Tobe Awaka Signs with Tennessee Basketball

Tobe Awaka Signs with Tennessee Basketball

Posted on July 2, 2022

Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes announced Friday that New York native Tobe Awaka (pronounced: toe-BAY uh-WAH-kuh) has signed with UT and will enroll in July for the second session of summer school.
 
Awaka will be a freshman for the Vols this upcoming season.
 
“Tobe gives us another big, strong presence in the post who plays a very physical brand of basketball,” Barnes said. “Tobe is an excellent student and had offers from multiple Ivy League programs. He’s very comfortable playing down on the block, he can score with either hand and he has a nice shooting touch. He rebounds and moves well, and we love his toughness and grit.”
 
A 6-8 forward from Hyde Park, New York, Awaka was the 2022 New York Gatorade Player of the Year—an award that former Vol and current Philadelphia 76ers swingman Tobias Harris won in 2010.
 
Awaka also was a member of the New York Lightning AAU program—the same program that produced Tennessee rising sophomore point guard Zakai Zeigler.
 
In addition to Zeigler and Harris, Awaka follows the likes of Bernard King, Ernie Grunfeld, Howard Wood, Brian Williams and Kevin Punter Jr. as Vols who hail from the New York City area.
 
“Just like Zakai, Tobe continues the New York-to-Tennessee pipeline, which has produced many fan favorites over the years,” Barnes said.
 
This past season at Cardinal Hayes High School, Awaka posted averages of 19.2 points and 13.9 rebounds per game.
 
In April, Awaka logged double-doubles in each of his four games at the Nike 17U EYBL Session 2 in Indianapolis, helping lead the Lightning to a 4-0 record with averages of 12.8 points and 13.8 rebounds per game on 55.3 percent shooting from the field.
 
Awaka is the fourth member of Tennessee’s 2022 prep signing class, joining guards B.J. Edwards and D.J. Jefferson and forward Julian Phillips. In addition to those four high school signees, the Vols also added Indiana State graduate transfer guard Tyreke Key to the roster this offseason.

-UT Athletics

Tobe Awaka / Credit: UT Athletics
Tennessee Returns to Top 15 in Final Directors’ Cup Standings

Tennessee Returns to Top 15 in Final Directors’ Cup Standings

Posted on July 2, 2022

View Full Standings

Tennessee Athletics landed at No. 13 in the final 2021-22 LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup national standings, NACDA announced Thursday.

This is Tennessee’s best Directors’ Cup finish since 2006-07, when it earned its best-ever placement at No. 7. It also snaps a 10-year streak of finishing outside the top 20.

Tennessee was the fourth-best finisher among SEC schools this year—a significant improvement from it’s ninth-place SEC finish a year ago.

In its first full academic year under Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White, Tennessee secured its first-ever SEC Overall All-Sports Trophy earlier this month. Tennessee also finished first in the SEC Men’s All-Sports standings while earning a second-place finish in the SEC Women’s All-Sports standings.

“Our student-athletes and coaches have a lot to be proud about this year, highlighted by five SEC championships,” White said. “Across the board, we’ve shown significant improvement from recent years. But we can’t be satisfied; 13th place is not our goal. We’re setting our sights higher, and I’m very confident we’re going to keep rising.”

To view a comprehensive and interactive Tennessee Athletics 2021-22 year-in-review, highlighting achievements by each of UT’s 20 varsity sport programs, click HERE.

As Tennessee seeks to build on its championship tradition across all sports, the ongoing My All Campaign is fueling the pursuit of enhanced championship resources to support student-athletes’ academic and competitive pursuits.

-UT Athletics

Directors’ Cup / Credit: UT Athletics
Tennessee Baseball Announces Return of Quentin Eberhardt

Tennessee Baseball Announces Return of Quentin Eberhardt

Posted on July 2, 2022

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee head baseball coach Tony Vitello announced the addition of a new strength and conditioning coach on Thursday, welcoming back Quentin Eberhardt for his second stint as the Director of Baseball Sports Performance.

Eberhardt served in the same role for the Volunteers from 2018-2021 before taking a job in Major League Baseball with the Chicago Cubs prior to the 2022 season.

Eberhardt was instrumental in the continued improvement of Tennessee baseball during his first stint with the program.

