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The Daily Beacon

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Volume 147, Issue 07

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Wednesday, October 1, 2025

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@utkdailybeacon

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NEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, October 1, 2025

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UT professor terminated over Kirk comment appeals to chancellor OLIVIA LEE Staff Writer Tamar Shirinian, the UT assistant professor who received notice of termination after her Sept. 14 social media comment regarding the assassination of Charlie Kirk, has submitted a letter of appeal to Chancellor Donde Plowman.

“Admittedly, the Facebook comment I made, privately and not in my capacity as a UT professor, was ineloquent and heartless,” Shirinian said in the letter. “It was insensitive and, I assure you, uncharacteristic of me as a person, a mother, a friend, and someone who advocates for social justice and respect for all. And, for that, I apologize.”

The former anthropology professor described writing the post out of “anger and grief,” explaining that she did not expect the comment to reach so many people.

“I have been a long-time advocate for peace, as I see peace and civility as the only means to the making and sustaining of a world where everybody’s rights and safety will be protected,” Shirinian said.

Lucy Jewel, a UT law professor and officer at large for UT’s American Association of University

Professors chapter, says the university is cracking down on uncivil comments.

“I think she was fired because there has been a shift in how the university views free speech, and there is a much bigger emphasis now on the concept of civility, and this is the new rule,” Jewel said. “If it is deemed to be uncivil, then that is the grounds for being terminated.”

Pressure from the government, Jewel said, also affects UT policy heavily as a public institution.

“I do think the political pressure is definitely the more powerful pressure point at this time,” Jewel said. “Because we are a public university, because we are connected to the Tennessee legislature, that pressure is very strong.”

Shirinian attributed her anger when writing the comment to her intense feelings on the war in Gaza, which she said she has been following for the past 23 months.

“At the time that I saw my friend’s post on Facebook, I had been scrolling through my social media and seeing a mix of posts about the genocide on the one hand and outpouring of grief for Mr. Kirk on the other,” Shirinian said.

Remembering Kirk’s position on Gaza — which clashed strongly with Shirinian’s — and seeing countless posts grieving his death “made

(Shirinian) quite emotional and put (her) in a state of grief,” as did Kirk’s other “threatening” opinions.

“I understand, however, that no matter how bigoted and hateful his comments were, and how much his events targeted my colleagues’ and my livelihood, how much they incited students to take action against their professors and defund universities such as the one over which you preside as Chancellor, that Mr. Kirk had the right to free speech to express such ideas,” Shirinian said. “And that is one of the things that I value most about our country.”

Shirinian concludes the letter asking Plowman to change her mind on the termination, saying that she will bring the decision to court if necessary.

“I ask, considering the above, that you change your mind and allow me to continue to return to things that I love: scholarship and teaching students,” Shirinian said. “If not, I will appeal any and all decisions within the University and, if necessary, go to court to protect my First Amendment rights.”

The university has not responded to requests for comment.

You can read Shirinian’s full letter online at utdailybeacon.com.

Controversial instructor incidents: A look back through the years OLIVIA LEE Staff Writer

2016: Glenn Reynolds On Sept. 21, 2016, UT law professor Glenn Reynolds tweeted “Run them down” in response to media coverage of North Carolina protestors gathering on a highway after a police officer shot African American man Keith Lamont Scott.

After deletion of the tweet and suspension of Reynold’s Twitter account, Reynolds took to social media, claiming he faced censorship of free speech.

Melanie Wilson, former dean of the UT College of Law, responded to the situation, stating that she and the university did not align with Reynolds’s beliefs.

“The tweet was an exercise of his First Amendment rights. Nevertheless, the tweet offended many members of our community and beyond, and I understand the hurt and frustration they feel,” Wilson said.

Reynolds also emailed an apology to the College of Law Community.

“I try to be careful and precise in my language,” Reynolds said. “I didn’t do that this time, and I unfortunately made a lot of people in the law school community sad or angry, something I certainly didn’t mean to do, and feel bad about.”

The law school took no disciplinary action against Reynolds, and he continues to teach law at the university.

2017: Judy Morelock In the 2017 spring semester, sociology lecturer Judy Morelock assigned a quiz to her sociology of the family class, and a question on the quiz brought criticism from one of her students, Kayla Renee Parker.

According to Parker, the question asked what historical research on African American families during slavery showed, and Parker selected “black family bonds were destroyed by the abuses of slave owners, who regularly sold off family members to other slave owners.” Morelock marked Parker’s answer wrong. The correct answer was “most slave families were headed by two parents.”

Parker disputed the question, claiming that the answer was framed in white supremacy.

“My concern is how my history is being portrayed in class,” Parker said.

Morelock gave Parker and the rest of the class four extra points, but the disagreement sparked a longer clash between the two through online posts and conversations. UT consequently moved Parker to a different class.

The university chose not to renew Morelock’s year-to-year contract for the upcoming fall semester, saying the Department of Sociology was undergoing curriculum changes, according to a WATE 6 article.

2021: Melissa Hargrove UT Africana Studies professor Melissa Hargrove faced backlash after writing an racial slur — which was the acronymic title of a song by Tupac Shakur — on a white board during class. A tweet circulated on Feb. 3, 2021 of the white professor standing in front of the board.

The Student Government Association called on the university and Chancellor Donde Plowman to fire Hargrove.

“Students at this university do not feel included or supported, largely due to the ineffectiveness of the University in addressing even the most blatant of racist acts, as they so poorly handled incidents,” SGA said. “The time is past for ‘hearing’ students — real and sustained action is the demand.”

After students organized and executed a roundtable discussion, a sit-in protest and a car rally, the university did not terminate the non-tenured Hargrove, instead directing her to work with the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation (TLI) for two weeks to evaluate her teaching.

“The objective of the work with TLI is not to sanitize difficult content of your courses, but rather to ensure that difficult material is presented in a more inclusive and effective manner,” Africana Studies program chair Shayla C. Nunnally said in a letter to Hargrove.

While UT did not terminate Hargrove following the incident, she did not return to teach in the fall.

2025: Tamar Shirinian After a Sept. 14 social media post about the assassination of Charlie Kirk, in which UT assistant anthropology professor Tamar Shirinian claimed “The world is better off without him in it,” UT faced pressure from government officials and conservative influencers to terminate the professor.

UT System President Randy Boyd commented on the incident hours after Shirinian made the post and said that the university was actively investigating the situation.

“Celebrating or advocating violence and murder is reprehensible and has no place at the University of Tennessee,” Boyd said.

The university announced the next afternoon that Shirinian had been placed on administrative leave with imminent plans for termination.

“The university has taken swift action against a faculty member who has failed to meet our expectations for civil engagement,” the update said. “Her actions endorsing violence and murder do not represent the university or our values.”

NEWS

Wednesday, October 1, 2025 • The Daily Beacon

Navigating AI

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Professors, students discuss its role inside the classroom

CHLOE CARMICHAEL Staff Writer MAKAYLA GARDNER Contributor Artificial intelligence has quickly made its way into nearly every corner of higher education, sparking debate over whether it is a valuable tool or a harmful shortcut.

At the University of Tennessee, professors are wrestling with the role of AI in the classroom, with some embracing it as an innovative teaching partner and others rejecting it as a barrier to authentic learning.

UT leaves AI policy decision sup to individual faculty members, resulting in a patchwork of approaches that reflect both optimism and skepticism about its role in academia.

For some professors, AI platforms such as ChatGPT open new opportunities for creativity and accessibility in education.

Jonathan Ring, lecturer and director of undergraduate studies at the Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs, has embraced AI in his classroom as both a teaching tooland a skill for students to develop. He personally utilizes AI to help find quality information for his students to engage with.

