KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Led by Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Dave Hart, and as part of an ongoing assessment of the University of Tennessee department of athletics and the consolidation of the previously separate men's and women's athletics departments, an initial reorganization and restructuring phase has been completed.

The restructuring plan, which has been underway for several months, has been reviewed by the appropriate University officials, including the Chancellor, the Office of the General Counsel, and the UT Human Resources department. All employees impacted by this restructuring have been notified that their positions will be eliminated on June 1, 2012, and provided with the opportunity to utilize all resources offered by the Human Resources department.

During this process, an examination of peer institutions in both the conference and the nation revealed that the number of employees within UT Athletics exceeds that of comparable athletics departments and that certain functions continue to be duplicated, both factors in the decisions reached relating to the restructuring effort.

The mission of the University of Tennessee department of athletics is to inspire and support student-athletes in the pursuit of comprehensive excellence. As a step toward living that mission, the restructuring plan attempts to reposition UT Athletics for the future in a strategic fashion in order to maximize competitiveness and gain the greatest value from the resources utilized by the department.

The financial impact of this restructuring is significant, as a total savings against the 2012-13 budget in terms of personnel costs of nearly $2.5 million is expected. A total of 17 full-time positions within the department of athletics have been eliminated, representing a savings of $1.03 million. The department will also realize approximately $850,000 in savings from a combination of unfilled positions being eliminated, resignations, retirements and terminations and another $625,000 in savings resulting from reductions in the number of student employees (managers, graduate assistants, and interns).

The department's primary goals in this endeavor include the following: · Consolidating the men's and women's athletics departments into a single, unified department with a clear direction. · Creating unity and clear lines of accountability for all department employees. · Eliminating duplications and inefficiencies so that a greater percentage of the department's financial resources could be directed toward student-athlete needs and initiatives. · Providing an administrative structure that puts student-athletes at the core of our mission and creates the best environment for them to compete for championships and grow as students and people.

As is the case with many comparable institutions, significant financial challenges are on the horizon for the department of athletics. Creating a more efficient and effective organization, combined with becoming better stewards of available financial resources, is critical in order to meet the challenges of the financial landscape moving forward. In order to build a strategy relative to our current and future financial position, difficult decisions have to be made with respect to personnel and key areas within the overall operating budget.

It is important to note, however, that none of the financial decisions made will have a negative impact on the competitiveness of our individual sport programs. If anything, an efficient and financially sound athletics department will rise to meet the needs and challenges of our sport programs and their student-athletes in a more effective manner. These decisions will not cut into the fiber of our pursuit of comprehensive excellence.

The updated University of Tennessee department of athletics executive and senior administrative staffs are listed below:

Executive Staff
Dave Hart, Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics
David Blackburn, Senior Associate Athletics Director/Football Administration
Chris Fuller, Senior Associate Athletics Director for Development and External Relations
Jon Gilbert, Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director
Bill Myers, Senior Associate Athletics Director for Business Operations/CFO
Jimmy Stanton, Associate Athletics Director, Communications
Donna Thomas, Senior Associate Athletics Director/Senior Woman Administrator
Mike Ward, Senior Associate Athletics Director for Administration and Sport Programs

Senior Administrative Staff
Academics/Dir. of the Thornton Ath. Center - TBD
Business Office - Tyler Johnson
Compliance - Todd Dooley
Development - Greg Hulen
Event Management - David Elliott
Facilities - Kevin Zurcher
Football Operations - Brad Pendergrass
Housing/Dining - Dara Worrell
Information Technology - Thomas Moats
Marketing - Doug Kose
Media Relations - Jason Yellin
Sports Medicine - Jason McVeigh
Strength and Conditioning - Ron McKeefery
Ticketing - Joe Arnone
Vol Network Representative - Steve Early

All Sport Oversight Administrators
David Blackburn - Football
Jon Gilbert - Men's Basketball
Angie Keck - Golf/Volleyball/Rowing
Carmen Tegano - Baseball
Donna Thomas - Women's Basketball/Track and Field/Cross Country
Mike Ward - Softball, Soccer
Dara Worrell - Swimming & Diving/Tennis

Jan. 5, 2012

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - University of Tennessee sophomore track & field and football standout Justin Hunter will be recognized during a first-half timeout at Saturday's men's basketball game between the Vols and Florida Gators.

At the UT Track & Field/Cross Country Banquet in October, Hunter received the 47th-annual Ed Murphey Award. Since 1965, former Vol track star Ed Murphey, the SEC champion in the mile run from 1955 through 1957, has presented an award for the most noteworthy performance from the previous year's track & field season. The 2011 winner of the award is Hunter, a long jumper from Virginia Beach, Va.

Coming off an SEC All-Freshman football season and a December 2010 appearance in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl, Hunter began the 2011 track & field campaign after participating in only one practice session just days prior to his first meet. It didn't seem to hinder him, as he made his debut with a career-best leap of 26 feet, one inch to win at the Kentucky Invitational.

He followed that up 13 days later by stretching the tape measure to 26-1 ½, charting a UT indoor freshman record and the No. 3 indoor mark all-time by a Volunteer en route to victory at the Penn State National. That sterling performance earned him this year's award.

