Tennessee

Inside Gavin Kilen’s home run surge to open Tennessee baseball season

Published

1 year ago

February 28, 2025

Press Room

Inside Gavin Kilen’s home run surge to open Tennessee baseball season

HOUSTON — There were no fans sitting in the upper deck in right field at Daikin Park on Friday.

That was for the better.

Gavin Kilen clobbered a ball that cleared the first deck and caromed off the first row of the second deck. He gazed as it rose, flipped his bat end over and and smacked his chest toward the Tennessee baseball dugout as the mammoth homer whistled skyward with a message for any MLB scouts paying attention.

“That I can hit,” Kilen said.

Kilen has always hit. He is doing more with the Vols. The second baseman is smashing homers like he has never done before, adding to his already enticing professional profile with a helping of power.

His two-homer game in Tennessee’s 5-2 win against Oklahoma State on Friday in the Houston Astros’ ballpark was the latest example. The sweet-swinging lefty went way deep to right in the first inning. He dinged his second homer to left field into the Crawford Boxes in the fourth.

Kilen has five homers in nine games for the No. 1 Vols (9-0) and has homered in three straight games. He hit nine in 54 games at Louisville last season when he homered once every 23.8 at-bats. He is homering every 5.4 at-bats this season.

“For me, he has the ability to drive the ball,” Vols coach Tony Vitello said. “Call that power if you want.”

Kilen, who is rated as MLB.com’s No. 28 prospect for the 2025 MLB Draft, showed flashes of his homer-filled start to the season.

Pitcher Liam Doyle witnessed the potential in the fall when Kilen consistently hit the ball hard.

Vitello saw it on video and then in batting practice after he transferred to Tennessee from Louisville. He doesn’t see it as purely power, though. He thinks Kilen’s sudden homer surge is a credit to a well-crafted swing.

“I think Gavin’s is a real fundamental swing that has been trained in the cage,” Vitello said. “So he is in a good position to strike the ball as well as he can. He is strong enough.

“I think it is more the precision over power if you want.”

Whatever you label it, it is working and it is only boosting Kilen’s MLB Draft outlook in July.

The 5-foot-11, 187-pound Kilen had 10 extra-base hits as a freshman at Louisville without a homer. He had 35 with nine homers last season as a sophomore. He has eight so far at Tennessee with a pair of triples and a double to go with the five home runs.

Kilen has a similar refrain to many who have joined the Vols in recent seasons: He credits nutritionist Beth Schwartz and strength coach Quentin Eberhardt with helping him change his body. He has gained more than 10 pounds of muscle since arriving at Tennessee.

“I just think that has fundamentally changed everything for me,” Kilen said.

Kilen didn’t care to declare his home run streak perception-changing with scouts. Scouts will decide whatever they want to about him. He plans to keep showing up and doing his job to help the Vols win, which includes a hefty dose of hitting.

The ball that careened into the upper deck at Daikin Park on Friday can speak for itself.

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson or Bluesky @bymikewilson.bsky.social. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.

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

Published

6 hours ago

March 6, 2026

Press Room

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.

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.

Watch Lady Vols basketball vs. Alabama

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.

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.

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.

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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Tennessee

How much have Tennessee gas prices risen amid war in Iran?

Published

18 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

How much have Tennessee gas prices risen amid war in Iran?

Gas prices on March 5 have gone up 27 cents in both the U.S., and in Tennessee compared to one week ago, which likely relates to the war in Iran, according to AAA – The Auto Club Group.

The national average for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is $3.25. Tennessee’s average on March 5 is $2.84, according to AAA.

The last time the national average made a similar weekly jump was back in March of 2022 during the start of the Russia/Ukraine conflict, AAA said.

“Oil prices are rising largely due to growing instability in a region that is essential to global energy markets,” AAA spokesperson Megan Cooper said. “Although the U.S. does not import oil from Iran, the country remains a major producer, supplying nations such as China and India. Any potential disruption to Iranian oil infrastructure can influence global supply expectations.”

