Manning Selected for Academic All-America Hall of Fame

Posted on April 23, 2018
Credit: UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Legendary Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning will be one of the newest members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America Hall of Fame when the four-person 2018 Class is inducted this summer.

The Academic All-America Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place at 7:30 p.m. on June 28 at the CoSIDA and NACDA convention in National Harbor, Maryland. Manning will be inducted along with San Jose State two-sport athlete and civil rights icon Harry Edwards, former Washington State kicker and 21-year NFL veteran Jason Hanson, and former FIU and major league baseball player Mike Lowell.

Created in 1988, the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame recognizes former Academic All-Americas who received a college degree at least 10 years ago, have achieved lifetime success in their professional careers, and are committed to philanthropic causes.

“When I enrolled at the University of Tennessee I aspired to be the best student possible academically as well as the best athlete possible on the field,” Manning said. “I was fortunate to be selected Academic All-SEC in addition to being named Academic All-America. I admire all other individuals who achieved this status as well and I am honored again to join such a select group of former student athletes who are entering the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame.”

Manning is the NFL’s only five-time Most Valuable Player and a 14-time Pro Bowl selection. He has earned his rightful place among the greatest quarterbacks in league history as a leader in nearly every statistical passing category. He also was the first starting quarterback in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with two different teams (Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos).

Prior to his standout NFL career, as the quarterback at the University of Tennessee, Manning epitomized the term “student-athlete.” In addition to setting 43 records at the school, conference and national levels, he graduated with Phi Beta Kappa honors. Manning was an Academic All-America® and Academic All-SEC selection in 1996 and 1997. By his junior year in 1996, he had earned enough credits to graduate, but bypassed the NFL draft that year to return to the Vol football team.

As a college senior, he was a First Team All-American, the Maxwell Award Winner, the Davey O’Brien Award Winner, the Johnny Unitas Award Winner, and the Best College Player Award Winner.

He led Tennessee to an SEC Championship as a senior in 1997 and earned consensus All-America honors. Following his senior season, Manning was honored with the Sullivan Award for the nation’s top amateur athlete based on character, leadership, athletic ability and the ideals of amateurism.

In 1997, he also won the Draddy Award, which honored the National Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Manning was selected by the Colts as the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft and went on to help transform Indianapolis into consistent playoff contenders, leading them to eight division championships, two AFC championships, and one Super Bowl title. Manning then spent four seasons in Denver (2012-15), where he led the Broncos to two Super Bowl appearances and a Super Bowl 50 victory. He also earned MVP honors following the 2013 season.

Peyton and Ashley Manning established the PeyBack Foundation in 1999 to promote the future success of disadvantaged youth by assisting programs that provide leadership and growth opportunities for children at risk. The Foundation has become a consistent and viable contributor in Colorado, Indiana, Tennessee, Louisiana and beyond providing more than $13 million in grants and programs since its inception.

Among his charitable and community service national recognitions, Manning was honored as the recipient of the Byron “Whizzer” White Humanitarian Award and the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2005, the Bart Starr Award in 2015, and the Lincoln Medal in 2017. In February of 2018, Manning became the 10th recipient of the Lamar Hunt Award for Professional Football, which honors the legacy of Lamar Hunt, the Chiefs’ founder. The award aims to recognize those who have helped to shape the NFL.

 

UT Athletics

Jason Aldean Scores 4th Consecutive No. 1 Album on All-Genre Billboard Top 200 Chart

Jason Aldean Scores 4th Consecutive No. 1 Album on All-Genre Billboard Top 200 Chart

Posted on April 23, 2018

Jason Aldean had a good week.

In addition to winning his third consecutive ACM Award for Entertainer of the Year on April 15, Jason’s new album, Rearview Town, moved 183,000 equivalent units in its first week. Rearview Town marks the biggest debut for a country album in 2018, and secured Jason his fourth consecutive No. 1 album on the all-genre Billboard Top 200 chart. In addition, the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.

The 15-track offering was helmed by longtime producer Michael Knox and features a number of well-known songwriters, including Casey Beathard, Dallas Davidson, Jessi Alexander, David Lee Murphy and more.

