Carmen Tegano, Peyton Manning and more / Credit: UT Athletics
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Carmen and Deborah Tegano were recognized Friday morning for their countless hours of service on Rocky Top at the dedication of the new dining facility in Stokely Hall named in their honor.
A gift from Peyton and Ashley Manning, longtime friends of the Teganos, paved the way for the naming of The Carmen and Deborah Tegano Dining Hall. Carmen Tegano is a longstanding Associate Athletics Director, and his wife, Deborah, was one of Manning’s professors at UT.
“When I think of Carmen and Debbie Tegano, two words come to mind: friendship and service,” Peyton Manning said. “I know I speak for everyone in this room and many others when I say how lucky we all are to call both of you our friends.”
Carmen Tegano has served in the Tennessee Athletics Department since 1985, making numerous connections and friendships with student-athletes. Still serving as Associate AD, Tegano has also spent time at Tennessee as an adjunct professor, a member of the Office of Development and the Associate AD for Student Life.
Tegano has had many different responsibilities at Tennessee, staying directly involved for 32 years. Now, his primary focus is overseeing the Tennessee baseball program, which just recently hired and introduced new head coach Tony Vitello.
“We go through life and do things to add days to our life. We do the little things, but that’s not the way it should be,” Carmen Tegano said. “We should address every day as adding life to that day.
“You [Peyton] have added a lot of life and joy to my days, but nothing like today.”
Deborah Tegano served 22 years at Tennessee as a teacher and researcher in the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences. Teaching many student-athletes in her time on Rocky Top, Tegano had the opportunity to teach Manning in a class that visited various elementary schools across the area.
Through the Peyback Foundation, Manning has lived out Tegano’s teachings, donating millions of dollars to programs that provide leadership and growth opportunities for students in Knox County and across the country.
“I love this university. Carmen and I love this university, and I believe we share that feeling with everybody in this room today, and we especially share that with Ashley and Peyton,” said Deborah Tegano.
Concluding a morning of laughter and emotion highlighted by a video featuring many former student-athletes, coaches and former athletics director Doug Dickey, a crowd of family and friends packed into the ground floor of Stokely Hall to see the unveiling of the plaque that now adorns the wall of The Carmen and Deborah Tegano Dining Hall.
With the dining hall officially dedicated, current and future Tennessee students will be able to enjoy meals in a setting that helped make the Teganos an influential presence on campus.
Peyton Manning and award winners / Credit: UT Athletics
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — An exclusive club of current and past Tennessee students welcomed new members on Friday as four incoming freshmen were awarded the Peyton Manning Scholarship at Neyland Stadium.
Manning and University Provost John Zomchick presented Emma Kate Hall of Lebanon, Grace Neiman of West Point, Nebraska, Sydney Peay of Spring Hill, and Blake Turpin of Knoxville with plaques celebrating the efforts they have shown throughout their academic careers—efforts that have earned them the title of 2017 Peyton Manning Scholars. With the induction of its four newest members, the Manning Scholarship, which originated 20 years ago, has now been awarded to 33 UT Knoxville students.
“I hope this program has provided each and every recipient with an extra edge to maximize their time here at Tennessee and beyond,” Manning said. “It really means a great deal to me knowing how much students appreciate the opportunity, but also to witness their progress and their successes, both personally and professionally.”
The scholarship, which was sought after by more than 300 applicants this year, covers nearly the full cost for tuition during the students’ time at Tennessee. According to Zomchick, the process by which the four students were selected was rigorous and thorough.
“Manning scholars must demonstrate academic excellence through their class ranking, GPA, ACT or SAT test scores and through nomination and recommendation,” Zomchick said. “Recipients must have established appreciation for active involvement with school and community activities.”
For Hall, who was Student Government president and a member of the National Honor Society at Lebanon High School, the award will serve as an opportunity to make a difference both on campus and in the community. However, Hall made sure to recognize how surreal it was to be honored by a Tennessee legend.
“Growing up in Tennessee, everybody knows the name Peyton Manning,” she said. “A popular phrase in my house was ‘the Lord is our shepherd, and Peyton Manning is our quarterback.’”
The Manning Scholarship also made it possible for Peay to pursue her academic goals on Rocky Top. After competing in the National Chemistry Olympiad and serving as the president of the Gay Straight Alliance organization in high school, Peay intends to study sociology and is grateful to be a part of the campus culture at Tennessee.
“To be a Volunteer, and to be a member of a community that so strongly values that service means the world to me,” she said. “I would not be able to take on that opportunity without the honor of this scholarship.”