“In my class, I had students engage with some Aristotle and Francis Bacon to talk about the philosophy of science, and there were some original texts that I wanted them to go look at.

They are open source, so I know they exist freely on the internet.” Ring said, “I actually had a hard time Googling my way to find them. But when I asked ChatGPT to identify a location where I could give students full text access to those resources, it happened just as quickly as I was expecting something like that to be able to.”

Ring believes that while the internet has greatly changed in the past ten years, making information harder to find, AI can make it easier for students to navigate.

In Ring’s class, AI might help students with tasks that used to be tedious, such as organizing research, creating graphs or generating outlines, but they are required to reflect on the process and disclose their usage of AI. He encourages students to experiment with platforms like ChatGPT, while emphasizing the importance of transparency.

“If you’re told not to, don’t. But if you aren’t told not to, or if you’re encouraged to, just share — and over share for now — and then we’ll establish some norms and rules and procedures over time about what a good citation looks like,” Ring said.

For Ring, AI additionally represents a shift in the way higher education itself will function. He predicts that as these tools become more deeply integrated into academia, classes will become

Students use ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot and Grok for assignments at the University of Tennessee, Sept.30, 2025. Jackson Clavier / The Daily Beacon less about producing polished outcomes and more about honing the process of learning.

“It’s going to change the way that we evaluate students’ work more toward focusing on the process-based evaluation, rather than the outcome-based,” Ring said, “And then it’s going to transform the in-class experience too, I think in the opposite direction, where there will be a return to pen and paper and books.”

Ring admits to some unease about the possibility of classrooms becoming overly dependent on automation.

“But what I hope doesn’t happen is we just have students turning in AI-generated stuff and professors giving AI feedback, and basically no one is doing the work,” Ring said, “And they’re not talking to each other right? AI is talking to itself.”

He recognizes that not every professor shares his optimism. Some hesitate to bring AI into their classrooms out of concern for academic integrity or loss of critical skills.

That caution is evident in Shannon Scovel, an assistant professor of journalism who forbids AI in her classroom altogether. For Scovel, the use of AI creates a barrier to authentic learning. She worries that students who rely on it miss out on the hard but essential work of developing their own voice and critical thinking skills.

“As a journalism professor, it’s super important to me that my students understand ethics and the value of reporting a holistic, authentic, accurate story, so, in an effort to teach those skills at the most fundamental level, I do not allow AI in my classes,” Scovel said, “I always bring this discussion back to UT’s student conduct code for academic integrity and

discuss how the use of AI without disclosure is equivalent, in journalism, to plagiarism because it involves putting a student’s name on work that they did not independently create.”

Though Scovel forbids its use in her classes, she has not ignored the technology. She keeps up with developments and acknowledges that in other fields, AI can be useful. But for Scovvel, protecting the integrity of the unbiased writing process outweighs the potential conveniences.

She worries that reliance on the technology strips away the very heart of learning, particularly in a discipline built on human storytelling.

“I respect that AI has value in some situations in some classes, but, in the case of my journalism classes, I want my students to practice the craft of writing, revising and rewriting themselves.”

Scovel said, “I want them to experience the joy of having a breakthrough learning moment on their own and challenge themselves to think critically every day.”

For Scovel, returning to traditional methods has been rewarding for both her students and her as an educator.

“This semester, I’ve gone back to paper-pencil assessments in my ‘Intro to Journalism’ class, and I’ve loved reading the student responses and seeing their thoughts come alive on the paper.

They’re learning and processing information in such an earnest way, and it’s a true joy to see.”

Scovel said.

The debate over AI at UT highlights the broader challenge facing universities across the country: how to prepare students for a future where AI is likely unavoidable, while still protecting the value of human creativity, analysis and connection.

As professors navigate this uncharted territory,

students are left balancing two very different sets of expectations — sometimes within the same college.

Like most professors, students are also conflicted on the topic of AI. Some believe that it can be a very useful tool, especially in the classroom, but there’s still uncertainty surrounding whether it can fully be trusted in everyday life.

Many current students at the university were in school when generative AI platforms very first gained popularity. Their level of exposure has been high, especially in regard to school work, once they figured out the assistance it can provide with assignments in most subjects.

While some students still find this to be very valuable within classes, many still feel skeptical about the potential drawbacks of using it for school work.

Likeia Boone, a freshman whose public health and English classes both allow the use of AI, believes that the effects of using AI may not be as positive as some at the university hope.

“I think it will have a negative impact, just because of the ways students will use it,” Boone said. “No matter what, a majority of students will use this as a way to get through assignments quickly.”

She does, however, still hold out hope that AI can be used as a helpful tool in some scenarios, even if it can easily be misused by students.

“I’m sure if integrated in a way that students are still able to use and build on natural ideas rather than relying on AI, it can be super helpful,” Boone said.

Freshman Mary Johnston is in David Frank’s University Honors 207 class. Frank allows and even highly encourages the use of AI in his classroom. Johnston expressed a generally mixed view on the potential impact of AI being used in the classroom.

“There are definitely both positive and negative impacts of AI on students. When used correctly, AI can be a very beneficial tool for students that helps them learn, but more often than not it is used simply to get answers, which often leads to lower retention of information,” Johnston said.

Johnston also talked about her beliefs when it comes to her personal use of AI and whether she thinks it’s generally beneficial in the classroom.

“If it’s a class where understanding AI and its responses is important then obviously it’s helpful,” Johnston said. “Outside of that context I personally don’t like to use AI on my school work because it makes school less about learning and more about grades.”

You can continue reading this story at utdailybeacon.com.

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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, October 1, 2025

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Psychology course partners with Contact Care Line: ‘It’s changed my life’

SAMANTHA WHITLEY Mental Health Reporter

UT students are now gaining hands-on experience with crisis intervention through a psychology course.

Sarah Stambaugh, a fourth-year doctoral student in counseling psychology, instructs PSYC 399 through a partnership with Knoxville’s Contact Care Line. She reached a full-circle moment as she took the same course at UT in 2019. According to Stambaugh, the Contact Care Line was then entirely volunteer-run, with just one paid intern serving the entire organization.

Congress approved substantial funding for a 3-digit number in 2020, expanding 988 centers nationwide. The Contact Care Line now employs over 100 staff members, according to Stambaugh.

Emily Luna, a senior in the course, believes it is vital for students to know how to intervene in a crisis.

“I think it’s incredibly important,” Luna said. “Unfortunately, in today’s world, it’s more common for, especially young adults, to feel depressed and have this suicidal ideation and it’s expressed greatly in media, so it’s just right in front of our faces all the time.”

Suicides, including on and off the UT campus, remain a persistent concern — in 2023, suicides were the second leading cause of death for individuals aged 10 to 34.

“As a campus, I do think it’s really important to be very transparent about this stuff because it (suicides) is something that happens, especially with college-age kids, and it’s heartbreaking,” Luna said. “It’s never anyone’s fault for what happens to someone, but there are usually signs

leading up to this that could have helped this person before it got to where it was.”

Students like Luna are currently training to prepare for their first authentic Contact Care Line call using the Assist program, where participants engage in mock scenarios and role-play to guide them for real-life situations.

“I think it (Assist) was very eye-opening because we got to meet with counselors and school psychologists that also lent their experience,” Luna said. “The coordinators were so incredibly helpful and understanding what it’s going to be like.”

Individuals call the line for numerous different reasons and situations, but Luna and other students are taught to approach the callers in a non-judgmental manner.

“Sometimes people are going to call and say, ‘I’m not really sure what’s wrong, but I’ve just had a really bad day,’ and we are being trained to listen to that and respond without accusatory or making the person feel badly about themselves in that situation — metaphorically, walk them off the ledge they’re standing on,” Luna said.

Within this course, students who put themselves on the line can encounter several challenges, especially if they are new to this environment.

