Tennessee
Danny White named national athletic director of the year, first in Tennessee history
Danny White was named the Athletic Director of the Year by Sports Business Journal, the first in University of Tennessee history to take home the national honor.
White was presented the accolade at the Sports Business Awards event in New York City on May 21. The award recognizes UT’s tremendous revenue growth and athletics success under his watch.
White and his father, Kevin, are the first father-son duo to win the SBJ Athletic Director of the Year award, which was first given in 2000. Kevin White received the accolade in 2014 during his tenure at Duke.
“Danny’s impact on our campus and in the changing world of intercollegiate athletics has been transformational, and I am thrilled for his leadership to be recognized as the SBJ Athletic Director of the Year,” UT Chancellor Donde Plowman said in a university release. “Danny sets the tone with his competitive drive, strategic approach and problem-solving mindset, and has built an incredible team of athletics administrators committed to supporting student-athletes and winning with integrity. The culture he has built at Tennessee is truly special.”
White was the highest-paid athletics director at a public university in the country, based on the most recent documents obtained by USA TODAY Network in 2024. That distinction came after he signed a contract extension that pays him at least $2.75 million annually.
Tennessee winning reached new heights under Danny White
But White appears to have earned his keep since being hired at UT in 2021.
In 2023-24, UT finished third in the Learfield Directors’ Cup all-sports standings, the best in school history, and won a third straight SEC All-Sports Trophy. It capped the most successful year in Vols sports history.
In 2024, UT became only the second school ever to appear in the College Football Playoff, NCAA basketball tournament Elite Eight and the College World Series in the same year. UT baseball won its first national title.
All 20 UT sports are on pace to reach the NCAA postseason in 2024-25 for a second straight year. According to UT, that would make it the first Power Four conference school to achieve that feat in back-to-back years.
Tennessee revenue growth broke records under White
Since White arrived at UT in 2021, the athletics budget has grown by almost $100 million.
UT broke a revenue record with $202 million in the 2023 fiscal year. Then it broke the record again with $234 million in revenue generated in the 2024 fiscal year.
Ticket revenue and contributions also hit record highs under White’s watch during a skyrocketing surge of growth. And major facility upgrades are underway at Neyland Stadium, Lindsey Nelson Stadium, Sherri Parker Lee Stadium, Anderson Training Center, Food City Center and Neyland Entertainment District as a developmental project.
Here are SBJ Athletic Directors of the Year winners
- 2000: Lew Perkins, UConn
- 2001: Ted Leland, Stanford
- 2002: Bob Bowlsby, Iowa
- 2003: Andy Geiger, Ohio State
- 2004: Eric Hyman, TCU
- 2005: DeLoss Dodds, Texas
- 2006: Jeremy Foley, Florida
- 2007: Tom Jurich, Louisville
- 2008: Ron Wellman, Wake Forest
- 2009: Joe Castiglione, Oklahoma
- 2010: Gene Smith, Ohio State
- 2011: DeLoss Dodds, Texas
- 2012 — Mark Hollis, Michigan State University
- 2013 — Mal Moore, University of Alabama
- 2014: Kevin White, Duke
- 2015: Jeff Long, Arkansas
- 2016: Gene Smith, Ohio State
- 2017: Dan Radakovich, Clemson
- 2018: Jim Phillips, Northwestern
- 2019: Mitch Barnhart, Kentucky
- 2020: Scott Stricklin, Florida
- 2021: Mack Rhoades, Baylor
- 2022: Sandy Barbour, Penn State
- 2023: J.D. Wicker, San Diego State
- 2024: Chris Del Conte, Texas
- 2025: Danny White, Tennessee
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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Tennessee
What channel is Vanderbilt baseball vs Tennessee on today? Time, TV schedule to watch game
Vanderbilt baseball is back home in SEC play against Tennessee, beginning on March 27 at Hawkins Field.
The Commodores (14-12, 2-4 SEC) were swept at Mississippi State last weekend to fall below .500 early in league play.
Tennessee (18-7, 3-3) lost the Friday opener to Missouri last weekend, then rebounded with two wins to take the series.
Here’s how you can watch Vanderbilt baseball vs Tennessee:
Vanderbilt baseball vs Tennessee on March 27 will be televised on SEC Network.
