We finally made it to the opening day of the 2013 season! The first serve is scheduled for a very early 10:30am. Good luck to the players and coaches this year!

• Tennessee has posted match notes and other information on the official site. That page also contains links to their live game blog.
• The final player video profile has been posted, this one for Carly Wishlow.
• The Lady Vols have joined the photo sharing social media site Instagram.

The Lady Vols hit the court tomorrow! Here are a few extra last minute items to check out to hold you over until then.

• More videos! First meet newcomer Brooke Speyerer. Then Abby Brewer discusses growing up in a house full of athletes and Coach Rob Patrick previews the weekend matchups in the first episode of The Weekly Spike.
• Coach Patrick spoke on WNML yesterday (click the 10:45 link to listen). He talked about the upcoming tournament, TV appearances, where the team stands after the offseason issues, his thoughts on a potential new jersey color, and the home schedule.
• The Lady Vols Facebook page has a fun new team photo.
• Tomorrow night’s match against Cincinnati will be streamed on the Internet — but not for free. It looks like you’ll have to buy a monthly subscription for $9.95 and remember to cancel it after the match. Check out the UC website for details.
• You can also follow the tournament on Twitter. All four teams have accounts so you’ll get all the game updates and maybe even photos and video. If you want an easy way to temporarily follow them all, check out this Twitter list of the teams.
• If you’re into the numbers hopefully you’ve visited the stats section linked on the sidebar, where you’ll find just about every statistic you’d ever want to know about the team from the rally scoring era (since 2001). For the first time I’m now finally getting some pre-2001 info posted there. For starters, you can now check out the all-time Tennessee season records for kills, attacks, hitting, aces, assists, digs, and blocks. Once the season gets underway you can go back to those pages to see how the current players are stacking up, with some rough projections on their stats based on their pace. And check back often as I’ll be adding more season records and eventually career records as well.

We’re just two days away from the start of the 2013 season! The Lady Vols will face Morehead State, Cincinnati, and Butler at the UC Invitational in Cincinnati OH.

• Since 1978, the Lady Vols are 27-8 in season opening matches. In the opening week of the season the team is 75-31. Under Coach Rob Patrick the team is 12-4 in season opening matches and 41-7 in the opening week of the season.
• August matches are a relatively new thing for Tennessee. Prior to the turn of the century the team had only played seven matches before September. Since 2001, they’ve played them every year but one. UT is 32-5 in August.
• Tennessee is 4-2-2 all-time vs Morehead State. The Lady Vols have won the last four in a row, with the most recent meeting occurring in 1994.
• Last season the Eagles rattled off a national-best 24 straight wins and finished the season 26-7. They were the OVC Champions with a 16-0 record.
• Tennessee is 5-3 all-time vs Cincinnati. The teams have met only twice in the past quarter-century, with the Lady Vols winning the previous meeting last year.
• Last season the Bearcats went 12-20 and finished 5th in the Big East at 9-6.
• Tennessee is 2-0 all-time vs Butler. The last meetings were in 1986 and 1992.
• Last season the Bulldogs were 17-12 overall. They finished 6th at 7-7 in their only season in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
• The UC Invitational will be the third tournament the team has played in Ohio in the past five years. Both previous times, they lost their first match before winning the next two.
• Molly Alvey is very familiar with the Lady Vols having coached against them every year since 2005: as the assistant and then associate head coach at Mississippi from 2005-2009, two seasons as head coach at Houston from 2010-2011, and the past two years as head coach of Cincinnati.
• While Tennessee spoiled fans the past four years by opening the season in Knoxville, before that opening on the road was the norm. Coach Patrick didn’t have a season debut before the home crowd until his 10th year. With this trip to Cincinnati, he’s taken his teams out of town to start the season twelve times during his seventeen years at the helm, compiling an 8-3 record. Going further back, over the past 22 years the Lady Vols have opened on the road all but five times.
• Since 2001, UT is 5-0 vs the Ohio Valley Conference. The Big East Conference split in two during the offseason. Cincinnati is with the half that renamed themselves the American Athletic Conference. Butler was just invited to join the half that retained the Big East name. UT is 21-3 vs the Big East since 2001.
• Butler has a couple of East Tennessee connections. Bulldog sophomore Nicole Sumida and Lady Vol junior Kalyn Helton both hail from Hixson TN where they both were members of the Choo Choo City Volleyball Club. And when the bridge is open, turn right off UT’s main thoroughfare Cumberland Avenue onto Henley Street, drive eleven miles, turn left on Boyd Creek Highway and you’re at Seymour High School, Butler senior Morgan Peterson’s alma mater.