Under Eberhardt’s guidance, the Big Orange saw drastic increases in their power numbers each season. UT had 141 extra-base hits and 42 home runs during his first season in 2018 after finishing with 123 extra-base hits and just 33 homers the year prior. Tennessee made an even bigger leap in 2019 with 173 extra-base hits and 53 long balls. The Vols were on pace to shatter those numbers in 2020 before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In just 17 games, UT had already compiled 77 extra-base hits and ranked second in the nation with 31 homers and sixth nationally with 43 doubles.

Tennessee made another huge leap in 2021, blasting 98 homers while racking up 244 extra-base hits en route to making its first trip to Omaha since 2005. UT was one of the top offensive teams in the nation, ranking among the top 10 in the country in runs scored (7th – 425), hits (2nd – 657), doubles (3rd – 134), home runs (4th – 98) and walks (5th – 336). The Vols’ 98 homers were the second most in a single season in program history at the time.

It wasn’t just the bats that displayed major improvements under Eberhardt, as UT’s pitchers also increased their strikeout totals during each of his four seasons. After finishing with only 198 strikeouts in 2017, Tennessee’s pitching staff nearly doubled that in 2018 with 383 punchouts. In 2019, the Vols finished the year ranked 33rd in the country with 551 strikeouts, the second most in a single season in program history. Through 17 games in 2020, Tennessee pitchers had already racked up 171 strikeouts and were averaging 10.1 Ks per nine innings. The 2021 team went on to set a new program record with 617 punchouts while averaging 9.00 strikeouts per game.

The Big Orange increased their speed during Eberhardt’s watch, as well, ranking among the SEC and national leaders in stolen bases multiple times. In 2019, UT led all Power 5 programs with 108 stolen bases, its most in a single season since 2005.

On top of his time with the Cubs, Eberhardt brings a wealth of experience as a strength and conditioning coach at the professional level.

The Columbus, Ohio native spent four seasons as the head strength and conditioning coach for the New Orleans Baby Cakes, the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. Before working with New Orleans, Eberhardt also spent time as the strength coach with four other minor league teams: the Rome Braves (2013), the Quad City River Bandits (2012), the Corpus Christi Hooks (2011) and the Gulf Coast League Astros (2010). During that time, he worked with numerous major leaguers such as Dallas Keuchel, Dee Gordon, Brian McCann, Stephen Piscotty, J.D. Martinez, Edinson Volquez and Martin Prado, among others.

-UT Athletics

Quentin Eberhardt – UT / Credit: UT Athletics
Dollander, Gilbert and Lipscomb Garner Baseball America All-America Honors

Dollander, Gilbert and Lipscomb Garner Baseball America All-America Honors

Posted on July 1, 2022

Baseball America All-America Teams

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The final All-America teams of the season were released by Baseball America this week with three Volunteers earning second-team honors.

Sophomore pitcher Chase Dollander secured his sixth All-America nod this year, with the other five being first-team selections. The right-hander was also named the SEC Pitcher of the Year, just the second player in program history to win that award (Luke Hochevar, 2005). The Evans, Georgia, native posted a perfect 10-0 record and led the country with a 0.80 WHIP. He also was second in the SEC with 108 strikeouts and led the conference with a 2.39 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .175 batting average.

Senior third baseman Trey Lipscomb and Junior outfielder Drew Gilbert were also selected as second team All-Americans, both also picking up their sixth All-America honors of the season. Neither individual had ever been named to an All-America team prior to this year.

Lipscomb sat atop the SEC in RBIs at the end of the season, with 84 in 2022. That figure ranks third in single-season program history while Gilbert’s 70 rank eighth, and put him fourth in the conference.

The duo also combined to hit 33 of Tennessee’s record-setting 158 home runs, with Lipscomb crushing 22 and Gilbert blasting 11.

Tennessee has had eight players earn non-freshman All-America honors this season, doubling the previous program record of four set in 2021 and 1994. If you include freshmen All-Americans, the Vols have had nine players earn All-America recognition, which also smashed the previous school record of five in 2021.

To see the complete Baseball America All-America teams, click HERE. A full listing of Tennessee’s postseason All-Americans and national award winners can be seen below.

