STUDENTS PROTEST
DAILY
INFORMATION
EDITORIAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Shelby Wright
MANAGING EDITOR: Caden Dyer
COPY CHIEF: Emily Hurst
NEWS EDITOR: Samantha Whitley
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR: Emma Caskill
SPORTS EDITOR: Trevor McGee
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR: Jack Church
OPINIONS EDITOR: Ansley Graves
PHOTO EDITOR: Erick Gomez-Villeda
DESIGN EDITOR: Ciara Chauncey
ENGAGEMENT EDITOR: Sarah Portanka
COVER DESIGN: Ciara Chauncey
PAGE DESIGNERS: Emma Fingeret, Jibril Foronas, Ashley Cammarota, Abigail Thompson
ADVERTISING/PRODUCTION
ADVERTISING MANAGER: Cullen Askew
ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES: Jacob
Stromatt
ADVERTISING PRODUCTION ARTISTS: Donatella Thomas
CONTACTS
TO REPORT A NEWS ITEM OR SUBMIT A PRESS RELEASE, please email editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com or call (865) 974-2348
TO PLACE AN AD, please email admanager@utk.edu.
LETTERS POLICY: Letters to the Editor must be exclusive to The Daily Beacon and cannot have been submitted to or published by other media. Letters should not exceed 400 words and can be edited or shortened for space. Letters can also be edited for grammar and typographical errors, and Letters that contain excessive grammatical errors can be rejected for this reason. Anonymous Letters will not be published. Authors should include their full name, mailing address, city of residence, phone number and e-mail address for verification purposes. Letters submitted without this information will not be published. The preferred method to submit a Letter to the Editor is to email the Editor-in-Chief.
CORRECTIONS POLICY:It is the Daily Beacon’s policy to quickly correct any factual errors and clarify any potentially misleading information. Errors brought to our attention by readers or staff members will be corrected and printed on page two of our publication. To report an error please send as much information as possible about where and when the error occurred to managingeditor@ utdailybeacon.com, or call our newsroom at (865) 974-5206.
The Daily Beacon is published by students at The University of Tennessee on Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters. The offices are located at 1345 Circle Park Drive, 11 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0314. The newspaper is free on campus and is available via mail subscription for $200/year or $100/semester. It is also available online at: www.utdailybeacon.com
Knoxville residents concerned for the education of Knox County School students after recent book banning
SARAH-NICOLE JACKSON Contributor
In 2022, the Age Appropriate Materials Act was passed in Tennessee, requiring public school libraries to publish and review their collections to ensure they are age-appropriate.
What does age-appropriate mean? Many school officials grappled with this question as they scanned through books to figure out what met the criteria. An amendment to the law was passed last spring with more specifics — books containing nudity, descriptions or depictions of sexual excitement, sexual conduct, excess violence or sadomasochistic abuse were deemed inappropriate to have in public school libraries.
Book banning has been a hot topic in the U.S. in the past few years, with groups such as Moms for Liberty being vocal supporters of book banning. Many believe that certain books should be banned in public schools to protect children from taking in harmful content or adopting harmful behaviors from what they read. Others are against banning books and believe all books should be kept in school libraries regardless of content, giving kids the freedom to read what they want.
Some fall in the middle, believing that some books are inappropriate for children to read, but access to them should not be restricted entirely.
Jill Wright, a former Knox County Schools teacher, shares this opinion. She was slightly surprised at some of the banned books on Knox County’s list.
“Some of them, I think, are ridiculous, and they don’t belong on that list,” Wright said. “Especially some of the lower grade ones like Eric Carle. You know, why in the world would you ban that kind of book?”
The book in question refers to Eric Carle’s “Draw Me a Star,” a children’s picture book. This book was supposedly banned in public elementary schools due to an artistic interpretation of a naked Adam and Eve.
Many of the books on Knox County’s list cover sensitive topics, such as “Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky, which contains discussions of sex and drug abuse. “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison is also on the list, containing discussions of racism and child molestation. These books are also included in the top banned books in the United States.
While Wright agrees that some books on the list are inappropriate for younger children to read, she does not recommend keeping certain books out of high school libraries.
“Once you get in high school, you’ve crossed over into a whole different plane,” Wright said. “Regardless of whether or not you agree with
Hodges Library annually celebrates Banned Books week in September, drawing attention to banned or challenged books across the nation in celebration of readers’ freedom to read. Thursday Sept. 15, 2022. Erick Gomez / The Daily Beacon
the contents of a book or wouldn’t want your kid reading it, it doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be available to everyone else.”
Wright thinks some of the list’s books may require adult guidance. She says that families could benefit from parents sitting down and guiding their children through books instead of forbidding them from reading them entirely.
“That’s where a parent needs to step up and be a parent,” Wright said. “I know someone who will not tell their child, ‘No, you can’t read a certain book.’ They will say, ‘If you have questions about it, sure. Go check it out. Let’s bring it home. Let’s read it together.’ Sadly, a lot of parents are just not taking advantage of those teaching moments anymore. Why not encourage them to have those hard conversations?”
She also thinks part of the problem is that parents are very rarely willing to talk with teachers in person anymore.
“As a culture, so many people have become keyboard warriors, and it’s like we’ve lost the art of having a civilized conversation face to face,” Wright said. “That’s how you end up with all these books on these banned lists because people cannot sit down and have a legitimate conversation about it and get to the root of the problem.”
Kathy Shorter, a nurse in Knox County, says the recent book bans may indicate that history is repeating itself. She cites books like Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” and George Orwell’s “1984,” both dystopian novels that depict countries under the rule of authoritative governments.
“I think if you take away books and limit
what people have access to, you are limiting free speech and history is repeating itself,” Shorter said.
Similar to Wright, she thinks if parents disagree with what their children are reading, they should sit down and walk through it with them.
“Watch what your kids are reading and talk through it with them, but you can’t ban it from everyone,” Shorter said. “That’s not right.”
She also emphasized the importance of allowing these books to educate people about dark topics.
“Books can educate people on all sorts of things,” Shorter said. “You have to let people see it. If not, we can repeat our mistakes in the future. You can’t just shield everyone from the truth. It will only lead to ignorance.”
She also says that banning some of these books may prevent kids from feeling seen, especially children from marginalized groups.
“Kids need to read about kids like themselves,” Shorter said. “We can’t just create these fictions that every kid has a happy life.”
Book banning seems to be on the rise in the U.S., and each passing year brings the threat of more books being removed from school libraries. Other than the 48 books currently banned in Knox County, another 67 were reviewed and ultimately kept on the shelves, including titles such as “Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi and “Monday’s Not Coming” by Tiffany D. Jackson.
Where Knox County Schools will head with book banning remains to be seen, but parents, educators and librarians alike are apprehensive about the future of education.
Building a better UT: Construction updates on Phillip Fulmer Way, Neyland Stadium
PATRICK BUSCH Staff Writer
The University of Tennessee’s campus and the neighboring Fort Sanders have undergone dramatic change and construction over the past few years. Most recently, improvements have begun on Phillip Fulmer Way and on Neyland Stadium.
Right in front of Neyland Stadium, on Phillip Fulmer Way, students can see that the road has been reduced to one lane and that fences and construction equipment line up along the road. This is all a part of UT’s Phillip Fulmer Pedestrian Improvements Project.
According to the Campus Master Plan, “Streetscape enhancements at Phillip Fulmer Way improve the pedestrian experience between Food City Center and Neyland Stadium for events and game day. Enhancements along Neyland Drive include new sidewalks, lighting, plantings screening the Neyland Parking Garage and consistent signage to improve the University’s presence at an important gateway to campus and the pedestrian experience.”