More information:

• Morehead State: Friday 8/30 at 10:30am ET | website | match info from MSU (PDF) | live stats
• Cincinnati: Friday 8/30 at 7pm ET | website | match info from UC | live stats | live video $
• Butler: Saturday 8/31 at 2:30pm ET | website | match info from BU | live stats
• Tennessee: website | match info from UT (FLASH)
• See what these teams are saying on Twitter…

• The official site has continued posting video interviews with the 2013 squad. The latest are from Whitney Heeres, Nikki Brice, Bridgette Villano, Ashlyn Sunseri, Kalyn Helton, Shealyn Kolosky, Raina Hembry, and Ashley Mariani.
• Tennessee is receiving votes in the Preseason RichKern.com Poll. In a ranking of the top 30 teams in the nation, the Lady Vols are an unofficial #39.
• ESPN has posted their annual “Five burning questions” article for this season. The SEC gets a couple of name-checks in there this year with “best dark horses for the NCAA title” and “top league-rivalry matchups”.
• Don’t want to stand in line for tickets at home volleyball matches this year? You can order your tickets online.

Here are the promotions available for each of the Tennessee home games for the upcoming season.

SEPTEMBER 12 – AUSTIN PEAY

• Chalk Talk with Coach Patrick – 45 minutes prior to match in the Ray Mears Room.

SEPTEMBER 13 – WICHITA STATE

• Fan Site Friday – Watch for special offer on Twitter/Facebook
• First 400 receive free schedule cup – includes voucher for one free drink
• Chalk Talk with Coach Patrick – 45 minutes prior to match in the Ray Mears Room.

SEPTEMBER 14 – ETSU, VCU

• Kids Day – Free admission for all kids 12 and under. Be sure to visit Kids Korner.
• Chalk Talk with Coach Patrick – 45 minutes prior to VCU match in the Ray Mears Room.

SEPTEMBER 20 – GEORGIA TECH

• Knox County School Weekend – Free admission with donation of two school supply items.
• Fan Site Friday – Watch for special offer on Twitter/Facebook.
• Free drawstring backpack to first 200 kids 12 and under.
• Chalk Talk with Coach Patrick – 45 minutes prior to match in the Ray Mears Room.
• Battle of the Badges – Police vs Fire volleyball match at match break – police, fire and ambulance vehicles will be on display at top of parking lot G5/30.

SEPTEMBER 21 – JACKSONVILLE STATE, COASTAL CAROLINA

• Knox County School Weekend – Free admission with donation of two school supply items.
• Kids Day – Free admission for all kids 12 and under. Be sure to visit Kids Korner.
• Free drawstring backpack to first 200 kids 12 and under attending Coastal Carolina match.
• Chalk Talk with Coach Patrick – 45 minutes prior to Coastal Carolina match in the Ray Mears Room.

SEPTEMBER 29 – SOUTH CAROLINA

• Free admission when you present South Alabama football ticket stub.
• Kids Day – Free admission for all kids 12 and under. Be sure to visit Kids Korner.
• Free post-match volleyball clinic – 8th graders and younger – Register by calling Laura Kneiss at (865) 974-9188.
• Free pre-match cheer clinic – 8th graders and younger are invited to join Tennessee Spirit Members before the match to learn a cheer to perform at Match Break. Register by calling Laura Kneiss at (865) 974-9188.
• Chalk Talk with Coach Patrick – 45 minutes prior to match in the Ray Mears Room.

