Tennessee
A tradition like no other: Tennessee man carries Olympic torch in France
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Konstantin Kondylis was the first to ever carry the Olympic torch back in 1936.
The tradition of the Olympic torch relay continues on nearly 100 years later, with relays happening across France in preparation for this year’s Paris Olympics.
Rutherford County’s Andre Hillsman was chosen alongside 19 of his colleagues at Bridgestone to run a part of the relay in France.
“We always focus on dignity and respect,” Hillsman said. “I come to work every day, my thought process is to follow that.”
Hillsman joined the Bridgestone family 25 years ago at their La Vergne plant, which employs nearly 1,000 people.
Now in a position of leadership, he says he oversees the same quality control labs he trained on when he started.
“Even though I’m in leadership, I’m not one of those people that goes looking for accolades,” Hillsman said.
Hillsman says he never wants the spotlight, but the spotlight would find him a year ago. He found out a peer had nominated him to carry the torch for the 2024 games.
Even with that nomination, he’d have to be voted on globally in a company of nearly 120,000 people. It all became real when he found out he was 1 of 20 chosen.
“We have roughly over 120,000 employees worldwide,” Hillsman said. “To be considered in that top 20 is an amazing feeling.”
It’s truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.
With over 8 billion people estimated living in the world, and with 11,000 torch bearers between the Olympic and Paralympic games, Hillsman’s chance to carry sat at 0.0001375%.
He has a better chance statistically at winning the lottery.
“It’s going to be surreal, without a doubt,” Hillsman said.
Hillsman’s relay was a 200 meter stretch in Rouen, France. That’s about the length of half of a track.
“First thing I asked, I said, ‘How far is this thing we’re going to actually be running?’”
Two weeks ago, before his relay, his teammates in the La Vergne plant had a celebration to send him off and wish him well before the big trip.
One of his peers even 3D printed a model of this year’s torch design.
”God has always had a hand on me, I feel like that,” Hillsman said. “I’m blessed beyond belief, and I’m blessed to be able to touch these peoples’ lives everyday as well.”
Hillsman says when the relay is said and done, he’ll be spending time over in Europe with his family, making a trip of the opportunity.
“To have this honor, it’s quite high on my list of things in life,” Hillsman said.
Bridgestone is an Official Worldwide Olympic Partner. The company sent 20 employees over to be torch bearers for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Copyright 2024 WSMV. All rights reserved.
Tennessee
Tennessee Football Lands Top 20 Spot in USA Today’s Post-Spring College Football Rankings | Rocky Top Insider
Spring football is well past wrapped up by now, with summer workouts standing in between now and training camp later in the fall. The 2026 college football season will be here before we know it as revamped rosters look to compete for the sport’s biggest prize next winter.
Tennessee Football has seen, and will see, plenty of major changes this offseason. For one, the Vols will have a new quarterback at the helm. Tennessee signal-caller Joey Aguilar didn’t win his court case for an additional year of eligibility, meaning that the Vols will roll into the season with a new starting quarterback. Redshirt freshman George MacIntyre, true freshman Faizon Brandon, and Colorado transfer Ryan Staub are all in the mix for that spot.
Another big change for UT this offseason is a retooled defensive staff and roster. On the coaching side of things, Tennessee brought in Jim Knowles to serve as the Vols’ defensive coordinator after letting go of Tim Banks. Knowles opted to keep Rodney Garner and William Inge in their respective spots and rounded out his staff with co-DC and safeties coach Anthony Poindexter, LEOs coach AJ Jackson, and cornerbacks coach Derek Jones. Tennessee has a few key returning starters on the defense, such as DL Daevin Hobbs, LB Arion Carter, and CB Ty Redmond, but the Vols also brought in several players through the portal to compete for starting and rotational spots.
With spring slates over with, USA Today decided to rank all 138 FBS programs heading into the summer. Paul Myerberg has Tennessee coming in at No. 18 in the country, one spot behind Arizona and one spot above Houston.
Tennessee lands as the eighth highest-ranked SEC team on the list, behind No. 3 Texas, No. 4 Georgia, No. 7 Oklahoma, No. 9 Texas A&M, No. 12 Alabama, No. 13 Ole Miss, and No. 16 LSU. Other notable in-conference teams include No. 35 Vanderbilt, No. 38 Florida, No. 43 Missouri, and No. 94 Kentucky. The lowest-ranked SEC team is No. 109 Arkansas.
Based on 2025 win-loss records, Tennessee Football has the 20th-toughest schedule in the nation in 2026. Additionally, the Vols’ path is the 11th-toughest among SEC teams. Tennessee will have five home SEC games and four road SEC games this season as part of the conference’s new nine-game slate. The Vols will also hit the road to take on Georgia Tech in the second week of the season.
