluff, he coached at his alma mater before taking on a role as a volunteer analyst working with linebackers at Miami (Fla.) in 2013. The Hurricanes finished 9-4 that season and were led by honorable mention All-America linebacker Denzel Perryman, who had 108 tackles.
Niedermeyer served as the wide receivers coach at East Texas Baptist University in 2014, helping guide the nation’s No. 1 passing offense (368.1 ypg) in NCAA Division III, before entering the Southeastern Conference.
He was a graduate assistant under Pruitt at Georgia in 2015 and Alabama in 2016, specializing in coaching linebackers at both stops. He helped coach Butkus Award winner Reuben Foster as well as All-SEC honoree Tim Williams at Alabama. At Georgia, he worked with All-SEC linebacker Leonard Floyd, who was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He worked with six linebackers who would play in the NFL during his two years as a GA with the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs.
Niedermeyer worked as the assistant director of recruiting operations at Alabama in 2017 before coming to Tennessee as the tight ends coach in 2018.
Overall, Niedermeyer has helped developed 18 NFL Draft picks.
