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Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava has plenty of options if he wants to leave Vols

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Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava has plenty of options if he wants to leave Vols


So Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava is, according to reports, negotiating with the Vols to stay in Knoxville for the 2025 season. 

That’s 14 weeks before the start of the college football season. 

Welcome to the wild world of player empowerment, everyone. Or in the old-school negotiating parlance: leverage.

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Unless Tennessee wants to intentionally crater its program, it will pay what Iamaleava wants. The only negative for Nico: If he doesn’t play at a high level – among the best at his position in college football – the locker room will eventually turn on him. 

Iamaleava is talented but wasn’t exactly an elite player last season. In fact, he was barely among the top half of SEC quarterbacks.

The one thing we (think) we know: If he doesn’t reach a deal with Tennessee, he can’t, by conference mandate, play in the SEC in 2025. Unless he gets an attorney and sues the SEC ― which at this point in the world of player empowerment, wouldn’t surprise anyone. 

Here are the top five landing spots for Iamaleava if he decides to leave Tennessee for more green: 

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Southern California

The road less traveled: back home to Long Beach, California. Forget about projected starter Jayden Maiava. He’s a solid player but he’s not Iamaleava. 

Iamaleava knows what USC coach Lincoln Riley did with Heisman winner Caleb Williams, and how he developed two other Heisman winners (Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray) and a Heisman finalist (Jalen Hurts) as coach of Oklahoma. 

It’s the easy move with the least amount of complications and the greatest ceiling of all. Moving back to Los Angeles County and saving the USC program.

The only drawback: Playing in the Big Ten won’t be much easier than playing in the SEC.    

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North Carolina

Let’s see how serious new Tar Heels coach Bill Belichick is about this college thing. 

His first season in Chapel Hill comes with three quarterbacks on the roster: injured journeyman Max Johnson, Purdue transfer Ryan Browne and freshman Bryce Baker. 

If Iamaleava hits the portal, Belichick should tell GM Michael Lombardi to sign him at all costs. It’s a significant step down in level of play, which would allow Iamaleava to transition quickly and put up big numbers.

Like North Carolina, a no-brainer. Liberty transfer Kaiden Salter is the projected starter, and freshman Julian Lewis the future. 

But if CU coach Deion Sanders could get Iamaleava, it would be a game-changer. Imagine the Buffaloes’ offense, so dangerous with Shedeur Sanders the last two seasons, with Iamaleava’s big arm and run threat.

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Any combination of Salter and Lewis isn’t getting Colorado to the Big 12 championship game. Iamaleava could. 

Indiana 

If Iamaleava is solely concerned about rapid improvement and the track record of a coach, he could do a lot worse than connecting with IU and coach Curt Cignetti. 

He wins. And develops quarterbacks.

Cignetti worked wonders last year with Ohio transfer Kurtis Rourke, who played five uneventful years at Ohio before a breakout season in 2024 with the Hoosiers. 

He’s now likely a late-round selection in the NFL draft and wouldn’t have been selected based on his resume from Ohio.

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Oregon

A longshot, no doubt. But if you’re Ducks coach Dan Lanning and Iamaleava hits the open market, you must have serious discussions with your offensive staff. 

Talented former five-star recruit Dante Moore transferred last year from UCLA and sat behind Dillon Gabriel. He is the projected starter, but that inevitability would be severely tested if Iamaleava were to transfer to Oregon. 

Frankly, it’s not a much of a question. You sign Iamaleava – who led his team to the College Football Playoff in his first season as a starter – and move forward with him as your starter.       

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.





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Tennessee Baseball Walks Off Wright State in Game One

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Tennessee Baseball Walks Off Wright State in Game One


The Tennessee Volunteers played against the Wright State Raiders in the first of their three game series this weekend. Here is how the game played out.

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Tennessee vs. Wright State Recap

Tegan Kuhns against Wright State on March 6 (2026) | Dale Dowden – Vols on SI

Wright State got started very early on, as they scored on an RBI double. This came within the first inning of the game, and the Raiders were looking good. They ultimately didn’t get anywhere in the second inning, which led to the Vols coming up to bat in their second set of batters.

The Vols couldn’t get anything going within the first innings of the game. That was until both teams scored in the third inning. The Vols scored off the bat of Henry Ford, who hit an RBI single.

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Kuhns was later hit deep on a home run to right field. This extended the lead, as he started to show some signs of struggling. Brady Frederick began to warm up for the Vols around this time. They looked to get the bats going, as they would have Blake Grimmer up to bat to start the inning. Nothing going for the Vols at that time though, as they were held hitless in the inning.

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Kuhns continued to pitch through the fifth inning with Frederick remaining in the bullpen. He pushed through the fifth, but it looked as if his day was done following his final at bat of the inning being taken to the warning track. After multiple at bats didn’t go the way Tennessee wanted Kuhns would remain in the dugout, as Brandon Arvidson stepped in for the starter during the sixth inning.