“I think that obviously what got me to this point was recording the kind of music I like, and over the years we created our thing,” says Jason to NCD. “The way I’ve tried to describe this record is, on a lot of the albums before . . . you hear like a heavy rock influence, and on some it may be a little bit more of an R&B or hip-hop or whatever. And you’ve seen those scattered on a lot of the different records, and I think on this album, we kind of took all those and put them into one record.”

photo by Jason Simanek

Nominees for McWhorter Post-Graduate Scholarships Announced

Nominees for McWhorter Post-Graduate Scholarships Announced

Posted on April 23, 2018
Credit: UT Athletics

HENRY, GREGG NOMINEES FOR PRESTIGIOUS SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARD

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (April 23, 2018) – Parker Henry of the Tennessee football team and Meghan Gregg of the Volunteer softball team have been nominated for the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship by the University of Tennessee.

The H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship has been presented by the Southeastern Conference since 1986 to the league’s top male and female scholar-athletes.

The Southeastern Conference will name the 2018 recipients of the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship on April 26.

Highlights of Tennessee’s nominees include:

Parker Henry, Football, Tennessee

Major: Finance and Political Science (Double Major)

  • CoSIDA Academic All-American Second Team, 2017
  • CoSIDA Academic All-District, 2016 and 2017
  • Three-time selection to SEC Academic Honor Roll, 2015, 2016, 2017
  • East Tennessee Outstanding Finance Award, 2017
  • Sixth Tennessee football player ever to earn the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship
  • Held a 4.0 GPA while double majoring in finance and political science
  • Second Tennessee football player ever to receive CoSIDA Academic All-District in back-to-back seasons, joining Peyton Manning (1996 and 1997)
  • Started 24 games as Tennessee’s primary holder during the 2016 and 2017 seasons
  • Joined the Tennessee football team as a walk on in 2015 after serving as an equipment manager
  • Was part of 22 victories including two bowl wins
  • Never missed a hold and helped placekicker Aaron Medley make 17 field goals in 2016-17 and true freshman Brent Cimaglia drill five field goals of 40+ yards in 2017
  • Awarded the University of Tennessee Medallion for Community Service for having over 100 hours of community service.
  • Volunteered with Habitat for Humanity from 2015-17
  • Led underprivileged middle school kids for a two-day weekend at Sevier Heights Baptist Church every February

Meghan Gregg, Softball, Tennessee

Major: Kinesiology with a concentration in Pre-Pharmacy

  • Easton/NFCA Scholar-Athlete, 2017
  • CoSIDA Academic All-American (3rd Team), 2017
  • SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll, 2015, 2017
  • NFCA All-American Scholar Athlete, 2015
  • 5-time Dean’s List Member: Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017
  • NFCA Division I First-Team All-American, 2017
  • SEC Player of the Year, All-SEC First Team, SEC All-Defensive Team, 2017
  • USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top-3 Finalist, 2017
  • First-Team All-SEC, 2016
  • SEC All-Tournament Team, 2015, 2016
  • NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year Top 25 Finalist, 2015
  • Currently ranks first in program history with a .731 career slugging percentage
  • Set Tennessee single-season RBI record with 79, 2017
  • Member of Student-Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC)
  • Active in Community Service including: Challenger Games, Voloween, MLK March, Softball Meet& Greet

Each year, the SEC, in conjunction with AT&T, an SEC official sponsor, provides the league’s male and female McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship recipients with a $20,000 post-graduate scholarship.  The 26 remaining male and female finalists for the award will also receive a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship.

The award recipients are chosen by a committee of Faculty Athletics Representatives from the 14 SEC institutions and are honored at the SEC Spring Meetings in Sandestin, Fla., in early June.

Last year’s McWhorter Award recipients were University of Alabama swimmer Anton McKee and Texas A&M University swimmer Sarah Gibson.

 

UT Athletics

Watch Kip Moore & Drake White Channel Their Inner Gladys Knight With Lip Sync of “Midnight Train to Georgia”

Watch Kip Moore & Drake White Channel Their Inner Gladys Knight With Lip Sync of “Midnight Train to Georgia”

Posted on April 23, 2018

Following the fall 2017 run of his Plead the Fifth Tour, Kip Moore kicked off the second leg in March with opener Drake White. It’s safe to say that the guys are having a lot of fun together—just check out the new video Kip posted to his Facebook page.