Hunter went on to place fifth at the SEC Indoor meet and eighth at the NCAA Indoor Championships, earning SEC All-Freshman and All-America accolades. He also placed seventh in the long jump at the SEC Outdoor meet. For his work, he was named Most Valuable Vol Indoor Field Athlete and the Vol Indoor Freshman of the Year.

19 former UT student-athletes graduate following fall semester.

Nineteen University of Tennessee student-athletes received degrees as part of fall graduation which took place on Dec. 9.

"The academic success of our student-athletes is of the highest priority within the department of athletics," said Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Dave Hart. "Our newest Tennessee graduates are well-prepared for the challenges they will face moving forward."

This year's graduates include Jonathan Brown and Shawn Bryson, two former football student-athletes who returned to campus and completed their degree requirements through the Thornton Center's Renewing Academic Commitment (RAC) program. Brown lettered in football in the 1994-97 seasons. Bryson competed with the Vols from 1995-98, serving as a captain in his senior season.

The RAC program assists former student-athletes by providing advice on remaining degree requirements, course scheduling, tutoring, employment and internship opportunities, as well as use of the Thornton Center for their everyday needs.

The following is a list of 2011 Tennessee student-athlete fall graduates:

Player, Sport, Major
Jonathan Brown, Football (RAC), Psychology
Shawn Bryson, Football (RAC), Political Science
Grace Cuenin, Soccer, Special Education
Tanya Emerson, Soccer, Child & Family Studies
Art Evans, Football, Interdisciplinary Programs
Brent Freeman, Football, Master's in Business Administration
Scott Friderichs, Swimming & Diving, Communication Studies
DeeDee Harrison, Volleyball, Sport Management
Kayla Jeter, Volleyball, Sociology
Mattias Kahlin, Swimming & Diving, Biological Sciences
Alicia Manning, Basketball, Sport Management
Brittany Napoli, Track & Field, Psychology
Maria Sorbello, Tennis, Communication Studies
Melissa Speros, Soccer, Hotel Restaurant & Tourism
Michael Spooner, Track & Field, Communication Studies
Cameron Tatum, Basketball, Interdisciplinary Programs
Daryl Vereen, Football, Psychology
Tricia Weaner, Swimming & Diving, Finance and Enterprise Management
Scott Wherry, Swimming & Diving, Master's in Biomedical Engineering

The University of Tennessee Athletics Department has announced a unique "Hoops for the Holidays" ticket promotion through which fans can purchase discounted tickets to select Tennessee men's and women's home basketball games and have those tickets donated to charitable organizations that work directly with local well deserving children.

This opportunity to purchase $7 tickets to Vols and/or Lady Vols games will be available throughout December and January. On behalf of the purchaser, UTAD will then donate tickets to either the Emerald Youth Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee or the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley to the game(s) chosen by each charity.

If they desire, the purchaser can designate which specific organizations they would like their tickets to go to.

To take advantage of this unique opportunity to provide an enjoyable experience for local youth, please click HERE or on the graphic above.

Additionally, fans can purchase tickets and/or designate their ticket gift to other charities over the phone by calling 865-946-7000.

The Southeastern Conference Champion and 14th-seeded University of Tennessee volleyball team won't be traveling for the first and second rounds of the 2011 NCAA Tournament, as Thompson-Boling Arena will host the opening rounds of the event over Dec. 1-2.

"We're very excited about being seeded and we're very excited about being in the NCAA Tournament," Lady Vol head volleyball coach Rob Patrick said. "Obviously, we knew we were going to be in the tournament after winning the SEC Championship, but to see your name come up on the board andknow who you are playing, it makes it more real. So we are excited about being able to host, playing in front of our fans and getting on to the first step of an NCAA Championship."

Having secured an automatic berth in the tournament by winning the league crown, Tennessee (27-3) will face off against Duke (21-8) at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday in the opening round after Ohio State (19-14) takes on Middle Tennessee State (21-11) at 4:30 p.m. The winner of both contests will move on to a second-round showdown at 7 p.m. on Friday for the right to advance to the NCAA Regional in Gainesville, Fla., Dec. 9-10.

"The first and second rounds are going to be very, very tough," Patrick said. "Duke has a very experienced team, so like this whole year, we are going to be playing against a team that is going to have a lot more experience on the court. Ohio State is coming out of one of the toughest conferences in the country and they were in the Sweet 16 last year, so they have been very successful. Middle Tennessee is always a dangerous team. They are a team that is kind of known as a giant killer and beat BCS schools on a regular basis."

This is the fourth time in program history that Tennessee has been seeded; with UT's best national ranking of No. 11 coming last year, improving upon the two previous seeds of No. 12 in 2004 and No. 15 in 2005.

The NCAA Tournament bid marks UT's 13th all-time, fourth straight and seventh in the last eight years. The Lady Vols are 12-12 in their 13 NCAA Tournament appearances.

Tennessee's seed is a direct result of the success it achieved against a tough schedule, as the squad enters the postseason with a 6-2 record over fellow tournament teams. In addition to sweeping the season series' againstevery SEC school except Kentucky, the Lady Vols also knocked off Dayton, Louisville, Ohio, Villanova and Virginia Tech in non-conference action.

"We always try and prepare our team in our preseason tournaments to be ready for SEC play," Patrick said. "Looking long term, we also try to prepare them for the NCAA Tournament. We try and play very strong teams and teams with different types of offensive and defensive systems. I feel really comfortable with where our team is, who we played this year and being able to be successful against teams we are going to be seeing."

