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President Joe Biden’s Executive Order on Protecting the Federal Workforce, Requiring Face ...

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 00:00:07 GMT

Washington, D.C. – By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 7902(c) of title 5, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration to halt the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by relying on the best available data and science-based public health measures.

United States President Joe Biden.

Such measures include wearing masks when around others, physical distancing, and other related precautions recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Put simply, face masks and other public health measures reduce the spread of the disease, particularly when communities make widespread use of such measures, and thus save lives.

Accordingly, to protect the Federal workforce and individuals interacting with the Federal workforce, and to ensure the continuity of Government services and activities, on-duty or on-site Federal employees, on-site Federal contractors, and other individuals in Federal buildings and on Federal lands should all wear masks, maintain physical distance, and adhere to other public health measures, as provided in CDC guidelines.

Sec. 2. Immediate Action Regarding Federal Employees, Contractors, Buildings, and Lands. (a) The heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall immediately take action, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to require compliance with CDC guidelines with respect to wearing masks, maintaining physical distance, and other public health measures by: on-duty or on-site Federal employees; on-site Federal contractors; and all persons in Federal buildings or on Federal lands.

(b) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and the Administrator of General Services, in coordination with the President’s Management Council and the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator), shall promptly issue guidance to assist heads of agencies with implementation of this section.

(c) Heads of agencies shall promptly consult, as appropriate, with State, local, Tribal, and territorial government officials, Federal employees, Federal employee unions, Federal contractors, and any other interested parties concerning the implementation of this section.

(d) Heads of agencies may make categorical or case-by-case exceptions in implementing subsection (a) of this section to the extent that doing so is necessary or required by law, and consistent with applicable law. If heads of agencies make such exceptions, they shall require appropriate alternative safeguards, such as additional physical distancing measures, additional testing, or reconfiguration of workspace, consistent with applicable law. Heads of agencies shall document all exceptions in writing.

(e) Heads of agencies shall review their existing authorities and, to the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations and resources, seek to provide masks to individuals in Federal buildings when needed.

(f) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall coordinate the implementation of this section. Heads of the agencies listed in 31 U.S.C. 901(b) shall update the COVID-19 Response Coordinator on their progress in implementing this section, including any categorical exceptions established under subsection (d) of this section, within 7 days of the date of this order and regularly thereafter. Heads of agencies are encouraged to bring to the attention of the COVID-19 Response Coordinator any questions regarding the scope or implementation of this section.

Sec. 3. Encouraging Masking Across America. (a) The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), including through the Director of CDC, shall engage, as appropriate, with State, local, Tribal, and territorial officials, as well as business, union, academic, and other community leaders, regarding mask-wearing and other public health measures, with the goal of maximizing public compliance with, and addressing any obstacles to, mask-wearing and other public health best practices identified by CDC.

(b) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator, in coordination with the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the heads of other relevant agencies, shall promptly identify and inform agencies of options to incentivize, support, and encourage widespread mask-wearing consistent with CDC guidelines and applicable law.

Sec. 4. Safer Federal Workforce Task Force.

(a) Establishment. There is hereby established the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (Task Force).

(b) Membership. The Task Force shall consist of the following members:

(i) the Director of OPM, who shall serve as Co-Chair;

(ii) the Administrator of General Services, who shall serve as Co-Chair;

(iii) the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, who shall serve as Co-Chair;

(iv) the Director of OMB;

(v) the Director of the Federal Protective Service;

(vi) the Director of the United States Secret Service;

(vii) the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency;

(viii) the Director of CDC; and

(ix) the heads of such other agencies as the Co-Chairs may individually or jointly invite to participate.

(c) Organization. A member of the Task Force may designate, to perform the Task Force functions of the member, a senior-level official who is a full-time officer or employee of the member’s agency. At the direction of the Co-Chairs, the Task Force may establish subgroups consisting exclusively of Task Force members or their designees, as appropriate.

(d) Administration. The General Services Administration shall provide funding and administrative support for the Task Force to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations. The Co-Chairs shall convene regular meetings of the Task Force, determine its agenda, and direct its work.

(e) Mission. The Task Force shall provide ongoing guidance to heads of agencies on the operation of the Federal Government, the safety of its employees, and the continuity of Government functions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such guidance shall be based on public health best practices as determined by CDC and other public health experts, and shall address, at a minimum, the following subjects as they relate to the Federal workforce:

(i) testing methodologies and protocols;

(ii) case investigation and contact tracing;

(iii) requirements of and limitations on physical distancing, including recommended occupancy and density standards;

(iv) equipment needs and requirements, including personal protective equipment;

(v) air filtration;

(vi) enhanced environmental disinfection and cleaning;

(vii) safe commuting and telework options;

(viii) enhanced technological infrastructure to support telework;

(ix) vaccine prioritization, distribution, and administration;

(x) approaches for coordinating with State, local, Tribal, and territorial health officials, as well as business, union, academic, and other community leaders;

(xi) any management infrastructure needed by agencies to implement public health guidance; and

(xii) circumstances under which exemptions might appropriately be made to agency policies in accordance with CDC guidelines, such as for mission-critical purposes.

(f) Agency Cooperation. The head of each agency listed in 31 U.S.C. 901(b) shall, consistent with applicable law, promptly provide the Task Force a report on COVID-19 safety protocols, safety plans, or guidance regarding the operation of the agency and the safety of its employees, and any other information that the head of the agency deems relevant to the Task Force’s work.

Sec. 5. Federal Employee Testing. The Secretary of HHS, through the Director of CDC, shall promptly develop and submit to the COVID-19 Response Coordinator a testing plan for the Federal workforce. This plan shall be based on community transmission metrics and address the populations to be tested, testing types, frequency of testing, positive case protocols, and coordination with local public health authorities for contact tracing.

Sec. 6. Research and Development. The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, in consultation with the Secretary of HHS (through the National Science and Technology Council), the Director of OMB, the Director of CDC, the Director of the National Institutes of Health, the Director of the National Science Foundation, and the heads of any other appropriate agencies, shall assess the availability of Federal research grants to study best practices for implementing, and innovations to better implement, effective mask-wearing and physical distancing policies, with respect to both the Federal workforce and the general public.

Sec. 7. Scope. (a) For purposes of this order:

(i) “Federal employees” and “Federal contractors” mean employees (including members of the Armed Forces and members of the National Guard in Federal service) and contractors (including such contractors’ employees) working for the executive branch;

(ii) “Federal buildings” means buildings, or office space within buildings, owned, rented, or leased by the executive branch of which a substantial portion of occupants are Federal employees or Federal contractors; and

(iii) “Federal lands” means lands under executive branch control.

(b) The Director of OPM and the Administrator of General Services shall seek to consult, in coordination with the heads of any other relevant agencies and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, with the Sergeants at Arms of the Senate and the House of Representatives and the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (or such other persons designated by the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House, or the Chief Justice of the United States, respectively), to promote mask-wearing, physical distancing, and adherence to other public health measures within the legislative and judicial branches, and shall provide requested technical assistance as needed to facilitate compliance with CDC guidelines.

Sec. 8. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(d) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE,
January 20, 2021.

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Clarksville Gas and Water Department’s online, pay-by-phone payment feature access to be ...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 22:13:49 GMT

Clarksville, TN – The Clarksville Gas and Water Department’s customer online bill payment, WebConnect, and pay-by-phone payment feature, Utility Billing Line, will be down temporarily on Sunday, January 24th, 2021 from 4:00am until approximately 7:00am for routine system maintenance.

Emergency phone lines will operate, bill payment drop off boxes available

The upgrade is necessary and important for security and to optimize operating system performance.

Please check back for online payment feature access.

Convenient customer service center drop-off boxes located at 2015 Fort Campbell Boulevard and 2215 Madison Street are available for bill payment deposit at any hour.

The Clarksville Gas and Water Department main phone line, 931.645.7400, and the emergency after-hours number, 931.645.0116, will be operational for gas, water, and sewer emergency calls.

About Clarksville Gas and Water Department

Clarksville Gas and Water is proud to safely and efficiently deliver natural gas, water, and sewer services to the citizens of Clarksville-Montgomery County by a courteous and professional team of knowledgeable employees.

Natural gas service is also provided to Robertson and Cheatham counties in Tennessee, Christian and Todd counties in Kentucky, and to the Fort Campbell, Kentucky military installation.

CGW is also home to the City Engineering Office that provides expert design and support for water and sewer system capital improvement projects.

Clarksville Gas and Water Department’s main office is located at 2215 Madison Street, Clarksville, Tennessee. The phone is 931.645.7400. Hours are 8:00am-4:30pm Monday-Friday.

For an emergency after hours, call 931.645.0116, 4:30pm-8:00am Weekends and Holidays.

For more information about Clarksville Gas and Water, visit their website at www.clarksvillegw.com

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President Joe Biden’s Proclamation on Ending Discriminatory Bans on Entry to The United States

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 22:00:25 GMT

By The President Of The United States Of America
A Proclamation
Washington, D.C. – The United States was built on a foundation of religious freedom and tolerance, a principle enshrined in the United States Constitution.