The project aims to provide a better pedestrian experience on campus, mainly to alleviate congestion during game days. Phillip Fulmer Way will remain closed until August
Ericksen
2025 while construction is ongoing.
Major improvements to Neyland Stadium are happening at the same time. The plans have undergone several changes and updates — improvement projects were initially signed off on by the Board of Trustees in 2017.
In June of 2022, at the request of director of athletics Danny White and his team, the Board of Trustees expanded the plans for Phase 1 of stadium improvements. This expansion included a total budget increase of $108 million, raising the total cost of Phase 1 to $288 million.
The plans include several different individ-
ual projects. According to a 2022 press release by UT Sports, we can expect new signage, “VO-L-S letters – add two sets of letters to reintroduce a traditional stadium feature.” Other highlights include new founders’ suites with elaborate space and lounge areas.
The project plans to improve stadium-wide Wi-Fi infrastructure for those who have experienced poor internet connection at games. The new founders’ suite is being added as another lounge below the existing structure on the southwest side of the stadium.
There has been a recent flurry of activity and plans for significant changes on and
Weekly Campus Crime Log
around Neyland Stadium. Over the summer of 2024, UT released plans for a Neyland Entertainment District.
The project focuses on totally reinventing Neyland’s face on the Tennessee River. Plans include a hotel, condos, restaurants, shopping, entertainment and more. Plans continue to attempt to tie in Neyland with the surrounding campus and river.
In July, UT announced its intention to award the Neyland Entertainment District project to the 865 Neyland Project Team, whose members have had experience working on similar projects with other sports teams. The Neyland Entertainment District plans also attempt to connect Neyland with the Food City Center.
These project connections for the many different construction plans aim to continue improving the experience of game day attendees, particularly pedestrians.
Overall, UT is investing heavily in its infrastructure to provide an enhanced experience for students, staff and visitors. The various projects underway, from pedestrian improvements on Phillip Fulmer Way to developments inside Neyland Stadium, reflect a commitment to growth and modernization. While it’s clear that all these projects will take some time before completion, UT is already moving quickly to meet its goals.
Construction on Phillip Fulmer Way, outside of Neyland Stadium. Monday, Feb. 10, 2025.
Trump’s hiring freeze threatens Great Smoky Mountains National Park
KACIE BURNS Staff Writer
Visitors and students planning to visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the coming months may face unprecedented challenges. In January, the National Park Service rescinded more than 2,000 permanent and seasonal positions nationwide following the Trump administration’s federal hiring freeze.
According to the NPS, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is consistently the most visited National Park in the country with over 13 million visitors, in 2023. But the concern of fewer rangers might make people think twice before visiting the Smokies this year.
The results of this hiring freeze may lead to fewer staffed facilities, limited educational programming and unmaintained trails, which raises countless safety concerns.
The executive order was signed on Jan. 20 and applies to all federal civilian employees in the executive branch. According to the White House memorandum, “As part of this freeze, no federal civilian position that is vacant at noon on January 20, 2025, may be filled, and no new position may be created except as otherwise provided for in this memorandum or other applicable law.”
This exempts military personnel from the armed forces, national security, public safety or
immigration enforcement. Additionally, further exemptions can be made by the director of the Office of Personnel Management.
The Smokies are a huge part of student life — it is less than an hour from campus and is highlighted in many UT video promotions and ads. Because of this close relationship, many students would love to get their hands dirty and help make the Great Smoky Mountains National Park the best it can be with these upcoming challenges.
Organizing student volunteer events to help with basic tasks, such as trail cleanups and litter removal, would be an exciting and creative way to combat these issues. These efforts would not only support the park but keep students engaged with nature despite the challenges.
Beyond the visitor experience, environmental issues could cause irreversible damage if these hiring issues persist. Park rangers and other staff affected by the hiring freeze play a critical role in monitoring wildlife and controlling invasive species.
Claire Pouncey, a graduate student majoring in plant sciences, emphasized how the freeze could have long-lasting ecological impacts.
“Before the hiring freeze, there was already a limited number of foresters, and when you have large park spaces with a lot of people, it can be difficult to best manage everything,” Pouncey said. “The hiring freeze is bound to make management harder, and in terms of invasive
species and native ecosystems, we could see areas that need conservation practices overlooked.”
Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Courtesy of National Park Services
Pouncey noted that groups like UT’s Society for Ecological Restoration are already active members in maintaining native areas and could become even more essential moving forward.
The park already has multiple volunteer programs in place, as well as partnerships with local organizations that could provide temporary aid. Volunteer programs include Adopt-A-Trail, Parkwide Litter Patrol and Exoctic Vegetation Control. Community involvement will be crucial for the success of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and these programs are a great way to start.
Vol Veteran Student Tickets Bill vetoed by SGA
PATRICK BUSCH Staff Writer
Last fall, Student Government Association
Sen. Kevin Ho, Jordan Sloan and Madeline Bell introduced the Vol Veterans Student Tickets Bill. The Daily Beacon reported on the bill when it was first introduced in November, but this semester, SGA student body president Dante Grayson vetoed the bill.
The bill’s goal was to ensure veteran students have access to sporting tickets, as stated in the bill’s summary.
“The Veterans ticket accessibility bill aims to provide our student veterans with easier access to the sporting events held at our University,” the bill said. “Our objective is to ensure that veterans can obtain these tickets through the Veteran Success Center, guaranteeing their availability to these highimpact events and creating a strong sense of school spirit for our Student Veterans.”
The bill would’ve taken 500 tickets from the general student fund and reserved them through the Veteran Success Center for each football game. From there, they would have been distributed to veteran students who requested one, and any extra would have been put back in the general fund.
The bill’s aim was simple — give respect and give back to the UT students who have sacrificed for our nation’s safety and security. Bill sponsor Sen. Ho is a veteran himself and cited his own experience — of seeing other veterans not getting access to tickets — as what inspired him to work on the bill.
“What we’re trying to do is to create school spirit,” Ho said. “As far as a welcoming environment for veterans to come to UT and
Rachel Burer, a senior at UT studying sustainability, highlighted the potential damage to wildlife conservation efforts.
“With the reduced staff, we will see impacts on the ability to protect and enhance biodiversity within the National Park.”
RACHEL BURER
UTK Sustainability Student
“One setback we will see is reduced monitoring of the Eastern Hellbender Salamander. This species has been a large part of conservation efforts at Great Smoky Mountain National Park.”
Collaborative efforts made by community groups, volunteers and this university must play a significant role in keeping the park wellmaintained and accessible for visitors despite the negative effects of the hiring freeze. Tennessee’s deep-rooted love for the outdoors will hopefully inspire more people to step up to help keep all trails open and the wildlife thriving.
During a time of limited federal support, maintaining the Smokies’ natural beauty and ensuring visitor safety requires a joint effort from UT students, faculty and the surrounding communities.
president, bill sponsors not done fighting
experience, you know, these high impact events like the football games or any sporting events. So that’s ideally what our goal was.”
Currently, student football game tickets are distributed through the T-credit lottery system. Students earn T-credits by attending other UT sporting events, such as soccer or volleyball. Then, a lottery period opens up for each football game, and those with more tickets are likely to receive them.
The bill passed through the Senate with a 97% approval rate, showing its popularity among the legislative body. However, Grayson used his executive power to veto the bill, essentially killing it. Grayson spoke about his veto during an SGA session.
“I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude for the Vols Veterans Student Ticketing bill and the bill sponsors’ hard work and dedication in this creation of bill 24-5,” Grayson said. “Whereas, this veto does not diminish my commitment to supporting veteran students. Whereas, I remain steadfast in working alongside the Veteran Success Center and other campus partners to enhance the student veteran experience through meaningful measures.”