The Orange and White are one of three SEC teams selected to participate in the tournament and the only squad seeded, as Florida and Kentucky will also compete in postseason play. The Gators square off with future SEC member Missouri (21-12) in the opening round at Northern Iowa, who earned the No. 6 national seed. Kentucky will open against Dayton (26-5) in College Station,Texas.

The Big Ten Conference led all conferences with eight teams selected. The Big 12 Conference and the Pacific-12 Conference both have seven teams in the tournament.

TICKET PURCHASING & INFORMATION (865-656-1200)

A package including admission to both sessions (all three matches) can be purchased at a discounted price of $10 general admission for adults, $6 for students/seniors and $4 for children 12 and under.

Day-of, single-session ticket sales are $6 general admission for adults, $5 for students/seniors and $4 for children 12 and under.

To purchase tickets, or for more information, contact the UT Ticket Office at 865-656-1200.

By Todd Mounce, Media Relations Graduate Assistant

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The Southeastern Conference unveiled the 2011 Volleyball All-SEC Awards on Monday and the University of Tennessee was well represented, Sophomore Kelsey Robinson was tabbed SEC Player of the Year, setter Mary Pollmiller earned SEC Freshman of the Year and head coach Rob Patrick picked up SEC Coach of the Year honors.

Robinson became the first Lady Vol ever to be selected as the conference's Player of the Year. On the season she ranked first in the league in kills per set (4.57) and points per set (5.19), while her average of 0.37 aces per set in SEC play rated second. Nationally, her points per set average of 5.17 ranks 10th in the country, and she is one of only three SEC players to be tabbed the American Volleyball Coaches Association National Player of the Week this season.

Robinson also tallied a conference-best 21 double-doubles on the year, tallying double digits in kills and digs in four of the five final conference matches. She was also named SEC Player of the Week five times, which was the most for a player this season.

Named a team captain, the first team All-SEC choice and Bartlett, Ill., product has started in all 30 matches for the Big Orange this season.

Ranking as the top setter in the conference, Pollmiller was selected as the Freshman of the Year after leading the league with 12.35 assists per set (counting league matches only) and ranks sixth nationally with a season average of 12.05 assists per set.

Tabbed Freshman of the Week five times, a conference-best, Pollmiller becomes the first Lady Vol since Nikki Fowler (2007) to win the award. This year, the Littleton, Colo., native paced the Orange and White offense to a .280 hitting percentage, which ranks second in the SEC, while UT's season average of .278 ranks ninth nationally.

Also named second team All-SEC and to the All-Freshman Team, Pollmiller accounted for 89 percent of UT's assists on the year. Her 69 helpers against Ole Miss on Nov. 11, marked the second best by any SEC player this season and the most by anyone in a conference match. She also has seven double-doubles in 2011.

For the third time in his coaching career, Patrick claimed SEC Coach of the Year after guiding a young Lady Vol team to an overall record of 27-3, as UT won its first outright conference championship after finishing the year 19-1 in league play.

Despite being without the services of Kayla Jeter, who was named preseason All-SEC, Tennessee's 19 SEC regular-season wins are a school record. The Lady Vols started three freshmen and two sophomores in almost every match and have not been swept.

Two of three losses on the year have come against ranked teams, while UT has had two of its longest winning streaks at 11- and 12-straight victories. This was also the fourth consecutive 20-plus win season for Patrick and the ninth of his career.

Joining Robinson on the All-SEC First Team were juniors DeeDee Harrison and Leslie Cikra.

Harrison ranks atop the conference in blocks per set, averaging a league best 1.31 blocks per set in SEC matches. She also ranks first on Tennessee and fifth in the SEC in hitting percentage, as she hit at .364 clip in league matches.

Named the conference's Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 26, the Nashville, Tenn., product has started as UT's middle blocker in every match this season. Her best performance of the year came at Alabama, as she hit .733, which was the second-highest hitting percentage of any SEC player this season.

In league play, Cikra recorded a hitting percentage of .312, good for seventh in the conference and tops among players who were non-middles. She also got it done defensively, averaging 0.75 blocks per set.

During the SEC slate, the Chagrin Falls, Ohio, native hit .400 or better in seven matches, while tallying double digits in kills 12 times. She also ranked second on the team in kills per set on the year, averaging 2.81.

Tiffany Baker was named second team All-SEC and to the All-Freshman Team. Against the league, Baker hit .296, which was third best for the Lady Vols. As an outside hitter, she averaged 0.69 blocks per set and ranked second on the team in solo blocks.

The Carrolton, Texas, product also registered five double-doubles, four of which came against the league. She was selected as the SEC Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 31, and a day later was tabbed CVU.com's National Player of the Week. On the year, she hit .300 or better in eight SEC matches.

Tennessee will host Duke (21-8) at 7 p.m. on Thursday in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament at Thompson-Boling Arena after Ohio State (19-14) takes on Middle Tennessee State (21-11) at 4:30 p.m. The winner of both contests will move on to a second-round showdown on Friday.