“I think, ironically, one of their hurdles … is just getting over the embarrassment of what it’s like to role-play vulnerably around other people and be willing to make mistakes in front of other people.

And also, I think in that process, they learned that their mistakes aren’t always at the end of the world and they build some confidence,” Stambaugh said.

Another obstacle students can face in this class is the initial anxiety of that first

call. Luna feels that the training equipped her with the knowledge to make herself at ease, helping the individual understand their feelings.

The Contact Care Line offers a new perspective on life for individuals who reach out, as well as those who provide that needed support — the impact the callers have on the staff does not go unnoticed.

Scott Payne, the outreach and support manager at Contact Care Line, shared a personal experience that highlighted the value of listening to people.

“I spoke with a young woman who had just graduated college and said she wanted to walk in front of a train when I answered the crisis line,” Payne said. “I listened to her and engaged in helping her tell her story. She was concerned that her parents would not let her move home after a relationship with her significant other had ended … She told me she would call her parents, and I asked her if I could follow up in 3 hours. She agreed, and when I called her to follow-up it was like I was speaking to a different person. She thanked me for taking the time (20 or so minutes) to listen to her and help her see she had more than the one option she had been considering.

Listening matters, and it can help someone reconnect to hope.”

Similarly, Stambaugh views her time at the Contact Care Line as a catalyst for her involvement in her current work and her future career. “(The Contact Care Line) changed my life,” Stambaugh said. “I think people say that a lot about a lot of different things, but I really mean it. It was the foundation for me getting into my program. It was the foundation for my work with therapy

Left: Sarah Stambaugh, instructor of PSYC 399, once took the same course in 2019 when the Contact Care Line was entirely run by volunteers.

Sept. 30, 2025.

Jackson Clavier / The Daily Beacon Right: Emily Luna, a senior taking PSYC 399, calls knowing how to intervene in a crisis “incredibly important.” Sept.

30, 2025.

Jackson Clavier / The Daily Beacon

clients. It’s the foundation of my research.

I mean, it’s everything. And I think they truly care about the students that they interact with, and they’re always working to make improvements.”

Outside the classroom, Luna encourages everyone to pay close attention to their friends.

“I think definitely, while it’s not one person’s job to make sure everyone’s okay, but check on your friends. If you notice someone is isolating or you’re not seeing them as much, just check in on them. You don’t have to accuse them. Just say, ‘Hey, do you want to go to a movie tonight or something?’ Or, ‘Hey, I was thinking of you,’ and just kind of make them feel seen,” Luna said.

“Understanding what occurs when someone is experiencing suicide ideation encourages people to seek help for themselves or others they may be concerned about. Participating in suicide prevention training empowers them to make a difference through active listening and referral to mental health resources,” Payne said. “Awareness allows us to have conversations which normalize behaviors and validate emotions around ideation, so we can calmly address the need for help in the knowledge that hope is available.”

If you need immediate help, do not hesitate to call 911 for an emergency, 988 or the Student Counseling Center at 865974-2196.

“Anyone who calls the 988 lifeline will receive unconditional positive regard, active engagement in exploring their story and finding their connection to hope,” Payne said.

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NEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, October 1, 2025

SGA experiences deadlock for 2 hours, changes ‘equity’ to ‘accessibility’ PATRICK BUSCH News Editor On the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 30, the ripples of a state bill passed in May were felt on campus.

A group of students attended the Student Government Association’s Undergraduate Senate meeting out of protest for proposed changes to its bylaws. The proposed changes, presented by Sen. Niya Angelova, would alter language in section 8, paragraphs B and C. This section outlines the purpose of the Senate’s Access & Engagement Committee. The proposals removed the word “equity” in paragraph B and the phrase “of all backgrounds and identities” in paragraph C. On May 13, 2025, the Tennessee General Assembly passed, and Gov. Bill Lee signed, House Bill 923, the Dismantling DEI Departments Act. The bill prohibits entities from “maintaining or authorizing an office or department that promotes or requires discriminatory preferences in an effort to increase diversity, equity, or inclusion.” A public university such as UT would be included as an entity within the bill, which further states that all policies declared by such a department will be considered void.

Sen. Angelova explained what prompted the proposed bylaw changes, saying the university could refuse implementation of future bills.

“The concern here is that by choosing not to amend the bylaws to reflect the language that is in university policy, they (the university) would always have a reason to shut down bills that come out

of it. … This would be a recurring reason for them to shut down legislation and not implement it,” Angelova said.

Some senators who attended spoke of their plans to vote against the proposed amendments.

“I’m here to go and vote against, and try to hopefully convince the rest of the Senate to vote against the removal of the wording of ‘diversity and equity,’” Sen. Hezekiah McDonald, who was representing the Tickle College of Engineering, said. “I would love SGA to actually go and listen to the people of this campus. This campus as a whole, especially minority students, are tired of the university going and erasing this language because through erasing this language, it seems like they’re trying to erase us.”

Student Body President Chase Darwin gave a statement to the senate on Tuesday evening.

“Earlier in the semester, the University of Tennessee clarified its mission for the work of access and engagement across campus. Access and engagement is focused on academic access, community partnerships, and student success based on merit, not DEI itself,” Darwin said.

Darwin referenced Chancellor Donde Plowman and President Randy Boyd’s work to bring UT as a whole into compliance with the new law.

“The truth of the matter is that right now, we are in a high-pressure, hightemperature environment in the country.

Our role in SGA is to understand these laws, work within them, and continue advancing student success in ways that are fully compliant,” Darwin said.

Chase Darwin addresses the crowd during the Student Government Association meeting on Sept. 30, 2025.

Jackson Clavier / The Daily Beacon

Freshman Jack Dempsey holds a sign in protest during the Student Government Association meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025.

Jackson Clavier / The Daily Beacon While Darwin acknowledged that the amendments to the bylaws may make SGA’s work look different, none of it will stop SGA from continuing its mission of ensuring all students have access to an incredible student experience.

Tuesday’s Senate meeting experienced gridlock over the proposed changes, as senators exchanged arguments for and against the changes. The debate took nearly two hours and was the predominant focus of the assembly.

After two failed attempts to move to a vote on the amendments and one failed attempt to table the bylaws, the senate successfully tabled the discussion on the fourth attempt. That was not before section 8, paragraph B’s verbiage was successfully changed, replacing “equity” with “accessibility.”

The other amendments on paragraph C will have to be revisited by the Senate at its next meeting in two weeks.

The debate over the word “equity” and the phrase “of all backgrounds and identities” drew a crowd of students objecting to the change. Those objecting included regular members of the student body and Senators in SGA. “We believe this is at odds to what UT should be for students,” Sen. William Bricker, economics sophomore and president of UTK College Democrats, said. “We believe UT should be for students of all backgrounds.”

Bricker accused SGA of quickly folding under political pressure.

“It seems they’re making these changes as a sort of preemptive surrender to the general political shifts

that have occurred as a result of the 2024 elections. It seems the university wants to take the least hostile route possible to the changes as a result of what we’re saying on the national level from the Trump administration.”

During the town hall section of the meeting, which allows members of the student body to speak freely, one of the protestors spoke about his qualms.

“I implore every senator here, please look inside yourselves, not from out there, not to Washington, not to Nashville,” public affairs freshman Jack Dempsey said. “Look inside yourselves and think about what this means. Removing equity would remove the heart of what we stand for as a people.”

Jake Sharman, a freshman studying public affairs, explained that his personal identity drove him to attend today’s meeting.

“I really hope this doesn’t go through because as a Jewish student, I found this campus really welcoming and I hope that they don’t try to take that away because this has been an amazing campus,” Sharman said.

Sharman expressed hope that the SGA wouldn’t adopt the proposed changes.