Here’s a look at the Vols’ schedule next fall:
- Sept. 5 – vs Furman
- Sept. 12 – at Georgia Tech
- Sept. 19 – vs Kennesaw State
- Sept. 26 – vs Texas
- Oct. 3 – vs Auburn
- Oct. 10 – at Arkansas
- Oct. 17 – vs Alabama
- Oct. 24 – at South Carolina
- Oct. 31 – OPEN
- Nov. 7 – vs Kentucky
- Nov. 14 – at Texas A&M
- Nov. 21 – vs LSU
- Nov. 28 – at Vanderbilt
More From RTI: Country Star Luke Combs Brings Out Peyton Manning, Josh Heupel, Joey Aguilar, and Al Wilson During Neyland Stadium Concert
Some important questions will begin to be answered when Tennessee returns to the field for fall training camp in August. For one, which quarterback separates themselves from the pack and starts the first game of the season? Additionally, how quickly can Tennessee’s new-look roster pick up Jim Knowles’ defensive scheme?
One other important thing that’ll be happening behind the scenes is how Tennessee looks after a full offseason in Derek Owings’ strength and conditioning program. Owings joined Tennessee’s staff this offseason after helping Indiana win last year’s national championship, and is widely looked upon as one of, if not the best, in the business at what he does.
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for more Tennessee Football offseason coverage.
Entering a three-game series at Kentucky, it appeared as if Tennessee baseball’s offense had turned a corner.
After scoring at least six runs in all but two of their last nine SEC games, there was reason to believe the inconsistencies that had previously plagued the Vols’ offense had been remedied.
But in their first two games at Kentucky (29-15, 11-12 SEC), both lopsided losses, those offensive woes returned at Kentucky Proud Park in Lexington. Tennessee (30-17, 10-13) has managed just four total runs in the series, dropping the first matchup on May 1, 9-2, and Game 2 on May 2 in eight innings, 12-2.
As it prepares for the series finale on May 3 (1 p.m. ET, SEC Network+), UT finds itself needing an offensive spark to avoid being swept.
“A lot went wrong again,” first-year UT coach Josh Elander said on May 2. “Not a good approach by our guys, swinging at too many pitches out of the strike zone. Good stuff by (Kentucky starter Jaxon Jelkin) today, but we didn’t get out of the gates. … Not a good formula in any capacity today.”
Tennessee has had to play from behind in both games
Slow starts have become a dangerous habit for the Vols through two games against the Wildcats. Their two runs in the series opener didn’t arrive until Henry Ford hit a home run in the eighth inning, the team by then already down 9-0.
They generated a few opportunities before but weren’t able to cash in on three separate chances with a runner in scoring position — once seeing a potential Jay Abernathy RBI single prevented by a full-extension diving catch in shallow left field.
In the second game, Tennessee didn’t manage a baserunner off Jelkin until the fifth and were caught trying to make up an early deficit again. During a mid-game flurry that saw the deficit lessened to 4-2 by a Blaine Brown home run, Tennessee worked the tying run to the plate in the sixth with the heart of the order up.
That was the closest they would get; the next nine batters went down in order and Kentucky pounced on the Vols’ bullpen to run-rule them.
Postseason stakes put extra importance on series finale
In Tennessee’s first 12 SEC matchups, it averaged 5.7 runs per game, contributing to a 4-8 start in league play. But in the nine following conference games, beginning with a sweep of Mississippi State, that number jumped to 7.3 runs per game and included two series wins, boosting the Vols’ SEC record to 10-11. That stretch removed doubt from their NCAA Tournament resume and put them in position to earn a bye in the single-elimination conference tournament.
Now, Tennessee enters the series finale needing a result before facing No. 4 Texas next week – which owns arguably the most feared pitching staff in the SEC.
“At this point, there needs to be more sense of urgency and a little bit more pride,” Elander said. “Very, very frustrating day all the way around, especially after the performance last night. We have to come into tomorrow and basically throw this game in the trash and reset and be ready to go and salvage the weekend tomorrow.”
Emmett Siegel covers Tennessee baseball for Knox News. Email: emmett.siegel@knoxnews.com; X: @EmmettSiegel_
Tennessee is recruiting toward its 2027 football signing class.
Three-star defensive back Carter Jamison committed to Tennessee, according to Chad Simmons of On3.
The 5-foot-10, 180-pound prospect is from Creekside High School in Fairburn, Georgia. Former Vols Eric Berry, Evan Berry and Elliott Berry are also from Creekside.
247Sports ranks Jamison as the No. 101 safety in the class and No. 115 player in Georgia.
Tennessee was the first school to offer him a scholarship on Feb. 17. The 2027 prospect unofficially visited the Vols for a spring practice on April 2 and will officially visit Tennessee on June 19.
Other schools to offer Jamison scholarships include USF, Charlotte, UNLV, Western Michigan, Liberty, Colorado State, Eastern Kentucky and East Carolina.
Tennessee has six other commitments in its 2027 football recruiting class: linebacker JP Peace, offensive tackle Princeton Uwaifo, defensive lineman Kadin Fife, quarterback Derrick Baker, athlete Jaden Butler and wide receiver KeSean Bowman.
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