Tennessee Postseason All-Americans / National Awards Winners

Tony Vitello
Perfect Game National Coach of the Year
ABCA Southeast Regional Coach of the Year

RHP Drew Beam
NCBWA – Second Team
NCBWA – Freshman (First Team)
Collegiate Baseball – Freshman Team
Perfect Game – Freshman Team

DH/1B Blake Burke
Collegiate Baseball – Freshman Team
Perfect Game – Freshman Team

RHP Chase Burns
NCBWA Freshman National Pitcher of the Year
Collegiate Baseball National Co-Freshman Player of the Year
NCBWA – First Team
D1Baseball.com – Third Team
ABCA – Third Team
Collegiate Baseball – Third Team
Collegiate Baseball – Freshman Team
NCBWA – Freshman (First Team)
Perfect Game – Freshman Team

RHP Chase Dollander
D1Baseball.com – First Team
ABCA – First Team
NCBWA – First Team
Collegiate Baseball – First Team
Perfect Game – First Team
Baseball America – Second Team

OF Drew Gilbert
NCBWA – First Team
ABCA – Second Team
Baseball America – Second Team
Collegiate Baseball – Second Team
Perfect Game – Second Team
D1Baseball.com – Third Team

RHP Ben Joyce
NCBWA – Third Team

1B Luc Lipcius
CoSIDA Academic – Second Team

3B Trey Lipscomb
NCBWA – First Team
ABCA – Second Team
Baseball America – Second Team
Collegiate Baseball – Second Team
D1Baseball.com – Third Team
Perfect Game – Third Team

2B Jorel Ortega
Perfect Game – Second Team

C Evan Russell
CoSIDA Academic – First Team

LHP Redmond Walsh
NCBWA – Second Team

-UT Athletics

Vols 3B Trey Lipscomb / Credit: UT Athletics
Video/Photos: Tennessee Athletics 2021-22 Year in Review

Video/Photos: Tennessee Athletics 2021-22 Year in Review

Posted on July 1, 2022

HIGHLIGHT VIDEO  |  PHOTO GALLERY  |  VIEW FULL STORY

“This past year, it’s felt like the whole of Tennessee Athletics has been on a mission. There’s been an energy that maybe used to be contained to one team, but now that energy just ignites everyone else. And it goes beyond the walls of a single team. I haven’t felt anything like this in my 17 years, and it’s just getting stronger. The confidence that comes with success just feeds more confidence and success. It’s a great time to be a Tennessee Vol!”

– Matt Kredich, Director of Swimming & Diving

Tennessee in 2021-22 claimed its first SEC Overall All-Sports title, presented by USA Today Network, and the Vols also captured the program’s first SEC Men’s All-Sports title since 2007-08. In the SEC Women’s All-Sports standings, Tennessee finished second behind Florida.

Across the nine sports for which the SEC tracks head-to-head win/loss records (and at least 13 teams compete), Tennessee owned the league’s best intraconference win percentage in 2021-22 at .672. The next-best win percentage was .595 (Florida). Those nine sports are football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball, softball, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, soccer and volleyball.

Eight Tennessee teams (four men’s and four women’s) finished in the top 16 or advanced to at least the round of 16 in their respective NCAA Championships.

Tennessee also was one of only seven Division I programs in the country to make a football bowl game and also qualify for the NCAA Championships in men’s basketball, women’s basketball, softball and baseball (joining Arkansas, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, UCLA and Virginia Tech).  

Tennessee produced a school-record 10 Academic All-Americans in 2021-22—six Lady Vols and four Vols. 

For a comprehensive and interactive Year in Review experience, featuring several sport-specific notes and highlights, click HERE.

-UT Athletics

Video/Photos: Tennessee Athletics 2021-22 Year in Review

Video/Photos: Tennessee Athletics 2021-22 Year in Review

Posted on July 1, 2022

HIGHLIGHT VIDEO  |  PHOTO GALLERY  |  VIEW FULL STORY

“This past year, it’s felt like the whole of Tennessee Athletics has been on a mission. There’s been an energy that maybe used to be contained to one team, but now that energy just ignites everyone else. And it goes beyond the walls of a single team. I haven’t felt anything like this in my 17 years, and it’s just getting stronger. The confidence that comes with success just feeds more confidence and success. It’s a great time to be a Tennessee Vol!”

