Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A Union County man is sentenced Monday to more than 50 years behind bars for child sexual abuse.
Officials with the Eighth Judicial District of Tennessee say a Union County Grand Jury found Scott Stiner guilty of four counts of aggravated sexual assault on a child under 13 and one count of solicitation or sexual exploitation of a minor last December. He was arrested in California in March 2022.
Steiner was sentenced to serve a maximum of 12 years on each aggravated sexual assault charge and a maximum of six years on the solicitation charge, totaling 54 years.
He will not be eligible for release until July 2069.
Officials said Criminal Court Judge Zachary Walden described the case as “one of the worst he’s heard since taking the bench.”
The Union County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. –Dalton Knecht of the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team is the 2023-24 SEC Player of the Year, while Zakai Zeigler is the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, as selected by the league’s head coaches and announced Monday afternoon by the conference office.
Both Knecht and Zeigler also received First Team All-SEC plaudits, while Jonas Aidoo collected Second Team All-SEC distinction. Zeigler and Aidoo were both named among the five SEC All-Defensive Team selections.
This is the fourth time in the last 43 seasons (1981-2024) multiple Tennessee players earned First Team All-SEC status, joining 2018-19, 2013-14 and 2007-08. This is also the third time during that span three Volunteers received first-, second- or (now defunct) third-team accolades, alongside the 2018-19 and 2007-08 campaigns.
“I am thrilled for Dalton, Zakai and Jonas,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said. “Each of them contributed significantly to our team winning the regular season championship in the best league in the country. All three are so deserving of these honors based off their excellent play throughout the year.”
A fifth-year guard, Knecht turned in one of the finest regular seasons in SEC history. He averaged a conference-best 21.4 points per game, along with 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per contest, while shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 40.5 percent beyond the arc. The four-time SEC Player of the Week and two-time USBWA National Player of the Week, who became the first SEC competitor with back-to-back 35-point games since LSU’s Shaquille O’Neal in Feb. 1991, recorded 24.8 points per game in his 11 road outings as a Volunteer, notching 22-plus points in eight of them.
In league play, Knecht tallied a dazzling 25.5 points per game, the second-best mark in the SEC over the past 22 seasons (2002-24)—South Carolina’s Devan Downey averaged 26.2 in 2009-10—and the best mark of any Division I player in conference competition this year. He and Purdue’s Zach Edey (25.4) posted the highest league scoring averages by any Power Six individuals since Marquette’s Markus Howard (28.7) and Iowa’s Luka Garza (26.2) in 2019-20.
A 6-foot-6, 213-pounder from Thornton, Colo., Knecht ranks first nationally in both 39-point (three) and 35-point (five) performances, with each number tied for the program single-season record. He is also third in 30-point outings (seven) and co-No. 11 in 25-point games (11) among Division I players. He is the second SEC player in the last 14 years (2010-24) with at least five 35-point displays and/or seven 30-point showings in a season, joining Arkansas’ Mason Jones (2019-20). Knecht, a finalist for the Julius Erving Award, has five of the top nine single-game scoring totals by an SEC player this year, including a career-best 40-point showing Saturday against No. 15/13 Kentucky in his final home game.
A junior guard, Zeigler averaged 11.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and an SEC-leading 6.0 assists per game during the regular season. He shot 40.4 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from 3-point range, while placing fourth in the league with 1.9 steals per outing. The Long Island, N.Y., native’s 2.80 assist-to-turnover ratio is fourth-best in the conference and his 1.94 3-point makes per game place top 15.
Zeigler was even better in SEC action, putting up 14.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and a conference-best 7.0 assists per game, while shooting 43.6 percent overall and 36.9 percent on 3-pointers. He also compiled 2.1 steals per outing to rank second and notched a 3.15 assist-to-turnover ratio to place third. Additionally, he finished third in minutes average (34.1), co-No. 11 in made 3-pointers per game (2.28) and No. 19 in scoring.
