TEAM INFO
TEAM HISTORY
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Founded in 1966, the Tennessee Hockey
program is the oldest and most established hockey program in the
southeastern United States. Throughout the years, Tennessee has
enjoyed its share of success while forging great rivalries and great
memories for all of the players involved. This season, Tennessee Hockey is fortunate enough to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Team officials have taken this opportunity to place an extra emphasis on researching and archiving the teams' past. From the original puck drop against Miami-Ohio, and the victories over Alabama-Huntsville, to the timeless Georgia Tech rivalry; we have tried to catalog and chronicle as much of the history of the Ice Vols as possible. None of this could have been accomplished without the support and efforts of the numerous Ice Vol Alums who have contributed pictures, programs, stat sheets, and lots of great stories along the way. Anyone who may have additional information, please feel free to contact us. The more obscure the information, the better! To all former and current Tennessee Ice Vols players, coaches, officials, and fans. Thank you for forty years of on ice excitement! Without the support of everyone over the years, we would not be here today. Brandon Hudson
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The 60's & 70's
Yearly Records
Coaching Records |
| VOLUNTEER NICKNAME | ||||
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The Tennessee Volunteer nickname began from a call for volunteer
soldiers by the army during the War of 1812. A request of 3,500
soldiers was made, and over 25,000 Tennesseans answered the call.
The Tennessee Volunteers participated in battles from the Gulf of
Mexico to the Canadian Border. Under the command of fellow Tennessee
native Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans, Tennessee
Volunteers took part in the greatest victory of the war when they
helped to defeat a wave of top British soldiers. A captain in the
2nd East Tennessee militia, Jacob Hartsell, was among the soldiers
involved. He was so inspired as to write a poem entitled “The Brave
Volunteer”. This is known as the earliest written reference to
Tennesseans as “Volunteers”. Two decades later, Tennesseans advanced their reputation as Volunteers when several hundred made an unsolicited journey to help the Davy Crockett and the Texans in their war for independence from Mexico. The Volunteer name was solidified during the Mexican-American War when a call for 2,800 soldiers brought out over 30,000 volunteers. In 1897, the new student yearbook was christened “The Volunteer”, and in 1902, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution referred to a University of Tennessee sports team (football) as “Volunteers” for the first time. In 1905, Tennessee Volunteers became the official name for sports teams from UT. |
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| SCHOOL COLORS | ||||
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The colors orange and white were selected by Charles Moore, a member
of the first football team in 1891, and were later approved by a
vote of the student body. The colors were those of the common
American daisy, which grew in profusion on The Hill. Orange jerseys
were first worn by the Tennessee Football team in 1922. The school colors are utilized in Tennessee's famous checkerboard endzones at Neyland Stadium. The unique design accompanied coach Doug Dickey’s arrival in 1964 when the Vols played Boston College. The colorful and popular end zones were a part of Tennessee football until 1968 when the natural sod was dug out and artificial turf was put in its place. In 1989, with Dickey as athletic director, brought the trademake endzones back when workers installed the orange and white end zones and the interlocking UT at the 50-yard line in the summer of 1989. They were both completely inlaid with contrasting colored turf rather than painted turf. The Orange & White checkerboard end zones continued when the Vols returned to natural grass in 1994. |
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| MASCOT: SMOKEY (BLUE TICK HOUND) | ||||
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After a
student poll sponsored by the Pep Club revealed a desire to select a
live mascot for the University, the Pep Club held a contest in 1953
to select a coonhound, a native breed of the state, as the mascot to
represent the school. Announcements of the contest in local
newspapers read, “This can’t be an ordinary hound. He must be a
‘Houn’ Dog’ in the best sense of the word.” The late Rev. Bill Brooks entered his prize-winning blue tick coon hound, “Brooks’ Blue Smokey,” in the contest. At halftime of the Mississippi State game that season, the dogs were lined up on the old cheerleaders’ ramp at Shields-Watkins Field. Each dog was introduced over the loudspeaker and the student body cheered for their favorite, with “Blue Smokey” being the last hound introduced. When his name was called, he barked. The students cheered and Smokey threw his head back and barked again. This kept going until the stadium was in an uproar and UT had found its mascot. Rev. Brooks supplied UT with the line of canines until his death in 1986 when his wife, Mildred, took over the caretaking role. She did so until 1994, when her brother and sister-in-law, Earl and Martha Hudson of Knoxville, took over responsibility for Smokey VII and eventually Smokey VIII, with Smokey IX now carrying on the banner of the Smokey lineage. Mrs. Brooks died in July 1997. One of the most beloved figures in the state, Smokey is famous for leading the Vols out of the giant “T” prior to each home game. The dogs have led exciting lives. Smokey II was dognapped by Kentucky students in 1955 and later survived a confrontation with the Baylor Bear at the 1957 Sugar Bowl. Smokey VI, who suffered heat exhaustion in the 140-degree temperatures at the 1991 UCLA game, was listed on the Vols injury report until he returned later in the season. Smokey III compiled a 105-39-5 record and two SEC championships. Smokey VI, who passed away in 1991, was on the sidelines for three SEC championships. Smokey VIII is the winningest Smokey, having compiled a record of 91-22 (.805), with two SEC titles and the 1998 national championship. The newest Smokey, Smokey IX, began his post at the 2004 Peach Bowl. |
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| “ROCKY TOP” | ||||
| Known as one of the most infectious and well known fight songs in the nation, Rocky Top is in fact, not the official fight song of the University of Tennessee. Rocky Top was written in 1967 by the late Felice and Boudleaux Bryant. The song was not played at Neyland Stadium until 1972, but quickly became a fan favorite. Rocky Top was adopted as an official state song by a public acts bill passed in the legislature in 1982. | ||||
| PRIDE OF THE SOUTHLAND BAND | ||||
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The
University of Tennessee band was organized immediately after the
Civil War when the University reopened. Since then, the enrollment
in the band program has grown to more than four hundred students (in
all bands) from all colleges of the university. Director of Bands, Dr. Gary Sousa, heads up a program which has maintained a long-standing reputation as one of the nation’s finest musical organizations. The band staff includes Dr. Don Ryder, Associate Director of Bands and Drill Designer, along with Dr. Ed Powell, Assistant Director. The band program is divided into several different units. The most famous of these units is the marching band, The full “Pride of the Southland Band,” appears at all home football games and most out-of-town games before more than 850,000 spectators plus millions more on television The “Pride of the Southland” has represented the state of Tennessee for the last 40 years at ten consecutive Presidential Inaugurations, from Dwight D. Eisenhower to George W. Bush. The band has also made more than 40 bowl appearances, including the Sugar Bowl, Astro Bluebonnet Bowl, Citrus Bowl, Gator Bowl, Hall of Fame Bowl, Garden State Bowl, Sun Bowl, Liberty Bowl, Peach Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl and the Rose Bowl.
