Category: Lady Vols

Breana Runnels signs with Lady Vols

Colorado State graduate transfer volleyball player Breana Runnels signs with Tennessee.

The Tennessee volleyball team has landed a graduate transfer.

Outside hitter Breana Runnels signed with Tennessee on Thursday. She is slated to enroll at UT for the second semester of summer school.

Runnels, a Bakersfield, California native and Independence High School graduate, comes to Rocky Top after playing four seasons at Colorado State. Runnels redshirted during her freshman year.

She had a career-high 66 attacks against the Lady Vols, while playing for the Rams during the NCAA Tournament in 2018 as a redshirt sophomore.

Runnels led Colorado State and the Mountain West in kills that season (454).

In 2018, she started all 31 matches for the Rams and posted double figures in kills in each match.

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Erika Brown to swim in 50-meter final trials

Former Lady Vol Erika Brown qualifies for 50-meter freestyle final at US Swim Trials

A former Lady Vol swimmer will have a chance to qualify for a second event for the upcoming 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

University of Tennessee graduate Erika Brown will swim in the finals of the 50-meter freestyle today at the U.S. Swim Trials at CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska.

Brown punched a ticket to Tokyo Friday night when she made the field in the 100-meter freestyle.

She followed that up Saturday by finishing second in the first semifinal heat of the 50-meter freestyle. Brown touched the wall in 24.57 seconds and matched her best time in the event.

The U.S. Swim Trials will be televised on NBC at 8 p.m. EDT.

Brown had a stellar swim career on Rocky Top. During her time with the Lady Vols, she earned 21 All-America certificates, including eight during her senior season in 2020.

She also owns 23 Southeastern Conference medals.

Jarryd Chaplin promoted to Lady Vols associate head tennis coach

Lady Vols’ assistant tennis coach Jarryd Chaplin has been promoted within the program.

A Lady Vols’ tennis coach has received a promotion within the program.

Assistant coach Jarryd Chaplin was promoted to associate head coach.

Chaplin received the promotion after he was named ITA Ohio Valley Region Assistant Coach of the Year.

Tennessee head coach Alison Ojeda was named Ohio Valley Region Coach of the Year.

Under the guidance of Ojeda and Chaplin, the Lady Vols finished the 2020-21 campaign as the No. 18 team in the nation.

“Jarryd Chaplin is one of the best on-court I have ever seen,” Ojeda said. “He has a natural ability to concisely deliver a message that commands a sense of urgency from our players.

“Every student-athlete on our team has improved since he joined our program. That is why it’s my honor to share with Vol Nation that we are promoting Jarryd to associate head coach.”

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Erika Brown qualifies for Summer Olympic Games

Former Lady Vol swimmer Erika Brown qualifies for Olympics in 100-meter freestyle

A former Lady Vol swimmer is headed to the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Erika Brown, who graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2020, will represent the United States at the Olympics this summer in the 100-meter freestyle.

She clinched a spot on the United States Olympic team with a second place finish at the U.S. Swim Trials.

Despite being the eighth-seeded qualifier in the finals, Brown touched the wall in 53.59 seconds at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska.

She becomes the tenth Lady Vol to qualify for the Olympics, joining such athletes as Molly Harris, Christine Magnuson, Kira Toussaint and Julie Stowers.

Tennessee’s Erika Brown competing in the 100 meter freestyle finals at the TYR Pro Swim Series at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center in Knoxville on Sunday, January 19, 2020. © Saul Young/News Sentinel, Knoxville News Sentinel via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Since 2008, the Lady Vols have had at least one swimmer qualify for the Olympic Games.

Brown, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina and graduate of William Amos Hough High School, earned 21 All-America certificates and 23 Southeastern Conference medals during her career in the pool for Tennessee.

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Nic Robinson named Lady Vols’ assistant golf coach

The Lady Vols have hired Nic Robinson as an assistant golf coach.

Diana Cantú was hired as Tennessee’s women’s golf head coach on June 8.

On Friday, Cantú hired Nic Robinson as an assistant coach at Tennessee.

Robinson previously served as a head women’s golf coach at Asbury University. He most recently served as a women’s assistant coach at Charlotte since their program’s inception in 2017.

In the program’s first season, Robinson helped the 49ers post three top-five finishes.

From 2018-19, Charlotte had two golfers receive All-Conference USA honors. Cecilie Finne-Ipsen advanced to the NCAA championships as an individual qualifier.

Charlotte also finished second in the Conference USA championship and posted several top tournament finishes.

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Lady Vols claim four ITA regional awards

Tennessee women’s tennis team claims four ITA regional honors.

The Tennessee women’s tennis team captured four regional awards from the International Tennis Association.

