Everything Orange

Vol Hoops VFL and current Charlotte Hornet - is one of the most decorated players in Tennessee basketball history. From back-to-back SEC Player of the Year honors to a unanimous First-Team All-American nod, Williams was the leader of one of the most memorable eras of Tennessee Basketball. Now, as an NBA veteran and community leader, Grant returns to Rocky Top to reflect on his journey, share his s...

Shae O’Rourke — Tennessee’s playmaker up top — has fought through injuries and setbacks to find her moment on Rocky Top.  From her New York roots to an ACL tear at Texas A&M and another surgery this past spring, the road hasn’t been easy. But every step has shaped the player she is today.  In her debut, she scored both goals in the Vols’ upset over No. 1 North Carolina, setting the tone for a...

Arion Carter — Tennessee’s sophomore linebacker — wasted no time reminding Vol Nation why he’s one of the most dynamic defenders in college football. From Smyrna, Tennessee, to leading the Vols with nine tackles in the season-opening win over Syracuse, Carter’s rise has been fueled by toughness, leadership, and pride in representing his home state. We dive into the confidence this team gained from...

Joey Aguilar — Tennessee’s QB1 — has taken an untraditional road to Rocky Top, marked by grit, sacrifice, and perseverance. From Antioch, California, through the JUCO grind and a stop at Appalachian State, his journey has been anything but easy — but each step shaped the leader he is today. We dive into the challenges, the gratitude, and the mindset that brought Joey to Knoxville and what it means...

Alex Pidgeon — captain of Tennessee Rowing — joins this episode of the Everything Orange podcast. The Montreal native shares her journey from competitive swimming to rowing, starting on an erg at 16 before ever stepping into a boat — and how she went from resisting the sport to leading the Lady Vols through a historic third-place finish at the NCAA Championships. Now in her senior season, Alex ref...

Shunsuke Mitsui stands as one of the most distinguished players in Tennessee men’s tennis history, embodying resilience, consistency, and unwavering determination on Rocky Top.  Born and raised in Shizuoka, Japan, Shunsuke took a leap of faith that brought him over 6,500 miles from home to Knoxville. Over four unforgettable years, he’s racked up over 100 wins in both singles and doubles, earned Fi...

Dave Parrington — the most decorated diving coach in SEC history, a former Olympian, and the driving force behind Tennessee’s decades-long diving success — is officially retiring. After 35 years on Rocky Top, Dave is closing the chapter on a legendary coaching career that includes 9 NCAA champions, 47 SEC titles, 16 SEC Coach of the Year honors, and more than 300 divers mentored under his leadersh...

He’s an NCAA champion, an Olympic finalist, a world champion, a world-record holder, and the fastest swimmer in NCAA history. But for this week, Jordan Crooks is also our guest on the Everything Orange podcast! Holding every major sprinting record in Tennessee history and having already made a global name for himself, Jordan concluded his collegiate career this last winter as one of the most decor...

Sarah Schmitt — the Lady Vols' pole vault record-holder — joins us in this episode of the Everything Orange Podcast. The junior standout reflects on her journey from gymnastics to pole vault, her breakout 2023 season, and what it meant to break both the indoor (4.46m) and outdoor (4.38m) school records in the same year. With another SEC medal under her belt and a top-6 finish at NCAA Indoors,...

Karlyn Pickens — the record-holder for the fastest softball pitch ever thrown — joins us in this episode of the Everything Orange Podcast. The Lady Vols star reflects on her historic 78.2 mph pitch, the support she’s received at Tennessee, and how her record has made an impact towards putting women's sports on the big stage. With the team now entering the home stretch of the regular season, K...

Fresh off his NCAA Tournament debut Chaz Lanier — new Tennessee record-holder for three-pointers made in a season — joins us in this episode of the Everything Orange Podcast. The Nashville native reflects on his record-setting performances in Tennessee’s wins over Wofford and UCLA and the team’s relentless mindset heading into the Sweet 16 against Kentucky. He shares insights on playing under Coac...

Lady Vol Tennis has surged into the top 10 of the national rankings, and the stellar play of Catherine Aulia has been big reason why. The junior from Australia joins the Everything Orange podcast, giving us a broad look at the success of Tennessee Women’s Tennis in 2025. Cat breaks down the schedule and gives us insight into the roster that’s been assembled by ninth-year head coach Alison Ojeda. T...