Nevertheless, the previous administration enacted a number of Executive Orders and Presidential Proclamations that prevented certain individuals from entering the United States — first from primarily Muslim countries, and later, from largely African countries.

United States President Joe Biden.

Those actions are a stain on our national conscience and are inconsistent with our long history of welcoming people of all faiths and no faith at all.

Beyond contravening our values, these Executive Orders and Proclamations have undermined our national security. They have jeopardized our global network of alliances and partnerships and are a moral blight that has dulled the power of our example the world over. And they have separated loved ones, inflicting pain that will ripple for years to come. They are just plain wrong.

Make no mistake, where there are threats to our Nation, we will address them. Where there are opportunities to strengthen information-sharing with partners, we will pursue them. And when visa applicants request entry to the United States, we will apply a rigorous, individualized vetting system. But we will not turn our backs on our values with discriminatory bans on entry into the United States.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f) and 1185(a), hereby find that it is in the interests of the United States to revoke Executive Order 13780 of March 6, 2017 (Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States), Proclamation 9645 of September 24, 2017 (Enhancing Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats), Proclamation 9723 of April 10, 2018 (Maintaining Enhanced Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats), and Proclamation 9983 of January 31, 2020 (Improving Enhanced Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats). Our national security will be enhanced by revoking the Executive Order and Proclamations.

Accordingly, I hereby proclaim:

Section 1. Revocations. Executive Order 13780, and Proclamations 9645, 9723, and 9983 are hereby revoked.

Sec. 2. Resumption of Visa Processing and Clearing the Backlog of Cases in Waiver Processing. (a) The Secretary of State shall direct all Embassies and Consulates, consistent with applicable law and visa processing procedures, including any related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), to resume visa processing in a manner consistent with the revocation of the Executive Order and Proclamations specified in section 1 of this proclamation.

(b) Within 45 days of the date of this proclamation, the Secretary of State shall provide to the President a report that includes the following elements:

(i) The number of visa applicants who were being considered for a waiver of restrictions under Proclamation 9645 or 9983 on the date of this proclamation and a plan for expeditiously adjudicating their pending visa applications.

(ii) A proposal to ensure that individuals whose immigrant visa applications were denied on the basis of the suspension and restriction on entry imposed by Proclamation 9645 or 9983 may have their applications reconsidered. This proposal shall consider whether to reopen immigrant visa applications that were denied due to the suspension and restriction on entry imposed by Proclamation 9645 or 9983, whether it is necessary to charge an additional fee to process those visa applications, and development of a plan for the Department of State to expedite consideration of those visa applications.

(iii) A plan to ensure that visa applicants are not prejudiced as a result of a previous visa denial due to the suspension and restriction on entry imposed by Proclamation 9645 or 9983 if they choose to re-apply for a visa.

Sec. 3. Review of Information-Sharing Relationships and a Plan to Strengthen Partnerships. Within 120 days of the date of this proclamation, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, shall provide to the President a report consisting of the following elements:

(a) A description of the current screening and vetting procedures for those seeking immigrant and nonimmigrant entry to the United States. This should include information about any procedures put in place as a result of any of the Executive Order and Proclamations revoked in section 1 of this proclamation and should also include an evaluation of the usefulness of form DS-5535.

(b) A review of foreign government information-sharing practices vis-à-vis the United States in order to evaluate the efficacy of those practices, their contribution to processes for screening and vetting those individuals seeking entry to the United States as immigrants and nonimmigrants, and how the United States ensures the accuracy and reliability of the information provided by foreign governments.

(c) Recommendations to improve screening and vetting activities, including diplomatic efforts to improve international information-sharing, use of foreign assistance funds, where appropriate, to support capacity building for information-sharing and identity-management practices, and ways to further integrate relevant executive department and agency data into the vetting system.

(d) A review of the current use of social media identifiers in the screening and vetting process, including an assessment of whether this use has meaningfully improved screening and vetting, and recommendations in light of this assessment.

Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This proclamation shall be implemented in a manner consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This proclamation is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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Tennessee Department of Health reports 2,469 new cases of COVID-19 Coronavirus in Tennessee, ...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 21:02:16 GMT

Nashville, TN – On Thursday, January 21st, 2021, the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) reports that there have been 595,783 confirmed cases of COVID-19 Coronavirus. That is an increase of 2,469 cases from Wednesday’s 593,314. There have been 7,221 (+87) confirmed deaths in Tennessee because of the virus.

O N E H U N D R E D S E V E N T E E N new cases of the COVID-19 Coronavirus have been reported in Montgomery County. The total is 14,836. Eight of the new cases reported today were in the age group of 5-18 year olds. There have been 149 deaths in Montgomery County due to the virus.

COVID-19 Coronavirus

There have been T H I R T Y E I G H T new cases of the COVID-19 Coronavirus reported in Robertson County. The total is 7,779. There have been eighty six (+1) deaths in Robertson County due to the virus. E I G H T E E N new cases of COVID-19 Coronavirus have been reported in Cheatham County. The total is 3,457. There have been thirty one (+1) deaths in Cheatham County due to the virus.

S I X T Y new cases of the COVID-19 Coronavirus have been reported in Dickson County. The total in Dickson County is 5,495. There have been eighty (+1) deaths in Dickson County because of the virus.

There have been two new cases of COVID-19 Coronavirus reported in Houston County. The total in Houston County is 944. There have been twenty two deaths in Houston County due to the virus. FIVE new cases of COVID-19 Coronavirus have been reported in Benton County. The total is 1,330. There have been thirty five deaths in Benton County due to the virus.

T H I R T E E N new cases of the COVID-19 Coronavirus have been reported in Humphreys County. The total is 1,357. There have been seventeen deaths in Humphreys County due to the virus.

There have been THREE new cases of the COVID-19 Coronavirus reported in Carroll County. The total in Carroll County is 3,143. There have been sixty (+1) deaths in Carroll County due to the virus.

T W E N T Y S I X new cases of the COVID-19 Coronavirus have been reported in Henry County. The total is 2,655. There have been fifty eight deaths in Henry County due to the virus. There have been FOUR new cases of COVID-19 Coronavirus reported in Stewart County. The total of cases in Stewart County is 1,074. There have been twenty deaths in Stewart County due to the virus.

There have been S I X T Y S I X new cases of the COVID-19 Coronavirus reported in Christian County Kentucky. The total is 5,361. There have been sixty two (+5) deaths in Christian County Kentucky due to the virus.

Nashville-Davidson County now has 71,995 confirmed cases of COVID-19 Coronavirus. That is an increase of 417 cases from Wednesday’s 71,578. There have been 679 (+1) deaths in Davidson County due to the virus.

According to John Hopkins University, there are now a total of 24,538,028 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 Coronavirus in the United States. That is an increase of 206,867 cases in 48 hours from Wednesday’s 24,331,161. There have now been 408,011 deaths in the United States connected to COVID-19 Coronavirus. This is an increase of 4,059 deaths from Wednesday’s 403,952.

Tennessee Confirmed Cases

Download (PDF, 507KB)

Case Management Protocol

The Tennessee Department of Health will post updated COVID-19 Coronavirus cases including the county of residence between 2:00pm and 5:00pm each day at www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov.html.
The TDH State Public Health Laboratory is running COVID-19 Coronavirus testing seven days a week to assist public health authorities and health care workers in identifying cases and treating individuals.
TDH directly oversees 89 county health departments and serves as a partner organization to the six major metropolitan jurisdictions including Shelby County, Madison County, Davidson County, Knox County, Hamilton County, and Sullivan County.

Recommended Precautions

Tennesseans are encouraged to take routine precautions used in guarding against respiratory viruses:

Wash your hands often with soap and water. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing
Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
Stay home if you are sick
Stay away from people who are sick

COVID-19 Symptoms

Most patients with confirmed COVID-19 Coronavirus infection have a mild respiratory illness with fever, cough, and shortness of breath. A smaller number of patients have severe symptoms requiring hospitalization.

COVID-19 Information Line

TDH has launched a Tennessee Coronavirus Public Information Line in partnership with the Tennessee Poison Center. The number is 877.857.2945 and is available daily from 10:00am to 10:00pm CT.

People with concerns about their health should contact their health care providers. TDH has additional information available at www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov.html

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated information and guidance available online at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

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President Joe Biden’s Executive Order on Revocation of Certain Executive Orders Concerning ...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 20:02:47 GMT

Washington, D.C. – By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered that:

Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration to use available tools to confront the urgent challenges facing the Nation, including the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, economic recovery, racial justice, and climate change.

United States President Joe Biden.

To tackle these challenges effectively, executive departments and agencies (agencies) must be equipped with the flexibility to use robust regulatory action to address national priorities.

This order revokes harmful policies and directives that threaten to frustrate the Federal Government’s ability to confront these problems and empowers agencies to use appropriate regulatory tools to achieve these goals.

