I still can’t believe we’re just a week away from the first serve of 2016! I’m slowly but surely getting things back up and running around here. The schedule, archive, and SEC pages are up to date. The roster and stat pages are next on my list. And there is a lot of news you don’t want to miss.

• The Vols are posting player profile videos every day. So far we’ve seen newcomers Sedona Hansen, Alyssa Andreno, and Tessa Grubbs.
• UT’s annual preseason scrimmage is open to the public this Saturday at 6pm at the Joan Cronan Volleyball Center.
• The first AVCA Coaches Poll of the season is online. Four Tennessee opponents make appearances on the list: Florida ranked 10th, Texas A&M 16th, Kentucky 24th, and Missouri receiving votes.
• Tennessee matches will air on television seven times this season — four times on ESPNU and three times on the SEC Network. That’s the most they’ve ever been broadcast in the regular season, and ties the number of times they were on TV in 2005.
• The promotion schedule for home matches this season in online (PDF).
• Tennessee and the other SEC schools are implementing new policies for what can be brought into athletic venues. Fans can only carry one small, clear bag with them. No camera bags, no diaper bags, and no regular purses are allowed (small, handheld clutch purses ore OK). In addition, only small cameras will be permitted and they have to be carried in your hand, around your neck, or in a clear bag. A few years ago the SEC caused an uproar when they tried to ban fans from posting pictures to blogs and social media from sporting events, and they eventually had to backtrack. Looks like they’ve found a new way to bring back that policy under the guise of “security”. Small cameras and phones might be fine for posting pictures of you and your friends in the stands. But they’re not good for fast action, on a court/field far away, and in imperfect lighting.

Look for lots more links of interest and site updates in the days to come.