Grayson explained that he believed the statistics did not support the bill’s outlined need. Grayson cited that of 681 veteran
students, 239 requested tickets to football games at least once last semester. Grayson said only 52 of those requests were unsuccessful in the lottery. Finally, Grayson cited the statistic that all 36 students who entered every football ticket lottery last semester successfully got at least one ticket.
Grayson’s justification for the veto boiled down to the fact that he didn’t think there was enough evidence that veteran students could not get tickets, which was an issue. Despite this, the bill sponsors are not done fighting yet.
“So we will be reworking the bill to try to make some adjustments, of course, to heed what the administration is saying,” Sloan said. “But we still are, you know, fighting for the veterans, not for administration. We’re both pretty adamant about that. … Vetoes are not the bottom line. A veto can be overridden.”
A possible compromise mentioned is a T-credit bonus to veteran students instead of reserving seats from the general lottery.
While the bill might’ve been vetoed for now, Sloan and Ho are adamant about continuing work on their Vol Veterans Student Tickets Bill.
“We’re still going to fight for the veterans and make sure that, you know, we get some sort of solution figured out,” Sloan said.
The new Education Freedom Act: How it may affect HOPE scholarship or other programs
PATRICK BUSCH Staff Writer
Last month, after a brief Special Session of the Tennessee General Assembly, Gov. Bill Lee’s Education Freedom Act passed. Lee introduced the bill in 2023 but reintroduced it in 2025, leading to its quick passing by the Tennessee legislature.
This is all a part of a larger effort to improve the K-12 education system statewide, which has long been perceived as sitting in a state of mismanagement and underfunding. Tennessee ranks 45th in per-student spending and 44th in average teacher salary, according to a release by Tennessee Senate Democrats.
The Education Freedom Act faced heavy debate and controversy during and after its passing. To that fact, 20 Republicans voted against party lines in the House, passing 54-44.
The Act provides 20,000 new scholarships throughout the state. These scholarships are to be used to pay the tuition of students attending private schools. Each scholarship is just over $7,000 in value, and the law requires the money to be spent on tuition and fees before expenditures for supplies or other related expenses.
Half of the scholarships are reserved for students meeting criteria concerning disabilities, location and income levels, designated to be no more than 300% of the amount required for the student to qualify for free or reduced lunch prices.
The other 10,000 scholarships are available for anyone in the state — meeting the aforementioned criteria is not a requirement. The law establishes a mechanism that will allow the Department of Education to increase the number of scholarships yearly by no more than 5,000 additional scholarships to meet demand.
Much controversy aims at how the law will be funded. The entire bill is estimated to cost the state $447 million in the first year. Some of these are one-time expenses. Others, like vouchers, are continuous and may increase in cost in the future. The scholarships will cost just under $146 million in the first year.
The law will redirect money collected from taxes on sports gambling in the state. Since its legalization in 2019, sports gambling has created hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for the state.
Well, what’s the possible complaint? That same source of money is already being spent on other education programs, a large part going toward the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship. Robert Kelchen, head of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, with expertise in higher
education finance, outlined some worries about funding the Education Freedom Act.
“The potential concern is that college scholarships are funded out of the same pool of money that the Governor is drawing upon for school construction under this proposal,” Kelchen said. “At this point, it seems like there’s been enough money to pay for both, but we’re not quite sure what lottery or gambling revenue is going to look like going forward, and we’re not sure what student scholarship needs will look like going forward.”
Kelchen explained that any potential
also unclear.
“It’s not entirely clear whether it will have an effect on higher education,” Kelchen said. “It’s possible, but as a researcher, I haven’t seen good research on that. But there are several states where school voucher costs have been much higher than expected.”
The HOPE Scholarship is an extensive program that provides funding to students attending a college or university who also meet specific academic requirements. Scholarships are $4,500 per year for underclassmen and $5,700 per year for
program have grown by nearly $100 million. If the governor’s plan proceeds, the state will be forced to draw from the lottery’s shortfall reserve, a fund designed for emergencies, not to patch holes created by legislative overreach.”
Lamar stated that she worried the voucher program would jeopardize thousands of students currently receiving the HOPE Scholarship. Josh Dunn, director of the Institute of American Civics, with expertise in education policy, spoke to the possibility of the HOPE scholarship losing any funding.
“So the question is whether or not it could affect the HOPE scholarship,” Dunn said. “I suppose there could be some stress put on the system if the voucher program were to grow substantially. But for the foreseeable future, it doesn’t look like there would be an issue, and if there were to ever be one, I think the legislature would work to reinforce both programs. There’s a very large constituency that supports the HOPE scholarship.”
Dunn explained that the voucher system is not that significant of a funding item, with just 20,000 vouchers, and is not likely to affect other education programs anytime soon.
“I think that the big issue that’s arisen from this is just the debate over education policy,” Dunn said. “Should parental choice play a role in the provision of education? To what degree? That’s more than the actual dollars at stake. That’s the bigger question out there.”
concerns concerning funding postsecondary and K-12 programs from the same pot would be a long-term concern. Currently, there is sufficient funding for these programs. Kelchen outlined possible scenarios in which we could see budgetary conflicts.
College scholarships are “unlikely to happen in the short term because overall, the state budget is pretty strong,” Kelchen said. “But if we get into a recession, then there will be some challenging political decisions.”
Kelchen also emphasized that even if the state were to face budget reductions, postsecondary scholarships would not be easy to cut.
“If there is a budget shortfall,” Kelchen said, “I could certainly see the scholarships for students staying intact, but the budget reductions being made through the funding that goes to colleges because it’s a lot less politically popular to take money away from students than colleges.”
Kelchen emphasized that immediate effects on post-secondary scholarships are unlikely and that long-term effects are
upperclassmen.
In the 2022-2023 school year, the HOPE Scholarship provided funding to over 70,000 students in the state. That year, it cost the state just over $314 million. The HOPE Scholarship is funded through the state’s lottery for the education program, taking revenue earned through the lottery and sports gambling and directing it toward the education system.
Those in support of the bill, including Gov. Lee, have maintained that there is enough funding to support the new school vouchers while maintaining the HOPE scholarship — however, those in opposition dispute that. Democrat state Sen. London Lamar, who opposes the Education Freedom Act, laid out her worries in an opinion piece in the Tennessean.
According to Lamar in her opinion piece, “Governor Lee and his supporters argue that there will be sufficient funding for both K-12 and higher education, but this optimistic outlook ignores the growing demands on the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship program. From 2021 to 2024, the funding demands for this
The text of the legislation allows funding to flow from the state’s general fund and earmarks funds from the state’s lottery for education programs. Additional fail-safes for financing exist, such as the state’s lottery reserves. In the past two years, Tennessee’s large budget surplus has funded several programs and initiatives, which stood at $1.5 billion at the end of fiscal year 2023. It is unclear how much of that money is still available and what could be spent on the Education Freedom Act.
While concerns over the impact the cost of K-12 vouchers will have on higher education scholarships persist, it appears as though post-secondary programs like the HOPE scholarship are not in any danger right now. Professors Dunn and Kelchen stated that the income from lottery and gambling taxes is a large enough pool to fund the relatively small voucher program, certainly for the near future. There may be unexpected or dramatic changes in revenue from the state’s lottery for education programs or in the demand for vouchers. Still, programs like the HOPE scholarship maintain enormous support, and cutting it would be deeply politically unpopular.
The new Education Freedom Act poses many questions for those in the world of higher education and raises concerns for HOPE scholarship funding. File / The Daily Beacon
Students march against fascism down Ped Walkway on Presidents Day
SHELBY WRIGHT Editor-in-Chief
“ENOUGH
IS ENOUGH, F*** DONALD TRUMP.”