It’s spring football time in Tennessee! Andre Turrentine joins the podcast this week to discuss spring ball, off-season work, and reflections on his previous seasons at Tennessee - highlighted by his diving endzone interception to keep Iowa from scoring in the 2024 Citrus Bowl. From the biggest offseason focuses to standout players in the DB room, we get insight into the team's progress in wo...

Freshman McKenzie Siroky is an up-and-coming star for Lady Vols swimming — already etching her name amongst the top-10 times in program history for the 100 breast this season. But McKenzie’s stardom didn’t begin in the pool, but rather on the ice, where she was a hockey standout in her hometown of Livonia, Michigan. There she played varsity hockey on the boys high school team, eventually earning a...

Baseball season is upon us! With Opening Day in sight, Nate Snead joins the podcast to recap his first year on the Tennessee Baseball team and how he's gearing up to kick off the 2025 season. Nate offers a glimpse into this new roster for the Vols, this year's team chemistry, and his role on the team as they head into the new campaign.  He also reflects on last year’s unforgettable Natio...

Under Karen Weekly's leadership, Tennessee Softball has become one of the nation's most consistent and successful programs. Karen's approach has not only empowered her athletes to thrive on the field, but her Lady Vols have also shone brightly through notable academic success and community involvement. Karen's journey to coaching was an unusual one, working as a lawyer and prof...

He’s a living legend amongst Tennessee Basketball fans. Known for his toughness, his consistency and a knack for making the big play, Zakai Zeigler is our guest on the Everything Orange podcast. Zakai’s journey from unheralded prospect as a freshman to SEC Defensive Player of the Year as a junior is well-documented, but in our wide-ranging conversation, Zakai reveals how his odds-defying ascension...

In the midst of her first season on Rocky Top, transfer senior Samara Spencer joins the podcast this week to talk all things Lady Vols Basketball. Samara discusses the new, uptempo era of the Lady Vols under head coach Kim Caldwell, wacky postgame locker room awards, and her red-hot, nine three-pointer performance vs. North Carolina Central.  We wouldn't let Samara go without a round of team...

We’re kicking of 2025 with a bang, welcoming the new Voice of the Vols to the Everything Orange podcast! After 26 legendary seasons as the play-by-play broadcaster for the Tennessee Titans, Mike Keith announced in early January that he was returning home to Rocky Top as the new voice of Tennessee Football and Tennessee Men’s Basketball. The Nashville native and UT alum will make his official retur...

Tis the season! For the holidays, yes. But more importantly — the College Football Playoff! With the Vols set to open CFP play this weekend, we caught up with redshirt senior wideout Bru McCoy! In a conversation rich with Rocky Top reflections, Bru looks back on the 2024 regular season and previews the upcoming playoff tilt in Columbus. He also shares his Senior Day memories before reminiscing on...

Chancellor Donde Plowman joins us on the podcast this week! In five years at the helm of UTK, she has served as an advocate for student-athletes, supporting their pursuits on and off the field, and raising the standard across campus athletically and academically.  Plowman discusses the recent surge of success for Tennessee Athletics and its impact on the entire Volunteer State, while also noting t...

Winter is fast approaching, so we’re getting everyone up to speed on what’s been happening with Tennessee’s fall sports! Football and volleyball are on the cusp of postseason appearances and soccer and cross country just wrapped successful 2024 campaigns. Speaking of cross country, we’ll also catch up with first-year head coach Justin Duncan, who guided the Lady Vols to a 26th-place finish at the...

Tennessee Basketball’s all-time leading scorer Allan Houston joins the Everything Orange podcast this week! Houston’s unique legacy at Tennessee is twofold, having been coached in the orange and white by his trailblazing father, Wade Houston — who was the first Black head basketball coach in SEC history. In this episode, Allan reminisces on his father’s influence, his standout NBA career with the...

Vol Football safety Will Brooks is in the studio with us this week! The Birmingham, AL native gives insight on his experience going from a walk-on to the "Hardest White Boy on the Block." Brooks breaks down the Tennessee defense, his highlight-reel interceptions, and how he meets his goals.

Joining the podcast this week: Senior Lady Vols Basketball forward Sara Puckett! She shares her excitement about the new era under Kim Caldwell for Lady Vols Basketball, gives us an insight into the team chemistry, and shares what her ideal off day looks like.