Tennessee

Jordan Crooks, Mona McSharry Tally Season-Best Times in Tennessee's Sweep of LSU

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2 years ago

January 28, 2024

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Jordan Crooks, Mona McSharry Tally Season-Best Times in Tennessee's Sweep of LSU

Tennessee vs. LSU

Jan. 27, 2024
Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center
SCY (25 yards)
PDF results
Team scores
- Men: No. 6 Tennessee 196, LSU 104
- Women: No. 10 Tennessee 204, No. 23 LSU 94

Jordan Crooks continues to make remarkable times seem routine.

The Tennessee junior clocked a blazing 18.80 in the 50-yard freestyle, a season-best 45.18 in the 100 butterfly, and two impressive relay splits to lead the No. 6 Volunteer men past SEC foe LSU, 196-104, on Saturday.

Only Florida sophomore Josh Liendo (18.61) has been faster in the 50 free this season than Crooks’ 18.80 this weekend. Crooks, the defending NCAA champion, leads the nation with a season-best 18.40.

Crooks’ 45.18 in the 100 fly knocked just over a tenth of a second off his season-best mark (45.30), moving him up to 11th in the NCAA. He also split 19.92 on the fly leg of Tennessee’s 200 medley relay (1:24.34) — not far off his 19.27 split from NCAAs last season — and 41.87 leading off the Vols’ 400 free relay (2:51.54).

Crooks’ season-best 41.03 in the 100 free ranks 2nd in the NCAA behind Liendo (40.90). Only 11 swimmers have been under the 42-second barrier so far this season.

The most exciting race of “Senior Day” came in the 1000 free, where Tennessee senior Rafael Ponce de Leon Castilla erased a half-second deficit over the last 50 yards with a blistering 24.41 split to overtake LSU freshman Silas Beth (8:57.49). Castilla ended up reaching the wall in a lifetime best of 8:57.18, the fourth-fastest time in program history and the third-fastest in the SEC this season.

Tennessee sophomore Gui Caribe also dazzled with a 19.03 free anchor on the Vols’ 200 medley relay, a 100 free victory in 42.60, and a 42.53 split on their 400 free relay (2:51.54) that posted the 10th-fastest time in program history. He ranks 8th nationally in the 100 free this season with a 41.66.

Vols sophomore Martin Espernberger dominated the 200 fly (1:43.64) by nearly three seconds. He has been almost two seconds faster this season with a 1:41.78 that ranks 10th in the NCAA.

Tennessee freshman Nikoli Blackman earned the first individual win of his collegiate career in the 200 free (1:36.10). Vols junior Landon Driggers had a busy day with wins in the 200 back (1:45.37) and 200 IM (1:47.41) along with a 4th-place finish in the 100 back (47.72). Senior diver Bryden Hattie swept the 1-meter (366.15) and 3-meter (400.35) springboard events.

“I think Rafael (Ponce de Leon Castilla) had a tough opponent who had a good swim last week,” Tennessee associate head coach Rich Murphy said of Beth. “We knew that coming into this meet it was going to be a big task to come out with a win. I think coming out of that medley relay having success there, Rafael set himself up and he cares a ton about the team. It was really cool to see him get the win, and I also think that propelled into the efforts that we saw from Nikoli (Blackman) in the 200 free. That really got us going, and I think it was really cool to see the first half of the meet how we asserted ourselves into the competitive aspect of the day.”

The Tigers were led by senior Mitch Mason, who picked up 1st-place finishes in the 100 breast (53.20) and 200 breast (1:58.65) along with a 4th-place showing in the 200 IM (1:51.23). LSU also got an individual victory out of junior Griffin Curtis, who captured the 100 back crown in 47.72. Croatian freshman Jere Hribar threw down a pair of impressive performances in the 50 free (19.39) and 100 free (43.11), but both took 2nd place behind some tough competition in Crooks and Caribe, respectively.

Women’s Recap

Tennessee senior Mona McSharry and junior Josephine Fuller showed off their versatility with two individual wins apiece to power the No. 10 Vols past LSU, 204-94.

McSharry began her afternoon with a win in the 50 free (22.12) before going on to dominate the 200 breast in a new season-best time of 2:06.63. The 23-year-old Irish Olympian ranks 5th in the NCAA this season in the 200 breast and 13th nationally in the 50 free (22.01).

Fuller triumphed in the 200 IM (1:57.11) and 200 back (1:53.97), slightly off her season bests that rank 9th (1:55.37) and 23rd (1:53.97) in the NCAA this season, respectively.

Tennessee freshman Camille Spink also had a big day, taking the 100 free title in 48.03 before ripping a personal-best 1:44.63 in the 200 free en route to 2nd place behind junior teammate Brooklyn Douthwright (1:44.04). Spink’s previous-best 200 free time stood at 1:43.82 from December of 2022. Fellow freshman Emelie Fast also impressed with a 2nd-place showing in the 200 breast (2:09.28, seventh-fastest time in school history) and 3rd-place effort in the 200 IM (2:00.69).

Similar to the men’s side, the 1000 free came down to the wire with Vols junior Kate McCarville (9:50.38) edging junior teammate Lauren Wetherell (9:51.99) by less than two seconds. Tennessee also got individual victories out of senior Elle Caldow in the 100 back (52.75), junior Julie Mrozinski in the 500 free (4:42.77), and fifth-year Kailee Morgan in the 100 breast (1:00.69).

“I thought our women’s team and our whole combined team did a great job with their performances today,” Tennessee associate head coach Ashley Jahn said. “So proud of our seniors in how they have led this team and how they swam at the meet today. I’m really proud of how everybody else honored the seniors with their performances as well.

“(Camille Spink and Emelie Fast) had great performances,” Jahn added. “They’ve both been getting better at a lot of things this year, and it was nice to see them take a couple of elements that they wanted to execute, get a little more confident in their race plans and execute those today in a competitive environment.”

The Tigers got multiple 1st-place finishes from senior diver Montserrat Lavenant on the 1-meter (302.48) and 3-meter (327.28) springboard events. In the pool, LSU was led by runner-up finishes from sophomore Sofia Sartori in the 200 fly (1:57.74) and 200 back (1:56.01), Michaela de Villiers in the 50 free (22.47), and freshman Sabrina Lyn in the 100 fly (55.00).

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

Published

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

Published

15 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.