Sec. 2. Revocation of Orders. Executive Order 13771 of January 30, 2017 (Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs), Executive Order 13777 of February 24th, 2017 (Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda), Executive Order 13875 of June 14th, 2019 (Evaluating and Improving the Utility of Federal Advisory Committees), Executive Order 13891 of October 9th, 2019 (Promoting the Rule of Law Through Improved Agency Guidance Documents), Executive Order 13892 of October 9, 2019 (Promoting the Rule of Law Through Transparency and Fairness in Civil Administrative Enforcement and Adjudication), and Executive Order 13893 of October 10, 2019 (Increasing Government Accountability for Administrative Actions by Reinvigorating Administrative PAYGO), are hereby revoked.

Sec. 3. Implementation. The Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the heads of agencies shall promptly take steps to rescind any orders, rules, regulations, guidelines, or policies, or portions thereof, implementing or enforcing the Executive Orders identified in section 2 of this order, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, including the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. 551 et seq. If in any case such rescission cannot be finalized immediately, the Director and the heads of agencies shall promptly take steps to provide all available exemptions authorized by any such orders, rules, regulations, guidelines, or policies, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law. In addition, any personnel positions, committees, task forces, or other entities established pursuant to the Executive Orders identified in section 2 of this order, including the regulatory reform officer positions and regulatory reform task forces established by sections 2 and 3 of Executive Order 13777, shall be abolished, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law.

Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented in a manner consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE,
January 20th, 2021.

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University of Tennessee names Danny White Athletics Director

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 19:39:09 GMT

Knoxville, TN – Dr. Danny White, recently ranked the fourth-best athletic director in the country by Stadium, will become the new athletic director at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Chancellor Donde Plowman announced today, Thursday, January 21st, 2021.

His consistent record of transforming college athletic programs to win championships, drive growth, and achieve success, have made him a rising star in college athletics.

“Danny White is an innovative leader in college athletics with a strong track record in recruiting and developing leaders. He brings the combination of winning attitude, competitive drive, and dedication to integrity and academics that we are looking for,” Chancellor Plowman said.

“We undertook this search with urgency and found strong interest from a robust candidate pool, enabling us to act quickly and with great confidence. I’m proud to say we found our leader, and I’d like to thank President Boyd, our trustees, and our staff for their support and hard work,” stated Plowman.

Commenting on his appointment, White said, “I am thrilled to be headed to Knoxville and to a university with a great competitive tradition and a spirited and devoted fan base. Volunteer fans have an expectation to win, and my first task will be taking on the search for a new head football coach. But I want all Vols to know that I am deeply committed to excellence in all of our athletic programs.”

Winning with Integrity

White’s own record of excellence since he took over as athletic director at the University of Central Florida is extraordinary. It includes two consecutive American Athletic Conference football championships, multiple bowl appearances, and a 25-game winning streak.

Beyond football, his record includes NCAA tournament appearances for the men’s and women’s basketball teams, the baseball team, and the soccer team. UCF was the only NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision program in which each of its sports produced winning records across several years. He has also been successful in raising funds to improve the quality of athletic facilities.

White grew up around college athletics and comes from a family who are all leaders in college athletics including his father, Kevin White, now vice president and athletic director at Duke University; his brother, Michael, head men’s basketball coach at the University of Florida; his brother, Brian, vice president and director of athletics at Florida Atlantic University; and his sister, Mariah, assistant athletics director for administration at SMU.

White has been widely recognized for his achievements. He has been recognized as one of “40 Under 40” by Sports Business Journal as well as the Orlando Business Journal, and he was a finalist for the 2018 SBJ Athletics Director of the Year honor. In 2020, Stadium rated him as number four on the nationwide list of college athletic directors.

He has also emphasized the “student” part of student-athlete. During his tenure at UCF, teams combined for 25 consecutive semesters with a 3.0 GPA or better, and a record 253 Knights earned spots on the 2019 American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team.

“Danny White is a great fit for the programs we are building at Tennessee,” UT System President Randy Boyd said. “He combines a strong vision for competitive excellence with a deep commitment to winning with integrity. The greatest decade in UT Athletics begins now.”

Prior to arriving at UCF in 2015, White was athletic director at the State University of New York at Buffalo from 2012to 2015. White worked with athletics administrators, coaches, and staff to transform the Bulls’ program and culture, shattering previous school records for student-athlete GPAs, NCAA Championship berths, fundraising, and football ticket sales. Prior to his position at SUNY Buffalo, he served as senior associate athletics director at the University of Mississippi, assistant athletics director at California State University–Fresno, and assistant athletics director at Northern Illinois University.

White played college basketball at Towson University and the University of Notre Dame, from which he graduated in 2002. He earned master’s degrees in business administration and sports administration from Ohio University and earned a doctorate in higher education from the University of Mississippi in 2016.

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President Joe Biden’s Letter stating United States to stay member in World Health Organization

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 19:20:10 GMT

His Excellency
Mr. António Guterres
Secretary-General
United Nations
New York

Washington, D.C. – Excellency:

This letter constitutes a retraction by the Government of the United States of the letter dated July 6th, 2020, notifying you that the Government of the United States intended to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), effective July 6th, 2021. The United States intends to remain a member of the World Health Organization.

United States President Joe Biden.

The WHO plays a crucial role in the world’s fight against the deadly COVID-19 Coronaivrus pandemic as well as countless other threats to global health and health security.

The United States will continue to be a full participant and a global leader in confronting such threats and advancing global health and health security.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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Austin Peay State University’s The New Gallery ‘The Katrina Chronicles’ by Peter Precourt

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 18:00:36 GMT

Clarksville, TN – The New Gallery, with support from the Austin Peay State University Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts and the APSU Department of Art + Design, is pleased to present The Katrina Chronicles, a new exhibition by artist Peter Precourt, to continue an exciting 2020-2021 exhibition season.

The New Gallery at Austin Peay State University presents ‘The Katrina Chronicles’ by Peter Precourt. (APSU)

“The Katrina Chronicles is a densely narrative exhibition where artist/storyteller Peter Precourt presents a series of personal stories as a way of dealing with his experience of losing most of his possessions and artwork in the devastation that Hurricane Katrina brought to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi,” said Michael Dickins, curator, and director of The New Gallery.

“The Chronicles are told in a form that hovers somewhere between a graphic novel, a journal entry, a painting, a memoir, and a flippant conversation. With this work, Precourt hopes to make images that openly engage the imperfection of memory, the possibility of change, and the restorative power of storytelling,” Dickins stated.

In Precourt’s words, “The most depressing visual feature of the Mississippi coast, after the immense destruction, was the endless amount of debris. Everything was leveled and spread across the coastal landscape: nails, drywall, toilets, tires, forks, needles … everything that was once in a house or a garage was now scattered all over the ground.

The Katrina Chronicles

Over the past six years, I have struggled to come to terms with a way to tell my experience, which is a single-story amongst thousands of stories in the aftermath of Katrina. Ultimately, it made sense to me to tell The Katrina Chronicles in a form that embraces the stepchild nature of Mississippi and the leveling power of Katrina.”

Dickins added, “Since arriving at APSU, I have been interested in curating and exhibiting artists whose artwork is a direct extension of their identity and personal experiences. This exhibition is different in that it is extremely autobiographical, revealing, and distinctively linear. The Katrina Chronicles is unpretentiously presented and, through Precourt’s vulnerability and humor, profoundly relatable.”

About the artist Peter Precourt

Peter Precourt

Precourt lives and works in Winthrop, Maine, with his wife Jane and teenage children Charlotte and Will. He is an interdisciplinary artist, curator, and professor of art at the University of Maine at Augusta where he coordinates the Art Department. He received his MFA in Painting from the University of Houston in 2000 and later served as an affiliate artist there. In 2005-2006, he served as head of the painting department at William Carey University in Gulfport, Mississippi. In 2007, he conducted a four-part lecture series at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, concerning art since 1960.

Precourt has an active studio and social art practice. He has been a guest lecturer at the University of Southern Maine, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Reed College, Fort Lewis College, San Jacinto College, Lincoln Memorial University, Kennesaw State University, ArtHouse Center for Contemporary Art, New York University and the University of Lisbon in Portugal. His work has been exhibited in Austin, Texas; Cincinnati, Ohio; Dallas, Texas; Gyeonggi-do, Korea; Houston; Los Angeles; New Orleans, Louisiana; Nashville; New York and Portland, Oregon.

To learn more about Peter Precourt, visit his www.peterprecourt.com.

Exhibition, walk-through, gallery tour

The exhibit opened Tuesday, January 19th, 2021, at The New Gallery, located in the Art + Design building on the campus of Austin Peay State University, and runs through February 12th. A 360-degree virtual walk-through will accompany this exhibition for those who wish to view the work from the safety of their homes. The walk-through can be found on The New Gallery’s webpage and can be accessed via www.apsu.edu/art-design. The virtual walk-through will be integrated with an “artist-led” gallery tour.