The debate over the proposed changes in the bylaws will continue at the Senate’s next meeting.

Read more at utdailybeacon.com.

NEWS, ARTS & CULTURE

Wednesday, October 1, 2025 • The Daily Beacon

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Chancellor Plowman urges UT community to ‘forge ahead’ in Flagship Address OLIVIA LEE Staff Writer

“Say ‘University of Tennessee’ anywhere in this state, and people line up — Tennesseans will line up to tell you about the difference this university has made in their lives,” Chancellor Donde Plowman said.

Plowman proclaimed her prospects for this school year in her annual Flagship Address on Thursday morning. Pioneering the tradition in 2019, this year marks her seventh address, and it was one of glowing optimism for the state of the university.

“It’s hard to believe that an institution like that could exist in a time like this.

Every day we hear from colleagues, we read news stories about universities suffering from dwindling enrollments from budget cuts and hiring freezes,” Plowman said.

“But here at Tennessee, we find ourselves in a different place.”

The physical growth of the campus

Graphic by Ava Edwards

earned a spotlight as well. Plowman mentioned the new nursing building, the new student success building and the groundbreaking of the new chemistry building, which UT recently named the Charles and Julie Wharton Chemistry Building.

“We have set our sights on taking the University of Tennessee to the next level — building an even stronger reputation, a larger research footprint and a bigger economic impact. We want to produce more graduates and provide greater value for our state,” Plowman said.

But Plowman doesn’t want UT to quit while it’s ahead.

Her vision is for UT to make advancements now while other universities face

budget cuts and declining enrollment rates.

Keeping up the momentum in a tense time, Plowman said, is how UT will climb to the top.

“The window for us to seize this opportunity is narrow, and we don’t have the luxury of taking years to plan our next steps,” Plowman said, “We must move now. We either forge ahead or we will fall behind.”

The ‘unparalleled student experience’ Plowman is reaching to maintain and improve involves strengthening the student community and making students feel at home on Rocky Top. The chancellor noted that 91% of UT students reported that

their campus was committed to free expression compared to the national average of 73%.

Plowman’s acknowledgment of these numbers follows recent campus events — including the dismissal of an assistant professor — that caused students and faculty to question free speech on campus.

“We all know this, but I want to say it again: Students are more likely to persist in their education if they feel like they belong,” Plowman said. “We want every Volunteer to feel like they belong here.”

Plowman urged students and faculty to do their part in firing UT towards these targets by striving to do their best in each field they’re involved in.

“I’m asking you to pursue excellence in everything you do. I’m asking you to pursue big, ambitious goals at a time when others are taking a more defensive posture,” Plowman said. “Let’s not shrink ourselves and hope that we can move through the next few years undetected and unchanged by the rapidly evolving world around us.”

Read the full story at www.utdailybeacon.com.

46th annual Greek Fest welcomed familiar faces, newcomers alike MOLLIE POKELWALDT Contributor “In Orthodox tradition, we tend to worship God with all five senses,” Presiding Priest Dionysios Lampropoulos said.

Knoxville’s 46th annual Greek Fest took place Sept. 26-28 at Saint George Greek Orthodox Church, combining lots of music, great food and plenty of people to help celebrate the culture.

Lampropoulos is a priest at Saint George Greek Orthodox Church. He said the festival originated with community in mind.

“The festival began as an outage to the local communities, especially here in the south. The first Orthodox communities were victims of segregation. So that was the way for the Greek Orthodoxes to introduce themselves to the broader community,” Lampropoulos said.

Walking in, you couldn’t miss the loud music as it made its way throughout the entire festival. Bands playing traditional Greek music featured the Bouzouki, a traditional greek instrument resembling a guitar.

While the band played, you could find people of all ages, mostly children, dancing and doing cartwheels around the dance floor as the crowd cheered for them.

One of the most popular traditions at Greek Fest every year — one that the

church takes much pride in — is their traditional Greek dancers.

Winning two national championships, Maria Siopsis’ dance troupe has been training since they were nearly toddlers.

“It’s kind of the way we connected with each other,” Siopsis says. “Those dances make that connection for them in a neat way that connects them to their ancestors.”

Family is a monumental construct in Greek culture, and it was evident in so many ways throughout the community.

Whether folks were giving their child a hug after a dance routine or offering a hand while cooking at one of the food tents, you could truly feel the familial bond that exists between everyone in the church.

Outside the church, Katie Shipe, the marketing director and one of the dance instructors at Saint George, explained that the familial bond isn’t just kept within the church’s community.

“There’s also this, like, outer circle that’s coming in and learning it (the culture) with us and it’s really, really cool,” Shipe said.

Food is also a crucial part of Greek culture. Food tents served traditional Greek cuisine, with endless options from pastries to pizza.

The unforgettable centerpiece of the festival stood right in the middle of the grounds. Tall and stately, the gorgeous parish was redone in 2019 after a

devastating fire damaged the mosaics and structure of the church.

Walking inside, guests are immediately greeted with glass mosaics of what the church calls “icons.” People or objects that serve as a window to worship and prayer.

When you look up to the sky, a Jesus mosaic is the crown jewel of the church.

The festival offers church tours to do a deeper dive into the history of the building, and it is one of Father Lampropoulos’ favorite traditions.

“We welcome people to walk in, to our sanctuary and see all of our traditions.”

Lampropoulos said. “To encounter the faith in all our existence.”

Traditional Greek dancers at Greek Fest 2025. Sept.26, 2025.

Mollie Pokelwaldt / Contributor

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ARTS & CULTURE

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, October 1, 2025

7 fall activities to add to your agenda

MARGARET WHITE Contributor

Fall is on its way in Knoxville, with the leaves starting to change and football season in full swing. While this may mean less time by the pool, there are still numerous opportunities here at and around the University of Tennessee to enjoy the beautiful autumn atmosphere and get a feeling of festivity out of it. Here are some of the top ways for students to get out and make the most out of the season this year.

Explore a pumpkin patch and get lost in a corn maze While it may seem like something you left in your childhood, classic fall activities will bring back the nostalgic feelings everybody has around this season. Maple Lane Farms, opening Sept. 26, as well as Oakes Farm and Deep Well Farm, both opening Sept. 20, each have a beautiful and festive pumpkin patch, as well as a unique corn maze.

Don’t look past pumpkin patches this fall. They’re great places to take pictures, get a pumpkin to carve, paint or display, and feel like you’re in a “Charlie Brown” special.

Go and get lost with friends for a fun and strategic activity that gives a feeling of much-needed fall serotonin as the season picks up.

Oktoberfest A stark turn away from childhood memories and nostalgia, but still a majorly fun way to experience fall festivities, is to attend Oktoberfest right here in Knoxville. Starting on Sept. 20 and going all the way until Oct. 12, this four-week festival is endlessly entertaining. The festival provides daily live music, traditional activities and lots of food and drinks for attendees to immerse themselves in culture and fun.

Market Square Farmer’s Market A great way to enjoy the liveliness of the season is by attending

the Market Square Farmer’s Market on any Wednesday or Saturday.

Anybody can go to the market to browse fresh produce, artisan goods and local crafts under the changing leaves of beautiful downtown Knoxville. Whether shoppers buy from the stands or not, the market can definitely fulfill the desire for an aesthetically pleasing place to roam this autumn.

Festive fall food and drink For the students who would prefer a smaller way to satisfy fall cravings, there are plenty of dining locations on campus with seasonal fall menus that bring the flavors of fall alive. Trying K-Brew’s Pumpkin Pie Latte, Just Love’s Lumberjack Latte, Starbucks’ Pumpkin Cream Chai or one of Keoke Coffee Bar’s seasonal energy drinks can brighten anyone’s day with delicious season-specific, limited-time flavors.