- Game 1 start time: 7 p.m on March 27, ESPNU
- Game 2 start time: 1 p.m. on March 28, SEC Network
- Game 3 start time: 11 a.m on March 29, ESPN2
- Feb. 13: vs. TCU in Arlington, Texas, L 5-4
- Feb. 14: vs. Texas Tech in Arlington, Texas, W 13-3 (8 innings)
- Feb. 15: vs. Oklahoma State in Arlington, Texas, L 11-1 (8 innings)
- Feb. 17: Eastern Michigan, W 13-2 (7 innings)
- Feb. 18: Eastern Michigan, W 16-2 (8 innings)
- Feb. 20: Marist, W 16-5 (8 innings)
- Feb. 21: Marist, W 12-1 (7 innings)
- Feb. 22: Marist, W 8-1
- Feb. 24: Evansville, W 15-3 (7 innings)
- Feb. 27: vs. UC Irvine in Las Vegas, L 9-4
- Feb. 28: vs. Arizona State in Las Vegas, L 5-1
- March 1: vs. Oregon in Las Vegas, L 6-4
- March 3: Central Arkansas, L 5-4
- March 4: Troy, W 4-1
- March 6: North Dakota State, W 14-2 (7 innings)
- March 7: North Dakota State, W 10-0 (8 innings)
- March 8: North Dakota State, L 5-2
- March 10: Indiana State, W 14-6
- March 13: LSU, W 13-12
- March 14: LSU, W 11-3
- March 15: LSU, L 16-9
- March 17: Indiana, L 5-1
- March 20: at Mississippi State, L 4-2
- March 21: at Mississippi State, L 7-2
- March 22: at Mississippi State, L 17-7 (7)
- March 24: Tennessee Tech, W 15-5 (8)
- March 27: Tennessee, 7 p.m on ESPNU
- March 28: Tennessee, 1 p.m on SEC Network
- March 29: Tennessee, 11 a.m on ESPN2
- March 31: Belmont
- April 2-4: at Texas A&M
- April 7: EKU
- April 9-11: Oklahoma
- April 14: Lipscomb
- April 17-19: Kentucky
- April 21: Xavier
- April 24-26: Texas
- April 28: MTSU
- April 30-May 2: at Alabama
- May 5: Louisville
- May 8-10: at Missouri
- May 14-16: South Carolina
CHICAGO – As Tennessee basketball’s newest Sweet 16 team was on the court at the United Center, prepping for Iowa State, the best pure shooter in the building sat on the side in a hoodie.
Chris Lofton, as always, was looking for his shot.
“I’m ready to shoot now, you know?” he said with a laugh. “When they start stretching, I’ll get a shot up or two for sure. I tell Mike (Keith) all the time, ‘If we go to the gym and there’s a basketball, I have to shoot it.’ That’s just a rule. I’ve got to shoot at least once.”
Though his last professional basketball game was in 2019, Lofton still gets on the court occasionally, and when he does, he can still shoot it.
Tennessee star freshman Nate Ament can confirm. He’s seen it.
“Really good,” Ament said of Lofton. “Even now.”
He’s a radio guy now, though.
Lofton is finishing a season back in Knoxville as part of the newly built Vol Network crew for men’s basketball games. He has been working with new play-by-play man Mike Keith, the former voice of the Tennessee Titans, among those tasked with replacing longtime Vols duo of Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp.
“Mike has been great,” Lofton said, “teaching me a lot. I’m learning so much. It’s been fun just to be back around Tennessee basketball as much as I’ve been this year. I’m VFL. I bleed orange. It doesn’t get any better than this.”
In a game of horse, I’d still take Lofton against anyone. Vols fans old enough to remember watching him play for Tennessee (2004-08), I’d imagine many of y’all would, too.
This guy is a myth, a Tennessee legend. Unforgettable because of magical moments during games as “the best bad-shot-maker I’ve ever coached,” said former Vols coach Bruce Pearl, and because of his inspirational personal story. The circumstances of Lofton’s final UT season, during which he played through a secret cancer diagnosis, comprised a recent ESPN documentary.
The old heads know. And I’ve got something to make those old heads feel a bit older:
Lofton is about to turn 40.
The last day of his 30s, in fact, was practice day at the United Center on the eve of 2026 Men’s NCAA Tournament regional games there. He’ll celebrate while working. Lofton’s 40th birthday will be March 27, same day that Tennessee faces Iowa State in the Sweet 16.
“I’m telling you,” Lofton said, “it goes by fast.”
The opportunity “came out of nowhere,” said Lofton. He’d been through the NBA’s coaching program a couple of years ago, and he was close to landing a scouting job with the Boston Celtics last year.
Lofton hadn’t envisioned a detour through media until he got the call in October – and he recoiled initially. “I’ll get back to you,” Lofton told them at the time, all the while thinking, “Talking on the radio? That’s not me.”
But Lofton thought more about it, figuring “Why not? What else do I have to do?” Since then, Lofton has thrown himself into the role.
“Just like he was as a basketball player,” Keith said, “he wants to be good at it.”
This season’s Vol Network hoops team included Keith, Lofton, former UT player Steve Hamer and John Wilkerson, the play-by-play man for Vols baseball.
Since baseball season started for Wilkerson, Lofton has consistently been a part of Tennessee’s broadcasts despite jumping in short-notice to a new career path with no previous experience.
“What Chris has done has been amazing,” Keith said. “Nothing short of amazing, considering his background in (radio) – which was non-existent – his sort of knowledge of how it works and his interest in it before he was contacted in October. …
“If you listen to him from a broadcast in November or December to now, it’s a totally different guy.”
Keith added that “it’s going to be off the charts” for Lofton in Year 2, given how much he has improved.