An artist lecture with Peter Precourt will be held at 6:00pm February 3rd via Zoom. Register here for this free talk.

Hours for The New Gallery are 10:00am-3:00pm Tuesday-Thursday, closed on weekends and holidays, and follows the university’s academic calendar. To maintain social distance measures, a 15-person limit rule will be in effect.

For more information on this exhibition, which is free and open to the public, contact Dickins at dickinsm@apsu.edu.

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President Joe Biden’s Executive Order on Organizing, Mobilizing the United States Government ...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 16:00:40 GMT

Washington, D.C. – By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Purpose. The Federal Government must act swiftly and aggressively to combat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To that end, this order creates the position of Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President and takes other steps to organize the White House and activities of the Federal Government to combat COVID-19 and prepare for future biological and pandemic threats.

United States President Joe Biden.

Sec. 2. Organizing the White House to Combat COVID-19. (a) In order to effectively, fully, and immediately respond to COVID-19, there is established within the Executive Office of the President the position of Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator) and the position of Deputy Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response. The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall report directly to the President; advise and assist the President and executive departments and agencies (agencies) in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic; coordinate all elements of the COVID-19 response, and perform such duties as the President may otherwise direct. These duties shall include:

(i) coordinating a Government-wide effort to reduce disparities in the response, care, and treatment of COVID-19, including racial and ethnic disparities;

(ii) coordinating the Federal Government’s efforts to produce, supply, and distribute personal protective equipment, vaccines, tests, and other supplies for the Nation’s COVID-19 response, including through the use of the Defense Production Act, as amended (50 U.S.C. 4501 et seq.);

(iii) coordinating the Federal Government’s efforts to expand COVID-19 testing and the use of testing as an effective public health response;

(iv) coordinating the Federal Government’s efforts to support the timely, safe, and effective delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to the United States population;

(v) coordinating the Federal Government’s efforts to support the safe reopening and operation of schools, child care providers, and Head Start programs, and to help ensure the continuity of educational and other services for young children and elementary and secondary students during the COVID-19 pandemic; and

(vi) coordinating, as appropriate, with State, local, tribal, and territorial authorities.

(b) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall have the authority to convene principals from relevant agencies, in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy (APDP) on matters involving the domestic COVID-19 response, and in consultation with the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA) on matters involving the global COVID-19 response. The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall also coordinate any corresponding deputies and interagency processes.

Sec. 3. United States Leadership on Global Health and Security and the Global COVID-19 Response. (a) Preparing to Respond to Biological Threats and Pandemics. To identify, monitor, prepare for, and, if necessary, respond to emerging biological and pandemic threats:

(i) The APNSA shall convene the National Security Council (NSC) Principals Committee as necessary to coordinate the Federal Government’s efforts to address such threats and to advise the President on the global response to and recovery from COVID-19, including matters regarding: the intersection of the COVID-19 response and other national security equities; global health security; engaging with and strengthening the World Health Organization; public health, access to healthcare, and the secondary impacts of COVID-19; and emerging biological risks and threats, whether naturally occurring, deliberate, or accidental.

(ii) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the APNSA shall, in coordination with relevant agencies, the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, and the APDP, complete a review of and recommend actions to the President concerning emerging domestic and global biological risks and national biopreparedness policies. The review and recommended actions shall incorporate lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and, among other things, address: the readiness of the pandemic supply chain, healthcare workforce, and hospitals; the development of a framework of pandemic readiness with specific triggers for when agencies should take action in response to large-scale biological events; pandemic border readiness; the development and distribution of medical countermeasures; epidemic forecasting and modeling; public health data modernization; bio-related intelligence; bioeconomic investments; biotechnology risks; the development of a framework for coordinating with and distributing responsibilities as between the Federal Government and State, local, Tribal, and territorial authorities; and State, local, Tribal, and territorial preparedness for biological events.

(b) NSC Directorate on Global Health Security and Biodefense. There shall be an NSC Directorate on Global Health Security and Biodefense, which shall be headed by a Senior Director for Global Health Security and Biodefense. The Senior Director shall be responsible for monitoring current and emerging biological threats, and shall report concurrently to the APNSA and to the COVID-19 Response Coordinator on matters relating to COVID-19. The Senior Director shall oversee the Global Health Security Agenda Interagency Review Council, which was established pursuant to Executive Order 13747 of November 4, 2016 (Advancing the Global Health Security Agenda To Achieve a World Safe and Secure From Infectious Disease Threats), and is hereby reconvened as described in that order.

(c) Responsibility for National Biodefense Preparedness. Notwithstanding any statements in the National Security Presidential Memorandum-14 of September 18th, 2018 (Support for National Biodefense), the APNSA shall be responsible for coordinating the Nation’s biodefense preparedness efforts, and, as stated in sections 1 and 2 of this order, the COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall be responsible for coordinating the Federal Government’s response to the COVID?19 pandemic.

Sec. 4. Prompt Resolution of Issues Related to the United States COVID-19 Response. The heads of agencies shall, as soon as practicable, bring any procedural, departmental, legal, or funding obstacle to the COVID-19 response to the attention of the COVID-19 Response Coordinator. The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall, in coordination with relevant agencies, the APDP, and the APNSA, as appropriate, immediately bring to the President’s attention any issues that require Presidential guidance or decision-making.

Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to availability of appropriations.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE,
January 20th, 2021.

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President Joe Biden: Paris Climate Agreement

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 15:18:34 GMT

Acceptance On Behalf Of The United States Of America
Washington, D.C. – I, Joseph R. Biden Jr., President of the United States of America, having seen and considered the Paris Agreement, done at Paris on December 12th, 2015, do hereby accept the said Agreement and every article and clause thereof on behalf of the United States of America.

Done at Washington this 20th day of January 2021.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

United States President Joe Biden.

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APSU Women’s Tennis set to defend OVC Title, 2021 Spring Schedule released

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 14:00:42 GMT

Clarksville, TN – After last season’s title defense was cut short for Austin Peay State University (APSU) women’s tennis, head coach Ross Brown is set to announce the upcoming 2021 spring tennis schedule for the still defending Ohio Valley Conference champions.

The APSU Governors will kick off Brown’s ninth season at the helm with a 1:30pm, January 24th match against Central Arkansas in Nashville.

After the season-opening match, the Govs will travel to Chattanooga (February 14th), Carson-Newman (February 20th), Middle Tennessee (February 27th), and North Alabama (March 6th).

After four-straight matches on the road, the Governors will play their first home match in Clarksville when they take on Illinois State at 11:00am, March 9th. APSU will then wrap up the non-conference slate when they play a 12:00pm, March 12th match against Western Kentucky in Clarksville.

Following a seven-match non-conference schedule, the Governors will kick off Ohio Valley Conference play at home with a 10:00am, March 26th match against Jacksonville State. Austin Peay State University will then hit the road for a pair of OVC matches against Southeast Missouri (April 2nd) and UT Martin (April 3rd).

The Govs will return home for matches against Eastern Illinois (April 9th) and SIU Edwardsville (April 10th), before hitting the road for the final time in the regular season to take on Belmont (April 13th). Finally, APSU will play its regular-season finale when they host Murray State for a 12:00pm, April 16th match.

As was previously announced by the OVC, due to challenges associated with the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, it was decided that field sizes for some OVC Championships will be reduced as a one-year measure only. Men’s and women’s tennis are two of the team sports moving to smaller championship fields, and only four teams will qualify for the postseason.

With only four teams qualifying for the OVC Championship, the semifinal matches will be played on April 24th and the finals will be played on April 25th at a site that has yet to be determined.

In the time of COVID-19 Coronavirus, there is always a chance that a match will be postponed or not come to fruition. For news, scheduling changes, and match-time updates, be sure to check back at LetsGoPeay.com or follow the Governors women’s tennis Twitter account (@AustinPeayWTN).

2021 APSU Women’s Tennis Schedule

Download (PDF, 163KB)

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President Joe Biden’s Proclamation on the Termination Of Emergency With Respect To The ...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 11:20:19 GMT

By The President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Washington, D.C. – Like every nation, the United States has a right and a duty to secure its borders and protect its people against threats. But building a massive wall that spans the entire southern border is not a serious policy solution.

It is a waste of money that diverts attention from genuine threats to our homeland security. My Administration is committed to ensuring that the United States has a comprehensive and humane immigration system that operates consistently with our Nation’s values.

United States President Joe Biden.

In furtherance of that commitment, I have determined that the declaration of a national emergency at our southern border in Proclamation 9844 of February 15th, 2019 (Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Southern Border of the United States), was unwarranted.