Turpin, who moved to Knoxville from Montgomery, Alabama, three years ago, said he could not imagine leaving what has become home to him. Turpin was treasurer of his Student Government Association his senior year, served as a member of Youth Leadership Knoxville and plans to major in civil engineering. However, similar to Manning, he hopes he can make a larger impact in the community after his graduation.
“It’s truly inspiring and an amazing feeling to see someone who I have idolized over the years care enough about me, the University of Tennessee and this community to provide his support,” Turpin said. “I think this honor would mean a lot coming from anyone, but to see that Mr. Manning provides it is a testament to what I truly believe, and that it that Knoxville is a very special place, and this university is a very special place.”
Neiman, on the other hand, will be beginning her freshman year as a newcomer in the Volunteer State. Although being a member of her high school’s concert band and the National Honor Society would indicate there was a lot to leave behind in West Point, she has found the kind of warm welcome in her short time spent in Knoxville that has kept Manning coming back for the past two decades.
“(Peyton’s) gift helps us to chase our goals as we reach this pivotal point in our lives,” Neiman said. “From the minute I stepped onto this campus, I felt welcomed. I can think of no better place to pursue my education. Though it may be true that there is no place like Nebraska, I know that Rocky Top will always be home sweet home to me.”
The tradition of the Manning scholarship began in 1998, when he decided to form an endowment out of the scholarship money that came along with his on-field awards. What started out as an annual recognition of one student has progressed to a ceremony that now features four recipients, and as Tennessee Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics John Currie has observed, the relationship between Manning and the university continues to serve as a standard for returning student-athletes.
“Peyton Manning embodies the Volunteer tradition,” Currie said. “The idea that this has been going on for 20 years and he has continued to be so incredibly engaged, understanding the impact that he has on the students… it is very special.”
In honor of Father’s Day, Zac Brown Band released a new lyric video for their current single, “My Old Man.”
The new clip features photos from ZBB’s fans and their dads as the song’s lyrics are displayed onscreen.
“He was a lion / We were our father’s pride / But I was defiant / When he made me walk the line / He knew how to lift me up / And when to let me fall / Looking back, he always had a plan / My old man,” Zac sings in the song.
“My Old Man,” which was penned by Zac, Niko Moon and Ben Simonetti, is currently No. 18 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.
Last year, in honor of Father’s Day, the folks at the Nash Country Daily offices narrowed down our two favorite country songs about fathers to Alan Jackson’s “Drive (For Daddy Gene)” and George Strait’s “Love Without End, Amen.” Then we put it to a vote to let our readers decide which one was their favorite (George: 83% to Alan: 17%).
This year, we’re pitting Johnny Cash’s “A Boy Named Sue” against Conway Twitty’s “That’s My Job.”
We know, we know, there are plenty of other great songs about fathers, including Reba McEntire’s “The Greatest Man I Never Knew” and “Ricky Van Shelton’s “Keep It Between the Lines,” as well as new ones like Zac Brown Band’s “My Old Man” and Lee Brice’s “Boy,” but for the sake of this argument, it’s Johnny vs. Conway.
Check out the Tale of the Tape, give each song a listen, then cast your vote to help us decide. We’ve got “A Boy Named Sue” opening as the 3:1 favorite.
Fresh off of yesterday’s news that she will be releasing her upcoming fifth studio album, Now, on Sept. 29, Shania Twain stopped by the TodayShow’s plaza (June 16) to perform a few off her old hits, including “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” and “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” as well as Now’s lead single, “Life’s About to Get Good,” and new song, “Swingin’ With My Eyes Closed.”
“The new music is more celebratory, more inspirational, more about coming from somewhere bad and going somewhere good, dark to light, and that whole transition emotionally,” says Shania to NCD. “So, it’s a little deeper emotionally, for sure, this new album. There’s a lot of optimism, like ‘Life’s About to Get Good.’ The words are quite melancholy, but it’s just a happy song. It makes me feel happy when it comes on.”
Check out Shania’s performances from Today’s Summer Concert Series below.
It has been a crazy ride for Michael Ray, 29, since moving to Nashville eight years ago from Eustis, Fla., (population 20,000) to pursue his country music dreams. Since that time, Michael has dropped his self-titled debut album, notched two No. 1 singles (“Kiss You in the Morning” and “Think a Little Less”), played the Grand Ole Opry numerous times, toured with the likes of Darius Rucker, Sam Hunt and Kip Moore, as well as headlined his own Think a Little Less Tour.