Kip, Drake and their band members channeled their inner Gladys Knight for a lip sync rendition of “Midnight Train to Georgia,” a tune Gladys Knight & the Pips took to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1973.

We’ve got a feeling that Kip, a Georgia native, probably spearheaded the performance.

Check out the boys in action.

photo by Jason Simanek

Keith Urban “Elated to Accept” ACM Award With Carrie Underwood for Vocal Event of the Year

Keith Urban “Elated to Accept” ACM Award With Carrie Underwood for Vocal Event of the Year

Posted on April 23, 2018

On April 15, Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood bested eight other artists—including Thomas Rhett, Maren Morris, Willie Nelson and more—to take home the ACM Award for Vocal Event of the Year for “The Fighter.”

The announcement of the award came moments before Carrie returned to the public eye—and the stage—for the first time since her accident in November 2017 to perform her new single, “Cry Pretty.”

“I just was elated to accept that award with Carrie,” says Keith. “I’m really happy for her too. And, yeah, she knocked that performance [of “Cry Pretty”] out of the park. I mean, whatever she’s been going through seemed to have really come out in that performance.”

The tune, which Keith co-wrote and produced with busbee, appear on Keith’s 2016 album, Ripcord. Keith will release his upcoming ninth studio album, Graffiti U, on April 27. The 13-track offering, which includes his current single, “Coming Home,” featuring Julia Michaels, is available for pre-order now.

“I’ve been full-on writing, recording, collaborating and creating with some incredibly talented people for Graffiti U, a lot of whom I’ve never worked with before,” said Keith. “I can hear how some of the songs will translate live already, which really makes putting on a new show so exhilarating and I loved having our fans included in the announcement of the tour because it’s their tour too.”

Guarantano leads Orange to 34-7 win over White in spring game

Posted on April 22, 2018
Vols QB Jarrett Guarantano / Credit: UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – With redshirt sophomore quarterback Jarrett Guarantano leading the charge, the Orange rolled to a 34-7 victory Saturday afternoon in the 2018 DISH Orange and White Game.

On an absolutely beautiful spring afternoon, 65,098 Tennessee fans made their way to Neyland Stadium to get a first-hand look at the Big Orange in action under first-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt and his staff.

Guarantano quickly emerged as the game’s standout performer, going on to earn most valuable player honors. He finished the day 15 of 27 passing for 226 yards and two touchdowns. He connected with six different receivers, including redshirt sophomore Eli Wolf, who caught five passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore receiver Josh Palmer hauled in three balls for a game-high 77 yards.

Wolf was the recipient of the Harvey Robinson Award as the most improved player during spring practice. Senior defensive lineman Kyle Phillips, who recorded a sack and four tackles for the White, was the winner of the Andy Spiva Award as the most improved defensive player of the spring.

Theo Jackson made the first big play of the game, helping the Orange get on the scoreboard midway through the opening stanza. The sophomore defensive back intercepted a Will McBride pass and returned it 49 yards to the White 15. With a facemask penalty tacked on, Guarantano and company set up shop at the seven. Three plays later, Guarantano found junior wide receiver Marquez Callaway in the corner of the end zone for a two-yard touchdown reception. Sophomore Brent Cimaglia kicked the PAT to make it 7-0 with 7:59 to go in the period.

Guarantano moved the Orange 30 yards in seven plays to set up another score with 14:53 left in the second period. Cimaglia came on to attempt a 43-yard field goal, and he knocked it home to extend the Orange lead to 10-0.

The Orange pushed the lead to 17-0 with 6:46 left in the second quarter after sophomore running back Tim Jordanbulled into the end zone from five yards out and Cimaglia added the PAT. The five-play, 62-yard drive was aided by a 23-yard pass from Guarantano to sophomore wideout Josh Palmer and a 29-yard run from Jordan on the two plays prior to the touchdown.

Guarantano managed to steer the Orange to three more points before the end of the half via a 41-yard Cimaglia field goal. After being sacked for a loss of eight yards by redshirt senior defensive lineman Jonathan Kongbo and facing a second-and-23 from the White 42, Guarantano connected on passes of five yards (to sophomore running back Ty Chandler) and 14 yards (to Callaway). Those completions moved the Orange to the White 23, where Cimaglia came on and extended the score to 20-0

Orange stars during the first half were Guarantano (6-12-87, 1 TD), Jordan (5-50 rushing, 1 TD), Callaway (3-30 receiving, 1 TD) and Cimaglia (FGs 43 &41, 2 PATs). For the White, Nigel Warrior returned four kicks for 105 yards (26.0 avg.) and Quarte Sapp recorded five tackles.