It shall be the policy of my Administration that no more American taxpayer dollars be diverted to construct a border wall. I am also directing a careful review of all resources appropriated or redirected to construct a southern border wall.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 202 of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), hereby declare that the national emergency declared by Proclamation 9844, and continued on February 13, 2020 (85 Fed. Reg. 8715), and January 15, 2021, is terminated and that the authorities invoked in that proclamation will no longer be used to construct a wall at the southern border. I hereby further direct as follows:

Section 1. Pause in Construction and Obligation of Funds. (a) The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, shall direct the appropriate officials within their respective departments to:

(i) pause work on each construction project on the southern border wall, to the extent permitted by law, as soon as possible but in no case later than seven days from the date of this proclamation, to permit:

(A) assessment of the legality of the funding and contracting methods used to construct the wall;

(B) assessment of the administrative and contractual consequences of ceasing each wall construction project; and

(ii) pause immediately the obligation of funds related to construction of the southern border wall, to the extent permitted by law; and

(iii) compile detailed information on all southern border wall construction contracts, the completion status of each wall construction project, and the funds used for wall construction since February 15th, 2019, including directly appropriated funds and funds drawn from the Treasury Forfeiture Fund (31 U.S.C. 9705(g)(4)(B)), the Department of Defense Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities account (10 U.S.C. 284), and the Department of Defense Military Construction account (pursuant to the emergency authorities in 10 U.S.C. 2808(a) and 33 U.S.C. 2293(a)).

(b) The pause directed in subsection (a)(i) of this section shall apply to wall projects funded by redirected funds as well as wall projects funded by direct appropriations. The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security may make an exception to the pause, however, for urgent measures needed to avert immediate physical dangers or where an exception is required to ensure that funds appropriated by the Congress fulfill their intended purpose.

Sec. 2. Plan for Redirecting Funding and Repurposing Contracts. The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Attorney General, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and the heads of any other appropriate executive departments and agencies, and in consultation with the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, shall develop a plan for the redirection of funds concerning the southern border wall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law. The process of developing the plan shall include consideration of terminating or repurposing contracts with private contractors engaged in wall construction, while providing for the expenditure of any funds that the Congress expressly appropriated for wall construction, consistent with their appropriated purpose. The plan shall be developed within 60 days from the date of this proclamation. After the plan is developed, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall take all appropriate steps to resume, modify, or terminate projects and to otherwise implement the plan.

Sec. 3. Definition. Consistent with Executive Order 13767 of January 25th, 2017 (Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements), for the purposes of this proclamation, “wall” means a contiguous, physical wall or other similarly secure, contiguous, and impassable physical barrier.

Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This proclamation shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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NASA Conducts SLS Rocket Core Stage Test for Artemis I Moon Mission

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 07:00:47 GMT

Washington, D.C. – NASA conducted a hot fire Saturday of the core stage for the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that will launch the Artemis I mission to the Moon. The hot fire is the final test of the Green Run series.

The test plan called for the rocket’s four RS-25 engines to fire for a little more than eight minutes – the same amount of time it will take to send the rocket to space following launch. The team successfully completed the countdown and ignited the engines, but the engines shut down a little more than one minute into the hot fire.

The core stage for the first flight of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket is seen in the B-2 Test Stand during a hot fire test Jan. 16, 2021, at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. (NASA Television)

Teams are assessing the data to determine what caused the early shutdown, and will determine a path forward.

For the test, the 212-foot core stage generated 1.6 million pounds of thrust, while anchored in the B-2 Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

The hot-fire test included loading 733,000 pounds of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen – mirroring the launch countdown procedure – and igniting the engines.

“Saturday’s test was an important step forward to ensure that the core stage of the SLS rocket is ready for the Artemis I mission, and to carry crew on future missions,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, who attended the test. “Although the engines did not fire for the full duration, the team successfully worked through the countdown, ignited the engines, and gained valuable data to inform our path forward.”

Support teams across the Stennis test complex provided high-pressure gases to the test stand, delivered all operational electrical power, supplied more than 330,000 gallons of water per minute to protect the test stand flame deflector and ensure the structural integrity of the core stage, and captured data needed to evaluate the core stage performance.

The four RS-25 engines fired for a little more than one minute and generated 1.6 million pounds of thrust. (NASA Television)

“Seeing all four engines ignite for the first time during the core stage hot fire test was a big milestone for the Space Launch System team” said John Honeycutt, the SLS program manager at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “We will analyze the data, and what we learned from today’s test will help us plan the right path forward for verifying this new core stage is ready for flight on the Artemis I mission.”

The Green Run series of tests began in January 2020, when the stage was delivered from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and installed in the B-2 test stand at Stennis. The team completed the first of the eight tests in the Green Run series before standing down in March due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

After resuming work in May, the team worked through the remaining tests in the series, while also standing down periodically as six tropical storms or hurricanes affected the Gulf Coast. Each test built upon the previous test with increasing complexity to evaluate the stages’ sophisticated systems, and the hot fire test that lit up all four engines was the final test in the series.

“Stennis has not witnessed this level of power since the testing of Saturn V stages in the 1960s,” said Stennis Center Director Rick Gilbrech. “Stennis is the premier rocket propulsion facility that tested the Saturn V first and second stages that carried humans to the Moon during the Apollo Program, and now, this hot fire is exactly why we test like we fly and fly like we test. We will learn from today’s early shutdown, identify any corrections if needed, and move forward.”

In addition to analyzing the data, teams also will inspect the core stage and its four RS-25 engines before determining the next steps. Under the Artemis program, NASA is working to land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024. SLS and the Orion spacecraft that will carry astronauts to space, along with the human landing system and the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, are NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration.

For more information about the Green Run test series, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/artemisprogram/greenrun

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Representative Mark Green Statement on President Joe Biden’s Inauguration

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 05:00:02 GMT

Washington, D.C. – Today, Wednesday, January 20th, 2021, U.S. Representative Mark Green issued the following statement regarding President Joe Biden’s inauguration:

“Today, America witnessed the peaceful transfer of power from one President to another. I appreciated the words of President Biden on unity, and I pray and hope that those words will be translated into action.

I will do all I can to help our Nation come together and to put America first. I hope you will join me in praying for President Biden, Vice President Harris, and our country as we continue to work toward a more perfect union.”

U.S. Representative Mark Green

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Marsha Blackburn on Inauguration of 46th President of the United States

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 04:16:24 GMT

Washington, D.C. – Today, Wednesday, January 20th, 2021, United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R—Tenn.) attended the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States.

“I join Tennesseans in wishing our new President and Vice President well,” said Senator Blackburn. “I will seek to work with the new Administration to protect our constitutional freedoms and improve the lives of the American people. I also thank our brave law enforcement and military personnel for their tireless efforts in ensuring a safe, secure, and peaceful transfer of power.”

Marsha Blackburn

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Austin Peay State University Men’s Basketball takes on Tennessee Tech at Dunn Center

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 04:06:02 GMT

Austin Peay (7-4 | 3-2 OVC) vs. Tennessee Tech (2-13 | 2-6 OVC)

Thursday, January 21st, 2021 | 7:30pm CT
Clarksville, TN | Dunn Center

Clarksville, TN – After a lengthy break between games due to COVID-19 Coronavirus protocols, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) men’s basketball team looks to get back in the swing of things with a Thursday night matchup against Tennessee Tech in the Dunn Center.

Austin Peay State University Men’s Basketball get back to OVC play Thursday when the Govs host Tennessee Tech. (APSU Sports Information)

Tip-off will not begin before 7:30pm as the second half of a doubleheader following the women’s game against the Golden Eagles; the women’s game tips at 4:30pm.

It will be Frontline Worker Appreciation Night at the Dunn Center, with 100 tickets available to front-line workers.

About the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles

The Golden Eagles 2-13 record doesn’t look like much but underestimate John Pelphrey’s squad at your peril. Both wins have come in league play, and of Tennessee Tech’s six Ohio Valley Conference losses, one was to league-leading Belmont and three others were on the road to Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky, and Morehead State after a non-conference slate that took them to Indiana, Tennessee, Xavier, and Western Kentucky among other locales.

Recently-minted thousand-point scorer Jr. Clay has been the catalyst for the Golden Eagles for most of his Tennessee Tech career, and he once again leads the way at 14.4 points per game. The 6-0 guard from Chattanooga has seen his shooting numbers take a dip early in his junior season but has picked up steam defensively with a career-high 2.3 steals per game.

The Golden Eagles put up shots from beyond the arc–against Eastern Kentucky, they hit 15 three-pointers, three short of the program record. Tennessee Tech has put up 359 three-pointers this season, 26th nationally, and hit 113 (55th).

However, the Golden Eagles have committed 256 turnovers, most by a Division I team in 2020-21, 11 more than any team. The APSU Govs can pressure the ball and render any long-range advantage for the Golden Eagles moot with a strong defensive effort.

Austin Peay State University’s Last Game Against Tennessee Tech

Austin Peay State University endured two separate second-half scoring droughts but built a strong enough first-half framework to stake a 75-62 win in Cookeville, January 9th, 2020.

Twice, the Govs endured scoreless droughts of over six minutes, but Austin Peay’s otherwise sterling shooting night (63.0 percent from the floor outside the two scoreless deserts) saw the Govs put four in double figures led by Terry Taylor with 27 points.