– Matt Kredich, Director of Swimming & Diving

Tennessee in 2021-22 claimed its first SEC Overall All-Sports title, presented by USA Today Network, and the Vols also captured the program’s first SEC Men’s All-Sports title since 2007-08. In the SEC Women’s All-Sports standings, Tennessee finished second behind Florida.

Across the nine sports for which the SEC tracks head-to-head win/loss records (and at least 13 teams compete), Tennessee owned the league’s best intraconference win percentage in 2021-22 at .672. The next-best win percentage was .595 (Florida). Those nine sports are football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball, softball, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, soccer and volleyball.

Eight Tennessee teams (four men’s and four women’s) finished in the top 16 or advanced to at least the round of 16 in their respective NCAA Championships.

Tennessee also was one of only seven Division I programs in the country to make a football bowl game and also qualify for the NCAA Championships in men’s basketball, women’s basketball, softball and baseball (joining Arkansas, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, UCLA and Virginia Tech).  

Tennessee produced a school-record 10 Academic All-Americans in 2021-22—six Lady Vols and four Vols. 

For a comprehensive and interactive Year in Review experience, featuring several sport-specific notes and highlights, click HERE.

-UT Athletics

Old Dominion Crashed a Wedding – and There Were No Hard Feelings About It

Old Dominion Crashed a Wedding – and There Were No Hard Feelings About It

Posted on June 30, 2022

Old Dominion is out on the road with Kenny Chesney‘s Here And Now tour.

But…when they’re not rocking stadiums with their music – turns out the guys like to freelance as a wedding band!

OD posted “We had the privilege of playing a small part in Jade and Carson‘s big day. It’s an amazing thing to see how our music is in people’s lives and this is a very special way to witness it, so thank you for including us in such a beautiful night!”

When it came to Old Dominion crashing the wedding…there was no hard feelings…

Photo Credit: Mason Allen

Blake Shelton Shares the Song that He Wanted to Single Out

Blake Shelton Shares the Song that He Wanted to Single Out

Posted on June 30, 2022

Blake Shelton fans might remember that the song “I Don’t Care” appears on two of his albums.

The song first showed up on Blake’s 2007 album, Pure BS.

Then “I Don’t Care” also appeared in the track list for Blake’s next album – 2008’s Startin’ Fires.

Turns out that the song showing up on two albums wasn’t an error – Blake really wanted to give that track a chance to be a single at country radio…which it was not.

Now in 2022, Blake is reaching back to bring “I Don’t Care” to the fans’ attention again.

Turning to social media Shelton posted, “Back in the day I wanted this song to be a single so bad I put it on 2 different albums. We never got to it and I still regret it. Thought I’d dig it out for y’all. It’s called ‘I Don’t Care.'”

Check out the special acoustic version of the track from Blake Shelton here…

Photo Credit: Andrew Eccles

Ryan Hurd Drops the Music Video for His Single “Pass It On”

Ryan Hurd Drops the Music Video for His Single “Pass It On”

Posted on June 30, 2022

Ryan Hurd‘s current single at country radio, “Pass It On,” is from his album, Pelago.

Ryan shares the story behind the song, “I wrote ‘Pass It On’ with Jordan Schmidt and my wife Maren Morris and Hardy. Originally it was a an idea we were kind of angling toward Maren’s third album. And as the song kind of got moving, we kind of found Michael (Hardy) to be singing more of it. And so it sort of felt more like it was more of a song for a guy to sing. And so somehow it fell, out of the three artists in the room, it fell to me. And I’m really thankful that it did because I love just the recording of the way that it feels and it’s I love how unabashedly positive it is and I think that’s a great way to kick off an album. Also, I love like hearing Hardy and Maren sing the background vocals on it like that, to me is really cool. And obviously neither one of them are featured and they don’t need to be. They they kind of speak for themselves but it’s just really fun to have like your friends and obviously Maren sings on a lot of the album but it’s fun to have them be a part of it.”

The music video for “Pass It On” from Ryan Hurd features Maren Morris and some awesome roller skating skills.

Check it out here…

Photo Credit: Nicki Fletcher

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