Vols Defensive Coordinator Tim Banks spoke with media following spring practice #13.
WATCH: Vols DC Tim Banks “We believe in our guys”
WATCH: Vols OC Alex Golesh “Quarterbacks have shown a ton of growth this spring”
Vols Offensive Coordinator Alex Golesh spoke with media after spring practice #13.
Baseball Preview: #5 Vols Head to Lone Star State for Showdown with Aggies
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – No. 5 Tennessee will make just its second-ever trip to Texas A&M this weekend for a three-game series against the Aggies at Blue Bell Park in Bryan-College Station, Texas.
Both teams will be looking to rebound with series wins after dropping their respective series last weekend to No. 2 Vanderbilt and No. 1 Arkansas.
The Vols defeated Tennessee Tech on Tuesday for their 30th win of the season, while the Aggies earned a 9-4 win over Texas Southern.
BROADCAST INFO
Friday and Saturday’s contests will be streamed live on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app. Sunday’s series finale will be televised on the SEC Network with Dave Neal (PxP) and Chris Burke (color) on the call.
Fans can also listen to the official Vol Network radio call for all three games on Sports Radio WNML (FM 99.1 / AM 990), as well as UTSports.com and the UT Gameday app. The Voice of Tennessee baseball John Wilkerson will call the action.
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
Game 1: RHP Chad Dallas (5-1) vs. LHP Dustin Saenz (5-4)
Game 2: LHP Will Heflin (2-1) vs. RHP Bryce Miller (2-1)
Game 3: RHP Blade Tidwell (4-2) vs. RHP Nathan Dettmer (3-1)
SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Texas A&M leads, 9-4
In Knoxville: Texas A&M leads, 6-3
In College Station: Texas A&M leads, 2-1
Neutral Sites: Texas A&M leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: W, 6-4 (April 22, 2018)
The Vols are 4-9 in the all-time series but earned their first series win over Texas A&M during Tony Vitello‘s first season in 2018, taking two of three games from the 14th-ranked Aggies in Knoxville.
NOTABLE
Road Vols
Tennessee has proven to be a tough opponent when playing away from home this season. After a midweek win at Western Carolina last Tuesday night, the Vols are 9-3 on the road this season, including series victories in all three of their weekend road trips, including SEC series wins at Georgia and Alabama.
We Hit Dingers
Tennessee put up some impressive power numbers over its four games last week, blasting 10 home runs, including four homers each on Saturday and Sunday against No. 2 Vanderbilt. Entering this weekend’s series, the Big Orange rank 21st nationally with 45 home runs this season.
Russell on Another Level
Senior outfielder Evan Russell put up another record-setting performance in UT’s 8-4 victory over the Commodores last Saturday. Russell hit three home runs, including the game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning with the Vols trailing 4-3. It marked the second three-homer game for Russell this season after also accomplishing the feat in a win over LSU on March 27. The Lexington, Tennessee, native is the only player in program history to have multiple three-homer games in their career. His six RBI on the day were also a career high.
Walk-Off Wins
The Vols recorded their fifth walk-off win of the season on Tuesday night against in-state foe Tennessee Tech, earning a 3-2 victory thanks to an RBI single by Max Ferguson in the bottom of the ninth inning. Tennessee has a pair of walk-off wins in conference play, as well, knocking off then No. 14 LSU in consecutive games in walk-off fashion to sweep the Tigers back in March.
OPPONENT SCOUT
Texas A&M Aggies
- 2021 Record: 22-17 (4-11 SEC)
- Rankings: Not Ranked
- 2019 Postseason: NCAA Morgantown Regional (2-2)
- Head Coach: Rob Childress (16th season) // Has led Texas A&M to 13 straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
- Predicted SEC Finish: 5th (Western Division)
- Preseason All-SEC Selections: N/A
- Stat Leaders:
- Batting Avg: Will Frizzell (.352)
- Runs: Will Frizzell (32)
- Hits: Will Frizzell (51)
- Home Runs: Will Frizzell (12)
- RBI: Will Frizzell (31)
- Stolen Bases: Ray Alejo (11-12)
- Wins: Dustin Saenz (5)
- ERA (min. 15.0 IP): Alex Magers (2.53)
- Innings Pitched: Dustin Saenz (53.0)
- Strikeouts: Dustin Saenz (71)
ON DECK
The Vols return to Knoxville for four straight home games next week, hosting Lipscomb on Tuesday, April 27 before a Thursday-Saturday series against Kentucky. Tuesday’s midweek game against the Bisons will begin at 6:30 p.m. and be streamed on SEC Network+.
-UT Athletics
Tennessee Athletics places record 46 on Winter SEC Academic Honor Roll
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The University of Tennessee is represented by a department-record 46 student-athletes on the 2021 Winter SEC Academic Honor Roll, which was announced Wednesday by league commissioner Greg Sankey.
The women’s swimming and diving program led the way with 21 making the list. The men’s swimming and diving team followed with 13 members earning academic honors, while the men’s basketball team had seven and women’s basketball saw five members garnering accolades.
UT winter sports teams collectively improved their overall total by eight over the 38 who made the honor roll last year. Men’s basketball saw a jump in four, while women’s swimming and diving improved by three, men’s swimming and diving increased its tally by one and women’s basketball hit the same mark.