These are the words you could hear reverberating off of buildings around 6 p.m. Monday as a group of about 30 students marched down Pedestrian Walkway with anti-fascism signs, a megaphone and a Mexican flag.
Starting at TRECS around 5 p.m., students gathered to create the posters they would carry for their march in this peacefully orchestrated demonstration that followed after several other Presidents Day protests nationwide.
The protest was organized by Eli Aguilar, a senior psychology major who was the first to turn up for the event, draped in a Mexican flag to show off his support for his heritage.
“The goal is really just to bring awareness to some policies that are affecting our community and just the rise in fascism against the country,” Aguilar said. “I don’t think there’s anyone who can be illegal on stolen land.”
Aguilar was soon joined by several of his friends, who were quick to pick up blank poster boards and embellish them with words like, “FUND EDUCATIONS NOT DEPORTATIONS,” “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,” “NO PERSON IS ILLEGAL! PROTECT IMMIGRANTS,” “NAZI FASCISTS DON’T BELONG IN OFFICE!” and “Respect my EXISTENCE or expect my RESISTANCE.”
Emma Woodward, a senior studying music business and violin performance, was the student who held the sign that read, “IMMIGRANTS FARMED YOUR FOOD. IMMIGRANTS BUILT YOUR TESLA. END FASCISM.”
Woodward feels very passionate about her disdain for the Trump administration because of where she is from — Fresno, California. Fresno is known for its farming and agricultural community, a lot of which is made up of Hispanic immigrants, and Woodward is worried not only about how Trump’s mass deportation plan will affect the people in her hometown, but also how it will affect America on an economic level.
“I think that a lot of people don’t even care — they don’t realize it — they don’t know it, and they don’t think about how a deportation
would really affect the country,” Woodward said.
“There’s a lot of Hispanic people in California, and Trump does not care about them at all. And frankly, he doesn’t care about California because it’s a blue state. He hates anyone that’s not, you know, his minion.”
Palmer said that she believes that taking action through a protest, even as small as this one, is a good way to ignite some change and speak up for the voiceless. Her friend, Sierra Armijo-Segura, a senior studying biochemistry and molecular biology, agrees.
“I mean, we’re in a predominantly white city in the south, and a lot of the ideas here fall on the more conservative, conservative side. … If you don’t at least try to educate the people around you, then there’s no progress that’s going to be made. Like there has to be an effort, and maybe it’s one in 10, but one in 10 people who are willing to change their mind about something is better than zero,” Armijo-Segura said.
As the students made their way down Ped Walkway via police escort, they caught the attention of many passersby. Some people just stopped to watch, and some made disgruntled and confused faces. But some people joined in or called out to the protestors to show support of their actions.
affecting him and future generations.
“A lot of times, we’ll say these issues don’t impact us, but this is the very reason that these issues actually impact us,” Kuykindall said. “People say this isn’t our business, but this is our business, and that’s why I implore you … if you don’t do anything else, make sure you vote. Make sure you vote not only in your national elections but vote in your local elections too because we can talk about Trump all day, but we also got somebody named Bill Lee who is running our state crazy.”
Kuykindall also explained how Trump’s proposal to shut down the Department of Education would hurt everyone if he were to achieve his goals.
“There’s so many things that are under the Department of Education, not only making sure that folks get a high-quality education … but it’s also eliminating the FAFSA that keeps all of us at this university,” Kuykindall said.
Before everyone disbanded, Jordan Stevens, a senior advertising major, hopped up on the stage.
Woodward also described some two-sidedness from the Trump administration, particularly when it comes to billionaire and founder of Tesla Motors Elon Musk, Trump’s cabinet pick for the new Department of Efficiency.
Woodward argues that Musk would also be unable to build his Teslas if it weren’t for the Hispanic or Latino community, which makes up 23.7% of Tesla Motors.
Nyah Palmer, a senior studying biomedical engineering, has also been “unsatisfied” with the Trump administration’s efforts thus far.
“I don’t really like the way that the morals of our country are going, in terms of the dehumanization of Black and brown people, and then also just the privatization of government, and just how you can somehow it feels like you can just buy your spot into the government,” Palmer said.
The protest ended at a stage set up outside the Student Union entrance, but not before some members made their closing remarks.
T’Lise Fulmer, a senior studying global studies and pre-law, was one of the few who joined their march as it was happening. She decided to share part of her story.
“So I’m originally from D.C. … and a lot of my family members have lost their jobs because (of Trump’s new executive orders) … My dream job is actually closing down, which is the United States Agency for International Development.”
Fulmer closed with encouraging words, asking onlookers to educate themselves about who they vote for and to be more aware of the realworld impacts it could have on people’s lives.
Cameron Kuykindall, a junior elementary education major, said something similar and described how Trump’s “fascist regime” will and is
“There’s a lot going on right now. There’s a lot of hate. There’s a lot of division. Our current government is propagating a lot of that,” Stevens said. “I just want to remind you guys that injustice for anyone is injustice for everyone. This is not the time to be against each other. It’s not us versus ourselves. It’s us versus the fascist government. This is a time to lead into community, support each other, love each other and work together.”
It is unclear if these protests will continue, but Aguilar said that they may depending on community reaction. He said he is pleased with the first turnout and reinforced a statement Kuykindall made.
“And so if we want to see a better United States of America, we got to be the change that we want to see,” Kuykindall said.
Students participating in the protest against fascism march down Pedestrian Walkway. Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. Jayden Randolph / The Daily Beacon
UT Institute of Agriculture experts recommend biosecurity efforts for bird flu
LOGAN STARKEY Contributor
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture has recommended increased biosecurity efforts to help stop the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza outbreak.
Avian influenza, also known as bird flu, refers to strings of the flu that primarily affect birds but can also affect humans. As of Feb. 5, 2025, 153.87 million birds have been affected by the disease since the start of the outbreak in February 2022.
The avian influenza outbreak affects not just livestock farmers but also Americans in general. The loss of birds has caused the price of eggs to skyrocket. For example, California is experiencing a major outbreak as the cost of a dozen eggs currently sits at $8.97.
UTIA’s recommendations won’t have an immediate impact. It takes six months to grow eggbearing chickens to replace the ones that died or were culled due to contracting the disease. Due to the delay in regaining lost chickens, egg prices will continue to rise through 2025.
“When you’re talking about most of these poultry companies, they’re highly integrated,” Aaron Smith, UTIA professor in the Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics, said. “We’ve definitely seen egg prices come up substantially, even here in Tennessee.”
Egg prices aren’t the only prices going up, as the price of chicken itself is rising.
Despite its name, the disease isn’t just confined to birds. As of Jan. 7, 2025, there were 913 confirmed cases of avian flu within dairy cattle in the United States.
Though dairy workers and animals are beginning to come into contact with the virus, Smith said their prices currently aren’t being affected. However, there is some hope for relief in the form of seasonal patterns.
“There is usually a greater impact at different
points within the season,” Smith said. “It’s typically going to be more heavily weighted in the fall and then into early winter. It will slow down as we see a reduction into February.”
Mitigating interactions to slow the spread is of paramount concern. Mitigating interactions is the basis for UTIA’s new recommended efforts.
Tom Tabler, a professor and extension poultry specialist at UTIA, said there is no end in sight for the ongoing outbreak.
“There is currently no vaccine for avian influenza in the U.S., so biosecurity is the best defense we have, but folks have to follow good biosecurity practices,” Tabler said.
Given that avian influenza is a virus, antibiotics also aren’t an option.