Some early struggles for the reliever was revealed. He was put into a trick position with two on (both on the corners) with one out. Arvidson and the Vols were able to get out of that pickle, but they needed their bats to get going. That is exactly what happened as a home run from Blake Grimmer brought the game within one yet again They still trailed entering the seventh inning. Arvidson was able to escape the inning, but the Vols would get the equalizing run across home off the bat of Ford, who hit an RBI double. The player who scored was Abernathy. This was huge.

Arvidson had a huge eighth inning, as he finished with a massive strikeout in the inning. If the Vols were to get a run across, they would have the chance to put the game away with three more outs if they continued to play well. Arvidson’s day ended, just for Frederick to come into the game ahead of the ninth inning. Frederick picked up two strikeouts and escaped with little to no damage.

The Vols were in walk-off territory. A lead off double for Garrett Wright got the Vols started in the ninth. The Vols won the game on a lead off hit from Manny Marin.

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US immigration authorities arrest Spanish-language news reporter in Tennessee

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US immigration authorities arrest Spanish-language news reporter in Tennessee


U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested a reporter for a Spanish-language news outlet in Tennessee but agents didn’t have a warrant, according to court documents filed by this week her lawyer.

Estefany Rodriguez Flores, a reporter for Spanish-language news outlet Nashville Noticias who has done stories critical of ICE, was arrested Wednesday during a traffic stop and is being detained by ICE’s enforcement and removal operations, according to documents filed in federal court in Nashville. Her lawyers called for her immediate release.

Rodriguez, a Colombian citizen, entered the U.S lawfully and has been living in the U.S. for the past five years, court records filed by her lawyer show. She has a valid work permit, and she has applied for political asylum and legal status though her husband, who is a U.S. citizen.

Rodriguez was with her husband in a marked Nashville Noticias vehicle when it was surrounded by several other vehicles and she was taken to a detention center, the news outlet said in a statement.

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ICE did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.

ICE scheduled a meeting with Rodriguez on her case but it was rescheduled twice, first because the office was closed during a winter storm and the second time because an agent couldn’t find her appointment in the system, her lawyers said in court documents.

A new meeting was then set for March 17.

When she was arrested, Rodriguez was not shown any arrest warrant, only an immigration document telling her to appear before ICE. Her lawyer, Joel Coxander, has spoken to an ICE agent who indicated that there was no arrest warrant for her at the time of her arrest, her lawyer said in court documents.

Rodriguez joined Nashville Noticias in 2022, covering social, family, health, police and immigration issues, the news outlet’s statement said.

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“She needs to reunite with her young daughter and husband to continue her legal process within the framework permitted by law,” the statement said.

Read the full statement:

“Official Statement from Nashville Noticias Regarding the Detention of Our Colleague Reporter Estefany Rodríguez by ICE Agents

On March 4, Estefany Rodríguez, a reporter for Nashville Noticias and Univision 42 Nashville, was with her husband, Alejandro Medina III, outside the gym located at 2615 Murfreesboro Pike, when the vehicle they were traveling in (marked with the Nashville Noticias logo) was surrounded by several other vehicles. Several men got out and demanded that our colleague be taken into custody for reasons that the legal team will specify at a later date.

Estefany Rodríguez was taken to a detention center.

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Estefany Rodríguez holds a degree in journalism from Colombia, her native country, where she has worked for several years at various news outlets. She joined the Nashville Noticias team in 2022, covering social, family, health, police, and immigration issues.

Nashville Noticias LLC expresses its respect for the laws of the United States and hopes that this situation will be resolved favorably for our colleague so that she can be released soon, as she needs to reunite with her young daughter and husband to continue her legal process within the framework permitted by law. Her legal team at MIRA Legal, as well as the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Coalition (TIRRC), are providing legal representation in the case and will have details on the progress and responses from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Tennessee Federal Court.

Nashville Noticias will also be providing updates on its social media platforms and website, nashvillenoticias.com.

We trust in the justice system of the United States of America.

Respectfully,

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Nashville Noticias LLC

March 5 2026″



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Lady Vols fall to Alabama in SEC Tournament for seventh loss in row

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Lady Vols fall to Alabama in SEC Tournament for seventh loss in row


GREENVILLE, SC – Lady Vols basketball had an underwhelming showing against Alabama, and it led to a winless trip to the SEC Tournament.

No. 6 seed Tennessee (16-13) never led in the second-round matchup with No. 11 Alabama (23-9) at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 5, and extended its losing streak to seven games with the 76-64 loss.

Janiah Barker led the Lady Vols with 20 points on 6-for-14 shooting, five rebounds and a steal, but also had seven turnovers. Zee Spearman added 13 points on 6-for-9 shooting with six rebounds, an assist and two blocks.

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Talaysia Cooper, the team’s leading scorer, did not play in the game after 6:27 left in the third quarter. She had four points on 1-for-4 shooting with two assists, two steals and a rebound in 12 minutes.