Player of the Year: Kelsey Robinson, Tennessee
Libero of the Year: Stephanie Klefot, Kentucky
Freshman of the Year: Mary Pollmiller, Tennessee
Co-Scholar-Athletes of the Year: Ann Armes, Kentucky; Kristy Jaeckel, Florida
Coach of the Year: Rob Patrick, Tennessee

First Team All-SEC
Leslie Cikra, Tennessee
DeeDee Harrison, Tennessee
Kelsey Robinson, Tennessee
Jasmine Norton, Arkansas
Kristy Jaeckel, Florida
Kelly Murphy, Florida
Whitney Billings, Kentucky
Christine Hartmann, Kentucky
Stephanie Klefot, Kentucky

Second Team All-SEC
Tiffany Baker, Tennessee
Mary Pollmiller, Tennessee
Kelli Stipanovich, Arkansas
Tangerine Wiggs, Florida
Desiree Elliott, LSU
Madie Jones, LSU
Meghan Mannari, LSU
Ashley Frazier, Kentucky
Regina Thomas, Ole Miss
Caitlin Rance, Mississippi State

All-Freshmen Team
Tiffany Baker, Tennessee
Mary Pollmiller, Tennessee
Taylor Unroe, Florida
Lauren O'Conner, Kentucky
Helen Boyle, LSU
Malorie Pardo, LSU
Lainey Wyman, Mississippi State

Here is the entire transcript of the press conference in which Dave Hart was hired at the University of Tennessee.

(JIMMY CHEEK OPENING STATEMENT)
"It's a great day to be a Tennessee Vol. About three months ago or so, I said that we would have an A.D. by the beginning of football season and I am just two days late. We have taken our time to make sure that we get the right person. We were looking for someone who is an experienced athletic director from a major university with outstanding athletic programs. We've looked long and hard and taken our time to make sure that we got the right person here at the University of Tennessee.

"Today, it is my pleasure to announce that we have found that right person. Dave Hart and his wife Pam. Would they please stand and let's welcome them to Tennessee.

"We welcome you all to the Volunteer Nation and to the Big Orange family. Why Dave Hart? Everyone I called about Dave Hart started out and said, `His character, his integrity and his honesty are superb.' He has 20 years of experience as athletic director at two major institutions, East Carolina University and Florida State University. He is a seasoned administrator. He knows how to manage and lead athletic programs, coaches and staff. He has a strong commitment to academics. He has seen many national championships and he wants to see a lot more right here in Tennessee.

"He is committed to the University of Tennessee for the long term. He's a visionary and true leader in the industry and nationally. He has a passion and drive to lead. He is competitive. He's been at national championship programs. He's also the recipient of the Robert R. Neyland Award honoring lifetime achievement in athletics. Hart was also named by his colleagues as Athletic Director of the Year for the Southeast Region for both 2000 and 2005. Now, before I introduce him I would like to turn and thank (Interim Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics) Joan Cronan for everything that she has done in the interim job. Joan, please stand.

"So far, she is the only athletic director we've had that's undefeated in football. And if she can just carry through these next two games, she'll be the only athletic director at the University of Tennessee that's an undefeated athletic director. Joan, you have a pretty tall order but we're sure you can come through on that. She's done a superb job as Interim Athletic Director and I greatly appreciate what she has done and how she has worked with all of us to make things happen. As you know, she was also on the search committee so she has been there during all of the discussions we have had about athletic directors. Now, I would like to introduce to you the Vice Chancellor and the Athletic Director for the University of Tennessee Knoxville, our newest Vol, Dave Hart."

(Dave Hart OPENING STATEMENT)
"Let me say that I am very, very proud to be sitting before you tonight. This is a special day in the lives of Pam and Dave Hart. We have been very excited as this process has come to this point of conclusion, to be a part of the Volunteer Nation. It is a privilege and I want to stress that word. It is a privilege to be named Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics at the University of Tennessee. Being trusted to lead one of the elite programs of America, I don't take that position lightly. There aren't very many programs in the United States, a handful at best, who have the rich history, the tradition and the resources that exist here in Knoxville, Tennessee. That came through the hard work of a lot of people; administrators like Joan Cronan, coaches like Pat Summitt, coaches like Johnny Majors and Phil Fulmer. You just go across the spectrum of the history and you can't invent that. You can't draw that up. And Tennessee has it. It has all of that, so that's a very exciting element of accepting this position tonight.

"I want this to be perfectly clear. I am absolutely, totally committed to the University of Tennessee. I wanted to say that early because I didn't want you all to be injured tripping over one another to ask the Alabama question. I wanted to go ahead and get that on the table. I look back to Saturday. (Alabama football head coach) Nick Saban is an alum of Kent State. I did not see much mercy being shown by Nick at the stadium on Saturday because he's the head coach at the University of Alabama. That's where his job is. That's where his loyalties lie. That's where his passion is. And this is where my passion is from this night forward.

"I do want to thank (Alabama Director of Athletics) Mal Moore, who I think is one of the finest human beings walking the face of the earth, and Dr. Whitt, our president and obviously colleague of Chancellor Cheek, for the last three years which we have thoroughly enjoyed, as we thoroughly enjoyed being at East Carolina and being at Florida State. And now we're blessed and fortunate enough to be offered this wonderful opportunity to be at the University of Tennessee. I want you to know that beyond the shadow of a doubt that we are here, our passion is here and we'll have a chance to demonstrate that as the months and years progress.