UTIA’s recommendation for HPAI biosecurity measures revolve around three parts: isolation, traffic control and sanitation.
Isolation involves separating birds by age and species. Mixing ages and species can increase the risk of spread. Birds should also be isolated from water sources that have no chance of being contaminated by wild birds.
Traffic control means keeping track of who comes into contact with birds. The more people that come into contact with the birds, the higher the risk of disease. UTIA experts recommend keeping a visitor’s log to help divert some risk.
The last recommendation, sanitation, is about cleaning and disinfecting everything. Equipment, materials and people should all be kept as sanitized as possible. Poultry workers should dedicate specific footwear or wear disposable footwear to prevent tracking diseases into the coop.
UTIA experts believe that if poultry workers follow these guidelines, it could potentially put an end to the outbreak.
Consumers can hope for some relief as the transmission of the virus lessens and winter comes to a close.
Any students battling the rising cost of groceries can visit the Big Orange Pantry. The pantry is located in the Student Union and offers students and faculty free groceries.
‘Our audiences call for more’: River and Rail Theatre Company announces new home on Magnolia Ave
PATRICK BUSCH Staff Writer
The River and Rail Theatre Company has been bringing local productions to Knoxville and East Tennessee since 2015. It has been at its current location on State Street in Old City since 2019, but now it’s ready for a change in setting.
“Our production size, our show size, our audiences call for more. There were space considerations we had to take into account as our organization continued to thrive,” Kenneth Herring, executive director of River and Rail Theatre Company, said.
River and Rail announced that it would be leaving its old location and moving to a new one at 2651 Magnolia Ave. Herring explained the primary reasons for the move, including that they had outgrown the space in Old City.
“We just outgrew the Old City Performing Arts Center,” Herring said. “It’s about a 150-175 person black box theatre.”
River and Rail closed the purchase of its new production facility just two weeks ago. The facility, which is over 12,000 square feet, is set to be River and Rail’s new “forever home.” It sports key features for the production company, such as its size. Herring discussed the greatest attributes of the new space.
“The number one highlight is that it looks and
feels and will operate as what many people will think of as a traditional theatre,” Herring said.
The new theatre will have a lobby, box office, bar and concession stand, plenty of parking and will seat between 225 and 250 seats in the audience.
Herring emphasized that he believes the theatre will be a perfect fit for the organization and will allow River and Rail to continue to invest in the east Knoxville community.
Herring also mentioned the effect that the booming real estate market in Knoxville had on the Old City location.
“As many of us know, over the past couple years, the real estate market has seen some significant improvements in certain areas, Knoxville being one of them,” Herring said.
“We began to get phone calls and inquiries about the sale of our building. So after saying no multiple times, we finally said maybe, and eventually we said yes, and there was an offer we really couldn’t refuse. It made a lot of business sense.”
The transition to the new facility hasn’t been without challenges, however. Finding a new location for the productions of River and Rail was difficult, especially when it came to leaving the Old City neighborhood. Herring discussed the challenges that leaving the old location presented.
“We wanted to look at the option of staying
River and Rail Theatre Company’s new building located at 2651 Magnolia Ave. is set to open to the public in 2027. Feb. 10, 2025. Courtesy of Afton Howard
in the downtown area,” Herring said. “However, this property that we were approached with was so beautiful, and the area that it’s in is so magnificent, that it really provided an opportunity for us to look outside of our natural comfort zone. Finding something that we really liked was a challenge.”
The new location will allow River and Rail to seat more people in the audience and partner with more community organizations.
Herring cited enhanced sound production quality, lighting control and flooring as benefits to the production quality of future projects at the new facility.
Herring expressed River and Rail’s excitement to enter its upcoming capital campaign.
“It is going to take money to renovate the building,” Herring said. “It’s obviously going to take money to buy the building outright and have it fully in the name of River and Rail. It’s going to take fundraising — a significant amount of money — and we will be asking the community to support us in that endeavor.”
River and Rail is looking forward to that community support as it embarks on the construction of its new production facility. River and Rail has stated that they expect the new facility to enter service around early 2027.
UT pickleball club serves up popularity among students
JORDAN BEASLEY Contributor
As pickleball is on the rise, the sport has caught the attention of students at UT to the point of the formation of their very own club. Pickleball is hard to miss, as students walking by the TRECS courts may have noticed the whacks of paddles or the cheerful banter. According to the club president, Emily Betts, a junior studying business analytics, the pickleball club has seen a growth in interest in over 800 people, with at least 100 of them actively keeping up with updates.
The Daily Beacon reported on the growth of the sport in Knoxville and the rapidly forming business around it in 2023.
Zooming out from Knoxville, pickleball has been a fast-growing sport in the U.S. for the past few years. According to the latest data from the 2024 State of Pickleball: Participation & Infrastructure Report, the sport saw a participation growth of 51.8% from 2022 to 2023.
Pickleball borrows many concepts from other racquet-like sports. The inventors of pickleball Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum, repurposed an old badminton court and utilized rules from the game to de-
velop the first rulebook in 1965.
Pickleball can be intimidating or difficult to those who have never played anything like it. There are different courts for more advanced players and those who are just starting out.
“There’s no judgment around if you’re doing terrible because everyone has their off days, and again, it’s just a sport we all love to play,” Betts said.
Pickleball is known for its relatively low cost for setup, but it can still be challenging to obtain the necessary equipment, such as pickleball paddles, which are specialized for the sport.
UT students can rent out free paddles, among other sports equipment, from TRECS. However, the process is not always that simple. Betts said the club always ensures that equipment never gets in the way of someone trying out pickleball.
“When it comes to renting out paddles from TRECS, you have to rent it individually, which is kind of a process, so I’ve just taken matters into my own hands by always bringing extra paddles,” Betts said.
Socializing has often been highlighted as being an essential part of pickleball. Caroline Nystrom, a junior studying public relations, joined the club last semester because of her interest in tennis.
“It was kind of funny because the vice
president texted about starting the club back up this semester with the president being abroad. Everyone was kind of like, ‘Are we playing?’ — and a bunch of people were sending memes or messages like everyone’s friends,” Nystrom said.
During her time in the club, Betts has been working to increase the community presence of the club, managing the Instagram account and even creating merchandise for the club. She hopes to continue growing the club on all levels.
Parks Garner, a senior studying supply chain and club vice president, oversees the competition side. The club maintains a competitive team of 35 members that play in a collegiate tour hosted by Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating. Last semester, they played in Georgia, and this year, they are going to Cleveland, Tennessee, in hopes of making nationals.
Nystrom gave some advice for people who may be hesitant to join.
“I would tell them not to be intimidated, and what you give into it is what you get out of it because it’s more of a sport for some people, like for me, it’s my friends,” Nystrom said.
The club is open and free to any student at UT who is interested in pickleball. It serves as a year-round open space for learning the
sport, making friends or simply relieving stress after a long day of classes.
The club meets regularly on the tennis courts operated by TRECS, which the club reserves to ensure members always have the opportunity to play.
For students interested in joining or learning more about the pickleball club, the club is active on various platforms, including GroupMe and Instagram.
Students playing pickleball. Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025. Courtesy of Emily Betts
6 fun, beautiful cost-effective spring break destinations
JAXSON BERG Staff Writer
Spring break is right around the corner, and for students without extravagant plans, here are some budget friendly spring break ideas for you and your friends.
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Just under an hour away from the University of Tennessee campus is the beautiful Smoky Mountain getaway in Gatlinburg. Cabins in the woods are available to rent for a week or just a weekend. The area offers fun excursions for little to no cost, such as Anakeesta, Ober Mountain and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This destination would save the stress and money of travelling via flight while also being a fast commute, so everyone’s vacation can begin sooner.