All Lofton has decided for his post-playing future is that wants to stay in basketball. He hasn’t ruled out a career in coaching or scouting.
But he does love what he’s doing now, he said.
“I open to whatever, honestly,” Lofton said. “I love what I do now. I would love to be more involved on the court, for sure, but it might just be here (on radio).”
Reach Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and hang out with him on Bluesky @gentryestes.bsky.social
Trump ‘I did that’ stickers on gas pumps, a callback to Biden
During record-high gas prices under Biden, stickers appeared on gas pumps with his picture saying ‘I did that.’ Now they have Trump’s face on them.
Gas prices remain a significant issue as the conflict with Iran persists, prompting the United States government and individual states to take action against the rising costs.
On Feb. 28, President Donald Trump ordered strikes on Iran, which the country then responded to by closing the Strait of Hormuz. This blocked about a fifth of the world’s oil from moving to global markets, including the United States.
Since the war began last month and the Strait was closed, gas prices across the country have risen by over $1, and in Tennessee, they have increased by $1.10. While these prices may seem exorbitant, it was only a few years ago that the entire nation saw its highest recorded gas prices.
Here’s the record for the highest gasoline price in Tennessee.
What is the highest price for gas in Tennessee?
According to the AAA gas price tracker, the highest recorded price for a gallon of regular gas was on June 12, 2022, at $4.64. Diesel hit its record high three days later at $5.64.
This is the recorded high for the state average; however, localities have different records, all established around the same time.
Here are the highest recorded prices for gas in Tennessee’s major cities:
- Chattanooga: $4.60 on June 10, 2022, for regular; $5.52 on June 14, 2022, for diesel.
- Clarksville: $4.71 on June 9, 2022, for regular; $5.71 on June 15, 2022, for diesel.
- Jackson: $4.69 on June 16, 2022, for regular; $5.70 on June 21, 2022, for diesel.
- Johnson City: $4.62 on June 10, 2022, for regular; $5.70 on June 11, 2022, for diesel.
- Kingsport: $4.60 on June 12, 2022, for regular; $5.66 on June 12, 2022, for diesel.
- Knoxville: $4.65 on Sept. 15, 2008, for regular; $5.66 on June 10, 2022, for diesel.
- Memphis: $4.65 on June 14, 2022, for regular; $5.60 on June 18, 2022, for diesel.
- Morristown: $4.63 on June 13, 2022, for regular; $5.67 on June 20, 2022, for diesel.
- Nashville: $4.68 on June 10, 2022, for regular; $5.68 on June 15, 2022, for diesel.
How high are gas prices in Tennessee now?
Here are the recently tracked dates for the prices of a gallon of gasoline in Tennessee:
- March 11: $3.20 for regular, $4.78 for diesel
- March 19: $3.59 for regular, $5 for diesel
- March 24: $3.65 for regular, $5.27 for diesel
A month ago, a few days before the United States and Israel initiated the war with Iran, regular gas was $2.55, and diesel was $3.40.
DeKalb County has the highest regular gasoline price at $3.86 on March 25. Hancock County has the lowest price at $3.50.
Of the state’s major metropolitan areas, Knoxville has the cheapest regular gas at $3.60. Chattanooga and Memphis follow at $3.62 and $3.64, respectively. Nashville has the highest price at $3.69.
What is the gas tax in Tennessee?
In the United States, there are two taxes added to gasoline when you go to fill up your vehicle. The first tax is the national tax, and the second is the state tax.
In the United States, the federal government collects a flat rate of 18.4 cents per gallon from residents in every state. This tax is included in the price seen at the pump.
According to the Tennessee Department of Transportation, the gasoline tax in Tennessee is 26 cents, effective July 1, 2019. For diesel fuel, the tax is 27 cents.
Tennessee House Democrats are urging a statewide gas and diesel tax holiday to lower pump prices. In a March 24 press release, State Representatives Bo Mitchell and John Ray Clemmons asked Governor Bill Lee and their Republican colleagues to set aside funding in the FY26-27 Budget Amendment currently being discussed for prompt tax relief for families.
Which states have the highest gas taxes?
All 50 states have a gas tax charged per gallon at the pump, but some states’ gas taxes are up to eight times those of others.
These are the states with the highest gas taxes as of September 2025:
- California: 70.92 cents per gallon
- Illinois: 66.4 cents per gallon
- Washington: 59.04 cents per gallon
- Pennsylvania: 58.7 cents per gallon
- Indiana: 54.5 cents per gallon
Conversely, these states have the lowest gas taxes in the United States:
- Alaska: 8.95 cents per gallon
- Hawaii: 18.5 cents per gallon
- New Mexico: 18.88 cents per gallon
- Arizona: 19 cents per gallon
- Oklahoma and Texas: 20 cents per gallon
USA TODAY contributed to this report.
Jordan Green covers trending news for The Commercial Appeal and Tennessee. She can be reached at jordan.green@commercialappeal.com.
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