OCTOBER 11 – MISSOURI

• Fan Site Friday – All tickets $1.
• Chalk Talk with Coach Patrick – 45 minutes prior to match in the Ray Mears Room.

OCTOBER 13 – ARKANSAS

• Dig for the Cure Day – Free admission to all wearing pink. First 250 receive free pink recycle bag.
• Kids Day – Free admission for all kids 12 and under. Be sure to visit Kids Korner.
• Chalk Talk with Coach Patrick – 45 minutes prior to match in the Ray Mears Room.
• Post match autographs

NOVEMBER 1 – AUBURN

• Fan Site Friday – Watch for special offer on Twitter/Facebook.
• Second Harvest Weekend – Free admission with donation of two non-perishable food items.
• Chalk Talk with Coach Patrick – 45 minutes prior to match in the Ray Mears Room.

NOVEMBER 3 – GEORGIA

• Second Harvest Weekend – Free admission with donation of two non-perishable food items.
• Kids Day – Free admission for all kids 12 and under. Be sure to visit Kids Korner.
• Chalk Talk with Coach Patrick – 45 minutes prior to match in the Ray Mears Room.
• Post match autographs

NOVEMBER 8 – MISSISSIPPI

• Free admission when you show your Auburn football ticket at the entrance.
• Fan Site Friday – Watch for special offer on Twitter/Facebook.
• Chalk Talk with Coach Patrick – 45 minutes prior to match in the Ray Mears Room.

NOVEMBER 17 – LSU

• Kids Day – Free admission for all kids 12 and under. Be sure to visit Kids Korner.
• Photos with Smokey & Spirit Squad – Free magnet frame to first 250 kids who get picture taken with Smokey.
• Chalk Talk with Coach Patrick – 45 minutes prior to match in the Ray Mears Room.

NOVEMBER 20 – FLORIDA

• All Tickets $1
• Free “Beat the Gators” t-shirt to first 400 fans.
• Chalk Talk with Coach Patrick – 45 minutes prior to match in the Ray Mears Room.

NOVEMBER 30 – Mississippi State

• All Tickets $1
• Kids Day – Free admission for all kids 12 and under. Be sure to visit Kids Korner.
• Chalk Talk with Coach Patrick – 45 minutes prior to match in the Ray Mears Room.

Sun Sports has picked up the Tennessee at Florida match, bringing the total of Lady Vol games being televised this season to six. That’s second only to the Gators in the SEC this year.

That number ties 2010 for the most total regular season matches televised and the most home matches televised with four. Only 2005 had more matches on TV — five regular season matches and two post season matches. This is the fourth time in five years Tennessee will have been on the air at least five times.

2013 SEC TV APPEARANCES
	Florida	12
	Tennessee	6
	Texas A&M	5
	Georgia	4
	LSU	4
	Arkansas	3
	Auburn	3
	Missouri	3
	Alabama	2
	Kentucky	2
	Mississippi State	2
	Mississippi	1
	South Carolina	1

I’m slowly but surely getting this site ready for 2013. The roster, schedule, stats, and 2012 archive pages have all been updated. While I’ve been doing that, here’s what else has been going on:

• The official site has been posting video interviews with the players. So far you can check out: Ellen Mullins, Jamie Lea, Megan Hatcher, and Lexi Dempsey.
• TV schedules for ESPN, CSS, and SportSouth have been announced and UT will make five appearances on those channels this season. The Lady Vols like to put on a good show – since 2009 the team is 15-5 on TV.
• The AVCA has released their preseason Coaches Poll. While Tennessee didn’t make the cut, they will face three opponents on the list: #9 Florida, #17 Kentucky, and #24 Wichita State.
• No Tennessee player was named to the the Preseason All-SEC Team. This is the first time since 2008, when the coaches started voting on it, that a Lady Vol was not represented.