"I've been blessed throughout my career to work with some outstanding people, administrators, coaches and legends, certainly (former Florida State football head coach) Bobby Bowden fits that category. Now, I have the rare opportunity to work with another legend in Pat Summitt. Not too many athletics administrators get to walk those hallowed halls so I also feel very blessed that Dr. Cheek has given me the opportunity to work with another legend and some really, really good coaches, who I'm anxious to meet and will do that tomorrow. That's going to be my primary priority tomorrow, will to be to get in front of administrators and coaches and visit with them.

"I also value our family legacy in this profession. My father was a football coach for many years and then was in athletics administration. He was the athletics director of Louisville, Missouri and finished his career as commissioner of the Southern Conference. Then, there's a guy down the road here that I'm really proud of and that's our son Rick, who is the Athletics Director at (University of Tennessee) Chattanooga and will probably emerge as the best of the three, one day. It's nice to be in this environment both from a personal and from a professional perspective. Again, I want to thank you Chancellor Cheek forth confidence that you've shown in me. I also want to take a minute and applaud the job that Mike Hamilton did here. When I looked at the facilities for the first time and really studied the facilities, obviously I've been here. I'm a product of the SEC. As you know, I went to Alabama on a basketball scholarship -- I always pause here for laughter. You can do that. See, you wanted to. You're suppressing it."

(QUESTION & ANSWER SESSION WITH MEDIA)

Q: Dave, after the ECU job and the Florida State job, why get back into this after having background and the extensive experience you have to get back into the craziness of what being an AD can be sometimes?

Dave Hart (DH): "Well, that's a simple answer. My passion for that. I've never had my head on a swivel in my entire career. I've also been very blessed there. I've been very happy every place I've ever been. Pam and I were very happy at East Carolina. People used to say to me, '12 years you've spent here, why are you passing up some opportunities?' which we were fortunate enough to get. And my response was, `We're happy. We're happy here.' I told the chancellor at East Carolina that gave me the good fortunate to be hired, Dick Eakin, about eight or nine maybe even 10 years into that tenure because we had some opportunities that we have never pursued or initiated pursuit of an opportunity - never, not in my entire career. But I said to Dick, I handed him a list and I said, `Dick, here are five universities that if I'm lucky enough to have them approach me, I want you to know upfront as my boss and my friend, that I would look. I would not initiate but I would look.' The University of Tennessee was on that list. That's part of my response to your very good question.

"I do have a passion for this. My driver's license has my number on it. I know how old I am but I don't feel that. I have the same energy I had 15 years ago. I enjoy people. I enjoy building relationships with coaches. Again, Tennessee has that passion. Listen, there aren't a lot of schools that have the passion and display it the way that the University of Tennessee does. All five of those schools that I put on that list shared that passion. I hope that answers your question."

Q: Dr. Cheek, was there any discussion on the search committee about a concern maybe that you were hiring an administrator from one of your biggest rivals?

Jimmy Cheek (JC): "I think you always in a search for any particular position go after the very best person in the country that you can go after and try to convince them to come here. That was not a consideration."

Q: How big of a factor was it that Tennessee's NCAA problems were behind them and the resolutions had been handed down?

DH: "That's a very good question, but it really wasn't a factor. I got that word probably about the same time you all did - from a national perspective. Obviously, the chancellor and people here at the university knew. I thought - and I'm being very candid about this - that was a very fair result. That was a result that I felt was very fair given the circumstances. I think you're seeing a shift within the NCAA in that regard. But no, it didn't have a factor."

Q: What do you see as your biggest task now that you've arrived?

DH: "I think bringing everybody back on the same path. I know the history and I'm aware that there are still wounds out there for a variety of reasons. But I think that's not where your focus should be. Your focus should be on getting those people back moving towards - they all love Tennessee to the fullest degree possible. They all love Tennessee. I think that's one of the first priorities is to reach out to everyone who's meant so much to this university and helped build that aura that I just articulated a moment ago."

Q: Dr. Cheek, you talked a couple months ago here about bringing Tennessee back to stability. Is that the feeling right now or is it still going to take some time to kind of pad the stability?

JC: "We're on the right path upwards. We have the NCAA violation out. As Dave said, they took our penalties, did not impose any additional penalties and committed the institution for what we did to cooperate with them in that whole process. We're very pleased that they did not impose any other penalties. We have that history behind us. What we have to do is look to the future and I think our future on the academic side and the athletics side is very positive. I think having this last piece, the new Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics, is a critical part so that he and his team can focus on being the very best athletic program we can in the country. And at the same time, the very best academic program that we can have in the country."

Q: Will Joan's role still be the same as planned before that she'll stay on as the women's director until next June?

JC: "That is correct. That was decided back when she graciously accepted the offer to be Vice Chancellor and Athletic Director. That was a very key part I think in this whole process. Some people say, `Why did you put the words Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics?' I wanted to make sure that everybody understood that there's an academic component of athletics and there's an athletic component of athletics. She's served on the cabinet ever since I became in charge of athletics. I think this vice chancellor role is just ideal. When I talked to Dave about this job he said, `That's one of the things that attracted me about it, that you changed it to Vice Chancellor and - that's a very important step.' He fully subscribes to that."

Q: Will Joan Cronan's role still be the same as planned before where she will stay as women's athletics director until next year?