The 5-foot-9, 171-pounder owns the top two single-game assist totals by an SEC player this year, notching a career-best 14 in a Feb. 24 win over Texas A&M and 13 in a Feb. 3 victory at No. 10/8 Kentucky, a game in which he also tied a career high with 26 points. Zeigler posted two double-doubles, while finishing one point or one assist shy of four others. He scored in double figures in 17 of the final 23 contests, registering 17-plus points in 10 of them. One of 15 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List members, Zeigler has multiple steals 15 times this season, with four-plus in seven.
A junior forward, Aidoo tallied 12.1 points on 53.3 percent field-goal shooting, 7.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game during the regular season, the latter three marks all third-best in the SEC. He also placed fourth in the league in offensive rebounding (2.9) and sixth in defensive rebounding (4.7), as well as co-third in double-doubles (eight) and third in 20-point, 10-rebound outings (three), the latter figure tied for the third-most by a Volunteer in the last two decades (2004-24).
Aidoo performed his best during SEC competition, averaging 13.3 points, 8.3 boards and 2.2 blocks per contest, while shooting 54.7 percent from the floor. His rebounding and field-goal clips both ranked second in the league, while his blocked shots average put him fourth. The Durham, N.C., native also ranked co-third in offensive rebounding (3.3) and third in defensive rebounding (4.9).
A 6-foot-11, 240-pounder, Aidoo has tallied double-digit points in 20 affairs in 2023-24, including 10 of the final 11 in the regular season. He has reached 17 points in seven affairs, with 23-plus in three and a high of 29 in a Dec. 12 victory over Georgia Southern. Aidoo possesses 10 double-digit rebounding displays this season, including grabbing 15 boards in a Jan. 13 triumph at Georgia, the top total by a Volunteer in over five years. He blocked multiple shots in 19 appearances, with three-plus in 10, four-plus in five and five on two occasions, both in league play.
Knecht, Zeigler and Aidoo led fifth-ranked Tennessee (24-7, 14-4 SEC) to the program’s 11th SEC regular season title, including its sixth outright crown. The Volunteers are the top seed in the SEC Tournament and begin play, after a double-bye, Friday at 1 p.m. ET at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., live on ESPN.
HISTORICAL NOTES – SEC PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ten different Tennessee players have now combined to win a total of 14 SEC Player of the Year honors from at least one of the three voting bodies (AP, Coaches and UPI) across 13 different seasons, all of which are the second-most of any school. This is the third time in the last seven years a Volunteer received the nod, as Grant Williams did so back-to-back in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
Knecht is the ninth transfer to win SEC Player of the Year from any of the three voting bodies, including the first to come from a mid-major Division I school. The others are Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe (2021-22; West Virginia), Arkansas’ Mason Jones (2019-20; junior college), LSU’s Marcus Thornton (2008-09; junior college), Vanderbilt’s Derrick Byars (2006-07; Virginia), Mississippi State’s Lawrence Roberts (2003-04; Baylor), Auburn’s Chris Porter (1998-99; junior college); Vanderbilt’s Billy McCaffrey (1992-93; Duke) and Kentucky’s Kyle Macy (1979-80; Purdue).
Knecht, Tshiebwe, Roberts, Porter and McCaffrey are the lone five transfers to tally the honor in their first year active. Knecht, Roberts and Porter the only other three to win it in their first season without first sitting out a season/semester.
NOTE: The Associated Press (AP) has given out an SEC Player of the Year award every season since 1964-65, while the SEC Coaches have done so since 1986-87. United Press International (UPI) gave out an award from 1964-65 through 1991-92.
HISTORICAL NOTES – SEC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Zeigler is the second Tennessee player to win the league’s premier defensive honor, joining Yves Pons, who did so in 2019-20. The only other schools to have at least two different individuals garner the trophy—it has been distributed in its current format since 2003-04—are Florida, Kentucky (six), LSU and South Carolina.
Over the 21 seasons the SEC Defensive Player of the Year or Defensive MVP award have been handed out, Zeigler is the third player under 6-foot to win it. The others are 5-foot-11 Tremont Waters of LSU (2018-19) and 5-foot-8 Tyler Ulis of Kentucky (2015-16).