UT ON PRESEASON ALL-SEC TEAMS
2013	none
2012	Kelsey Robinson DeeDee Harrison
2011	Kayla Jeter
2010	Nikki Fowler Kayla Jeter
2009	Nikki Fowler
2008	Nikki Fowler

With just over two weeks until Tennessee hits the court, I should probably get to work on this site! Sorry for the delay this year. Usually I am up and running a month or more before the season starts. But this summer several other web projects I’ve been working on for other people have limited my free time. But I am here and raring to go… just not as quickly as I would like. The official site and Twitter feed are knocking it out of the park as far as preseason updates about the team go, so be sure you’re following them. Over the next few days I hope to slowly but surely get things around here back up to speed.

In their annual preseason poll, the SEC coaches have predicted Florida will win the 2013 conference championship. For the first time in a decade the Lady Vols were not picked to finish in the top three in the Eastern Division, placing fifth behind the Gators, Kentucky, Missouri, and Georgia. LSU and Texas A&M tied for first place in the West.

UT IN SEC EAST PRESEASON POLLS
2013	#5
2012	#1
2011	#2
2010	#1
2009	#3
2008	#3
2007	#3
2006	#2
2005	#2
2004	#2
2003	#4
2002	#5
2001	#3
2000	#3

Less than a month to go! I sure hope the team is more prepared than I am, because I have had no time to do anything on the site to get ready for the 2013 season! Hopefully that will change very soon.

I’m actually really looking forward to this season. There’s a lot of things that will be different this year than in the recent past.

• Despite the off season losses, and with only a few players with significant playing time returning, it’s kind of exciting not knowing exactly what to expect from this year’s team. And honestly, as last year’s squad found out, playing with a target on your back is a lot harder than when your opponents may have lowered expectations.

• With 32 of them, UT will be playing the most regular season matches since Coach Rob Patrick’s first season in 1997.

• For the first time since 1987, the Lady Vols will host two home tournaments.

• The SEC season won’t be 20 matches. Unlike every year since 2006, this year a split 18 match schedule has been implemented. We’ll play six conference foes twice (AU, UF, UGA, UM, MSU, SC) and six once (UA, UARK, UK, LSU, MU, TAMU).

• After two years in a row (of only three seasons in Patrick’s tenure) without an in-state rival on the schedule, this year UT will face four of them. The Lady Vols haven’t lost to another Tennessee team since 1997.

• Tennessee will face 16 opponents in the friendly confines of Thompson Boling Arena, where the team is 60-13 (.822). The last time they played that many matches in Knoxville was 1990 — 1985 if you want to talk regular season only.

We’re just 50 days away from the first serve of the 2013 season! The Lady Vols’ first opponent of the year will be Morehead State. The squads will break a 4-4-2 series tie when they face off at a tournament in Cincinnati. The teams first met in 1976 and the last meeting was in 1994. Tennessee has won the last four match-ups.

Earlier today coach Rob Patrick was a guest on WNML radio (click the links for 9:30 and 9:45 — they may be deleted when tomorrow’s show is posted). He talked about: reasons the 2012 team underachieved, Ellen Mullins at the National A2 Program, the growth of the sport of volleyball, new recruits, and who’s favored to win the conference.

I want to publicly thank Cameron Harris, an associate media relations director at UT. Today is his last day on the job. And without him, I’m not sure this website would still be here. When I started I mentioned up front that this might be a short-lived experiment but I would “give this idea a shot” and “see how it goes”. I was expecting it to be me and if I were lucky a few fans following along. I didn’t expect the great response I got. And I never expected to get the help provided by Cameron, the then volleyball media contact. While fans and families seemed to love the photos and updates, I did the site because I loved the numbers. And, though some SID’s might have treated it as “just a job”, Cameron was just as passionate about getting it right and recognizing the achievements of the players as I was trying to be. Without his help and support those early years I may have shut this side project down to focus on my main websites.