JC: "That is correct. That was decided back when she graciously accepted the offer to be the interim vice chancellor and athletics director. That was a very key part, I think, in this whole process. Some people ask why we put the words vice chancellor and director of athletics. It was because I wanted to make sure everybody understood that there is an academic component of athletics and an athletic component of athletics. (Joan) has served on the cabinet since I became in charge of athletics and I think this vice chancellor role is just ideal. When I talked to Dave about this job, he said, `That is one of the things that attracted me about it. That you changed it to vice chancellor.' That's a very important step and he fully subscribes to that."

Q: Do you plan on bringing anybody with you? Possibly somebody you might be working with at Alabama already.

DH: "There is a lot of discussion and ground to be traveled relative to building a leadership team. I feel very strongly about this. What separates really good corporations and really good organizations from great ones always comes back to people. Always. You look at an athletic team, you name the sport, that might be struggling and suddenly a new coach is infused into the program. Same players, different result, better result. Corporations will tell you that it always comes back to people. There will be a very fair assessment process to go through before we make those types of decisions. I feel very fortunate to have Joan here. I've known Joan a long time and Joan is an outstanding administrator and highly respected. It's good to have Joan as a sounding board, as well as other people in the department. We'll put together, as (Chancellor Cheek) said, an outstanding leadership team. The chancellor is committed to supporting that."

Q: Have you had a chance to talk to any of the coaches and what are your thoughts on stepping into a program where you have three relatively new coaches?

DH: "I think it is exciting. You could look down the road in five years and be talking about three of the greatest coaches in the country. You've got three young people that have all the right things that you need to be successful, in terms of their priorities, the way they organize, they are going to be demanding in a positive way. I think the future can be very, very bright in that regard, so I think that is an exciting element of taking this position. To answer your question, I have not had a chance to get face-to-face with those coaches, but that is a priority for tomorrow."

Q: How do you view your responsibility in each particular sport, especially with somebody like Derek Dooley who is very involved, knows what he wants and is driven? Are you hands off or how do you view what you do for a particular sport?

DH: "I really enjoy building relationships with coaches and creating an open line of communication with coaches. I really enjoyed Nick Saban and I've said that for three years. When I came back to Alabama and Mal (Moore) said I want you to spend 15-20 minutes with Nick, we about tripled that in that conversation. I really admire Nick Saban. Here is what Nick Saban wants, here is what Derek Dooley wants and here is what Dave Hart wants. Excellence all around, from everybody. From the custodial staff, which plays a key role and never gets enough credit, but I take the time to make sure they understand what a role they play, all the way through the assistant coaches and the administration. Excellence. That's the tone that has to be set."

Q: What have you learned from your previous stops about leadership and what do you bring here?

DH: "Very good question. I think in the arena of organization, I think when developing that staff you have to have an organizational chart that makes sense and that takes time to figure out. But I have an idea there, and one that has worked in the past. From those experiences, I've grown a lot. That's what the profession is about for coaches, for student-athletes, for administrators, is growth. Now, you're not going to grow if you can't make tough decisions and you're not going to grow as a young administrator if somebody doesn't give you the authority to do your job. I'm not a micro-manager and I don't want to be micro-managed. I want to play my role and know what the role is for the athletics department. Athletics has never been, should not be and never will be the most important thing on a university campus, but it is absolutely the most visible element within the university structure. With that comes accountability and responsibility from everybody who touches the athletics department at the University of Tennessee because that is how people form their impression and come to the image that they want to apply to the university. Unfortunately, it's not through the many great things the university has going on in many cases, but it is driven by the image that is demonstrated by the department of athletics."

Q: Was it a no-brainer to leave Alabama?

DH: "No, it's never been a no-brainer for me and for Pam to walk away. We're not transient people and I say this in a very, very positive vein. Our history would obviously verify that. It was hard for us to leave East Carolina. It was hard for us to leave Florida State and it was hard for us to leave Alabama, but each time that we left, we immediately, immediately, knew who we were, where we were and where our passion would be. That has already transpired. Our passion is for the University of Tennessee. It's like respect. Respect is not granted, respect is earned, so I understand that is, in some people's minds, an issue because of the nature of the rivalry and the history. I do understand that, but I don't think that people should act probably as vigorously as they might in some corners. We'll take time. You know, you prove yourself again and that will occur in time."

Q: Did Alabama make a counter-offer to you?

DH: "Alabama was wonderful. As I shared with Chancellor Cheek throughout the last few days here, even leading up to two or three hours ago, I still had, and this makes me feel good, I still had coaches and administrators and faculty and people on campus saying `We want you here.' I'm flattered and I know that is heart-felt, but the decision to come to Tennessee was one that I think anybody would be foolish to reject."

Q: What type of commitment did you make today in terms of a contract to ensure that Dave is going to be here for a while?

JC: "All of that information is on the website now. It's a complicated document and if you go to (the website), you will get the answer to that. What I think (Dave) was most interested in, with the way this search unfolded, was how he and I would get along. He wanted to make sure that he and I could establish a very good relationship. Over the last few days we've seen each other a lot and we've established a very good working relationship. He also wanted to make sure that he had overall control of athletics and that I didn't micro-manage athletics. All those issues were resolved to our satisfaction. I'm delighted he chose to come to Tennessee. The first time I talked to him, within five minutes I knew he was serious about Tennessee. Like I started off my comments, he has very high character, integrity, honesty and he comes through very well when you sit down and talk to him. I think our fans are really going to be proud of him as our athletics director and vice chancellor as they get to meet and know him."