And Michael ain’t slowing down . . . well, he does a little bit for his new single, “Get to You,” which he released today (June 16). The mid-tempo is the lead single from his upcoming sophomore album. Check it out below.
Tennessee Athletics, in partnership with the UT Knoxville Office of Alumni Affairs and the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, announced details Friday regarding next month’s Big Orange Caravan event in Nashville.
The Nashville stop coincides with the 51st annual UT All-Sports Picnic at The Barn at Sycamore Farms (located east of Franklin) on Monday, July 10 from 6-8 p.m. CT). Unlike this summer’s previous stops, the Nashville event will feature a seated barbecue dinner, allowing for a max capacity of 400 attendees. Walk-ups will not be accepted.
Attendees must pre-register at BigOrangeCaravan.com, and that deadline is Friday, July 7. Admission is $20 for adults (age 12 and older) and $12 for children age 4-11. Children age 3 and younger receive free admission.
Five dollars from every registration will be earmarked as a tax-deductible donation to the Nashville Region UT Knoxville Alumni Chapter Endowment.
UTAD representatives confirmed to attend the Nashville Big Orange Caravan stop are Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics John Currie, “The Voice of the Vols” Bob Kesling, football coach Butch Jones and women’s basketball coach Holly Warlick. Additional coaches and VFLs may be added to that roster in the coming weeks; updates will be posted via @Vol_Sports on Twitter.
The Nashville event also will feature a silent auction connected to a mobile bidding site that enables fans to bid and pay via a smartphone. The auction begins July 7. Those who register for the auction in advance HERE will be able to preview available items and see new items added throughout the month. Bidders do not have to attend the event on July 10, and auction proceeds also will benefit the Nashville Region UT Knoxville Alumni Chapter Scholarship Endowment.
Presenting sponsors for the UT All-Sports Picnic are St. Thomas Health and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Garth Brooks was running late for his weekly episode of Inside Studio G on Monday (June 12). To fill the time, his staff shared a short video of Garth interacting with a sign-holding fan named Jeremy Larson during a recent concert in Montana.
Jeremy’s sign read: “3 concerts down, two more to go!!! Waited 24 years to meet you!! You are the reason I play guitar.”
Garth had a few questions for Jeremy after the sign caught his eye. “Oh, you play guitar? Cool,” said Garth. “Now, you play . . . you play electric or you play acoustic? You play Takamine? You play one of these?” Garth gestured to the guitar in his hands, which was a Takamine-brand guitar. Then Garth took a closer look at the photo on the sign. “Oh no, no, no. That’s not one of these. Dude, if you’re gonna play a guitar . . . ” Garth unstrapped the guitar he was playing, tossed it to the fan and said, “you need one of those.”
Watch the video to see the Jeremy’s tearful reaction to Garth’s spontaneous gift.
After strapping on another guitar, Garth played “Which One of Them,” one of two songs that he brought with him when he moved from Oklahoma to Nashville in 1987—the other was his debut Top 10 hit, “I’m Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old).”
I was especially glad to be back in the Neyland-Thompson Sports Center today after spending three hours in the Charlotte airport last night waiting out a flight connection delay during my return from the annual NACDA athletics administrators convention in Orlando. We have now moved into our new Knoxville house, and I am grateful for my wonderful wife, Mary Lawrence Currie, who has managed the entire move-in process starting Monday morning without any help from yours truly. For the first time since March, the entire Currie family, including Charlie the dog, was under the same roof last night! We are blessed!
We’ve had an action-packed three weeks since I last wrote, so let’s get right to the updates.
BIG ORANGE FANS PACK CHATTANOOGA & MEMPHIS CARAVAN STOPS
Nearly 900 fans in Memphis this past Sunday night and almost 1000 in Chattanooga on June 3 have enjoyed our revitalized Big Orange Caravan stops this summer. I’ve heard nothing but positive feedback on the new format, which makes it a bit easier for our fans to bring their whole family to celebrate Tennessee Athletics, hear from our coaches and get excited about the year to come. And, it’s important for us to take the time to thank our fans who work so hard and travel to Knoxville to support Volunteer student-athletes. At both events, I had fun walking around and meeting lots of Tennessee fans and hearing your enthusiasm for the Big Orange. Having the opportunity to look you in the eye and thank you for your passion and support is very important to all of us. Coaches Jones, Barnes and Warlick have signed a ton of autographs and posed for a bunch of “selfies,” too!
Next stop on the tour is Nashville, where the Big Orange Caravan links up with the Alumni Association’s 51st annual UT All-Sports Picnic. This event is limited to the first 400 fans to register, so be sure and sign up before it’s sold out. We continue to work on a date for a Tri-Cities 2017 stop and will share details as soon as we can finalize.