Austin Peay State University got all 75 points from its starting five, with Jordyn Adams also putting together a 20-point night.

Keep An Eye On

The APSU Govs seek their first home win against Tennessee Tech since 2014.

Over the past three games, the Govs have outscored opponents 34.0-to-19.3 on points in the paint.

Through 11 games the Govs have already tried five different lineup combinations in 2020-21.

The Govs have won five straight Thursday contests dating back to last season.

Taylor is averaging 23.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists over his last four games, hitting 51.4 percent (37-for-72) from the floor, 38.5 percent (5-for-13) from three and 80.0 percent (16-for-20) at the free-throw line.

Austin Peay looks for its first three-game winning streak against the Golden Eagles since a four-gamer from 2007-09.

The Govs have a plus-25 turnover margin over the last six games.

Milestone Watch—Career: With his 112^th appearance in the starting lineup, Terry Taylor will pass Chris Horton for fourth all-time. With three free-throws made, he’ll also pass Trenton Hassell for ninth all-time.

Milestone Watch—OVC: Taylor is 41 points away from passing Earl Wise (Tennessee Tech, 1986-90) for 10^th all-time in league history.

APSU Govs in the time of COVID-19

For the 2020-21 season, Austin Peay State University athletics will allow approximately 35 percent capacity in the Dunn Center for home basketball events. There will be no lower bowl seating for fans during the season. The lower level will be limited to players, coaches, and game-day support staff only.

Seats will be assigned to create a buffer between groups to ensure social distancing is maintained. Students seating will be located in sections AA-BB for both men’s and women’s games. Masks or facial coverings are required to enter the Dunn Center. They must remain in place at all times unless eating or drinking. Failure to comply with any of these measures, by fans or media, could result in immediate expulsion from the arena.

Austin Peay State University Govs Online

Check back at LetsGoPeay.com and on Austin Peay State University’s Official Athletics Facebook page often for up-to-date news about all APSU Governor athletics, as well as the Governor men’s basketball Twitter page (@AustinPeayMBB). Live stats will be available during the game at PeayStats.com, and all home games and Ohio Valley Conference games can be viewed on the ESPN+ app.

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President Joe Biden: A National Day of Unity

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 03:00:22 GMT

By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

Washington, D.C. – I am humbled before God and my fellow Americans to take the sacred oath of President of our beloved country. Today, we celebrate the triumph of democracy after an election that saw more Americans voting than ever before in our Nation’s history, and where the will of the people has been heard and heeded.

We do so at a moment of great peril and promise for our Nation. A once-in-a-century deadly pandemic. A historic and deepening economic crisis. Calls for racial justice some 400 years in the making. A climate crisis with force and fury.

United States President Joe Biden.

We also feel the rise in political extremism and domestic terrorism — unleashed just days ago on our Capitol, the citadel of freedom, but brewing long before — that we must confront and defeat.

Yet in this dire moment, democracy prevailed.

On this day, we set our sights on the Nation we know we can and must be. I am honored to do so alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman who has taken the oath to serve in elected national office, and who will not be the last.

Together, we know that to overcome the challenges before all of us, to restore the soul of America, requires the beating heart of a democracy: Unity.

With unity, we can save lives and beat this pandemic. We can build our economy back better and include everyone. We can right wrongs and root out systemic racism in our country. We can confront the climate crisis with American jobs and ingenuity.

We can protect our democracy by seeing each other not as adversaries but as fellow Americans. For the world to see, with unity we can lead not just by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.

As we start the hard work to be done, I pray this moment gives us the strength to rebuild this house of ours upon a rock that can never be washed away. And, as in the Prayer of St. Francis, for where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith, where there is darkness, light.

On this Inauguration Day I swear an oath to be a President for all Americans and ask every American to join me in this cause of democracy. May this be the story that unites us as fellow Americans and as the United States of America.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 20th, 2021, a National Day of Unity and call upon the people of our Nation to join together and write the next story of our democracy — an American story of decency and dignity, of love and of healing, and of greatness and of goodness.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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APSU Women’s Basketball plays Tennessee Tech at Dunn Center, Thursday

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 02:39:20 GMT

Austin Peay (7-4 | 5-2 OVC) vs. Tennessee Tech (5-4 | 3-3 OVC)

Thursday, January 21st, 2021 | 4:30pm CT
Clarksville, TN | Dunn Center

Clarksville, TN – After 19 days on the road, Austin Peay State University women’s basketball will return to the Winfield Dunn Center for a season-long five-game home stand that will kick off when the Governors host Tennessee Tech Thursday, January 21st. Tip-off is at 4:30pm.

Austin Peay State University Women’s Basketball begins five game homestand Thursday when it takes on Tennessee Tech at the Dunn Center. (APSU Sports Information)

Austin Peay State University is off to a 5-2 start in the Ohio Valley Conference and sits in fourth place in the league standings after going 3-2 on a season-long five-game conference road trip. The Governors have only played one OVC home game this season, when they beat Eastern Kentucky, 69-51, in the Dunn Center, January 2nd.

On the Govs upcoming five-game homestand they will host Tennessee Tech, Jacksonville State, Murray State, Belmont, and Tennessee State before hitting the road to take on Eastern Kentucky, February 4th.

About the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles

After a sixth-place finish in the 2019-20 Ohio Valley Conference regular season, Tennessee Tech was tabbed to finish fourth in the 2020-21 OVC Coaches and SID Preseason Poll and the OVC Media Poll.

Fifth-year head coach Kim Rosamond returns nine letterwinners and three starters from a squad that posted a 17-13 record overall, a 10-8 mark in OVC play, and lost in the first round of the OVC Tournament to the eventual champion, Southeast Missouri.

A 2019-20 First-Team All-OVC selection, Kesha Brady is Tennessee Tech’s top returning scorer (14.4 ppg) and ranks eighth in the OVC this season, averaging 14.7 points per game. After being named to the 2020-21 Preseason All-OVC team, Brady ranks seventh in the league in field-goal percentage (39.8%), and at 5-7, she ranks 20th in the OVC in rebounding (5.1 rpg) and eighth in offensive rebounding (2.8 orpg).

Senior forward Mackenzie Coleman ranks 12th in the OVC in scoring and is Tennessee Tech’s second-leading scorer (11.9 ppg). Coleman was the Golden Eagle’s top-returning rebounder (5.1 rpg) and is averaging 5.3 rebounds per game this season.

Middle Tennessee transfer Anna Jones ranks 10th in the OVC and leads Tennessee Tech in rebounding (6.8 rpg) this season. Averaging 10.4 points per game this season, Jones is the third Golden Eagles scoring in double-figures this season and ranks 18th in the conference.

Tennessee Tech ranks second in the OVC in assists (15.8 apg) and leads the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.0). Sophomore Jada Guinn leads Tennessee Tech and ranks fifth in the OVC in assists (3.6 apg) and 2018-19 First-Team All-OVC selection Jordan Brock ranks 15th in the league in assists (2.8 apg).

Series History Between APSU and Tennessee Tech

This is the 85th meeting in a series that dates back to 1978; Austin Peay State University trails in the all-time series, 21-63.

In the last meeting between Austin Peay State University and Tennessee Tech, the Govs held the lead for three quarters at the Eblen Center in Cookeville; but an untimely stretch of cold shooting in the fourth quarter did the Governors in, as they fell to the Golden Eagles, 58-49, on January 9th, 2020.

Tahanee Bennell knocked down a pair of three-pointers and led the Govs with a dozen points in a game that was nationally televised on ESPNU.

Arielle Gonzalez-Varner posted her fifth double-double of the season, scoring 10 points and pulling down 11 rebounds in the contest. Gonzalez-Varner grabbed six rebounds on the offensive end, and also picked up two steals, and dished out an assist. Ella Sawyer did a bit of everything for the Governors, recording seven points, three steals, two rebounds, and two steals. Finally, Nieja Crawford led the Govs with four assists in the contest.

Kesha Brady and Jordan Brock led the Golden Eagles on offense, scoring 11 points apiece. Brock hit three triples and dished out a team-high four assists, while Brady led the way with a pair of steals. Akia Harris and Mackenzie Coleman each scored 7 points for Tennessee Tech, with Harris also dishing out four assists and Coleman grabbing a team-high seven rebounds.

APSU Notably

Austin Peay State University will play on Dave Loos Court in the Winfield Dunn Center for the first time in 19 days when they square off with Tennessee Tech. The Govs just completed a season-long five-game road trip, and are now set to play a season-long five-game homestand.

At 5-2 in Ohio Valley Conference play, the APSU Govs matched the 2015-16 squad for the best seven-game start to conference play in David Midlick‘s tenure at Austin Peay State University.

The Governors are 7-4 through their first 11 games this season, which is the second-best 11-game start to a season in Midlick’s six seasons in Clarksville.