Q: When did that initial conversation take place?

JC: "About a week ago, a little over a week ago."

Q: Are you at all surprised to find yourself sitting here tonight?

DH: "I was surprised again, and I will always give you candid responses, I was surprised when I went to Florida State. I was surprised when I went back to Alabama. It goes back to what I said earlier. Pam and I like to get roots. We don't like to bounce around. Once I met Chancellor Cheek and got to spend some quality time with him, I knew this was the place for Pam and I."

Q: Chancellor Cheek, were the violations that occurred at the end of Dave's tenure at Florida State a concern for the committee and then Dave, were you kind of open with the committee and how they were able to let you explain things?

JC: "I think as you look at the academic issues, the provost at Florida State and I are real good friends. His explanation of this was that it was an academic matter affecting students at FSU and obviously, athletes are students at FSU. But it was not an athletic matter that influenced academics."

DH: I'll only add that the two events were totally separate. When I left Florida State, we had already made that decision before we even knew there was an issue with the online music course and those types of things. I worked hand-in-hand with the provost, with legal counsel and with our faculty athletics rep looking into what did happen. The two events are unrelated chronologically."

Q: One of the big changes in the next year is combining the two programs. Can you touch a little bit on how you see that happening and your vision?

DH: This would leave - and correct me if I'm wrong Joan - but I know this is accurate just the University of Texas as a stand-alone program that has separated men's athletics and women's athletics. Most recently, I know that (Stanford Director of Athletics) Bob Bowlsby, who is a colleague and a friend now at Stanford, but Bob was at Iowa when the merger took place. And most recently, Jeff Long who is the Athletics Director at Arkansas when Arkansas' programs merged. That's a long-term proposition. It has to be done correctly. Again, I would want input from Joan and people in the department. I have some ideas and some concepts on how that should unfold but I want there to be good dialogue before we arrive at the final destination."

Q: What are your thoughts on SEC expansion?

DH: I'll do this (makes motion as if to turn it over to Dr. Cheek).

JC: "I think we said it real clearly when the SEC presidents and chancellors met recently, we would prefer to stay at 12. If something happens, then we have to reconsider that and we don't know what implications that would have for us."

Q: How difficult is it to expand a conference?

DH: "It is very difficult. It is so complex. It's not just moving in that direction (to) conference realignment. It's deciding on divisions. It's deciding on rivalries. It gets extremely complex, having been through the process in the Atlantic Coast Conference going from nine teams to 12. If indeed this becomes a reality, certainly it will cause a ripple effect without a doubt across the country."

The University of Tennessee today named Dave Hart as the school's vice chancellor and director of athletics. Hart, who was the director of athletics at Florida State University for 12 years (1995-2007), currently serves as the Executive Director of Athletics at the University of Alabama, where he leads the day-to-day operations of the department.

"I am very pleased to have Dave as our new vice chancellor and director of athletics," University of Tennessee Chancellor Jimmy Cheek said. "He has extensive experience as an athletics director, and he has the passion and drive to lead our great athletics program."

Comprehensive athletic success exemplified Hart's tenure as the Florida State athletic director, as a combined 35 ACC Championships were won by 10 different Seminole athletic programs during his tenure. Additionally, the Seminole football team won nine ACC titles and appeared in four national championship games, winning the 1999 BCS National Championship with a Sugar Bowl victory over Virginia Tech.

The men's outdoor track and field also claimed two national championships during that time, while the baseball program appeared in the College World Series five times and the softball program won nine ACC titles while playing the 2002 Women's College World Series. During Hart's last full year at Florida State, the Seminoles finished 15th in the Directors' Cup, an all-time high for the institution.

Additionally, during Hart's three years at Alabama, the Crimson Tide claimed the 2009 BCS National Championship and the individual athletic teams posted a combined eight top three finishes nationally over the last three years. He has 20 years of service as a director of athletics, including eight at East Carolina (1987-95), an athletic program he joined in 1983 after coaching and teaching at the high school following his graduation from Alabama.

Hart in the Peyton Manning Locker Room Complex

"It is a privilege to be named Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics at the University of Tennessee," Hart said. "To be entrusted to lead one of the nation's elite athletic programs is an exciting opportunity.

"I want to thank Chancellor Cheek, and all of those involved in this process for their confidence and commitment. I am anxious to demonstrate my passion for Tennessee and the Volunteer Nation."

Highly respected as a visionary and industry leader, Hart's career has featured service as the president of both the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and the Division 1A Athletics Directors' Association. A former recipient of the Robert R. Neyland Award honoring lifetime achievement, Hart has also been named by his colleagues as the Athletic Director of the Year for the Southeast Region in both 2000 and 2005, one of a few select individual to receive the honor multiple times.

During his 13 years at Florida State, Hart negotiated unprecedented, multi-million dollar contracts for the department totaling in excess of $175 million. He also devised and executed an extensive and comprehensive facilities master plan for athletics that eclipsed the $150 million mark. Hart initiated a multi-faceted Student Development/Life Skills program for all student-athletes at FSU, an endeavor recognized nationally as a "Program of Excellence" by the Division I-A Athletics Directors' Association. He spearheaded the rewriting of the department's mission statement to put the student-athlete at the core of athletic department priorities in its goal to build comprehensive excellence throughout all components of the department.