As I discussed in my letter on April 19, this fall we’ll have a group study future formats for the Caravan and our fan engagement outreach program—keep sending me your thoughts on what you liked or thought we might need to improve or do differently in the future.
CONGRATULATIONS ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
All the $5 admission fees from the Chattanooga and Memphis BOC events went toward scholarship funds for students from those communities attending UT Knoxville. Congratulations to incoming freshmen Shelby Guthrie of Chattanooga and Xavier Grace and Michael Pham of Memphis, who were called to the stage at the respective events to receive scholarship certificates from their local alumni chapter. We’ll see you on The Hill soon!
THANK YOU: FIRST TENNESSEE BANK, PILOT/FLYING J, UT MEDICAL CENTER & REGAL ENTERTAINMENT
Monday evening, Mary Lawrence took a couple hour break from unpacking boxes to accompany me to a wonderful welcome reception for us hosted by four of our premier Tennessee corporate partners and leading community patrons at Knoxville’s beautiful downtown convention center. The athletics program, University of Tennessee and entire city of Knoxville are very fortunate to have the progressive leadership of First Tennessee Bank, Pilot/Flying J, UT Medical Center & Regal Entertainment!
TONY VITELLO TO LEAD TENNESSEE BASEBALL
If you haven’t had a chance to watch last week’s introductory press conference for new Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello, I encourage you to check it out. In addition to an incredibly accomplished resume, his poise and articulate nature serve as further proof that he is prepared for the challenge of steering our baseball program back to prominence.
As Coach Vitello continues to build his staff in the coming weeks, I’m confident our fanbase—which I know has hungered for championship-level performance on the baseball diamond—will have its baseball fervor reignited as it looks ahead to what’s in store in 2018 and beyond. I’m looking forward to many fun springs at Lindsey Nelson Stadium!
Before I move on to another topic, I’d like to congratulate our five Vols who were selected in this week’s MLB Draft: Jordan Rodgers (Atlanta), Kyle Serrano (Houston), Zach Warren (Philadelphia), Hunter Martin (Houston) and Jeff Moberg(Colorado)
BOWERMAN SEMIFINALIST COLEMAN LEADS CHARGE AT NCAA TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Coach Beth Alford-Sullivan led a group of 14 Vols to the NCAA Outdoor Championship last week in Eugene, Oregon. The men’s team finished in a tie for seventh place, the fourth consecutive championship (indoor/outdoor) at which the they have finished in the national top 10.
Overall, UT student-athletes earned 12 first- and second-team All-American honors: Shania Collins (200m), Chelsea Blaase (10,000m), Christian Coleman (100m, 200m), Nathan Strother (400m, 4x400m), Zach Long (5000m), Mustaqeem Williams (4x400m), Ari Cogdell (4x400m), Malik Elion (4x400m), Cameron Brown (Hammer) and Seth Whitener (Hammer). Chelsea, a Tennessee graduate and Academic All-American, finishes her fantastic career as a nine-time All-American! Additionally, assistant coach for sprints, Tim Hall, was named the USTFCCCA National Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year.
Tops amongst the highlights though, was Christian. He won National Championships in the 100m and 200m dashes to become the second person to ever sweep the four sprinting championships (60m indoor, 200m indoor, 100m outdoor, 200m outdoor) in one season, joining VFL and Olympic medalist Justin Gatlin. Tennessee is now tied for the second-most outdoor sprinting titles in NCAA history, as the Vols have 10 combined 100m and 200m championships. In the prelims, Christian put himself in some rare air as he set the collegiate record in the 100m by crossing the finish line in 9.82 seconds (Usain Bolt won Olympic gold in 2016 with a time of 9.81). Only three Americans have ever posted a faster time. Christian is now the only person to have a place on all four sprinting collegiate top-10 lists—and, incredibly, he appears in the top two on all four lists. Amazing!
Christian has also been racking up awards, as just this week he added the USTFCCCA National Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year to go along with his National Indoor Athlete of the Year Award from earlier this year. He was also named SEC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year. Needless to say, he is a semifinalist and one of the nation’s top candidates for the prestigious Bowerman Award (track & field’s equivalent to the Heisman Trophy).
Fan voting for the Bowerman runs from June 22-30, and I know Big Orange Nation has what it takes to put him over the top, so make sure to #VoteColeman and share the following link once fan voting goes live next week: http://www.UTsports.com/Coleman4Bowerman/
SALUTE TO GREG HULEN
On more of a bittersweet note, this Wednesday was Associate Athletics Director/Chief Development Officer Greg Hulen’s last day on staff here at Tennessee. Greg has accepted a wonderful opportunity as the Executive Vice President for Seminole Boosters, Inc. at his alma mater, Florida State.