Nationally the APSU Governors rank 12th in three-pointers attempted (321), 19th in three-pointers per game (9.1), and 22nd in three-pointers made (100) — they lead the OVC in all three statistics as well.

Austin Peay State University is the only teams in the OVC that rank in the top five in scoring offense (68.6 ppg), scoring defense (64 ppg), and scoring margin (+4.6).

Brandi Ferby and Brianah Ferby are tied for the OVC lead in steals (25), the twin-sister duo is also tied for third in the conference in steals per game (2.3).

Maggie Knowles is tied for the OVC lead in three-pointers made (27), she would also lead the OVC and be tied for 7th nationally in three-point field goals made per game (3.38) if she had played in 75 percent of Austin Peay State University’s games this season.

The APSU Governors have forced 20+ turnovers in five games this season and are averaging 20.1 turnovers forced per game, which ranks 43rd in the country and second in the OVC.

APSU Govs in the time of COVID-19

Seats will be assigned to create a buffer between groups to ensure social distancing is maintained. Student seating will be located in sections AA-BB for both men’s and women’s games. Masks or facial coverings are required to enter the Dunn Center. They must remain in place at all times unless eating or drinking.

APSU Govs Online

Check back at LetsGoPeay.com and on Austin Peay State University’s Official Athletics Facebook page often for up-to-date news about all APSU Governor athletics, as well as the Governor women’s basketball Twitter page (@AustinPeayWBB). Live stats will be available during the game at PeayStats.com, and all home games and Ohio Valley Conference games can be viewed on the ESPN+ app.

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AAA reports Gas Prices in Tennessee go up Five Cents

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 00:00:03 GMT

Clarksville-Montgomery County has the Second Cheapest Gas Prices in Tennessee

Nashville, TN – The Tennessee gas price average has increased for two consecutive weeks, up five cents over last week. The Tennessee Gas Price average is now $2.19 which is 22 cents more than one month ago and nearly 15 cents less than one year ago.

“This week marks the second week of increases so far this year for Tennessee pump prices. Since January 1st, gas prices have increased a total of 15 cents,” said Megan Cooper, spokesperson, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Market optimism surrounding the coronavirus vaccine, tightening supply and increasing crude oil prices are all factors helping to push gas prices higher.”

Tennessee remains the 10th least expensive market in the nation. (AAA)

Quick Facts

74% of Tennessee gas stations have prices below $2.25
The lowest 10% of pump prices are $2.00 for regular unleaded
The highest 10% of pump prices are $2.45 for regular unleaded
Tennessee remains the 10th least expensive market in the nation

National Gas Prices

Since last week, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has increased by nearly seven cents to $2.39, which is nearly 18 cents more than a month ago, and nearly 17 cents less than a year ago.

Pump prices have increased while gas demand remains low at 7.53 million b/d and total refinery utilization increased from 80.7 percent to 82 percent in the latest weekly report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

National Oil Market Dynamics

At the close of Thursday’s formal trading session, WTI increased by 66 cents to settle at $53.57. Crude prices continued to increase last week due to market optimism that COVID-19 Coronavirus vaccines will help crude demand recover this year. Additionally, EIA’s new weekly report helped bolster prices, detailing that total domestic crude inventories declined by 3.2 million bbl to 482.2 million bbl last week.

If crude prices continue to sustain prices above $50.00 per barrel alongside higher refinery utilization rates and demand, drivers could see pump prices continue to climb through the week.

Tennessee Regional Prices

Most expensive metro markets – Morristown ($2.23), Knoxville ($2.22), Cleveland ($2.20)
Least expensive metro markets – Chattanooga ($2.13), Clarksville ($2.14), Kingsport ($2.15)

Tennessee Gas Price Averages

(Price per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline)

	Monday	Sunday	Week Ago	Month Ago	One Year Ago
Tennessee	$2.187	$2.188	$2.134	$1.963	$2.332
Chattanooga	$2.129	$2.137	$2.097	$1.895	$2.226
Knoxville	$2.219	$2.216	$2.128	$1.955	$2.326
Memphis	$2.19	$2.182	$2.117	$1.992	$2.355
Nashville	$2.195	$2.201	$2.181	$1.982	$2.375
Click here to view current gasoline price averages

About The Auto Club Group (AAA)

The Auto Club Group (ACG) is the second-largest AAA club in North America with more than 14 million members across 14 U.S. states, the province of Quebec, and two U.S. territories. ACG and its affiliates provide members with roadside assistance, insurance products, banking, and financial services, travel offerings, and more. ACG belongs to the national AAA federation with more than 60 million members in the United States and Canada. AAA’s mission is to protect and advance freedom of mobility and improve traffic safety.

For more information, get the AAA Mobile app, visit AAA.com, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

The post AAA reports Gas Prices in Tennessee go up Five Cents appeared first on Clarksville, TN Online.

Tennessee Lady Vols Basketball hosts UConn, Wednesday

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 22:00:14 GMT

#25 Tennessee (9-2 | 3-1 SEC) vs. #3/#5 UConn (8-0 | 7-0 BIG EAST)

Thursday, January 21st, 2021 | 6:04pm CT
Knoxville, TN | Thompson-Boling Arena | TV: ESPN2

Knoxville, TN – The second installment of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Revival Series will take place on Thursday night, with #25/RV Tennessee women’s basketball (9-2, 3-1 SEC) playing host to No. 3/5 UConn (8-0/7-0 BIG EAST) at Thompson-Boling Arena.

The Lady Vols and Huskies will meet for the 24th time in the all-time series and for the second straight season in a contest that tips at 6:04pm CT.

The Lady Vols come into the match-up having won seven of their last eight games after impressively handling RV/NR Alabama (11-2/4-2 SEC), 82-56, on Sunday.

Tennessee Women’s Basketball takes on UConn at Thompson-Boling Arena, Wednesday. (UT Athletics)

The Big Orange women have victories over two top-15 teams, including (then) No. 15/15 Indiana in Bloomington (66-58) on December 17th and (then) No. 13/13 Arkansas (88-73) in Knoxville on January 7th.

UT’s only setbacks are against No. 22/23 Georgia (12-1) by a 67-66 count last week, and 79-73 in overtime on December 6th at West Virginia (10-2), which is receiving votes in both polls and thundered past (then) No. 17/17 Texas last week by a 92-58 score.

UConn, meanwhile, has competed only twice since December 30th due to COVID-19 Coronavirus playing havoc with its schedule, defeating Providence, 87-50, on January 9th, and Butler on Tuesday night, 103-35. The Huskies’ best win to date is a 72-52 blowout of No. 18/20 DePaul on December 29th. Their January 7th contest at (then) #6/6 Baylor was canceled.

Thursday night’s match-up marks the first in a four-game stretch of home contests for Tennessee.

Thursday’s game will be televised by ESPN2 with Ryan Ruocco (PxP), Rebecca Lobo (analyst), and Holly Rowe (reporter) on the call.

All of the games included in the ESPN package (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU) and the SEC Network will be available through WatchESPN, accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 or Xbox One to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.

Institutions also can produce for SEC Network+ (SECN+) any conference and non-conference games that are not otherwise televised. Those are available on the ESPN app and SECSports.com.

The contest also can be heard on Lady Vol Network radio stations and by audio stream, with Mickey Dearstone behind the microphone. Now calling the action for his 22nd season, Dearstone is joined by studio host Bobby Rader.

A link to the live audio stream can be found on each game’s Hoops Central page or the Lady Vol schedule on UTSports.com.

For a list of Lady Vol Network affiliates, please click on the Fans tab at the top of UTSports.com, select Vol Network and then click on Vol Network Affiliates in the black bar at the top of the page.

Air time for games on the Lady Vol Radio Network generally occurs 30 minutes prior to tip-off.

Tickets Available At ALLVOLS.COM

Single game tickets are on sale, starting at just $5.00. Go to AllVols.com to purchase.

We Back Pat Week Underway

January 14th-21st is officially We Back Pat Week. This marks the 10th anniversary of the initiative within the league and was established in conjunction with the Pat Summitt Foundation.

During the week, SEC member institutions will offer support to the Foundation during each of their 18 women’s basketball home games in 14 cities through a variety of efforts that include promotional public address announcements and video endorsements.

Tennessee’s official We Back Pat home game is on January 21st vs. UConn at 6:00pm CT.

UT also supported the cause at home vs. Georgia on January 14th and on the road at Alabama on January 17th.

January 14th-21st, fashion accessories brand Kendra Scott (which has a store in Knoxville) is donating 20 percent of proceeds from online and select store sales of its Elisa Gold Short Pendant Necklace in Amethyst to benefit The Pat Summitt Foundation.

The Pat Summitt Foundation, a fund of East Tennessee Foundation, was established by Pat and Tyler Summitt in November 2011. Its mission is to award grants to nonprofit organizations that advance research for treatment and a cure, provide care and support for patients and caregivers, and educate the public about Alzheimer’s disease.