With 3:24 left in the third stanza, the Orange struck again. Chandler plunged into the end zone from one yard out, and Cimaglia added the PAT to make it 27-0. Guarantano was four-for-five on the drive, opening with a 20-yarder to Palmer and adding first-down tosses of nine and 17 yards, respectively, to tight ends Wolf and redshirt sophomore Austin Pope to keep the chains moving.

The White finally hit pay-dirt with 3:13 remaining in the game. McBride, a sophomore, connected with redshirt sophomore wide receiver Latrell Williams on a 35-yard scoring strike. Redshirt junior placekicker Laszlo Toser added the PAT to trim the Orange lead to 27-7.

Guarantano and company responded quickly, taking four plays and 1:06 off the clock to move 63 yards and answer for the Orange. The capper was a 29-yard pass to Wolf with 10 seconds left in the game. Cimaglia added the PAT, his fourth of the contest, to make the score 34-7.

The Orange produced 360 yards of total offense, including 226 through the air and 134 on the ground. Jordan finished with 57 yards on nine carries 6.3 (ypc.), while Chandler added 53 yards on 11 attempts (4.8 ypc.).

Defensively, Sapp led all tacklers with 11 stops, including five solos for the White. Junior defensive back Nigel Warrior chipped in eight tackles for the White, including seven solos. Sophomore defensive lineman Kivon Bennettwas the leading tackler for the Orange, tallying four stops, including a sack.

UP NEXT: The Vols will open the 2018 season on Sept. 1 in Charlotte, N.C., as they face off against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Bank of America Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers.

HOME OPENER: Tennessee will play its first home game on Sept. 8, as the Vols welcome the East Tennessee State Buccaneers to Neyland Stadium.

-UT Athletics

 

Fulmer, Pruitt lead 2018 Big Orange Caravan This May

Fulmer, Pruitt lead 2018 Big Orange Caravan This May

Posted on April 22, 2018
Big Orange Caravan / Credit: UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Director of Athletics Phillip Fulmer and Tennessee football head coach Jeremy Pruitt will headline the five-city Big Orange Caravan fan appreciation tour this May.

Reigning SEC Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year Rick Barnes and Lady Vol basketball head coach Holly Warlick will join Fulmer and Pruitt at several of the events.

A collaborative effort between Tennessee Athletics and the UT Knoxville Office of Alumni Affairs, the Big Orange Caravan will make stops in Chattanooga, Memphis, Nashville, Atlanta and in the Tri-Cities. The events will feature fan-friendly elements such as meet-and-greets with VFL greats and coaches, a Q & A hosted by “The Voice of the Vols,” Bob Kesling,  appearances by the UT Spirit Squads and Smokey the mascot as well as a photo booth, cornhole, social media station, free popcorn, face painting and more.

“I always genuinely enjoyed engaging with our passionate Tennessee fans during the Big Orange Caravan when I was the football coach, and I’m really looking forward to hitting the road again in my new role as AD,” Fulmer said. “Our fans show their loyalty to our teams by traveling to Rocky Top to support them. Taking the Tennessee experience to our fans’ backyard is a fantastic way to thank them and pay them back for that loyalty—which plays a vital role in our success across all sports.”

The 2018 Big Orange Caravan tour kicks off on Thursday, May 10 at the First Tennessee Pavilion in Chattanooga (5:30-7:30 p.m. ET) before heading to the Expo Center at Agricenter International/Dome in Memphis on Tuesday, May 15 (5:30-7:30 p.m. CT). Nissan Stadium will host the 52nd Annual All Sports Picnic in Nashville on Thursday, May 17 (5:30-7:30 p.m. CT), while SunTrust Park in Atlanta will welcome the next event on Tuesday, May 22 (5:30-7:30 p.m. ET). The Big Orange Caravan will wrap up at the Meadowview Marriott in Kingsport for the Tri-Cities stop on Thursday, May 24 (5:30-7:30 p.m. ET).