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is only around a three hour drive from Knoxville, but a great destination for a spring break getaway. There is so much to offer in Nashville or the surrounding areas. The nightlife in Nashville is known to be a fun experience, along with historical sights to see. These include museums, restaurants, art galleries or even the Grand Ole Opry. Lodging is not terribly expen-
sive, especially with a larger group of people, and a lot of students are from Nashville or the surrounding areas and may be able to host guests.
Asheville, North Carolina
The historic city of Asheville is only 2 hours from the city of Knoxville, but offers so much to do and see. The beauty of the mountains is something people love to hike through and enjoy. Their downtown area offers many great restaurants, along with other accommodations. This is the perfect getaway for students who enjoy the outdoors and want to spend their spring break hiking, camping or just enjoying the city.
Knoxville, Tennessee
Although many students go away for spring break, there are still a ton of fun things to do in the area that a busy school schedule might not be able to fit in. Downtown Knoxville is filled with restaurants and nature centers like Ijams, which offer fun hikes. A day trip to Dollywood or the Great Smoky Mountains National Park would be a great way to spend a break from classes and have a relaxing week. Students can explore the city they go to school in and grow an appreciation for all the things it has to offer outside of the campus itself.
Staff writer Jaxson Berg, has created a list of destinations for students who are on a budget this spring break. Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. Jaxson Berg / The Daily Beacon
Panama City Beach, Florida
Although Panama City Beach is around an eight hour drive from Knoxville, it is a beautiful vacation spot. Many students travel to PCB for spring break and it creates a fun environment on the beach and in the downtown area. Lodging accommodations can seem expensive, however, with a group of people, the cost decreases immensely once the math is done. This getaway will give students a taste of warmer weather for the week and allow them to enjoy the water and all the great things PCB has to offer.
Opinion: Through the eyes of a transfer student
College is an adventurous time for all emerging and ongoing students.
Oftentimes, the catered image is young adults right out of high school, smiling, leaning on friends, hanging out in groups and greeting friends on the way to class. It can be challenging to begin the college journey alone, possibly moving away from family and friends to a new city/state. It can be lonely not knowing anyone and not knowing your campus due to being new. This image is familiar to more students than the advertised image on college brochures.
A group that is often socially forgotten in the university world is the transfer students. Transfer students are defined as students who have completed several semesters or years of college coursework at a college or university before transferring to another one. The most common form is described in an article by NCCU as “vertical transfer students.” These students attend a two-year college (such as a community college) before transitioning into a four-year institution. Community college is an excellent option to knock out basic course credits by saving money and earning an associate’s degree. Still, the in-
visible con is when you arrive at your four-year university and you feel like you’ve already missed out on so much. You hear from juniors and seniors who gush about the monumental memories they’ve made in their four years.
You also see the freshmen and sophomores who still have so much time left. Then there’s you, the transfer student, who feels like you’re racing against the clock to make the memories in only two short years.
If you feel this way and you feel alone, please know you’re not. I see you because I am you.
After I graduated high school back in Durham, North Carolina, my parents and I moved to the coast. I attended Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington and earned my associate’s in arts degree.
After graduating, I took two years off to work and save money to reassess after the pandemic. I recently transferred up to UT for my first semester this spring — my dream school.
It’s definitely taken a ton of grit and determination to achieve this goal. My parents, our dog Chevy and I have sacrificed a lot for this moment, but it’s a moment in time I’ll hold onto forever.
Since arriving on campus, I’ve felt the insurmountable fear that I need to do it all before it’s too late. Making friends, joining organizations, attending sporting events (one down and can’t wait for more), participating in UT traditions, being in clubs, attending events, achieving good grades, painting the rock and so much more be-
fore time runs out.
Although transfer students are technically classified as incoming juniors, it often feels like we’re freshmen. My first week was all about figuring out building locations, learning my walking routes to class, and navigating the specifics of UT mainly alone (meal swipes, cash equivalency, securing basketball tickets, etc).
No matter your age, class rank, gender or any other factor, being a college student can be daunting and requires a great deal of bravery. Whether you’re a freshman or sophomore wishing time would pass quickly because it feels overwhelming or a junior or senior hoping time would stand still so you could remain on Rocky Top forever, I see you and support you.
Remember, your story matters and your timing is always just right.
When I’m afraid of time whizzing by, I often have to remind myself of this thought: I can either worry about not having enough time or enjoy the fact that I’m here and have time now. If you have to repeat this reminder to yourself a dozen times to combat the fear rolling in as you look around campus and worry that it’s all going by so fast, that’s ok. Take a deep breath and try to stay in the moment as best as you can.
Fellow transfer students, let’s embrace the present and transform our experience, allowing us to savor each moment and make the most of our time here because it is truly a gift.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is just over a seven hour drive from campus, but offers a beach getaway in South Carolina. Although the weather may not be much warmer than it is in Knoxville, there are still beaches and students enjoy the quaint city of Myrtle Beach. Lodging can be affordable with a group of students travelling together and finding accommodations a little bit off of the beach. There is also a large shopping center, a ferris wheel, an amusement park, an aquarium and more.
Columnist Marissa Hunt says, “Whether you’re a freshman or sophomore wishing time would pass quickly because it feels overwhelming, or a junior or senior hoping time would stand still so you could remain on Rocky Top forever, I see you and support you.” Ansley Graves / The Daily Beacon
Hunt is a junior at UT studying journalism. She can be reached at mhunt44@vols.utk.edu
Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.
MARISSA HUNT Columnist
Marissa
Opinion: East Tennessee Maverick: To those who value your rights, organize
KINSLER Columnist
The last three weeks have been among the most hectic and destructive our federal government has ever seen in our country’s history. It’s hard to keep up. Since Donald Trump’s inauguration as president on Jan. 20, just about every day and every headline has been filled with unprecedented actions that push or break the law and our Constitution. With such a cacophony of fierce political noise, it’s difficult to understand all that is happening and organize against it. But that’s the point. Trump and his allies are relying on their “flood the zone” tactic to make it to where you can’t handle politics anymore and simply give up trying.
“Politics must become more in our lives than something we can easily retreat from.”
WALKER KINSLER Columnist
These pardons and those who defend them are betraying the police officers who were savagely beaten while protecting the U.S. Capitol and its lawmakers — including one officer who died of a stroke the next day and four who died due to suicide. Trump’s glorification of rioters and insurrectionists attack our very right to hold any political freedoms. Approving violence to achieve political goals or to suppress those who disagree places fear into citizens and refashions our country into a dictatorship.
In addition, Trump’s attempts to destroy the separation of powers is an attack on the Constitution. The president, along with unelected billionaire Elon Musk, have been attempting to unilaterally shut down U.S. agencies and spending. The attempted federal funding freeze that was announced on Jan. 27 brought costly havoc to multiple levels of government, research institutions, nonprofits and more. However, Congressionally required spending, and Congressionally created departments and agencies are bound to be executed by law. One man cannot shut them down without check.
Skirting Congress damages our right of representation and the legislative check on presidential authority. The Republican-controlled House and Senate, fearful of disagreeing with Trump or happy to support a more autocratic government, are willingly handing over their own power. The people have the right to elect legislators who decide spending and who are independent of the control of the executive branch.
