Lady Vols Projected to Finish Fourth in SEC

Lady Vols Projected to Finish Fourth in SEC

Posted on January 30, 2021
Lady Vols softball / Credit: UT Athletics

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Tennessee softball was projected to finish fourth on the SEC preseason poll for the 2021 softball season based on the votes of the 13 SEC head coaches, announced by the conference on Thursday.

The Lady Vols, who were ranked 23rd on the ESPN.com/USA Softball preseason poll earlier in the week, received one first-place vote and finished behind No. 8 Alabama, which is projected to win the conference, No. 5 LSU, and No. 6 Florida. In total, Tennessee garnered 129 points on the poll.

The Orange and White is poised for a competitive 2021 with the return of junior ace Ashley Rogers who was temporarily sidelined during the 2020 season due to an injury. Rogers was scheduled to return for the Lady Vols SEC opener March 13, before the season was halted the day before and ultimately canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

UT will also get a jolt from junior catcher Ally Shipman who returned in 2020 from a season-ending injury sustained midway through the 2019 season. Shipman co-led UT last year with a .403 hitting clip, 25 hits and seven doubles, alongside middle infielder and redshirt senior Chelsea Seggern, who opted to return for 2021 with the extra year granted by the NCAA.

The Lady Vols open the 2021 season on February 12 in Conway, S.C., at 10 a.m. ET in a first-ever matchup with UConn. UT will also face host-team Coastal Carolina and Akron in the three-day tournament. Official SEC play begins at home against LSU on March 12, but the Lady Vols will see Texas A&M in College Station, Texas, as a nonconference opponent the weekend of March 5.

2021 SEC Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
(First-Place Votes in Parentheses)

Place     School                 Points
1.            Alabama (9)        138
2.            LSU (2)                 129
3.            Florida (1)           125
4.           Tennessee (1)    101
5.            Kentucky             97
6.            Arkansas             81
7.            Georgia                78
8.            Missouri              70
9.            South Carolina  68
10.         Mississippi State43
11.         Auburn                39
12.         Texas A&M         30
13.         Ole Miss              15

-UT Athletics

Pons Earns Spot on Naismith DPOY Watch List

Pons Earns Spot on Naismith DPOY Watch List

Posted on January 30, 2021
Yves Pons – Vols F / Credit: UT Athletics

Reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year and Tennessee basketball senior Yves Pons has been named to the 15-man watch list for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award, the Atlanta Tipoff Club Announced Wednesday.

The watch list is chosen by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s board of selectors, comprised of leading journalists from around the country, who base their decisions on outstanding on-court defensive performances during the 2020-21 college basketball regular season.

Pons earned last season’s SEC Defensive Player of the Year award after tying Tennessee’s single-season blocks record, with 73. He blocked at least one shot in all 31 of UT’s games last season (2.4 bpg).

He became the first Vol to claim the award and became just the third Tennessee player to earn a spot on the SEC All-Defensive Team.

The Fuveau, France, native has the innate ability to effectively guard all five positions on the floor and makes the Vols virtually matchup-proof while he’s on the floor.

This season, Pons has racked up 27 blocks in 14 games, ranking fourth in the SEC with 1.9 per outing. In SEC play, he’s third among league players with 2.5 blocks per game (20 blocks in eight games).

He currently sits in 13th on Tennessee’s all-time blocks list with 117 for his career. He also has 100 blocks in his last 45 appearances (2.2 per game) dating to the start of last season.

Pons also has enhanced his offensive production since the start of last year. Through Tennessee’s first eight SEC games, he is averaging 9.5 points. He recently dropped a season-high 20 points against Missouri on Jan. 23.

The Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List will be trimmed to 10 semifinalists on Feb. 25. The winner of the award presented to the nation’s best defender will be announced in April.

-UT Athletics

Priscilla Block Is OK with the Attention – She’s Not Over It At All

Priscilla Block Is OK with the Attention – She’s Not Over It At All

Posted on January 29, 2021

People are starting to pay attention to Priscilla Block as her song “Just About Over You” is being played on country radio more and more–and Priscilla is OK with that, “Well, I have been an attention ho since day one. (laughs)”.

And just in case we don’t believe her, Priscilla says, “My mom can let you know that’s true.”

Turns out that Priscilla being in the spotlight dates way back to her youth, “I would make my siblings sit down and they had to listen to me sing songs growing up.”

Every time she performed, Priscilla realized something about herself, “I mean when I started singing and performing in front of people, whether it was in church or any of the first little shows that I played, it was a feeling that I never felt before. I felt good enough. I felt just kind of like in a different world, and I loved it. I loved it, ’cause I’ve gone through times where I don’t feel good enough, but when I get up and sing, all that goes away and I feel so good”

The amount of attention she’s receiving is increasing every day now that “Just About Over You” is a certified hit, and Priscilla is also one of the singers named in CMT’s Next Women of Country class 2021.

She reacted to the news, “I’M WAITING ON SOMEONE TO WAKE ME UP… I am SO honored to be named one of CMT’s next women of country. Congrats to all the other amazing, talented women in the class of 2021. This is nuts… thank you CMT”

We’re not over Priscilla Block at all — we can’t wait to see what 2021 has in store for her.