Frightworks Haunted House To get into the spooky side of this season, a haunted house is an amazing and immersive experience.

Thrill lovers can visit Frightworks Haunted House to test their fear factor. Haunted houses are a Halloween staple, so be sure to go with friends and take advantage of Frightworks this fall.

Take a fall hike in the Smokies One of the best parts of living in Knoxville is the unmatched outdoor setting. Rocky Top is known for its scenic trails and hikes, especially in autumn. Some popular trails in the area include the Ijams River Trail Loop, the Tharp Trace Trail and the Sharps Ridge Loop. These are just a few of the spots to hit for adventurous Vols in the mood to experience the fall climate and get out into the beautiful place that UT calls home.

Attend a UT football game It may seem too obvious to state, but fall isn’t fall at UT without football. For any students who haven’t

made it to Neyland yet, be sure to get to at least one game in the loudest stadium. This classic way to celebrate the season is not something to miss out on. Football games are more than just the sport — they’re

about school spirit, festivity and spending time with the Vols you love.

Graphic by Harley Miller

OPINION

Wednesday, October 1, 2025 • The Daily Beacon

OPINION: Gentle parenting: What it is, and why it’s not parenting at all HADLEY MARSHALL Contributor Parenting, as defined by the American Psychological Association, is all actions related to the raising of offspring. For most of us, we define parenting as the disciplinary actions parents take towards their child.

For example, parenting can be defined as a father putting his child in time-out after he or she has hit their sibling, or when a mother gives her disrespectful child a talking to.

As children get older, parenting turns into mentorship of the child. This can be exemplified through a father helping his child learn how to drive, or a mother giving her child advice on friendship.

There are four main styles of parenting, according to developmental psychologist Diana Baumrind: authoritarian, authoritative, permissive and rejecting-neglecting parenting. However, a style of parenting that many people are stirring conversation about is gentle parenting.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, gentle parenting “raises confident, independent, and happy children through empathy, respect and understanding, and setting healthy boundaries.” Gentle parenting puts an emphasis on the child’s self-awareness of their behavior. This style of parenting has most notably been illustrated in the media with very young children and millennial parents.

On paper, this style of parenting is very appealing. Raising emotionally healthy, mature, and intelligent children is the goal … right?

In practice, gentle parenting is actually not parenting at all. The result of gentle parenting doesn’t actually teach a child to be emotionally regulated and mature, as an advocate might argue, but rather, this parenting style turns children into emotionally dysregulated, self-centered children who have no true understanding of the real world and what it means to be a “grown-up.”

Gentle parenting takes a very passive approach to a child’s actual need for teaching.

The primary focus of gentle parenting is understanding and empathizing with your child. Yes, you, as the parent, are allowed to empathize with your child. However, solely empathizing with your child does not teach them that their behavior is inappropriate.

Gentle parenting advocates take very adult concepts, like understanding your emotions and what motivates someone to act a certain way, and try to apply them to a child who will never be able to conceptualize their emotions in the way an adult can. Gentle parenting completely ignores the importance of discipline.

Teaching your child how to be a “grownup,” that’s the ultimate goal of raising a child,

right? Teaching them how to be an adult, and eventually learn how to go through life on their own? The gentle parenting method completely sets the child up for failure.

Gentle parenting not only affects the child negatively, but also cultivates stress and anger for the parent. Gentle parenting demands perfection from the parent, and when the parent isn’t perfect — surprise, a sense of inadequacy and shame over their lack of perfection takes over the parent. This can lead to resentment toward their child, and is disruptive to the parent-child relationship.

Furthermore, gentle parenting, or rather a lack of parenting, leads to a very disagreeable child in most cases.

Although I am a college student with no personal experience of parenthood, I have experienced the consequences of gentle parenting as a babysitter, family member and even as a grocery shopper in the middle of Target.

I understand that parenting is difficult. It is not easy raising a child for 18 years. But I also understand that gentle parenting is not the way to go about parenting a child, either.

So, what parenting style is the “best” choice? I would argue that the authoritative parenting style is the optimal parenting style.

This parenting style is defined as a parent who “encourages a child’s autonomy yet still places certain limitations on behavior.” A parent still establishes authority and rules for their child, yet allows the child to explore some options.

For example, a child may want to pick out their outfit for the day. Instead of picking out an entire outfit by themselves, in which they might pick a summer outfit during the winter, the parent chooses two or three outfits for the child to pick from. The child then gets to express their own autonomy within the limitations of the choices they’ve been given.

This style of parenting produces a social, intelligent and confident child who learns how to be independent in accordance with their age. Although gentle parenting seems great on paper, the actual practice of it tends to lean more permissive than some would like to admit.

Children need their parents, but not just as their friends — children need their parents to discipline and mentor them in order to become successful adults, and, unfortunately, gentle parenting does not produce that outcome.

Hadley Marshall is a freshman at UT this year studying public relations. She can be reached at hmarsh15@vols.utk.edu.

Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.

YOUR CREW. YOUR NIGHT.

TENNESSEETHEATRE.COM

Make Unforgettable Memories at the Official State Theatre of Tennessee.

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ARTS & CULTURE

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, October 1, 2025

LINDSAY FAVRE Design Editor As midterms roll in and morals loosen, we are about to embody our astrological changes and become much more driven to get what we want in matters of the heart. With the shift of Mars leaving collaborative Libra, to cautious Scorpio, we may experience an urge to take extreme approaches to love that seem necessary. If you aren’t delighted and invested in your relationship, it’s time to cue up “Pushing it Down and Praying” and end things now; why do something halfhearted, after all? You may also feel insecurities heighten during this period of transition — things like trust issues, fear of betrayal, and trauma from love (past or present). If there is anything toxic in our love lives, it needs to go. The Vols don’t play this weekend, so use this Saturday to break things off and take your days off to heal. Overall, this could be a week where we learn that love is not control — and it shouldn’t always be a power game. If it is, something’s wrong, and end things before the semester gets even crazier (and before it’s too late to change your Halloween costume).

Capricorn — Dec. 22-Jan. 19: Capricorn, the energy at the beginning of the week left you feeling like you could powerwalk up the hill at 8 a.m. The expansive energy from the Sagittarius Moon will be a reset for you. Forget what trouble you got into this past weekend, and embody balance and control because once the Moon enters Pisces over the weekend, you will be presented with many opportunities to socialize and expand your horizons. Forget about a hookup and go out with your friends, as they will add the clarity you are looking for.

Aquarius — Jan. 20-Feb. 18: Aquarius, you started this week with a clear mind, and as the Moon enters your sign midweek, Pluto’s conjunction will leave you feeling like Neyland after a big win. The Moon in Pisces over the upcoming weekend will demonstrate to

you the value of establishing peace and harmony within your relationships. Take this weekend to go home, touch grass, and catch up with old friends.

Pisces — Feb. 19-March 20: Pisces, when the Moon is in Aquarius midweek, it is a reminder to take time for yourself over fall break and prioritize rest if you can. It is essential to go slow and take it easy before the Moon enters your sign, abandon self-doubt, lose what’s holding you back, and be more proud of your accomplishments. Ignore what’s happened before midterms and focus on your next chapter: lock in, babes.

Aries — March 21-April 19: Aries, you have been locked in this week. You’re riding high from the win this weekend, and you need to use your motivation for good: Take the lead. When the Moon is in Aquarius on Wednesday, victory closes in. With the Moon and Pluto making a conjunction, this can spark your dreams. Things begin to fall into place over the weekend, when the Pisces Moon anchors and helps you feel centered as the week comes to a close.

Taurus — April 20-May 20: Taurus, you’ve spent this past year plotting and scheming. Your friends may have called you delusional, but you know deep in your heart you are more than that. This week, with the Capricorn moon, you will start to see those seeds you planted come into fruition. You need to continue having faith in your talents, but avoid comparing yourself to others.