The Lady Vols, who went 17-9 overall and posted an 8-5 Southeastern Conference record, picked up four Ohio Valley Region Playing Awards for the 2020-21 campaign.

Tennessee head coach Alison Ojeda was named ITA Ohio Valley Coach of the Year for the second time in her career.

Lady Vols’ assistant Jarryd Chaplin was named ITA Assistant Coach of the Year for the Ohio Valley Region.

UT senior Johanna Silva received the ITA Ohio Valley Cissie Leary Sportsmanship Award. She becomes the second Lady Vol to win the award, joining Ojeda, who won the honor in 2001.

Silva exits UT’s program with 88 victories and a two-time member of the SEC Honor Roll.

The Lady Vols also claimed the ITA Community Service Award Honorable Mention for the Ohio Valley Region.

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Ava Bell honored by CoSIDA

Tennessee volleyball player Ava Bell honored by CoSIDA.

A University of Tennessee volleyball player has been honored for her academic performance by the nation’s college sports information directors.

Ava Bell, a rising senior for the Lady Vols, was recently named to the College Sports Information Directors of America’s District III Women’s Volleyball All-Academic Team.

Bell received First-Team honors and will appear on the national ballot, which will soon be released.

The 2020-21 CoSIDA All-District Academic Women’s Volleyball Team recognizes players for their combined performance on the court and in the classroom.

Bell, a native of Austin, Texas and graduate of Rouse High School, was also honored by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. She was named an All-Southeastern Region Honorable Mention performer.

The Lady Vol led UT in hitting percentage (.353) and blocks per set (1.08).

Bell, a middle blocker, was fourth in the Southeastern Conference in both categories.

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Two Lady Vols post personal bests at swim trials

Lady Vol swimmers post personal best marks at US Swim Trials Monday.

Two Lady Vol swimmers recorded personal best times in their events Monday in Wave II of the US Swim Trials.

In the 100-meter breaststroke, Alexis Yager finished 21st at CHI Health Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She touched the wall in 1 minute, 9.39 seconds, shaving nearly a second off her previous best time in a long-course meter race.

Yager hails from Batavia, Illinois.

In the 400-meter freestyle, Tennessee’s Kristen Stege recorded a personal best in the event as she posted a time of 4:15.02 and finished 21st in the overall standings.

Wave II of the US Swim trials continues Tuesday with the 200-meter women’s freestyle, the 200-meter men’s butterfly, the women’s 200-meter medley relay and the 1,500-meter women’s freestyle.

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Four Lady Vols post All-America marks at track championships

Recapping how Lady Vols fared at NCAA outdoor championships.

Four Lady Vols posted All-America performances at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Thursday at the University of Oregon.

Latavia Maines, Nayoka Clunis, Maia McCoy and Vanessa Watson all earned All-America citations with their performance at Hayward Field in Eugene.

Maines, the reigning Southeastern Conference shot put champion, finished fifth with an effort of 17.79 meters (58 feet, 4.5 inches) in the finals.

Clunis, a graduate student at Tennessee, closed out her collegiate career with a first-team All-America mark in the hammer throw.

She had a lifetime-best effort of 67.40 meters (221-1) and has the second-highest throw in UT history.

McCoy took 15th place in the 100-meter dash to pick up her fifth All-America award. The senior finished the race in 11.46 seconds.

Watson, a freshman, claimed second-team All-America honors in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 58.21 seconds.

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NCAA Tournament: Lady Vols defeat Eastern Kentucky in opener

Lady Vols notch 8-1 victory over Eastern Kentucky.

The Lady Vols (42-13) opened the NCAA Tournament on a winning note Friday.

No. 18 Tennessee, the tournament’s No. 16 national seed, defeated Eastern Kentucky, 8-1, in the opening round of the Knoxville Regional at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

The Lady Vols will advance to play No. 22 James Madison (35-1) in a winners bracket game at noon EDT Saturday.

The Dukes outlasted Liberty, 4-3, in 10 innings Friday.

Amanda Ayala went 3-for-4 with three RBIs for Tennessee. Ayala scored the game’s first run when she came home on a first-inning single by Ashley Morgan.

After the Colonels (35-16) scored a run in the top of the second frame to even the game, 1-1, UT broke the tie in the bottom of the fifth.

The Lady Vols took a 3-1 lead in the inning as Ayala and Madison Webber came up with RBI singles.

The Lady Vols then scored five runs in the sixth. Ivy Davis hit a three-run homer out of the park.

On the mound, Tennessee junior Ashley Rogers tossed a complete game, yielding one run and four hits.

Rogers, who improved to 28-6 on the season, finished the contest with six strikeouts.