Thanks Cameron for everything you did for me. I appreciate it very much. Good luck in whatever you do next. Tennessee is losing a very valuable asset today.

Congratulations to two future Lady Vols who were recently named to PrepVolleyball’s Defensive Dandies list of top high school defensive players! Claudia Coco, a high school junior from Johns Creek GA, was named to the third team (out of twelve) on the list of full time back row players. According to the site, “her defense repeatedly frustrates and denies the opposing teams’ best hit. Spot-on defense, great reading, anticipation, consistency, speed and tremendous tenacity are Coco’s trademarks”. This is the third year in a row she has been recognized. Bridgette Villano, a senior from Ft. Lauderdale FL, was named to the third team (out of five) for all-around players. Despite playing outside in high school, the site says she could be an “elite level libero at the collegiate level”. This is the second year Villano has been honored.

Despite the roster losses from graduations and transfers, Tennessee volleyball is reloading for 2013. The recruits head coach Rob Patrick and his staff have brought in have been ranked the #17 class in the nation this year by PrepVolleyball.com. “This group should see playing time and gain valuable match experience immediately upon their arrival on Rocky Top. With three of the five newcomers appearing on the PrepVolleyball.com Senior Aces list along with a high school honorable mention All-American, this group comes in with the experience level necessary to make an immediate impact.”

The team just barely missed out on having the top class in the conference, with Arkansas sneaking ahead of them at #16. Other SEC teams include #18 Missouri, #24 Kentucky, and #27 Florida. Auburn, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, and Texas A&M earned Highest Honorable Mention accolades, while Alabama and South Carolina were named to the High Honorable Mention list. Also of note, four of the teams Tennessee players transferred to also appear on the list: Nebraska, Texas, and Pepperdine in the top 10, and Arizona State just behind at #13. Since transferring players weren’t figured into the rankings, those teams probably have an even better class than the rankings might indicate.

The Lady Vols have been a fixture in the recruiting class rankings, having placed on all but one of the lists since PrepVolleyball began them in 2003.

UT RECRUITING CLASS RANKINGS
2013	#17
2012	High HM
2011	#8
2010	#4
2009	High HM
2008	#13
2007	#24
2006	#8
2005	#30
2004	NR
2003	#24

UPDATE: Tennessee has a lot more info.

• Congratulations to Leslie Cikra, Jasmine Brown, and Kayla Jeter who graduated this spring! Jeter earned her masters in Kinesiology, while Cikra earned a bachelors degree in Finance and Brown one in social work. The volleyball team had the highest GPA in the department with a 3.58.
• Leslie Cikra and former Lady Vol Kelsey Robinson were among those participating in the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Red-Blue intrasquad scrimmages. Cikra was part of an elite group off opposites chosen to participate, who between them earned two National Player of the Year awards and eight First Team All-America honors. More details here, here, and here.
• New Lady Vol Jamie Lea was featured on a recent episode of Inside the Orange on the Vol Television Network.
• I was really looking forward to reporting that former Lady Vol head coach Julie Hermann had been hired to become the athletic director at Rutgers, making her one of only three female ADs at a major Division I university. Unfortunately, over the past few days allegations of abuse from former Tennessee volleyball players she coached have once again made me dread having to work on this site! The Newark Star-Ledger has all the details. CNN has a video interview with former Lady Vol Kim Obiala (1995-98). And Scarlet Nation has quotes from some of her supporters.
• Best of luck to Olivia Okoro who, according to RichKern.com, is heading back to the west coast — this time to Pepperdine.
• The Omaha World Herald has more about Mary Pollmiller’s move to Nebraska.
• Less than 100 days until the new season!