"Dave is as good an athletic director as there is in the country," legendary Florida State Head Football Coach Bobby Bowden said. "He's as sharp of an AD as I've been around in 57 years. He knows what's important, and he's a builder."

Hart took a leadership role in FSU athletics department's first major Capital Campaign, in concert with Seminole Boosters, which raised more than $75 million for athletics facilities and served as the catalyst for a subsequent effort. Within the Facilities Master Plan, there were several state-of-the-art facilities constructed, including a soccer/softball facility, a state-of-the-art Golf Facility and Teaching Center, a Basketball Training Center, and major renovations to the tennis and volleyball facilities.

Additionally, the Moore Athletics Center and Dick Howser Baseball Stadium are among the nation's best, while a new aquatics facility and a renovation to the track building were finalized in 2008.

In recognizing Hart's position within intercollegiate athletics, ACC Commissioner John Swofford said, "Dave Hart is one of the best and most respected athletics administrators in the business. He thoroughly understands the nuances of major college athletics, and he has superb values to go along with his vast experience in the field. He is a proven leader at the conference and national levels."

While at FSU, Hart made many key head coaching hires, including the hiring of FSU's first African-American basketball coach in Leonard Hamilton. Under Hart's direction, FSU formalized a varsity club to encourage the participation of former student-athletes in athletic department activities. He also placed a significant focus on the growth of women's athletics at FSU, a commitment reflected in increased funding, competitive success and facility upgrades.

Academic success also accompanied Hart's time at FSU, as the school became home to the inaugural National Student-Athlete of the Year, a State of Florida Woman of the Year recipient and a Rhodes Scholar. A record number of FSU student-athletes made the ACC Academic Honor Roll, were recipients of NCAA post-graduate scholarship awards and obtained degrees. Student-athlete community service involvement became a priority under Hart with student-athletes contributing more than 5,000 hours in community outreach projects.

Hart has also earned the Athletics Directors' Award for advancing the quality and progress of student-athletes and the athletics program while at Florida State, and in 2008, he received the James J. Corbett Award, the highest honor bestowed by NACDA.

Hart's commitment to service includes considerable time on numerous national and conference committees, including the NCAA Council, the NCAA Honors and Awards Committee and the NCAA Special Events and Postseason Bowls Committee, and he has consulted to the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Council.

Hart was one of 11 athletic directors nationally who worked as an advisory group to presidents and conference commissioners in ongoing meetings and discussions regarding Bowl Championship Series (BCS) format options and similar issues related to the football postseason. In addition to his prominent leadership roles nationally, Hart had direct involvement with the renegotiations of both of the ACC's football and basketball television contracts and chaired the ACC Television Committee as well as the ACC Men's Basketball and Football committees.

Hart also played an integral role in the ACC expansion process that resulted in the addition of three new members in Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College. He also served as Vice Chairman of the NCAA Football Board of Directors where he represented NACDA and served with commissioners of Division I-A conferences as well as past NCAA President Myles Brand.

Hart has served as Executive Director of Athletics at Alabama since August of 2008. Hart joined the UA Athletic Department after serving as an advisor to the Atlantic Coast Conference and ACC Commissioner John Swofford. A 1971 Alabama graduate, Hart played basketball for the Crimson Tide under legendary head coach C.M. Newton and earned a master's degree from UA in 1972 while working as a graduate assistant basketball coach.

A popular speaker at the national level, Hart has made numerous speaking presentations nationally and presented seminars on such topics as student-athlete welfare, marketing, gender equity, facility master planning, negotiation skills and personnel transition. He was an instructor at the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Management Institute for 10 years and currently is an annual presenter at the Division I-A Athletics Directors' Institute sharing with peers his knowledge and experiences relating to athletics administration.

Hart met his wife, the former Pam Humble, while at Alabama. Pam is a 1970 graduate of The University of Alabama, and the couple has three children: Rick, who serves currently as the athletic director at UT Chattanooga, Jamie and Kelly. The Harts are the grandparents of five grandchildren: Trevor, Caroline, McKinley, Olivia and Kingsley.

n a recent team meeting, the Tennessee Vol swimming and diving team elected junior swimmer Ed Walsh as the team captain for the upcoming 2011-12 campaign.

"I think the team chose wisely," Vol head swimming coach John Trembley said. "Ed is both vocal and leads by example."

This past season Walsh earned First-Team All-America accolades after swimming a leg of the eighth-place 200y medley relay team at NCAA championships. He also grabbed a bronze medal in the same event at the 2011 Southeastern Conference Championships.

Walsh is just the third junior to be selected as captain in the past 40-plus years, as Geoff Sanders was named a team captain for the 2009-10 season, while Craig McConnell served as captain in 1969.

"Ed grew up in the rough part of London and has had to fight for things in a way that most students at UT can't fathom," Trembley said. "In the early stages of his role, he has demonstrated great strength and the coaches are very pleased that Ed was elected out team captain."

Walsh and the rest of the Vols will open the season with the annual Orange and White exhibition meet on Oct.13.