Middle Tennessee county averages include:

Davidson County: $2.90
Williamson County: $3.12
Rutherford County: $2.87
Wilson County: $2.88
Sumner County: $2.89
Robertson County: $2.90
Cheatham County: $2.92
Maury County: $2.85.

Crude oil pricing correlates to about 60% of what consumers pay at the pump, Cooper said. Recent global tensions tied to the conflict with Iran are adding upward pressure on crude oil prices, according to AAA.

Also, the Strait of Hormuz is a critical connection for the Persian Gulf to open waters as a shipping lane for crude oil. Because oil is traded globally, a shortfall in one region can impact prices throughout the world.

Tennessee and the southeast portion of the U.S. consistently rank among the least expensive markets for fuel. Proximity to refineries and pipeline infrastructure are major reasons for less expensive gas, according to AAA.

Tennessee is currently the fourth least expensive market in the U.S. for gas. The last time Tennessee’s average was over $3 per gallon for regular unleaded gas was August 2024.

Refineries are also starting the process of producing summer-blend gasoline. which contains additives to help reduce evaporation during warmer months and adds to the cost. Gas demand generally increases with the spring break season and the expectation of more road trips.

Disclaimer: This story was created by reporter Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of information gathering, review, editing and publishing.

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Tennessee Football 2028 In-State CB Target Jermaine Cobbins Talks Recruitment

Published

1 day ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Tennessee Football 2028 In-State CB Target Jermaine Cobbins Talks Recruitment

One of the nation’s fast-rising 7v7 events made it back to the Atlanta area as The Sevens 7v7 tournament was held at Peachtree Ridge High School over the weekend.

Many of the top organizations across the country registered and entered the tournament such as Hustle INC, C1N, NPA, 24K Cold Hearts, and Fast Houston.

The amount of star power each brand displayed with many of the top athletes from all of the country was insane to fathom.

One of the nation’s coveted 2028 cornerbacks was in attendance as Jermaine Cobbins and NPA showed up on a mission.

NPA earned the number 1 seed during pool play on the first day of the event. The team fell just short of the championship game, but the players went down swinging.

Vols on SI caught up with Cobbins to discuss any recruiting updates, and to shed light on an off-field story that deserves some attention.

Jermaine Cobbins Update

2028 Springfield (TN) cornerback Jermaine Cobbins | Dale Dowden- Vols on SI

“The recruitment is going great,” Cobbins said.

“You know, a lot of teams are showing love,” Cobbins continued. Alabama, Vanderbilt, and Texas A&M were a few schools mentioned to be showing a lot of love to the Tennessee native.

Cobbins has plans to get on the road once dead period is over.

March 2- Auburn
March 6- USC (potentially)
March 13- Alabama
March 17- Georgia
March 19- Tennessee
March 21- Vanderbilt

As Cobbins is wrapping up his sophomore year and on his way to becoming a junior, the pace will pick up as schools will come on stronger as some will fall back. The talented defender has to check boxes of his on while spending time with each school.

“The main thing I’ll be looking for is probably how much love are they going to be showing, their background (track record), and how the coaches coach,” Cobbins explained.

With a visit to Rocky Top in a few weeks looming, this will be the first time Cobbins has made it to Tennessee since the staff changes on the defense.

Cobbins had a relationship with Coach Michael Hunter Jr., who joined the Volunteers staff for a very short time before taking an opportunity in the NFL.

“Me and the corners coach had a great relationship, he came (to UT) but he left out for the NFL, so kudos to him. Love that for him. I’ve met Coach Poindexter. He’s a great coach,” Cobbins said.

The coaching staff at Tennessee stands out to the Springfield (TN) student-athlete as, “they coach at a high level.” Cobbins would go on to describe how the Vols pulling in great talent truly has an impact because you get to practice against some talented players day in and day out.

Cobbins Gives Back

Cobbins recently had the opportunity to give back to the next generation, and it was no surprise to see this act carried out, so Vols on SI had to ask about this act of kindness before concluding the interview.

“That was very important (to me), you know. It just really made me feel good inside. I always love giving back to the little kids, especially from my hometown,” Cobbins said with a smile.

Cobbins understands the small-town life, and how such a simple gesture can make a huge difference. Talent aside, this is an A+ young man.