Back in 2005, we brought Greg to Knoxville, and I have been so proud to watch him grow into one of the very best and most innovative fundraisers in the country. During his 12-year tenure with the Tennessee Fund, Greg made an enormous impact on both athletics and academics here at UT. His efforts were instrumental in the fundraising, planning design and construction of several facilities familiar to our fans and student-athletes, including the Neyland Stadium Master Plan, West Club, Tennessee Terrace, Thompson-Boling Arena renovation, Tom Black Track renovation, Pratt Pavilion, Joan Cronan Volleyball Center, Regal Soccer Stadium and Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
Greg also directed the recent Campaign for Comprehensive Excellence, which raised $163 million, and served as our sport administrator for the softball program this past season. The entire Tennessee Athletics family wishes Greg, his wife, Lyndsey, and their children, Colton, Josey and Wyatt, all the best in Tallahassee!
UT FOUNDATION BOARD IN TOWN
Tonight, I’m heading over the Lauricella Center in Neyland Stadium to visit with the UT Foundation Board of Directors, which is meeting over the next few days. Led by Vice President for Development and Alumni Affairs and Programs/UT Foundation President and CEO Rickey McCurry, the Foundation Board is currently chaired by Ron Turner. Did you know that all gifts to Tennessee Athletics are also considered gifts to the University of Tennessee Foundation? I am proud to be part of a collaborative effort, led by Dr. DiPietro and Chancellor Davenport and our Foundation Board, to move UT forward.
Speaking of the Lauricella Center, I had a wonderful phone conversation several weeks ago with Betty Lauricella, whose late husband, Hank, was our legendary 1951 Heisman runner-up. Betty, a distinguished 1953 graduate of UT’s College of Education, is doing well in New Orleans and continues to follow the Vols closely!
PAINTING NEYLAND
As we all know, upkeep on a nearly 100-year-old stadium takes lots of time and money—and you can see lots of rust on steel at Neyland Stadium these days. Starting this month, over the next three summers we are spending close to $3 million sanding and painting structural steel, paid for from department revenue (i.e. your ticket money!). Of course, this is kind of like painting the Golden Gate Bridge—you start on one end, and by the time you get to the other end it’s time to start at the beginning again. Work is underway on the backside of the south end upper deck and on the video board structure, with additional work set to take place on the east and upper north areas. Thanks to those who work in the buildings around the stadium for their patience during this process.
CAMPUS SPOTLIGHT: VOLUNTEERING WITH THE VOLS
This week saw the beginning of the second annual “Volunteering with the Vols” initiative. It’s a really cool series of summer community service projects taking place in fourteen cities around the country. There may be an event taking place near you; you’d be welcome to jump in and serve.
I’ve learned that the Office of Undergraduate Admissions has been working more closely with Alumni Affairs in recent years, collaborating in an attempt to enhance UT Knoxville’s student recruitment efforts. This “Volunteering with the Vols” programming is one way to strengthen those ties and help new Vols get acquainted with our alumni in their area. It’s yet another example of the many great things taking place within our campus community under Chancellor Davenport’s leadership.
Remember to send me your questions and comments via the “Hey, John” utility on UTsports.com. Happy Father’s Day weekend to all the Dads out there and….
We have a really neat new feature exclusively here at SportsRadioWNML.com! It’s called Rocky Top Traditions. It’s presented by People’s Home Equity.
This week’s Rocky Top Traditions (5 & 6) bring you back to the 1951 Vols baseball team and Shields-Watkins Field. Listen to those in this post below.
A VOL for Life. Why does University of Tennessee sports mean so much to so many? For some it’s cherished memories of afternoons in Neyland Stadium beating Bama or Florida. For others it’s being huddled around a radio with family pulling for our beloved teams. Through the years we tell our friends and family about these games, people and victories. We’re proud to be Tennessee Vols!
Sports Radio WNML, the flagship station of the Vol Network, and John Wilkerson are proud to bring these moments to life in a new series called “Rocky Top Traditions.” John is a Knoxville native, the co-host of Tennessee’s longest running sports show and the voice of Tennessee baseball. His knowledge of the history of all Tennessee sports is unmatched, and he has the rare ability to bring a story to life.
Check back soon for the next two exclusive presentations of Rocky Top Traditions presented by People’s Home Equity!
