The holiday break is over and it’s time to get back to work! I’ll get the record book update done and posted soon and then some other 2011 housekeeping. Until then here are some of the things that happened over the last couple of weeks.

Tennessee has officially announced local recruit Megan Hatcher (pictured) will be joining the squad this upcoming season.

Hatcher was recently named to the TSWA Division II All-State Volleyball Team. And while I reported on her All-American and Gatorade State Player of the Year honors, I don’t remember if I mentioned another Tennessee 2012 recruit, Bianca Arellano, was also named All-State and All-Arizona.

Previously mentioned high school junior Ashley Mariani was named to the PrepVolleyball.com Class of 2013 Top 50 Recruits list. Also making the list and noted as coming to Tennessee was a name I hadn’t heard yet, Jamie Lea of Hillsborough NC. Lea is a 6’2” outside hitter from Jammers Volleyball Club and (appropriately enough!) Orange High School.

Curious about the RPI formula? For the first time the NCAA is letting fans view the actual data used by the selection committee. Check out the final numbers from the 2011 season here.

The results are in for the UT website poll on the top moment of 2011 in Tennessee athletics. The winner with 31.6% of the vote was Brad Craig winning back-to-back SEC titles in the 200-meter breaststroke. Of the 17 available choices, the Lady Vols winning the SEC Volleyball Championship came in 4th with 7.4% of the vote.

Tennessee has an update on Anna Martin. It also includes a photo gallery of some of the UT teams visiting and showing their support. As mentioned in a post this past September, the ten year old went through a bone marrow transplant after being diagnosed in May with leukemia. Her mother is Kristen Martin, the coordinator of Tennessee’s Team ENHANCE (Enhancing Nutrition, Health, Athletic Performance, Networking, Community and Education) program. Anna played in the same volleyball league as my daughter. Here’s a photo of all the 5th grade teams this year showing Martin their support after the last week of the season.