University of Tennessee Athletics
VOLS SET TO OPEN HOME SCHEDULE AGAINST SOUTH CAROLINA
October 26, 2005 | Men's Swimming & Diving
Oct. 26, 2005
The Tennessee men's swimming and diving team opens its home portion of the schedule Friday at the Student Aquatic Center against South Carolina. Diving will begin at 1 p.m. with the rest of the meet following at 2 p.m.
The Vols are also feverishly anticipating Saturday's groundbreaking of the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center. The groundbreaking takes place at 3:45 p.m. at the corner of Andy Holt Avenue and Volunteer Boulevard.
"We are electrified for this weekend," UT head coach John Trembley said. "Being stacked up against an outstanding opponent in South Carolina on Friday and then having a day on Saturday that Tennessee swimming and diving has been waiting years for is absolutely exciting.
This is the first meeting between the two schools since 2003, with UT leading the overall series 23-2 since the first match-up in 1971.
"We are looking forward to the challenge of competing against a young South Carolina squad that I have no doubt is very well coached," UT diving coach Dave Parrington said. "We're looking to build off our positive results so far this season.
The Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center will serve as the new home of the men's and women's swimming and diving teams when completed in late 2007. Currently the swimming and diving teams use the Student Aquatic Center and Ray Bussard Intercollegiate Pool that was built in the summer of 1967. The contract was awarded to Blaine Construction Co. of Knoxville. The general architect for the $24.3 million complex is HNTB of Kansas City, Mo., with the local firm of Lindsey and Maples serving as consultant.
The facility is named in honor of Allan Jones of Cleveland, Tenn, who, along with his wife, Janie, provided a $4 million gift toward construction of the state-of-the-art facility. In addition, more than 50 former swimmers, divers and their families made significant contributions in excess of $450,000 to make the AJIAC a reality along with more than 800 other donors to STEP UP -- The Campaign for UT Athletic Facilities.
The STEP UP Campaign was UT's first-ever comprehensive capital campaign. It raised $48.61 million for new, renovated and expanded athletic facilities for 17 out of UT's 20 men's and women's sports programs.