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| THE HILL | ||||
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Since
the 1800s, "The Hill" has been symbolic of the higher education in
the state of Tennessee. The University, founded in 1794 as Blount
College moved to "The Hill" in 1828 and quickly grew around it. The main part of UT's old campus stands on this rising bank above the north shore of the Tennessee River. Neyland Stadium sprawls at the base of The Hill, between it and the River. Years of constant expansion and development have pushed the campus west of The Hill. Ayres Hall, built in 1919, holds a commanding view over the campus and houses the College of Arts and Sciences, and still provides the most dynamic and recognizable scenes on campus. Next to that building is the oldest building on campus, South College Hall, built in 1872. Today "The Hill" is the center of activity for the majors of natural sciences, mathematics, computer sciences and engineering. |
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| THE KENTUCKY TROPHY GAME | ||||
| The original Battle for the Beer Barrel was conceived in 1925 by a Kentucky booster club for the football rivalry with Tennessee, so that the series would have a trophy similar to Purdue’s Old Oaken Bucket and Michigan’s Little Brown Jug. The first game played kept the barrel in Lexington, a 23-20 win for the Wildcats. The barrel exchanged hands numerous times, both at games and during raids on the opposing school’s campus. Tennessee held a 60-23-9 edge in the series with Kentucky when the Beer Barrel trophy game was discontinued due to the tragic deaths of several Kentucky football players in 1997 in an alcohol-related car crash. Last season the two schools began a new trophy game tradition, this time in the sport of hockey—The I-75 Challenge Cup. The Cup game itself is alternated between venues each season. | ||||
| 2003-04 | Knoxville | Kentucky-7 | Tennessee-4 | |
| 2004-05 | Lexington | Kentucky-8 | Tennessee-4 | |
| 2005-06 | Knoxville | Kentucky-11 | Tennessee-5 | |
| 2006-07 | Lexington | Tennessee-5 | Kentucky-5 | |
ROCKY TOP
By Felice and Boudleaux Bryant
Wish that I was on Ole Rocky Top,
Down in the Tennessee Hills.
Ain't no smoggy smoke on Rocky Top,
Ain't no telephone bills.
Once I had a girl on Rocky Top,
Half bear the other half cat.
Wild as a mink, sweet as soda pop,
I still dream about that.
Rocky Top, you'll always be
Home sweet home to me.
Good ole Rocky Top,
Rocky Top Tennessee, Rocky Top Tennessee.
Once two strangers climbed on Rocky Top,
Lookin' for a moonshine still.
Strangers ain't come back from Rocky Top,
Guess they never will.
Corn won't grow at all on Rocky Top,
Dirt's too rocky by far.
That's why all the folks on Rocky Top
Get their corn from a jar.
Rocky Top, you'll always be
Home sweet home to me.
Good ole Rocky Top,
Rocky Top Tennessee, Rocky Top Tennessee.
Now I've had years of cramped up city life,
Trapped like a duck in a pen.
Now all I know is it's a pity life
Can't be simple again.
Rocky Top, you'll always be
Home sweet home to me.
Good ole Rocky Top,
Rocky Top Tennessee, Rocky Top Tennessee.
Rocky Top Tenne-sseee-eee-eee-eee!
FIGHT VOLS FIGHT
Fight Vols' Fight with all your might
For the Orange and White
Never falter, Never yield
As we march on down the field
Keep Marching!
Let the Spirit of the Hill
Every Vol with courage fill
Your loyalty means our victory
So Fight Vols' Fight!
DOWN THE FIELD
Here's to old Tennessee
Never we'll sever
We pledge our loyalty
Forever and ever
Backing our Football Team
Faltering never
Cheer and fight with all of your might
For Tennessee
ALMA MATER
On a Hallowed Hill in Tennessee
Like a Beacon shining bright
The stately walls of old UT rise
glorious to the sight!
So, here's to you old Tennessee
Our Alma Mater true
We pledge in love and harmony
Our loyalty to you.