With the Aquarius moon midweek, your schedule may amp up, but the energy from the Moon will lighten things up and let you overcome change with gusto.

As the weekend emerges and the Moon transcends into Pisces, you need to remember your dear friends who have always been in your corner, who will continue to inspire and help you out.

Gemini — May 21-June 21: Gemini, the Sagittarius energy

at

the beginning of the week illuminates your partnership sector, especially your business connections. This is your opportunity to lock in and complete what you need before fall break. As the Moon in Capricorn rises, it will help you to feel more self-assured. The first few days of the week should bring you closer to the past, allowing you to let go of those cringey memories that might still have a hold on you.

Cancer — June 22-July 22: Cancer, your journey this week is to learn how to protect your peace. The Moon in Capricorn brings to light what you are willing to tolerate in your relationships as the lessons on protecting your boundaries come back to view. Take a moment to reflect on why you let someone traumatize you like that and work on moving forward without letting your past define you. As the Moon shifts into Aquarius midweek, you will need to hone in on your responsibilities, discover how to restructure your priorities as the Moon shifts to Pisces over the weekend, and new ideas start brewing.

Leo — July 23-Aug. 22: Leo, romantic energy fuels your motivation this week. Redownload Hinge, talk to that cutie from your math class, text your ex, and use the fire energy lingering from the Sagittarius Moon to your advantage. As the Moon travels to Pisces over fall break, you will be given great opportunities to reflect on the past and channel that into this next chapter.

Virgo — Aug. 23-Sept. 22: Virgo, take a break. Go home, see your family, touch some grass, and decompress from the craziness that has become your new normal. You may feel romantic tensions rise and relationships come into focus as the Moon enters Capricorn on Monday. Cuffing season is upon us. It is time to take control of your life and put in the effort and time you wish to receive in return. When the Moon is in Pisces over the weekend, your love life once again

becomes a dominant theme in your life. As we transition into Libra season, you will be given the tools to radiate as a friend and partner; use them wisely.

Libra — Sept. 23–Oct. 23: Libra, we entered your sign last week, and you have most certainly embodied your primary character energy. Love is in the air, and you are experiencing a glowup in both your physical and mental wellbeing. You need to use this energy to be your best and most genuine self; there is no time to be anything but authentic. When the Moon is in Aquarius midweek, you’ll feel your social battery recharge, and this recharge will bring motivation to invest time in your romantic relationships. If you are single, you will have the opportunity to meet someone new.

Scorpio — Oct. 24-Nov. 21: Scorpio, you are blessed with clarity and resilience this upcoming week. The Capricorn moon is integral in helping you strategize for the week ahead, which is definitely a plus if you have any big projects or exams this week. Starting Wednesday, the Aquarius moon will persuade you to turn your attention to burning tasks at home. You need to take this weekend to vacuum, get rid of junk, hang up posters, and change your sheets. It’s been seven weeks, you have been blessed with time to do a hard reset – use it.

Sagittarius — Nov. 22-Dec. 21: Sagittarius, put the credit card away.

You may still be riding the high from the Sagittarius moon over the weekend and desire mini indulgences to get you through the week, but stop yourself. The Moon in Capricorn tells us to be frugal and limit impulsivity. Now may not be the time to book a last-minute fall break trip or deplete your savings on a new wardrobe, but rather to budget for something big in your future. The Jupiter-ruled Pisces Moon over the weekend can also make you more future-oriented. The road ahead might feel daunting after the eclipse, but you know you will get to where you want.

ENTERTAINMENT

Wednesday, October 1, 2025 • The Daily Beacon

The Weekly Crossword

by Margie E. Burke

10 11 12 13 ACROSS 1 Exotic berry 15 16 14 5 Feverish fits 19 18 10 Give off, as light 17 14 Springsteen title 21 22 20 word 15 Audacity 23 24 25 16 Aria singer 26 27 28 29 30 31 17 Detergent additive 32 33 34 35 19 "The Traitors" 36 37 38 39 host Cumming 20 NBA star 42 43 40 41 Kirilenko 44 45 46 21 Medical career 23 Consideration 47 48 49 26 Voucher 50 51 52 53 54 55 29 Type of tea 30 Stop suckling 57 58 59 56 32 In the clear 61 62 60 34 Chatty bird 36 Psychic ability 64 65 63 37 Crooked cowboy Copyright 2025 by The Puzzle Syndicate 39 "Am ___ believe ...?"

63 Whodunit 10 Lead voice in 34 Seven Sundays 40 Leans (on) discovery "Up" after Easter 42 Animal trainers 64 Circular path 11 Fighting groups 35 Turn's partner 44 Virtual people in 65 Leave behind 12 Dr. Pavlov 38 Glasgow gal a video game 13 Zingy taste 41 Figurative 45 Pizzazz DOWN 18 "If only ___ writing 46 Functions 1 "Waterloo" listened ..."

43 Lascivious 47 Some campaign singers 22 Finder's payoff 45 More madcap workers 2 Toe woe 24 Frosts a cake 48 Swedish auto 50 Cavalryman 3 Dry-as-dust 25 Burns 49 Flying Brits 52 Tabby intoxicant 4 Ungrateful one 26 "Strong Enough" 50 Dull color 56 Baptism, for one 5 Like Norton singer 51 Puerto ___ 57 You don't want software 27 Fire engine gear 53 Spanish boy to be in it 6 Word for Wally 28 Involved in, as a 54 Blue flower 60 Computer brand Cleaver crime 55 Tennis's 61 Bridal 7 Ashes holder 31 ____ Dame Sampras accessories 8 Tied, as a score 33 Central Califor58 Pen point 62 Part of CPU 9 Medical fluid nia city 59 Peyton's brother 1

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Solution to Crossword:

F I N E S A N T O P R E P W H O R L L E V I I D E M R E A P P E A R E D I V A N A T T A I N S M A T T E L I N T U I T I O N S T A M E N E S S M O T I F S R E F U E L T O Y I T I S R A T S C I O N B A R T S B R A H U S H U P O N T O S I C K E N A R R A N G E D U N E V E N N E S S C O L O N E L S I E V E S I T A L I A N I C E A L O T L O V E D T E R N G L U T S N A K E S T U D E A S Y Drawing by Lindsay Favre

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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, October 1, 2025

SPORTS

Wednesday, October 1, 2025 • The Daily Beacon

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Tennessee softball routs Roane State to begin fall slate TYLER EDMANDS Contributor Tennessee softball’s offensive arsenal was on full display on Saturday afternoon, defeating Roane State 32-0 at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium to open its fall schedule. The Lady Vols could do no wrong, racking up 26 hits compared to the Raiders’ 1.

Junior Maddi Rutan was in the circle to start the day for Tennessee. She made quick work of the top of Roane State’s lineup, striking out two to begin the game.

Sophomore Saviya Morgan got the scoring started for the Lady Vols. She drove in junior Sophia Knight from second base with a triple for Tennessee’s first score of the fall. On the next atbat, junior Gabby Leach sent Morgan home with a sacrifice fly to left field.

Rutan contributed on the offensive side, mashing a home run off the scoreboard to make it a 4-0 lead for Tennessee.

Roane State couldn’t find any offense, picking up three outs from its first three batters.

Tennessee picked up where it left off in the first. Freshman Elsa Morrison sent two runners home late in the second inning to extend the Lady Vols’ lead to six.

The Raiders were held to another short inning. Solid fielding from Tennessee kept them in check as their

three batters went down quickly.

Sophomore Amayah Doyle scored Tennessee’s lone run of the third frame.

She hit a home run deep into center field that bounced off the batter’s eye to extend the lead to seven.

Sophomore Erin Nuwer took Rutan’s place in the circle in the fourth inning.