NCAA Net Rankings and More

Tennessee was ranked No. 28 in the NCAA’s first NET Rankings ever on January 4th and stands at No. 19 as of January 19th. The rating tool replaces the previous RPI formula that was used for helping determine NCAA Tournament invitations and seeding.

The Lady Vols have victories over NET No. 8 Indiana, No. 26 Arkansas, and No. 27 Alabama, and their losses are to No. 13 Georgia and No. 24 West Virginia. UT will face top-30 NET foes in No. 2 UConn, No. 3 South Carolina, No. 13 Georgia (in Athens), No. 14 Kentucky (twice), No. 16 Texas A&M (possibly twice), and No. 35 Mississippi State in the coming weeks.

In addition to the NET Rankings, the Lady Vols stand at No. 19 in this week’s Women’sHoopsWorld poll and No. 22 in the World Exposure Report poll. UT made its debut in the top 25 of both the AP and USA TODAY polls on January 11th and 12th, respectively, at No. 23 and No. 24. UT is No. 25 and also receiving votes in those polls this week.

Tennessee checks in this week at No. 17 overall and fifth in the SEC on the NCAA’s Strength of Schedule list. That’s even after the UT Lady Vols were unable to play originally-scheduled games this season vs. Texas, Stanford, and others due to COVID-19 Coronavirus.

About the Tennessee Lady Vols

Just a quick reminder that the UT Lady Vols start a freshman, two sophomores, a junior and senior. They have played together as a quintet for seven total games, with Key and Horston being inserted into the starting lineup for the contest at Indiana. The group has demonstrated improvement with each game.

Over the past five games, UT has four players averaging double figures in points, including Rennia Davis (17.8 ppg./9.0 rpg.), Rae Burrell (15.6), Jordan Horston (10.8), and Tamari Key (10.4).

UT is led in scoring by junior guard/forward Rae Burrell, who is putting up 16.7 ppg. and shooting 49 percent from the field, 43.5 percent on threes, and 82.8 percent from the free-throw line. She averaged 10.5 ppg. and shot 41, 33, and 60 percent, respectively, a year ago in those categories.

Burrell is averaging 15.6 ppg. and shooting 51.6 percent over her last five games (including 17.0 ppg. and 50.9 pct. in SEC games) with a 26-point effort vs. Arkansas on Jan. 7.

Senior Rennia Davis, who is on all of the preseason awards watch lists (Wade, Wooden, Naismith, Cheryl Miller), the Wooden Midseason List, and a projected All-SEC First Team pick by the coaches and players, is second in scoring (14.2 ppg.) and is first on the team in boards at 8.3 rpg. In SEC play, she is putting up 17.5 ppg. and 8.5 rpg. to lead UT in both categories.

Davis, who averaged 18.0 ppg. and 8.2 rpg. as a junior last season, had tough luck shooting and found herself in foul trouble in two of UT’s first four contests this season. A breakout game of 19 points and 15 rebounds vs. Indiana on December 17th, however, helped Davis get her mojo back and send her on her way.

The senior has posted double-doubles in four of her last seven contests, including 19 points and 15 rebounds vs. No. 15/15 Indiana, 19/11 vs. Lipscomb, 26/11 vs. No. 13/13 Arkansas and 21/10 at Alabama on Sunday.

The double-double vs. Alabama was her fifth of the season and the 34rd of Davis’ career, moving her one spot out of a tie for fifth on UT’s career list.

Davis has climbed to 20th on UT’s all-time scoring list with 1,556 points and is six shy of Cindy Noble (19th, 1,561), 16 away from Nikki McCray (18th, 1,572) and 24 behind Debbie Groover (17th, 1,580).

Sophomore Jordan Horston, an SEC All-Freshman performer a year ago is third on the team in scoring at 9.5 ppg. and is first in assists average (4.0) and steals average (2.8). She has started the past seven games after coming off the bench the first four, tallying double figures in UT’s past four games with season bests of 14 points and seven assists vs. Alabama.

Horston’s numbers in SEC play this season include 11.8 ppg., 4.8 rpg., 4.3 apg. and 1.5 spg. She is shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 85.7 at the line.

Sophomore Tamari Key (10.8 ppg./5.0 rpg. in SEC play) has begun to blossom this season, tallying increasingly higher season bests with the past three games (12/14/15). She is shooting 65.5 percent vs. league opponents.

Freshman guard/forward Marta Suárez, joining Burrell and Davis as UT’s only starters in every game this season, is second on the Lady Vols in rebound average (5.7) and is fifth in scoring at 6.1 ppg.

Reserve senior center Kasiyahna Kushkituah joins Suárez in averaging 6.1 ppg. and is third at 4.8 rpg, while redshirt junior back-up point guard Jordan Walker contributes 5.8 ppg., 3.2 rpg. and 2.3 apg.

UT-UConn Series Notes

UConn leads the all-time series, 14-9.

Tennessee has won three of the last four games (Won: 2005, 2006, 2007; Lost: 2020) between these programs. It did so as the higher-ranked team each time it won.

The Lady Vols claimed victory the last time the game was held in Knoxville on January 7th, 2006, by a score of 89-80.

UT is 7-9 vs. the Huskies during regular-season encounters and 2-5 during the postseason.

The UT Lady Vols are 4-5 on the road, 3-4 at home, and 2-5 at neutral sites vs. the Huskies.

The Tennessee Lady Vols are 2-4 in games played in Hartford and 2-1 in contests held on campus in Storrs.

Tennessee’s Pat Summitt won eight NCAA titles and UConn’s Geno Auriemma has claimed 11, making them the most successful coaches in NCAA Division I women’s basketball.

Tennessee won NCAA titles in 1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007 and 2008.

UConn won NCAA crowns in 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016.

Kellie Harper is 0-1 vs. UConn as a head coach, but she was 4-1 vs. the Huskies in games she played as a Lady Vol.

Those scores as a player were 53-59 in Knoxville on Jan. 6, 1996; 88-83 in Charlotte (OT/NCAA FF Semis) on March 29, 1996; 91-81 in Iowa City on March 24, 1997 (MW Reg. Final); 84-69 in Knoxville on January 3rd, 1998; and 92-81 in Storrs on Jan. 10, 1999.

Harper (then Jolly) had 19 points and three assists vs. the Huskies in the 1997 Midwest Regional Final in Iowa City.

UConn’s Evina Westbrook played two seasons at Tennessee before making the move to Storrs two summers ago.

About the UConn Huskies

UConn features four players scoring in double figures, led by freshman guard Paige Bueckers at 18.1 ppg. Olivia Nelson-Ododa (16.5), Christyn Williams (14.9), and Evina Westbrook (10.5) also produce an average of 10 or more points per contest, with Aaliyah Edwards at 9.9 ppg.

The Huskies are led by 36th-year head coach Geno Auriemma, who is 1,099 and 142 in his career with 11 NCAA titles to his credit. The win over Butler moved him past Pat Summitt into second on the all-time NCAA Division I women’s basketball victory list behind Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer.

Recapping UConn’s Last Game

Olivia Nelson-Ododa led five Huskies in double figures, as UConn pounded Butler, 103-35, on Tuesday night at Gampel Pavilion.

Christyn Williams and Aubrey Griffin chipped in 17 each, while Evina Westbrook and Paige Bueckers added 14 and 13, respectively, as UConn hit 61.5 percent from the field, including 45.5 (10-22) from three-point range. Griffin added 10 boards for a double-double.

Butler could manage only five points in the second and fourth quarters, with two players (Okako Adika, 18, and Genesis Parker, 15) combining for 33 of the team’s 35 points for the contest.

Last Time Tennessee Played UConn

No. 23/23 Tennessee took a 31-28 lead into halftime but couldn’t hang on, falling to No. 3/5 UConn, 60-45, in front of a crowd of 13,659 at the XL Center on January 23rd, 2020.

Junior Rennia Davis paced Tennessee (15-4, 5-1 SEC) with 16 points and eight rebounds. Sophomore Rae Burrell had nine points and six boards.

UConn (17-1, 7-0 ACC) was led by Crystal Dangerfield with 14 and Aubrey Griffin with 13.

Last Time in Knoxville

The Tennessee Lady Vols put four players in double figures, led by 21 points from Sidney Spencer, to defeat No. 7 UConn in Knoxville, 89-80, on January 7th, 2006, the last time these programs met on Rocky Top.

Candace Parker and Shanna Zolman tossed in 13 each, and Alexis Hornbuckle was a dime shy of a triple-double with 10 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists.

Zolman made 10 of 10 free-throw attempts, helping UT score 32 points (in 41 tries) at the charity stripe with 22,415 fans looking on.

Next Up for UT Women’s Basketball

The Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team expected to be on the road at Vanderbilt on Sunday, but the Commodores have ended their season due to COVID-19 and other reasons. Therefore, the Lady Vols have rescheduled a home game with Kentucky that was postponed on January 3rd. UT and UK will meet in Knoxville at 1:00pm CT on Sunday in a contest carried by ESPN2.

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