University of Tennessee Athletics
Inside The T -- Stories Of The Year
December 18, 2015 | General
By Brian Rice
UTSports.com
With the year winding down, I wanted to take a look back at some of the best stories we have done this year on UTSports.com.
Our student-athletes have accomplished so much on the field this year and some of these stories are all about those moments. Most of them, however are about much more than sports. It is honoring a family member with their play, it is accomplishing something special in the classroom or reaching heights that no one ever expected.
So here are, in no particular order, some of my favorite stories of 2015 that we have run here on UTSports.com:
LaDarell McNeil Returns From Injury
MCNEIL FINDS HIS SECOND CHANCE
After an injury in training camp, LaDarell McNeil faced the possibility of life without football. But a second opinion gave the senior a second chance at his career and finishing a senior season in a game that he loved so much. And when given that second chance, he made the most of it.
Josh Richardson Drafted By The Miami Heat
MIAMI A DREAM REALIZED FOR RICHARDSON
A spectacular senior season vaulted Josh Richardson into the spotlight for Tennessee basketball. The year ended with Richardson becoming a Tennessee graduate and the 46th Volunteer drafted when the Miami Heat called his name with the 40th overall selection in the 2015 NBA Draft.
50th Anniversary Of 1965 Football Tragedy
VOL SPIRIT OVERCAME TRAGEDY 50 YEARS AGO
A car accident killed three Tennessee coaches the Monday morning after a tie at Alabama that many considered the turning point for the Volunteers under Doug Dickey. The second-year head coach rallied his team while the Knoxville community and the Volunteer spirit rallied around the coaches' families.
Julie Eckel's Comeback Story
ECKEL RISES TO LIFE'S CHALLENGE
Tennessee goalkeeper Julie Eckel returned to the Volunteers for a fifth year after a season-ending injury stopped her senior season before it ever began. But the injury may have been a blessing, putting her with her Tennessee family when she needed it most after the loss of her brother. A record-breaking season made the comeback even more meaningful.
Erin Gabriel Throws The First Of Two No-Hitters
NO-HITTER BRINGS GABRIEL FULL CIRCLE
Injuries and timing prevented onetime top pitching recruit Erin Gabriel from fully showing how special she could be in the circle. But finally healthy for her junior season, Gabriel threw the first of two no-hitters against an opponent that truly brought her comeback story full-circle.
Three Lady Vol Basketball Graduates Drafted By WNBA
Cierra Burdick, Isabelle Harrison and Ariel Massengale each walked across the stage in May, keeping up the longstanding Lady Vol standard of a 100 percent graduation rate among players that finish their careers at Tennessee. The class of 2015 finished its time with 113 victories, four Southeastern Conference championships and three Elite Eight appearances.
Chelsea Blaase Caps An Amazing Career
Stephen K. Lee took an in-depth look at one of the most decorated runners to ever compete at the University of Tennessee. Her story is one of hard work, of being dissatisfied in her early performances and doing whatever it took to look inside and improve every day to become the record-setting superstar that she is now.
Curt Maggitt Tells His Own Story
An injury against Oklahoma may have ended Curt Maggitt's senior season, but he continued to have an impact on the field by serving as a positive influence to the rest of the Volunteers. In his letter, he also recalls just how special Tennessee and Vol Nation have become to him
Nathan Strother Runs For His Father's Memory
Nathan Strother wanted to earn a college scholarship to make his father make good on a promise to buy him a car. After a switch from football to tack to make that a reality, he was forced to come up with a new goal: To honor the memory of his father who passed away before seeing his son accomplish that college scholarship goal.
A Welcome Home
My column prior to the homecoming game against North Texas had the biggest response of any of my Friday pieces all year. No matter what changes on campus or how long it has been since your last visit, the University of Tennessee will always be a special place and returning to Neyland Stadium will always give you goosebumps.