After more good fielding from Tennessee, she struck the last batter out to get the Lady Vols back on offense.

Rutan continued her impressive performance on offense, driving in two more runs with a hit into center field.

Doyle rounded out the fourth frame with another home run, this time driving in three runs.

But the offensive explosion was yet to happen.

After another scoreless inning by the Raiders, Tennessee’s bats took over.

They loaded the bases multiple times with no outs. The Lady Vols crushed two home runs by Rutan and another from Taelyn Holley, which was a grand slam. When the dust settled, Tennessee had scored 14 runs in the fifth frame.

Heading into the sixth inning, the Lady Vols led by 25 runs. The Raiders had no response for the Lady Vols as Nuwer took down the next three batters.

The Lady Vols loaded the bases again in the sixth inning. Morrison drove in a run, making it a 26-run game. The Raiders’ fifth error of the game resulted in two more runs, with Dodge hitting a ball between first and second base. An-

other sacrifice fly by Tennessee added another run, bringing the total to 29.

One more run made it 30-0 heading into the eighth inning.

Freshman Kailey Plumlee took over pitching duties in the eighth. She took care of business, allowing zero hits to the Raiders.

Tennessee managed two more runs in the eighth frame, pushing the lead to 32-0.

Plumlee remained in the circle for the ninth inning. She took down all three batters, ending the game. The Lady Vols won 32-0, racking up 26 hits in the win.

Tennessee will be back at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium on Oct. 3, taking on Carson-Newman for the second game of its fall schedule.

Amayah Doyle (42) celebrates hitting a home run against Roane State at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon

Tyre West ‘no doubt’ playing best football for Tennessee with conference play underway TREVOR MCGEE Sports Editor Mississippi State’s Sam West took the snap at upback and rumbled for 15 yards near midfield on fourth down on Saturday. But Tennessee football’s own West, Tyre, was not having it.

A play after flipping the momentum in front of the clanging cowbells, possessing a four-point lead in the early stages of the fourth quarter, Tyre West pummeled Blake Shapen’s blindside.

As he wrapped around the left tackle, West thwacked the ball free as Shapen plunged to the ground.

Between his legs sat the ball, where Joshua Josephs scooped it and took the ball 41 yards for the leading score.

It served as West’s second sack of the game and a testament to the work he has achieved this season.

“You talked about him playing his best football,” head coach Josh Heupel said. “There’s no doubt that the last few weeks he’s been playing his best foot-

ball.”

Earlier in the game, West laid his first big hit on Shapen. On first-and-10 from the Mississippi State 25-yard line with 4:19 left in the opening quarter, West did it from the opposite side. As he went up against the Bulldogs’ right tackle, Albert Reese IV, West steadily won the battle to dive on Shapen for a hard-hitting sack.

He finished the game with three tackles, two for a loss, which were the pair of sacks. He added the forced fumble, which was a catalyst for sparking the Vols’ 41-34 overtime victory — featuring multiple chaotic momentum swings.

His play earned him SEC Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week honors.

“It means a lot,” West said postgame.

“The reason why I say it means a lot is because it's like ain't nothing like college football. Just playing football with my brothers and just getting through it, like getting after it like every week.

I mean, it's a big thing to me. It’s unimaginable.”

West’s opportunities have come in waves this season. He was not a featured

piece in the season-opener against Syracuse, accumulating a measly 14 snaps with a 55.5 PFF grade to go along with it.

He failed to record a snap in the matchup.

But then he flipped it around with an expanded role against ETSU in Week 2.

West’s snap count nearly doubled with 27 on the day, and he made the most with a third-quarter sack of Cade McNamara to finish with three tackles.

He graded out as Tennessee’s best defensive player with a 91.5 PFF grade, an 11.6-point difference between the nexthighest grade.

West continued to build on his weeks when SEC play opened with Georgia. He added a career-high seven tackles in the nail-biter loss and played a season-high 55 snaps while rating as Tennessee’s highest-graded defensive player for the second week in a row.

“It's just like my mom used to always tell me, like, ‘When your name is called, like show up. Do what you can do. F— the rest,’” West said. “Just do what you got to do. So like now it's like when my

name is called, like I'm gonna go out there and bust my a– every play.”

West was held out of the nonconference bout with UAB, but he returned to form with SEC play back on the horizon.

While his snaps took a dip back down against Mississippi State, his production and impact did not. West recorded 29 snaps in the overtime win, posting a 90.3 PFF grade to lead Tim Banks’ unit as he returned to form.

His two-sack evening against the Bulldogs matched a season-best for each of his first three years with the Vols.

West recorded two sacks apiece in each of the first three seasons in Knoxville, but now he’s taken the next step in his final year, which has him at 13 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble through five games.

The 6-foot-3, 290-pound defensive lineman playing under coach Rodney Garner is producing at a time the Vols need it most. He’ll return to action after an open week with a revenge possibility on deck with the head coach-less Arkansas Razorbacks on Oct. 11.

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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Vols in the MLB:

SPORTS

How former Tennessee baseball players performed in 2025 Since his MLB debut on April 30, 2024, Beck has delivered offensively for Colorado with a career 19 home runs, 66 RBI’s and 26 stolen bases.

This season was especially fruitful for Beck, as he slashed .258/.317/.733, with his batting average representing the third highest on the Rockies by season’s end. While the Rockies didn’t make the postseason, Beck remains a player that baseball fans will keep their eye on as they look to future seasons.

Garret Crochet delivers a pitch against Alabama on March 23, 2018.

File / The Daily Beacon

ANNA REIFFER Contributor Many exciting seasons of Tennessee baseball have stimulated the emergence of powerhouse players and led to 52 draft picks during Tony Vitello’s tenure thus far.

A number of these players have taken these talents to the major leagues, showcasing many former Vols on the biggest stage.

Left-handed pitcher Garrett Crochet, Boston Red Sox Standout left-handed pitcher Garrett Crochet will represent the Vols in the MLB postseason this year. Crochet’s career with the Vols spanned three seasons with a total of 132.0 innings pitched, a 4.64 career ERA and 149 total strikeouts.

Despite limited playing time due to the COVID-19 pandemic during the 2020 season, Crochet’s statistics presented him as an important asset to many MLB teams. Since being drafted 11th overall by the Chicago White Sox in the 2020 MLB draft, Crochet has become a household name for baseball fans around the country.

This season, he continued his pattern

of dominance, carrying his impressive strikeout metrics and cutter-sweeper combo into new threads. After earning his first All-Star bid and winning the AL Comeback Player of the Year with the White Sox in 2024, Crochet was traded to the Boston Red Sox in December in exchange for four prospects.

This April, the Red Sox signed Crochet to a six-year, $170 million contract extension through the 2030 season, the largest ever contract for a pitcher with four or more years of MLB service. This has so far proved to be a worthwhile investment for the Red Sox, as this season, Crochet recorded a 2.59 ERA and led the MLB with 255 strikeouts, a career single-season high. Other notable accolades from the season include Crochet’s first complete game shutout against the Tampa Bay Rays on July 12, 2025, as well as his second All-Star Game selection.

Outfielder Jordan Beck, Colorado Rockies Jordan Beck has proved to be an essential bat in the Colorado Rockies lineup. While at Tennessee, Beck had a career batting average of .284 with 34 home runs – two of the important factors that led him to be drafted 38th overall by the Colorado Rockies in 2022.

Right-handed pitcher Chase Dollander, Colorado Rockies Even though this year saw lows for some, the 2025 season also proved to be one of opportunity, as many Vols made their way to the big leagues. The first to do so was right-handed pitcher Chase Dollander, who was the ninth overall pick by the Colorado Rockies in the 2023 MLB Draft after posting a 4.75 ERA and career high 120 strikeouts with the Vols that same year.