Of the 24 SEC Defensive Player of the Year winners—it was shared thrice—Zeigler is just the 13th to collect First Team All-SEC designation in the same season. The others are Vanderbilt’s Liam Robbins (2022-23), Auburn’s Walker Kessler (2021-22), Alabama’s Herbert Jones (2020-21), LSU’s Tremont Waters (2018-19), South Carolina’s Chris Silva (2017-18), Kentucky’s Tyler Ulis (2015-16), Kentucky’s Willie Cauley-Stein (2014-15), Kentucky’s Nerlens Noel (2012-13), Kentucky’s Anthony Davis (2011-12), Mississippi State’s Jarvis Varnado (2008-09 and 2009-10) and Kentucky’s Chuck Hayes (2004-05).
HISTORICAL NOTES – ALL-SEC TEAMS
Tennessee is the first team since Kentucky in 2021-22 to have three first- or second-team All-SEC picks. That season, the Wildcats placed Oscar Tshiebwe on the first team, while TyTy Washington Jr., and Shavir Wheeler made the second team.
The Volunteers are the first team since Alabama in 2020-21 with two first-team choices and a second-team honoree. That year, the Crimson Tide had Herbert Jones and John Petty Jr., on the first team, with Jaden Shackelford on the second team.
As aforementioned, this is the fourth time in the last 43 seasons (1981-2024) multiple Volunteers collected First Team All-SEC honors, alongside 2018-19, 2013-14 and 2007-08. This is also the third instance in that span in which three Tennessee players received first-, second- or third-team (defunct since 2002-03) nods, joining 2018-19 and 2007-08.
HISTORICAL NOTES – SEC ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Zeigler is just the fourth three-time All-SEC Defensive Team—selections were made in 1990-91, 1991-92 and from 2007-08 to present—honoree in league history. The others are Mississippi State’s Jarvis Varnado (2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10), Vanderbilt’s Jeffrey Taylor (2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12) and Ole Miss’ Reginald Buckner (2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13). Those three were all forwards who stood at least 6-foot-7.
This is just the eighth season—ninth occurrence—in which multiple players from the same team made the cut. The other instances came in 2019-20 (Ashton Hagans and Nick Richards of Kentucky), 2013-14 (Scottie Wilbekin and Patric Young of Florida), 2012-13 (Scottie Wilbekin and Patric Young of Florida), 2011-12 (Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist of Kentucky), 2009-10 (Devan Downey and Sam Muldrow of South Carolina), 2008-09 (Garrett Temple and Chris Johnson of LSU, as well as Dominique Archey and Devan Downey of South Carolina), 1991-92 (Robert Horry and Latrell Sprewell of Alabama) and 1990-91 (Shawn Griggs and Shaquille O’Neal of LSU).
This is only the fourth time in those 19 seasons a team has had two SEC All-Defensive Team picks with one winning SEC Defensive Player of the Year or Defensive MVP (an award only given in 1990-91 and 1991-92). The others are 2013-14 Florida (Young), 2011-12 Kentucky (Davis) and 1990-91 LSU (O’Neal).
Aidoo is the fifth different Tennessee player to make the SEC All-Defensive Team, joining JaJuan Smith (2007-08), Josh Richardson (2013-14 and 2014-15), Yves Pons (2019-20 and 2020-21) and Zakai Zeigler (2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24). In total, a Volunteer has made the cut nine times across eight seasons.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
2023-24 SEC MEN’S BASKETBALL AWARDS
Coach of the Year: Lamont Paris, South Carolina Player of the Year: Dalton Knecht, Tennessee Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Sean East II, Missouri Freshman of the Year: Reed Sheppard, Kentucky Sixth Man of the Year: Rob Dillingham, Kentucky Defensive Player of the Year: Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee
First Team Mark Sears, Alabama Johni Broome, Auburn Zyon Pullin, Florida Antonio Reeves, Kentucky Tolu Smith III, Mississippi State Dalton Knecht, Tennessee Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M
Second Team Jaylin Williams, Auburn Walter Clayton Jr., Florida Rob Dillingham, Kentucky Reed Sheppard, Kentucky Matthew Murrell, Ole Miss Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State Ta’Lon Cooper, South Carolina Meechie Johnson, South Carolina Jonas Aidoo, Tennessee
All-Defensive Team Johni Broome, Auburn Cameron Matthews, Mississippi State Jonas Aidoo, Tennessee Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee Andersson Garcia, Texas A&M
All-Freshman Team Aden Holloway, Auburn Alex Condon, Florida Silas Demary Jr., Georgia Rob Dillingham, Kentucky Reed Sheppard, Kentucky D.J. Wagner, Kentucky Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina
Oakdale, TN (WOKI) A man is sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole Friday, March 8, 2024 for his role in a 2020 Roane County murder.
