Sept. 7, 2006

Club Seats Photo Gallery

The University of Tennessee Athletics Department will host employees of Johnson & Galyon and McCarty, Holsaple, McCarty, the contractor and architect for Phase I of the Neyland Stadium Renovation Master Plan, at Saturday's game as a show of appreciation for the company's work on the stadium.

"We knew going into the project that they had a very tight time schedule," said Mike Hamilton, men's athletics director. "Johnson & Gaylon did a tremendous job getting the stadium ready for the first game. I met a lot of the workers on the project and most were Tennessee fans; however some of the biggest Tennessee fans on the project said they had never been to a game in Neyland and we thought this was a neat thank-you."

"We are very pleased with Phase I of the renovations and are looking forward to working with them again on the Pratt Pavilion Basketball Practice Facility."

VASF ENJOYS RECORD-BREAKING YEAR
The University of Tennessee Athletics Department announced Thursday that the Volunteer Athletics & Scholarship Fund (VASF) had a record-breaking year in 2005-06.

"Thanks to the generosity of more than 10,000 VASF donors, the athletics development office had its most successful year ever," said John Currie, senior associate athletics director for external operations. "Tennessee has a tremendous fan base. Their support allows us to continue to graduate student-athletes and compete for championships in 20 sports while remaining one of the few self-supporting athletics programs in the country."

Total donations for the year ending June 30, 2006, were $31.86 million -- up more than $6.7 million from the previous year. This included $17.56 million in annual gifts and $10.6 million in gifts to capital projects. Additional endowments and miscellaneous gifts totaled $3.65 million.

VASF gifts support athletics scholarships in addition to other on-going operational needs such as recruiting, training, academic support and academic scholarships for non student-athletes.

Giving to capital projects enabled facilities such as the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center, the Pratt Pavilion, Phase I of the Neyland Stadium Master Plan, Sherri Parker Lee Softball Stadium, Regal Soccer Stadium and LaPorte Stadium to begin construction in the last year.

The University of Tennessee Athletics Department is one of fewer than 10 departments in the country that receives no funds from state subsidies or taxes. The only non-athletics department generated revenue is a $1 million contribution to women's athletics from student fees.