A total of 788 student-athletes were named to the 2021 Winter SEC Academic Honor Roll. It includes the sports of basketball, equestrian, gymnastics, and swimming & diving. It is
Any student-athlete who participates in a Southeastern Conference championship sport or a student-athlete who participates in a sport listed on his/her institution’s NCAA Sports Sponsorship Form is eligible for nomination to the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
The following criteria will be followed: (1) A
University of Tennessee 2021 Winter SEC Academic Honor Roll Members
Men’s Basketball (7)
Victor Bailey Jr. – Political Science
John Fulkerson – Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communication
Davonte Gaines – Recreation and Sport Management
Josiah‐Jordan James – Communication Studies
Brock Jancek – Civil Engineering
Uros Plavsic – Recreation and Sport Management
Santiago Vescovi – Business Management
Women’s Basketball (5)
Rae Burrell – Communication Studies
Rennia Davis – Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communication
Kasiyahna Kushkituah – Communication & Info. ‐ Journalism & Electronic Media
Jessie Rennie – Therapeutic Recreation
Emily Saunders – Therapeutic Recreation
Men’s Swimming & Diving (13)
Benjamin Blevins‐Boor – English
Seth Thompson‐Bailey – Supply Chain Management
Luke Brice – History and Geography (Double Major)
Brett Champlin – Business
Owen Devine – Kinesiology
Jarel Dillard – Civil Engineering
Joel Giraudeau – Business
Michael Houlie – Finance
Parker Kaye – Supply Chain Management
Kayky Mota – Recreation/Sport Management
Nick McCann – Biological Sciences
Keegan Richardson – Advertising
Matthew Wade – Supply Chain Management
Women’s Swimming & Diving (21)
Mallory Beil – Human Resource Management
Grace Cable – Psychology
Ana Celaya Hernandez – Journalism & Electronic Media
Alexandra Gebel – Recreation/Sport Management
Bailey Grinter – Biological Sciences
Kaitlin Harty – Communication Studies
Kara Holt – Chemistry
Lyndsey Huizenga – Supply Chain Management
Danika Katzer – Kinesiology
McKenna Morello – Kinesiology
Amanda Nunan – Nutrition
Tjasa Pintar – Kinesiology
Nikol Popov – Psychology
Elle Renner – Interior Architecture
Trude Rothrock – Biological Sciences
Kendall Shields – Business Analytics
Megan Sichterman – Food Science
Emily Sykes – Recreation/Sport Management
Natalie Ungaretti – Biological Sciences
Emily Ann Wolfson – Supply Chain Management
Alexis Yager – Child and Family Studies
2021 WINTER SEC ACADEMIC HONOR ROLL
-UT Athletics
Lainey Wilson Had the Best of Both Worlds With Her First Job
These days Lainey Wilson is on country radio singing “Things A Man Oughta Know” — but we have something you oughta know about Lainey…
When she was younger her first music job was working as a “Hannah Montana” impersonator.
That’s right, the character made famous by Miley Cyrus!
Lainey shares the story, “I impersonated ‘Hannah Montana’ for 5 years. It was like my childhood, high school gig. I did it from 8th grade to 12th grade. I did birthday parties, fairs, festivals…the last place I played was St. Jude. Every now and then Lainey Wilson might open the show for Hannah Montana. Sometimes they’d be like ‘Who’s Lainey?’ and ‘Nah, we just asked for Hannah.” (laugh)
Lainey has left ‘Hannah Montana’ behind and now she’s out in front singing her own music, like her current single at country radio, “Things A Man Oughta Know.”
Photo Courtesy of BBR Music Group
Jimmie Allen & Brad Paisley Hit the Road to Jimmy Kimmel Live
After their appearance on the ACM Awards singing their new song “Freedom Was A Highway,” New ACM Male Artist of the Year Jimmie Allen and Brad Paisley headed to Jimmy Kimmel Live this week.
Check out their performance here…
Jimmie Allen Photo Credit: John Shearer
Brad Paisley Photo Credit: Jeff Lipsky
WATCH: Bryson Eason praises some offensive players, compares style differences in Pruitt practices vs. Heupel
Tennessee football outside linebacker/defensive end Bryson Eason spoke with the media ahead of the Orange & White Spring Game.
Matt Stell & Chris Bandi Give Happy Gilmore a Run For His Money
What do two country music making friends do on their day off — they hit the links of course!
While we don’t think we’ll be seeing Matt Stell or Chris Bandi on the GPA tour anytime soon, we are glad they took a camera guy out with them on their latest Golf outing.
Watch their adventures on the golf course here…
Of course while their golf game might need a little help, their music making game is spot on…Check out the music video for Matt Stell’s “That Ain’t Me No More”…
Here’s Chris Bandi with the stripped down music video for “Would Have Loved Her”
Matt Stell Photo Credit: Duston Haney
Chris Bandi Photo Credit: Midtown Motion
WATCH: Byron Young talks tough past, coming to UT, freedom he has on defense, much more
Tennessee football outside linebacker/defensive end Byron Young spoke with the media ahead of the Orange & White Spring Game.
Steve Wariner Celebrates 23 Years of Burnin’ The Roadhouse Down
Steve Wariner is celebrating the 23rd Anniversary of his album Burnin’ The Roadhouse Down.
He reflects on what the project meant to him, “An important album for me…this was my very first Capitol album, the very first album that I produced totally by myself…other than No More Mr. Nice Guy, my guitar record. ‘Holes In The Floor Of Heaven’ was track number 2, so, and I remember doing the song ‘Burnin’ The Roadhouse Down’…Garth (Brooks) came in and played on it and sang. Really tremendous this is a big album for me.”
One of the biggest hits from Burnin’ The Roadhouse Down was “Holes In The Floor Of Heaven” — Listen to it here…
You can check out the title track to the album featuring Garth Brooks here…
Photo Courtesy of Steve Wariner
Country News
Alex Warren’s ‘Ordinary’ Hits No. 1 On Hot 100, While Also Topping Two Billboard Global Charts
Kenny Chesney Joined By Old Dominion During His Sphere Residency In Las Vegas
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