The District Attorney’s office reports 39-year-old Joshua Aikens was convicted Friday of first-degree murder in the death of Robert Quenton McCullough whose body was found in an abandoned trailer in Oakdale in December of 2020 following a multi-agency investigation. McCullough’s mother had reported him missing in October.
Court records show Aikens, together with Shane Parks and Nicholas Holloway tied McCullough up using rope and zip ties while McCullough was at Holloway’s home. From there, they reportedly took McCollough to the trailer and left him.
All were charged in McCullough’s murder. Parks and Holloway are still awaiting trial.
Jefferson County, TN (WOKI) Two people have pled guilty in the 2023 death of a Jefferson County 2-month-old.
According to court records, Chelsea Marsh and Nicholas Lay both pled guilty to aggravated child neglect and abuse and drug charges in connection to the death of a 2-month-old boy in October of last year.
The pair were charged after firefighters responded to a home on Lowery Loop Road in New Market to find a baby not breathing. Despite resuscitative efforts from firefighters and EMS, the infant boy was pronounced dead at Jefferson Memorial Hospital.
Marsh and Lay were each sentenced to two years in prison, which can be suspended to supervised probation after serving six months behind bars.
TDOT says they will take place through Saturday from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. between Woodson Drive and Cherokee Trail and will take place in short intervals (about 20 minutes each) and will be spaced out to allow traffic to return to normal flow between operations.
Also, crews will be conducting flagging operations on the ramp from northbound Alcoa Highway at the traffic signal at Cherokee Trail and on Cherokee Trail at Medical Center Way during this same time frame.
Another change on Alcoa Highway will have an impact on traffic.
Beginning tonight (Monday) night, if you’re driving south on Alcoa Highway, you will be shifted onto a new alignment just before the John Sevier Highway.
This traffic shift will alter the location of the exit ramp from southbound Alcoa Highway to John Sevier Highway as well as the entrance ramp from John Sevier Highway to southbound Alcoa Highway.
Southbound motorists will be shifted back onto its current alignment near Topside Road. This traffic shift will not those traveling north.
Dolly Parton and Dollywood Parks & Resorts President Eugene Naughton welcomed guests and media to great fanfare during the opening ceremonies for the 39th season at Dollywood, her world-renowned Smoky Mountain theme park. Dolly shared an update on her busy winter, a look ahead to Dollywood’s 2024 season, and introduced some of the new entertainment guests can see during the year—including a “duet” with Naughton during a preview of the new “Sing-a-long with Dolly” show.
Opening week already has been special for the Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, park. On Wednesday, Southern Living named Dollywood one of the South’s Best Attractions as part of its 2024 The South’s Best awards, with the article headline proclaiming “Why Dollywood is Better than Any Other Theme Park.”
The I Will Always Love You Music Festival (now- April 14) features three new shows celebrating Dolly’s career. Her remarkable story is told in “From the Heart—The Life & Music of Dolly Parton.” The new show takes place in Celebrity Theater and will run through the Flower & Food Festival presented by Covenant Health (April 19-June 9).
For those who cannot contain their love of Dolly, “Sing-a-long with Dolly” invites guests (and park presidents) to belt out the lyrics to some of her most-loved songs. This fun and interactive new show takes place at the Back Porch Theater. Finally, “Trio, Again featuring Three Times A Lady” honors the “Trio” albums released by Dolly, Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt. The Three Times A Lady trio, made up of singer/songwriters Lauren Mascitti, Kenney Scott and Hannah Blaylock, presents this timeless show for Dollywood guests at the Showstreet Palace Theater.
In addition to the new shows, Dollywood has invested $1 million in technology upgrades to various theaters and show venues across the park. Also, every stage throughout the park will feature shows during every season of the year.