The Lady Vols tied the game 12-12 in the first quarter, and by halftime they trailed by double digits – they never came back within single digits after halftime. Their defense didn’t show any improvement as they allowed Alabama to shoot 50% from the field and gave up 19 points off their 18 turnovers. Tennessee only scored 11 points off 13 forced turnovers.

The Lady Vols fell behind early when Alabama destroyed their press, passing through it for easy buckets to build a lead. When Tennessee stopped pressing, it still couldn’t get enough stops in the halfcourt. Alabama outscored UT 36-24 in the paint.

Freshman guard Deniya Prawl, who was listed as out on the SEC availability report, was not on the bench with the team.

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Lady Vols basketball vs. Alabama: Live score updates

Tennessee got outscored 22-17 in the third and Alabama took a 61-46 lead into the fourth quarter. The Tide shot 55% from the field in the third.

Tennessee’s defense couldn’t get a stop on defense, and it wasn’t even pressing much anymore. Alabama went on a 6-0 run to take a 17-point lead before Zee Spearman hit a layup to cut it to 15, and Tennessee trailed 53-38 at the media timeout with 4:55 left in the third quarter.

Alabama outscored Tennessee 8-3 to open the third quarter, and after five straight points for the Tide that included a late closeout by Talaysia Cooper and a turnover on the inbound by Janiah Barker, Kim Caldwell called timeout with 8:47 left in the quarter.

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Caldwell was not happy and yelled, “wake up!” as she walked onto the court to meet her team. Alabama led 47-32.

Tennessee’s defense got better in the second quarter, and it held Alabama to 14 points. However, its shotmaking did not improve and it committed eight turnovers. The Tide scored 12 points off Tennessee’s 12 turnovers.

The Lady Vols only scored 11 points in the second. Janiah Barker led the team with nine points on 3-for-6 shooting with two rebounds in the first half. Zee Spearman added seven points on 3-for-4 shooting with four rebounds, an assist and a block.

The Lady Vols regrouped between quarters and outscored Alabama 5-2 in the first three minutes of the second. Nya Robertson hit a 3-pointer and Zee Spearman scored off an offensive rebound to cut Alabama’s lead to 27-23 with 6:47 left in the quarter.

Alabama passed through Tennessee’s press with ease and immediately retook the lead. The Lady Vols weren’t hitting shots and couldn’t get a stop defensively, either. The Tide shot 55% from the field and scored 18 points in the paint.

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Alabama also scored seven points off of Tennessee’s four turnovers and outrebounded UT 11-8.

Alabama jumped out to a 12-7 lead, but then Zee Spearman scored five straight points to tie the game 12-12. Then Tennessee was two seconds away from trapping the Tide in the backcourt before Kristy Curry had to call timeout with 3:44 left in the first quarter.

Janiah Barker also had five early points for the Lady Vols.

Deniya Prawl out on SEC injury report

Freshman Deniya Prawl was listed as out on the SEC student-athlete availability report on March 4.

The 6-foot-2 guard has been a solid piece of the rotation for Tennessee this season. Prawl has averaged 3.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and a steal in 15.4 minutes per game while shooting 40.4% from the field.

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When does Lady Vols basketball vs. Alabama start?

  • Date: Thursday, March 5
  • Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
  • Where: Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina

What TV channel is Lady Vols vs. Alabama on today?

Lady Vols basketball 2025-26 schedule, TV times

  • Nov. 4: NC State 80, Tennessee 77
  • Nov. 7: Tennessee 97, ETSU 47
  • Nov. 9: Tennessee 72, UT Martin 61
  • Nov. 13: Tennessee 68, Belmont 58
  • Nov. 20: Tennessee 85, MTSU 41
  • Nov. 23: Tennessee 88, Coppin State 35
  • Nov. 30: UCLA 99, Tennessee 77
  • Dec. 3: Tennessee 65, Stanford 62
  • Dec. 14: Tennessee 112, Winthrop 40
  • Dec. 20: Louisville 89, Tennessee 65
  • Dec. 22: Tennessee 89, Southern Indiana 44
  • Jan. 1: Tennessee 76, Florida 65
  • Jan. 4: Tennessee 73, Auburn 56
  • Jan. 8: Tennessee 90, Mississippi State 80
  • Jan. 11: Tennessee 85, Arkansas 50
  • Jan. 18: Tennessee 70, Alabama 59
  • Jan. 22: Tennessee 60, Kentucky 58
  • Jan. 29: Mississippi State 77, Tennessee 62
  • Feb. 1: UConn 96, Tennessee 66
  • Feb. 5: Tennessee 82, Georgia 77
  • Feb. 8: South Carolina 93, Tennessee 50
  • Feb. 12: Tennessee 98, Missouri 53
  • Feb. 15: Texas 65, Tennessee 63
  • Feb. 17: Ole Miss 94, Tennessee 81
  • Feb. 19: Texas A&M 82, Tennessee 74
  • Feb. 22: Oklahoma 100, Tennessee 93
  • Feb. 26: LSU 89, Tennessee 73
  • March 1: Vanderbilt 87, Tennessee 77

Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks: subscribe.knoxnews.com/offers



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