As Donald Trump’s newest policies have presented some anxiety and corruption for people, Columnist Walker Kinsler questions, “Do we really have to ask how many dollars is one person’s life worth?” Ansley Graves/ The Daily Beacon
We cannot give up. Trump desires to be an autocratic figure who doesn’t have to adhere to our revered checks and balances. He and his allies are attempting to push through so much at once to see where the law doesn’t push back. They are seeing what rights the people are okay with giving up. We cannot allow that to happen. We must stand up to this assault on our democratic system and endure with a jealous protection of our rights. You may ask, “how are my rights and our democracy under threat?” To begin with a major point, Trump’s pardoning of Jan. 6 rioters gives political violence the presidential seal of approval — as long as the violence furthers his goals. On his first day in office, Trump pardoned more than 1,500 people related to the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. More than 600 were convicted of assaulting or resisting police officers and several militia members were convicted with seditious conspiracy — planning to overthrow the U.S. government.
This isn’t even mentioning the terrifying display of placing money over people’s lives. Trump and his allies have targeted the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the United States Agency for International Development. However, PEPFAR alone — which helps prevent the global HIV/AIDS epidemic — has saved around 25 million lives in 20 years. Its funding and distribution was halted for review and then given a temporary waiver to continue. One study estimates that without the program, around 600,000 people in South Africa could die in the next decade.
Similarly, USAID has helped with poverty and disaster relief in the U.S. and around the world, expanding American influence and soft power in a much more positive and humanitarian way. This program, created through Congressional legislation under the presidency of John F. Kennedy, has saved and improved countless lives outside of the aforementioned disease prevention. Do we really have to ask how many dollars is one person’s life worth? Haphazardly shutting down agencies and spending, instead of care-
fully and methodically reviewing potential cost cutting, can lead to staggering deaths.
That is beyond unconscionable.
I hope that I have been able to present to you how our rights, powers and even lives are at stake over the next four years. Trump wants us to see him as a unitary executive who can do what he wants through autocratic means. We can never allow that to happen. Yes, our government is slow. Yes, our government can become gridlocked. However, we can’t throw the table over, decry reform as not being worth the time or effort, and give away our power to a populist who promises that he alone can fix everything.
The U.S. has nearly 250 years of democracy, with a slow but steady history that has continued to realize the promise of the words “all men are created equal.” We’ve been in very tough times before. We cannot throw it all away for one man. We have to stand up to him and proclaim that we disagree. We must organize with strategy, longevity and conviction. A single day of protest in a city center or on
campus won’t change anything.
Politics must become more in our lives than something we can easily retreat from. We cannot allow a world of entertainment to provide us with a false sense of security. Our political rights define everything about our lives.
To those who value your rights, organize.
Kinsler is a senior at UT this year studying political science and history. He can be reached at wkinsler@ vols.utk.edu.
Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.
WALKER
‘T-Credit’ roundup: Games to watch in Tennessee athletics during week of Feb. 19
This will be the first meeting between Tennessee and Rutgers. UCLA and Tennessee have played just 13 teams, with the Bruins coming out on top in nine of those meetings.
Spring sports are in full swing for Tennessee athletics. Baseball continues its title defense as the season begins while the basketball regular season winds down.
Here’s a look at all the events this week.
Feb. 20: Women’s tennis vs. Tennessee State
The Lady Vols begin the week for Tennessee with the last game of their non-conference slate. No. 10 Tennessee (6-1) has been impressive this season, defeating No. 4 Stanford and No. 15 Pepperdine in its last two matches.
The Lady Vols have only met the Tigers once, with the meeting ending in a 5-0 Tennessee victory in 2013.
Feb. 20: Softball vs. Oregon and Oregon State
Softball continues their road trip, this time heading out west to participate in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in California. The No. 6 Lady Vols (10-1) have allowed just nine runs since their opening day loss to Nebraska, where they conceded seven runs.
Oregon comes into the rankings at No. 20, also boasting a 10-1 record. Oregon State comes in unranked and on the other end of the spectrums, posting a measly 3-5 record this season.
Tennessee leads the series over both teams in the limited action they’ve seen against each other. The Lady Vols are 3-2 against the Ducks and 9-7 against the Beavers.
Feb. 20: Women’s basketball vs. Alabama
The Lady Vols continue SEC play, this time hosting Alabama in the Food City Center. The No. 21 Crimson Tide (20-5, 7-4 SEC) have been solid this year, winning their last three games. Tennessee (19-6, 6-6) jumped four spots in the AP Poll this week, coming into the rankings at No. 15.
The Lady Vols have dominated Alabama in the series, winning 55 of the 64 meetings. Seven of the Crimson Tide’s wins have come in the last eight years, but the Lady Vols look to reclaim some of their former dominance.
Feb. 21: Softball vs. Rutgers and UCLA
The Lady Vols face off against Rutgers and UCLA for their next two matchups at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. Rutgers’ season has been subpar to start, sitting at a 5-5 record heading into the tournament. UCLA, on the other hand, has remained dominant. They’re slotted as the No. 4 team in the nation with a 9-1 record.
Feb. 21-23: Baseball vs. Samford
The Vols host Samford for their second series of the year. The first series went well, as Tennessee decimated Hofstra despite the cold and rainy conditions throughout the weekend. This will be the first game of a threegame series that will run into Sunday afternoon.
The Vols are 32-7 against the Bulldogs and have won the last 10 games dating back to 2015.
Feb. 22: Women’s tennis at Kentucky
SEC play begins for the Lady Vols, and they’ll face Kentucky in Lexington. Although the Wildcats are ranked, they’re 6-2 to start the year. Tennessee has been great to start this year and will need to carry that momentum over to win this match on the road.
The Lady Vols are 30-19 against Kentucky, winning the last four matches dating to 2022.
Feb. 21: Men’s basketball at Texas A&M
The Vols travel to Texas A&M for a top-10 showdown in College Station, Texas. The No. 6 Vols (21-5, 8-5 SEC) looked shaky last week, losing to Kentucky and pulling off a 16-point comeback against Vanderbilt at home to avoid being swept. The No. 8 Aggies (20-5, 9-3) are on a five-game win streak and look to improve to their 12-1 home record this season.
The Vols are 12-8 against the Aggies, winning seven of the last 10 games.
Feb. 21: Men’s tennis vs. Mississippi State
The Vols begin SEC play at home against the Bulldogs. No. 16 Tennessee (9-2) had a good indoor season, but they missed the cut for the ITA Indoor National Championships. They still have a long season ahead, and it starts with the No. 13 ranked Bulldogs (10-1).
The Vols are 40-26 against Mississippi State, including a current five-game win streak.
Feb. 21: Softball vs. Minnesota
The Lady Vols close out their road trip against Minnesota. The Golden Gophers have been nothing short of bad this year, winning only two of their nine games this season.
Tennessee is 1-1 against Minnesota, winning the last matchup 4-2 in 2019.
Feb. 23: Women’s golf at the Daniel Island Invitational
The Lady Vols will take part in the Daniel Island Invitational in Daniel Island, South
Carolina. This will be their last action until March 17, when they travel to Austin, Texas.
Feb. 23: Women’s basketball at Florida
The Lady Vols head down to Gainesville to take on the Florida Gators. The Gators (13-13, 4-8 SEC) haven’t been able to keep it close against the top teams, losing by double-digits against every ranked opponent they’ve played this year.
Tennessee is an astounding 57-5 against Florida, winning nine of the last 10 matchups to extend their lead.
Feb. 24: Men’s tennis at Georgia
The Vols take to the road for their first SEC road match of the year. They’ll head to Athens, Georgia to face the unranked Bulldogs (5-4). Georgia hasn’t beaten a ranked opponent this year, but its match with No. 4 Wake Forest came down to a 3-4 decision, unlike the Vols who lost 4-0.
Tennessee is 37-67-1 against the Bulldogs, but the series has been split as of late. Six of the last 10 matches have gone Tennessee’s way as they try to chip away from Georgia’s series lead.