“I’m so excited for everything we have in store for our guests in 2024,” Dolly said. “We’re investing a lot of time and money into our entertainment this year, and I think the work we’ve put into these shows really is going to be noticed. One of those new shows is ‘From the Heart.’ It is a Broadway-style production about my music and my life, and John Dietrich (co-writer/director) and I can’t wait to hear what guests think about it. We also have ‘Trio, Again featuring Three Times A Lady’ to celebrate the Trio albums I did with my good friends Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt. Those were such fun albums to make so I’m glad we are going to have a show to remember those.
“And you know, the last show might be my favorite. I always hear people everywhere I go singing my songs, so we thought it would be good to give folks a place to come and do it with their friends. We’re doing a show called ‘Sing-a-long with Dolly’ so guests can come to the park and sing along to my songs as loudly as they want. I’m sure it will be a joyful noise! But if Eugene is leading the singing, it might just be noise,” she added with a laugh.
Dollywood Parks & Resorts plans another large year following a massive 2023 season. Last year, the park added Big Bear Mountain—subsequently named the Best New Family Coaster in the world—and expanded the company’s lodging properties with the October opening of Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort, now named one of National Geographic’s “Hotels We Love in 2024.”
Not resting on its laurels, The Dollywood Company debuts the multi-faceted Dolly Parton Experience in May alongside several new guest-friendly amenities and an operating calendar that includes another 23 operational days—or 357 operating hours—for the 2024 season! With the addition, Dollywood theme park’s calendar grows to 281 operational days for 2024, this after an additional 21 operating days were added to the 2023 calendar in comparison to the 2022 season.
The Dolly Parton Experience, which opens May 24, features a number of interactive elements to make guests feel as if they were alongside Dolly as she journeyed from Locust Ridge to stages around the world. The entire Adventures in Imagination area transforms to create The Dolly Parton Experience. Housed in multiple buildings, the multi-faceted experience includes exhibits which span her unparalleled career, a look at the inspiration for and results of her biggest dreams, the importance of her family, and even a curated exhibit that highlights Dolly’s signature style through the years. The Dolly Parton Experience provides guests more Dolly than ever, as it is three times the size of the former Chasing Rainbows Museum.
All of the projects and calendar changes have been undertaken with one thing in mind—Dollywood guests.
“Our Dollywood Parks & Resorts properties have truly become among the top vacation destinations in the entire country,” said Eugene Naughton, President of The Dollywood Company. “We’ve earned several great honors this past year, including being #27 on Forbes’ list of Best Customer Service in the entire country. Recognition like that comes because of the effort we place each day on ensuring the guest experience for every person who visits us is the best it can possibly be. We really believe the only way to do that is by asking guests for their honest opinions and listening fully to their responses.”
The Dolly Parton Experience provides guests an opportunity to learn more about the park’s Dreamer-in-Chief through curated exhibits, interactive experiences and live entertainment. Attractions like this—as well as last year’s Big Bear Mountain and HeartSong Lodge & Resort additions—are integral in the company’s half-billion dollar, 10-year expansion plan announced by Dolly and Naughton in 2021. Naughton says the expansion strategy should allow Dollywood Parks & Resorts to remain among America’s top theme park destinations.
“We really do offer something different here,” he explained. “The hearts of our hosts go far beyond the tasks they complete at excellence each day. Our hosts make a true connection with our guests, making them feel like they’re part of the family. It’s been that way since the park opened. Now, our strategy of adding more attractions and resorts—five total resorts and an outdoor resort—lets us grow our infrastructure and offerings in a way that allows Dollywood Parks & Resorts to regularly be considered among the top destinations in the country. Include the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains right at our doorstep, and it really is easy to see why so many families are now making us their theme park of choice.”
Following the I Will Always Love You Music Festival, Dollywood’s Flower & Food Festival presented by Covenant Health (April 19-June 9) blooms bright with vivid larger-than-life flower sculptures. Park guests enjoy this immersive atmosphere as they make their way through more than half-a-million blooms during this stunning festival. In addition, Dollywood’s culinary team showcases their world-class abilities with a menu full of delicacies that highlight the tastes of spring in the Smokies.
Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration presented by Food City (June 15-Aug. 11) is everyone’s favorite summer tradition, and once again includes Dollywood’s Sweet Summer Nights drone and fireworks show every night, with weekend shows through Sept. 1. Another favorite, the “Gazillion Bubble Show,” returns to mesmerize guests in Celebrity Theater.
A family tradition for many, Dollywood’s Harvest Festival presented by Humana (Sept. 9-Oct. 28) opens two weeks earlier this season, providing guests more time to celebrate the beauty of fall with thousands of carved pumpkins, spirited performances from talented performers including Suzy Bogguss, Rhonda Vincent and The Isaacs, and the fun of Great Pumpkin LumiNights presented by Covenant Health. Great Pumpkin LumiNights, which previously has been named the best theme park harvest event in the world, features elaborate displays that are fun for every member of the family. Creative culinary items, accomplished artisans, and fall fun in the Smokies make this a picture-perfect time to enjoy Dollywood.
The industry’s Best Theme Park Christmas event—Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana (Nov. 1- Jan. 5)— also opens earlier and concludes the park’s 2024 season with six million lights, festive holiday shows, and the warm Christmas atmosphere guests have come to expect during this joyous time of year.
With so much more in ’24, guests should consider a season pass to ensure they can experience all of the fun! The Gold Pass represents a tremendous value for guests. Those who purchase now receive a Bring-A-Friend Free ticket and free general parking, as well as discounts on dining, merchandise and lodging. Diamond (Diamond Passes are sold out) and Gold passholders also receive access to special “Golden Events”—exclusive events and activities just for them. (Only the named passholder can receive the perks associated with each pass.)
Gold and Diamond passholders also can take advantage of another great perk: daily “Golden Hours.” During the first hour of every operating day, Gold and Diamond Season Passes operate just like TimeSaver Passes, allowing the named passholder expedited boarding on Dollywood’s world-class rides and attractions including Big Bear Mountain. Silver Season Passes also are available and include a Bring-a-Friend Free ticket and a discount on Dollywood lodging. Select blackout dates apply to adult and senior Silver Season Passes and Silver Bring-a-Friend Free tickets. Child Silver Season Passes do not have blackout dates.
Season pass prices increase after March 17. For more information about Dollywood’s 2024 season or season passes, please visit https://www.dollywood.com/ or download the Dollywood app.
Updated Story: There are some new details about a fire in Halls that damages several campers and leads to the arrest of a man who is charged with with criminal trespass, reckless burning and reckless endangerment.
Police say Joseph DeFoe was seen trespassing in the 8500 block of Old Jacksboro Road on Saturday where several campers were parked.
Defoe reportedly told witness that he didn’t start fire but police reports show he later admitted to setting a fire to get warm and letting it get out of control.
There were no injuries reported.
Original Story: An arrest is made following a fire in Halls and the investigation is on-going.
Rural Metro Fire says the person was arrested, their identity has not been released, after several campers caught on fire Saturday morning in the 8500 block of Old Jacksboro Road.
Several other campers were threatened by the flames and many propane tanks venting but crews were able to contain the fire.
Tennessee’s Rickea Jackson has been named to the five-player SEC Women’s Basketball All-Tournament Team, the league office announced on Sunday afternoon.
Jackson, a 6-foot-2, fifth-year forward from Detroit, Mich., made the conference all-tourney team for the second straight season and for the third time in her career. In addition to her back-to-back honors as a Lady Vol, she made the squad as a freshman at Mississippi State during the 2019-20 campaign.
Helping lead UT to its fourth-straight semifinal appearance and make a push for a second consecutive finals berth, Jackson averaged 17.3 points and 9.0 rebounds over her team’s three games in the tournament. She shot 50 percent from the field, 43 percent from beyond the arc and 78 percent from the charity stripe in the Big Orange’s three contests.
After foul trouble limited Jackson to eight points and nine rebounds in 17 minutes in the win vs. Kentucky, Jackson was stellar in a dominant victory over Alabama and a near-miss vs. No. 1 ranked South Carolina. She recorded identical back-to-back efforts of 22 points and nine rebounds vs. the Crimson Tide and Gamecocks. She added a career-high eight assists vs. USC, flirting with her first career triple-double.