Admission to all Big Orange Caravan events will be $5 per person in advance or $10 at the door. Students and youth will receive complimentary admission. Proceeds from admission will go to the local UT Knoxville Alumni Chapters’ scholarship funds (these donations are non-refundable).

Registration is open at BigOrangeCaravan.com.

“Last year the caravan in Memphis was a lot of fun,” said Michael Pham, who received the 2017 Memphis Chapter Scholarship. “It was great to see the reach and size of the Volunteer Family and it meant so much to me to be recognized as the Memphis Chapter Scholarship recipient.”

Online registration will close three days prior to each event. Walk-up registrations will be accepted at $10 per person (credit card or check only). Space is limited. Pre-registered guests will be entered to win prizes from Tennessee Athletics.

Food and beverages will be available for purchase at each event.

“We are excited to be part of Big Orange Caravan again this year and look forward to engaging with future Vols and their families,” said Fabrizio D’Aloisio, Assistant Vice Provost for Enrollment Management and Director of Undergraduate Admissions. “It’s an exciting time to be a Tennessee Volunteer as we continue to invest in our students through scholarship, enhancing our already excellent  facilities and providing a world class academic experience.  This is another way for prospective students to learn and experience UT.”

Representatives from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions will be present at each event to celebrate new incoming Vols and share information with families who have students with an interest in attending UT. The incoming freshman class at UT Knoxville is among the best and brightest in school history.

CHATTANOOGA

Date: Thursday, May 10

Time: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. ET

Venue: First Tennessee Pavilion

Address: 1826 Reggie White Blvd, Chattanooga, TN 37408

$5 per person / Complimentary admission for students and youth. All proceeds benefit the Chattanooga UT Knoxville Alumni Chapter’s Scholarship Fund.

REGISTER HERE

MEMPHIS

Date: Tuesday, May 15

Time: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. CT

Venue: Dome of Agricenter International

Address: 7777 Walnut Grove Road Memphis, TN 38120

$5 per person / Complimentary admission for students and youth. All proceeds benefit the Memphis UT Knoxville Alumni Chapter’s Scholarship Endowment.

REGISTER HERE

NASHVHILLE

Date: Thursday, May 17

Time: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. CT

Venue: Nissan Stadium

Address: 1 Titans Way, Nashville, TN 37213

$5 per person / Complimentary admission for students and youth. All proceeds benefit the Nashville Region UT Knoxville Alumni Chapter’s Scholarship Endowment. The Nashville event also will feature a silent auction sponsored by the Nashville Region UT Knoxville Alumni Chapter.

REGISTER HERE

ATLANTA

Date: Tuesday, May 22

Time: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. ET

Venue: SunTrust Park

Address: 755 Battery Ave., Atlanta, GA 30339

$5 per person / Complimentary admission for students and youth. All proceeds benefit the Atlanta UT Knoxville Alumni Chapter’s Scholarship Fund.

REGISTER HERE

TRI-CITIES 

Date: Thursday, May 24

Time: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. ET

Venue: Meadowview Conference Resort and Convention Center in Kingsport

Address: 1901 Meadowview Pkwy, Kingsport, TN 37660

$5 per person / Complimentary admission for students and youth. All proceeds benefit the Sullivan County Alumni Chapter’s Scholarship Fund and the Washington County Alumni Chapter’s Scholarship Fund.

REGISTER HERE

-UT Athletics

 

Watch Maren Morris Sing the National Anthem Before Game 5 of the Nashville Predators Opening Round Playoff Series

Watch Maren Morris Sing the National Anthem Before Game 5 of the Nashville Predators Opening Round Playoff Series

Posted on April 20, 2018

During the Nashville Predators 2017 playoff run to the Stanley Cup Finals, the Preds brought out some of country music’s biggest starts to sing the national anthem on their home ice, including Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Little Big Town, Vince Gill, Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban, Kelly Clarkson, Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, Dierks Bentley and Faith Hill.

For the Preds 2018 playoff run, which began on April 12 against the Colorado Avalanche, Rascal Flatts had the honor of singing the national anthem before Game 1. Before Game 2 versus the Avalanche on April 14, Brad Paisley kicked off the festivities with his rendition of the national anthem.

Before Game 5 against the Avalanche on April 20, Maren Morris treated fans to her version of the national anthem.

Watch Maren’s performance below.

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