Feb. 25: Baseball vs. North Alabama
The Vols host North Alabama for another warm-up game. The Lions are 2-1 this season, winning the last two games to clinch the series over Army to start their year. This will be the first meeting between these two teams.
Feb. 25: Men’s basketball at LSU
The Vols head to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to face the Tigers. The Vols are going to have their work cut out for them, as the Tigers (1312, 2-10 SEC) haven’t gotten anything to fall their way in conference play.
Tennessee is 68-50 over the Tigers, winning the last three games. Despite the recent win streak, the Vols are 1-4 in their last trips to Baton Rouge.
Feb. 26: Softball vs. Radford
The Lady Vols make their home debut 17 games into the season. They’ll host Radford, who sits at a 5-5 record thus far. The Lady Vols will be home for a while, as they play their next six games in Knoxville as they head into SEC play.
Tennessee is 7-0 against Radford and averaging nine runs a game. TYLER
Head coach Tony Vitello takes the field for a game against Hofstra at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. Cole Moore / The Daily Beacon
Pair of Ole Miss transfers shine in season debut for Tennessee baseball
TREVOR MCGEE Sports Editor
Liam Doyle and Andrew Fischer had just finished a lackluster season in Oxford, Mississippi, when the pair decided it was time to find a new home. Both decided on Tennessee baseball in July 2024 and got to work from there.
In their debut appearance for the No. 4 Vols, Doyle and Fischer’s contributions were key to a 15-0 win in the season opener. Doyle managed five innings of work while allowing one hit, while Fischer posted a 1-for-2 day with a pair of walks.
Doyle was announced as the Opening Day starter earlier in the week when head coach Tony Vitello spoke with the media. In his first start to open the season, he mangled 11 strikeouts and one hit while surrendering no free bases. The extent of his work was done early in counts, shoving the ball only 58 times before being pulled.
“Pretty soft, pretty smooth the whole time,” Doyle said. “Kind of settled in towards the end, but stuff was always there, getting generally going at the beginning felt really good. And just the excitement being back out there always helps other stuff. So that’s fun.”
Fischer answered at the plate with a solo home run in his lone hit of the day. He also
added a pair of walks to reach base three times in his first go-around with Tennessee.
The southpaw on the mound was delivered from the start. Hofstra generated early contact with the first batter of the game, but it quickly shifted. Dylan Palmer fouled off the first pitch of the game and then grounded out to Dean Curley at short on an 0-2 count. From that point on, Doyle was dialed in. He pitched eight straight strikeouts to fan the Pride in order for the first three innings of the game.
“He’s been terrific this almost the entire fall,” Fischer said. “He’s a good dude. He was my roommate last year. Watching him succeed is special for me. He’s close to me, and obviously, we came here together, so I want to see him succeed, and when he succeeds, the team’s gonna succeed. So looked really good tonight.”
His offseason work set him in position for the opportunity to start. From body transformation to getting stronger, the work ethic allowed him to dominate in the opener.
“I just think the way that we train here, they got him in great shape,” Fischer said. “He’s been taken very seriously, and he’s been eating right, so his body has changed. I mean, you ask him to take a shirt off – he’s got a six-pack now — so little different than how he showed up here. He’s he’s been really, really dominant out there. So proud of him.”
Doyle pitched against the Vols last year.
He posted six innings of work, striking out 10 batters while walking one. Tennessee struggled in the 8-5 loss to the Rebels, something that Vitello was reminded of when Doyle took the mound on Friday evening.
Fischer also performed highly in that game while at Ole Miss. In the same outing that Doyle shoved against the Vols, Fischer added a
inning on a 2-1 count. He cranked it over the Vols’ bullpen in right field, 108 miles per hour off the bat.
“I just wanted to get the first one out of the way,” Fischer said. “You want to hit a bunch in the season, you got to get the first one out of the way and everything else after that’s pretty easy. So, my first at-bat, a little anx-
pair of homers to vault the Rebels to the win. His first of the day put Ole Miss on the board with a 445-foot shot, while his second gave the Rebels the lead late in the game.
The momentum carried over to his second series in Lindsey Nelson Stadium, this time a member of the home team. Fischer’s first homer in Tennessee Orange came in the third
ious, taking a couple of big swings, but kind of toned back. Second at-bat was able to get hold of one.”
Fischer will have another crack at it when the Vols take on Hofstra at 2 p.m. ET on Feb. 15. Doyle will get a week of rest, but a pair of former Rebels will continue to be a reason for success as the season continues.
Tennessee baseball learns competitive makeup of newcomers after opening weekend
MCGEE Sports Editor
Thirteen newcomers made their debut for Tennessee baseball over the weekend against Hofstra.
Some rolled out in the starting lineup, others made appearances off the bench — but they all made a contribution. None of them were part of last year’s championship roster, but they proved to be turning the page after opening weekend.
The No. 4 Vols outscored the Pride 46-2 across 21 innings played as each game finished in a run-rule.
“I think there’s some guys that like to play,” head coach Tony Vitello said after the weekend closed.
When Friday’s first pitch was thrown, transfers Liam Doyle, Andrew Fischer and Gavin Kilen were etched into the lineup. Fischer and Kilen combined to go 3-for-4 at the plate with a homer, while Doyle pitched five innings of one-hit baseball to tag along with 11 strikeouts. Tanner Franklin debuted out of the bullpen by fanning four batters across two no-hit innings.
“To be honest with you – with all due respect – it kind of looked like us last year trying to hit him,” Vitello said of Doyle’s 11-strikeout
performance. “And that’s more a compliment to him.”
Manny Marin saw his name written on the board when he showed up to the field on Friday as well. The true freshman earned the start on Opening Day, joining Jay Abernathy as the young guys on the diamond.
Once Saturday’s slate began, Levi Clark and Chris Newstrom punched their names into the lineup card. They combined for five hits and six RBIs to lead the Vols to an 18-1 win. On the mound, it was Michael Sharman, Brandon
Arvidson and Thomas Crabtree trotting to toe the rubber for the first time. Sharman had a rough debut, allowing the only Hofstra home run of the weekend, but Crabtree and Arvidson cleaned things up with four strikeouts over the final two innings without allowing a hit.
Clark’s Saturday outing at the plate was perhaps the most impressive of the weekend. The true freshman catcher posted a 3-for-3 day with his first homer while handling defensive duties behind the plate.
“Every single guy on this roster could be in
that starting lineup,” Clark said. “So you’re competing every day and every day you’re showing something new and that’s why this team’s special — anyone that goes in can play.”
With the series already clinched, Vitello did not elect to debut any more newcomers into the Sunday card. Instead, it was Ryan Combs and Austin Breedlove scampering out of the bullpen to make their mark.
Combs took the mound for an inning of work, striking out two batters and allowing a hit while Vitello and Frank Anderson kept an eye on the antics he got from his brother, Aaron.
Breedlove closed out the series with the seventh inning, sitting down three batters in eight pitches with a trio of groundouts. Across the opening series, Tennessee’s roster refresh combined to go .440 at the plate with two home runs and 10 RBIs while drawing 12 walks. Meanwhile, the pitchers added 11.1 innings of allowing three hits, striking out 21 batters. The newbie staff posted two total walks while Sharman was the only pitcher to allow a run.
“We’ll find out by May if it’s depth but the bottom line is we’ve got some puzzles to solve,” Vitello said. “What’s the best combination of this guy in this spot or this guy in that spot.”
TREVOR
Liam Doyle (12) catches a ball in between at-bats during Tennessee’s game against Hofstra at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. David Smith / Contributor
Levi Clark (30) celebrates after hitting a three-run home run against Hofstra at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. David Smith / Contributor