For the season, the two-time All-SEC First Team selection and Cheryl Miller Award finalist is averaging 19.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while hitting 47 percent from the field and 76 percent at the charity stripe.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A pair of grand slams from Sophia Nugent and Zaida Puni catapulted the No. 8 Lady Vols to an 11-0 run-rule win over Ohio State on Sunday afternoon at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
It is the first time since April 16, 2019, that Tennessee has hit two grand slams in the same game.
Tennessee (18-4) was perfect during its invitational – going 4-0 against Ohio State, Missouri State and South Dakota.
Already leading 2-0 in the bottom of the third, UT loaded the bases for Nugent who hit a pinch-hit grand slam to center field to break the game open. The home run was her fourth of the season and marked her first grand slam as a Lady Vol.
Tennessee tacked on another run in the fourth thanks to a Laura Mealer double before Puni walked it off in the fifth with a grand slam.
Puni finished the day 2-for-3 at the plate with a run scored, four RBIs and a walk. Graduate Kiki Milloy was 2-for-2, scoring three times and walking twice.
Laura Mealer continued her hot streak with a 1-for-2 day, scoring once, driving in a run and drawing a walk.
Sophomore Karlyn Pickens got the start in the circle and tossed another gem as she picked up her sixth shutout of the season and pitched a seventh complete game. The righty scattered three hits with five strikeouts and did not allow a free pass.
She is now 9-2 on the year.
Ohio State (10-6) started Emily Ruck and let her go three innings before changing to Lexi Paulsen in the circle for the game’s final 1.1 frames. Ruck surrendered six runs on six hits, walked four and struck out two in her outing. She suffered the loss and is 2-1 this season.
Paulsen allowed five runs on three hits and walked two before giving up Puni’s run-rule walk-off grand slam.
Tegan Cortelletti, Jasmyn Burns and Kaitlyn Farley had OSU’s three hits.
STAT OF THE DAY Tennessee has now won 10 consecutive games and has shut out its opponents over the last 24 innings.
UP NEXT Tennessee flies to Washington, D.C., on Monday morning for a Monday night showdown with Howard at 5 p.m. ET. Fans can listen to Hunter King call the action live on AM990.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 7/8 Tennessee rallied to complete the sweep of Illinois after falling behind 3-0 in Sunday’s series finale at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Clutch home runs from Hunter Ensley, Blake Burke and Robin Villeneuve, combined with a stellar relief outing from Nate Snead, helped the Volunteers battle back and extend their winning streak to 15 games.
The Fighting Illini (5-9) played well in the early going and went ahead 1-0 with a solo home run from Ryan Moerman in the second inning before adding to their lead with a pair of runs in the third inning to build a 3-0 advantage.
Illinois starter Jake Swartz was dominant over the first four innings, holding UT to just a single hit in that span until the Big Orange were finally able to break through with two solo home runs by Ensley and Burke in the bottom of the fifth to pull within a run.
After a pair of walks and a single to start the bottom of the sixth, Tennessee tied the game at three with a sacrifice fly from Dean Curley, but a double play ended the threat before they could take the lead.
It wasn’t long before UT (16-1) did finally pull ahead, plating five runs in the seventh to take control of the game. Following a pair of two-out walks from Dalton Bargo and Billy Amick, Kavares Tears doubled down the left-field line to bring in the go-ahead run.
After Dylan Dreiling drew another walk, Robin Villeneuve put the exclamation point on the victory with a grand slam over the left-field wall to give the Vols an 8-3 lead.
Despite running into a little bit of trouble in the eighth and ninth innings, Snead was able to work himself out of both jams to lock up the win and improve to 4-0 on the year. The sophomore righthander pitched six shutout innings out of the bullpen, scattering four hits while striking out five.
UP NEXT: Tennessee closes out its 15-game homestand with a midweek matchup against Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday night before hitting the road to open SEC play at Alabama next weekend.
STATS OF THE GAME: Villeneuve’s big seventh-inning swing gave Tennessee’s its third grand slam of the week and second of the series. Curley hit one in Tuesday’s midweek win over Kansas State while Reese Chapman had one in Saturday’s win.
UT’s win streak is now tied for the third-longest in program history, matching the 15 straight victories the Vols posted to open the 2019 season.