Check out the music video for “Just About Over You” right here…

Photo Courtesy of UMG Nashville

Kenny Chesney’s Advice To an 11 Year Old Pays Off 13 Years Later With a Hit Song

Kenny Chesney’s Advice To an 11 Year Old Pays Off 13 Years Later With a Hit Song

Posted on January 29, 2021

Imagine that Kenny Chesney is your childhood hero.

You come from the same town as he does, you dressed up as him for Halloween, and you even got to meet him when you were 11. During that time with Kenny, you share what a huge fan you are, and that you want to be like him. He tells you to stay in school and learn how to write songs. You do, and 13 years later you get to hear Kenny singing a song that you wrote on the radio.

Sounds like a crazy dream, right?

Nope. It’s Greylan James’ life. He wrote “Happy Does” and he shared the story on TikTok.

@greylanjamesDreams come true ##country ##viral ##fyp ##music ##kennychesney ##morganwallen ##songwriter♬ original sound – Greylan James

Kenny says. “When I heard the song, it was so positive and felt so happy! You couldn’t not smile listening, and I felt like the world needed a bit of that right now. To me, it was everything I was raised on – and it turns out Greylan was raised on the same stuff, too.”

He added, “When I recorded it, and put it on the record, it fit perfect. Then I heard one day and thought, ‘you know what? I need to give this narrative and this song to the world. For that reason, it’s really important to me.”

“Happy Does” is knocking on the door to the top spot in country music, which would really make Greylan James’ reality a dream. Check out the song he wrote, and Kenny Chesney sang, right here…

Headline Photo Credit: Allister Ann

Additional Photos courtesy of Greylan James

Dan + Shay’s Shay Mooney Sets the Record Straight On The Lyrics to ISPGTB

Dan + Shay’s Shay Mooney Sets the Record Straight On The Lyrics to ISPGTB

Posted on January 29, 2021

Have you been loving and singing Dan + Shay‘s “I Should Probably Go To Bed”?

Shay thinks you might have the lyrics wrong…10:00 PM9

9:00 AM6

Of course he’s kidding — but that’s parenting done right, right there.

Enjoy the actual lyrics of “I Should Probably Go To Bed” right here…

Photo Credit: Catherine Powell

Maren Morris Takes You Behind the Scenes of the Video Shoot for “Line By Line”

Maren Morris Takes You Behind the Scenes of the Video Shoot for “Line By Line”

Posted on January 29, 2021

Maren Morris is sharing the behind the scenes footage of the music video with JP Saxe for their song “Line By Line.”

You really get to see what happens when the curtain is pulled back, including seeing Maren having trouble saying her own name.

You also get to witness her dodge sparks, that Maren says she was told were OK, because they’re “cold sparks.” Which JP replies that “cold sparks sounds sus to me.”

In the end Maren and JP were proud that they did all they’re own stunts…even though JP did admit that they once considered Muppets for the video.

Check out the behind the scenes video right here…

and you can see the completed music video for “Line By Line” right here…

Photo Credit: Alex Ferrari

Niko Moon Is Having a “Good Time” With Shaggy

Niko Moon Is Having a “Good Time” With Shaggy

Posted on January 29, 2021

Niko Moon is putting a little different spin on his Top 10 hit “Good Time” – he’s now having a good time with Shaggy!

Known for his dancehall reggae hits like “Angel,” “It Wasn’t Me,” and “Boombastic” among others, Shaggy is helping Niko with a vibing version of his debut single that is certainly now going to create more good times for the fans.

Listen to Niko Moon’s new “Good Time” mix featuring Shaggy right here…

Photo Credit: Matthew Berinato

Lauren Alaina Thankful Her 15-Year Old Self Tried Out For American Idol

Lauren Alaina Thankful Her 15-Year Old Self Tried Out For American Idol

Posted on January 28, 2021

It was 10 years ago this week that Lauren Alaina‘s life changed with one audition.

With inspiration from her cousin Holly, 15-year old Lauren headed in front of the American Idol judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steve Tyler and completely wowed them.

Lauren shares, “I can hardly sandal the fact that ten years ago my life completely flip flopped (in more ways than one). I wish I could give this scrunchy-haired, rainbow dressing, waist belting and flip flop wearing 15 year old girl the biggest hug in the world. Her braveness on January 27th, 2011 has given me everything I have now.”

After getting 3 “yes” votes, and her ticket punched to Hollywood, Lauren brought her family in the audition room, and performed an impromptu debut with Steven Tyler – singing her parents’ favorite Aerosmith song “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing.”

Watch the moment unfold right here…

 

Reba McEntire Recalls Her Days On Broadway As Annie Oakley

Reba McEntire Recalls Her Days On Broadway As Annie Oakley

Posted on January 28, 2021

It was 20 years ago this week that Reba McEntire made her Broadway debut.

Reba took over the role of “Annie Oakley” in the production of Annie Get Your Gun.

Looking back on it, Reba shares “I was so excited I could hardly stand it!”

While it was Reba’s first turn on the Broadway stage, she was no novice to acting. She appeared in her first movie, Tremors, in 1990. It also wasn’t her first time playing “Annie Oakley” – in 1995, she played “Annie” in the TV mini-series Buffalo Girls, that co-starred Anjelica Huston as “Calamity Jane” and Sam Elliot as “Wild Bill Hickok.”

Headline Photo Credit: Robby Klein

Additional Images courtesy of Reba McEntire

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