Making his MLB debut as the starting pitcher on April 6 against the Athletics, Dollander pitched five innings and struck out six batters, allowing four runs on two home runs. Since then, Dollander has struggled with command and consistency; however, his fastball and slider have proved to be his best pitches and ones he will likely utilize more frequently in future seasons.

Right-handed pitcher Blade Tidwell, San Francisco Giants About a month after Dollander made his debut, right-handed pitcher Blade Tidwell made his debut for the New York Mets on May 4. Although his debut did not go as many may have hoped, with six earned runs over 3.2 innings, Tidwell threw 48 strikes through 82 pitches.

He was later dealt to the San Francisco Giants at the trade deadline and ranks as their No. 13 prospect.

Outfielder Drew Gilbert, San Francisco Giants After being involved in the same trade, outfielder Drew Gilbert was quickly called up from the Sacramento River Cats, making his MLB debut on August 8 for the San Francisco Giants.

A standout player for Tennessee, Gilbert had a career batting average of .314 and was known for his elite fielding abilities, leading him to be drafted 28th

overall by the Astros in 2022. Although he went 0-for-4 in his debut, he showcased his exceptional fielding by making a backhanded grab at the foul line, robbing Nationals’ Jacob Young of extra bases. Gilbert’s defensive work for the Giants continued throughout the season, becoming one of his most valuable assets to the team.

Infielder Christian Moore, Los Angeles Angels Providing another defensive weapon to the MLB, Tennessee superstar infielder Christian Moore made his highly anticipated debut for the Los Angeles Angels on June 13.

Following three consistent seasons with the Vols, Christian Moore was selected eighth overall by the Angels in 2024 and, after outstanding performances in just 34 minor league games, was called up to the big leagues.

Moore’s first few weeks were particularly noteworthy, with his first hit being a triple on June 16. On June 24, he recorded his first career multihome run game, which included a walkoff, not even two weeks into his major league career. Although he sustained a thumb sprain in July, he returned in early August and continued to be an essential part of the Angels’ roster.

Injuries for Ben Joyce, Seth Halvorsen This year also saw season-ending injuries for two former Vols pitchers. In May, after only five appearances, righthanded pitcher Ben Joyce underwent surgery for inflammation in his right shoulder, effectively ending his season.

Although his return timeline is still uncertain, the Angels hope that he will return early in the 2026 season.

Additionally, after early struggles, Rockies’ right-handed pitcher Seth Halvorsen sustained a right elbow injury during a homestand against the Pirates on Aug. 2. While he didn’t return to the mound this season, it is expected that he will be fully healthy for the 2026 season.

Other former Vols such as Liam Doyle, Gavin Kilen and Andrew Fischer, among others, remain high prospects within their respective organizations. Doyle ranks as the No. 33 prospect in baseball, while Kilen is the Giants’ No. 3 prospect and Fischer sits as the No. 2 third base prospect.

SPORTS

Wednesday, October 1, 2025 • The Daily Beacon

15

Tennessee athletics off to roaring start in fall 2025 RYAN HANNA Staff Writer It’s been a busy fall for Tennessee athletics so far, with success early across the four active sports for the university. With the football, volleyball, soccer and cross country seasons now well underway, each Vols and Lady Vols squad has got off to a hot start in their respective seasons.

Here’s a look at where each team is heading into October.

Football Coming off a gutsy 41-34 overtime win in Starkville over Mississippi State on Saturday, Tennessee football will get its first bye of the season this week. The No. 15-ranked Vols (4-1, 1-1 SEC) will come home for Arkansas before hitting the road to face its newly minted permanent rivals in Alabama and Kentucky.

Joey Aguilar has thrown for 1459 total yards, 13 touchdowns to five interceptions, while Chris Brazzell II has 531 total yards and seven touchdowns, which is good for second in the SEC. Tennessee’s second-year wide receiver has been its most targeted wideout this season and has been at the core of what the Vols are doing offensively.

“We stick together no matter what, and we kind of play off of each other,” Aguilar said Saturday. “Defense got its highs. Offense got its highs. Defense got its low. Offense got its low. But we balance energy within each other, you know?”

The duo has found their way into the college football highlight reels with big plays all over the place, ranging from the 72-yard score against Georgia to some of Saturday’s plays in Starkville.

Despite the win this weekend, Tennessee will need every bit of the bye week as it currently has eight players out with injury.

Defensive lineman Jaxson Moi and true freshman offensive lineman David Sanders Jr. got their first real game reps in the matchup in Starkville, with their top two cornerbacks, Jermod McCoy and Rickey Gibson III, still out.

Soccer Lady Vols soccer is off to what is perhaps the most dominant start in program history this season. Starting with an upset of No. 1 North Carolina on Aug. 14, to going on a run of seven consecutive shutouts defensively, the team has been on an unprecedented run heading into SEC play.

Redshirt junior forward Shea O’Rourke has taken the reins of the dynamic Tennessee offense as well as freshman Reese Mattern and sophomore goalkeeper Cayden Norris in net.

All three have led Tennessee to wins over Missouri, Texas A&M and LSU to kick off

Tennessee athletics is off to a strong start in the 2025 fall season across each of the four active sports.

David Smith, Cambree Gliessner, Cole Moore, Erick Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon conference play. O’Rourke has five goals and 10 points on 13 shots through five games so far and leads the team in game-winning scores, while Mattern also delivered a big goal to decide the match against the Aggies.

Norris has stepped up in the net, and head coach Joe Kirt has liked what he’s seen out of his sophomore goalkeeper and how she is able to stabilize the team.

“She never panics,” Kirt said after the LSU game. “She’s always in control. It’s what Ally’s (Zazzara) done in the past and what Cayden has stepped into this year. She’s always confident, always composed. That helps the team in front of her take a deep breath and be like, ‘She’s got our back.’ And they do a lot in front of her, but she cleans up what they don’t. She’s been a big part of our success.”

Volleyball Lady Vols volleyball is also off to a scorching hot start this season, having won 10 in a row heading into Friday’s matchup with LSU in Baton Rouge. Tennessee has swept Georgia and South Carolina to open conference play and upset No. 21 Georgia Tech earlier this season in the team’s first ranked win of the year.

It’s been a big year for physicality and offense for the No. 20 Lady Vols, as head coach Eve Rackham Watt continues to be impressed

with the depth and grit of this year’s squad.

“I think this team believes in themselves, they believe in each other,” Rackham Watt said after the South Carolina sweep. “It’s not my favorite thing, to be down in sets, but we’ve talked about it, and volleyball is such a sport of momentum, you’ll see a team go up three and down four, it’s pretty common, but I’m really proud of our way to find a way to just fight back.”

Paityn Chapman, Hayden Kubik, Zoe Humphrey and Chelsea Sutton have all been crucial to Tennessee’s hot start, combining for 343 kills on 687 attacks and 421 total points so far this season.

Humphrey was named SEC Co-Freshman of the Week alongside Texas’ Abby Vander Wal. She recorded 13 blocks and 13 kills in the last two games, as Tennessee opens up conference play 2-0.

The only blemish on Tennessee’s resume so far has been a 3-1 loss to No. 15 Purdue in the Nashville Broadway Classic on Aug. 31, but the team has rattled off 10 straight wins, eight of which have been sweeps.

The team will go on a road trip highlighted

by Friday’s match in Baton Rouge, a matchup with No. 2 Texas in Austin on Oct. 8 and a match against Ole Miss in Oxford on Oct. 12 to wrap up the road trip.

Cross country Tennessee cross country is off to a strong start as well, taking first-place finishes in both men’s and women’s races during the season-opening invitational on Aug. 29. The team took down No. 11-ranked Alabama and No. 9 Kentucky in the win.

“I think we’re definitely in a really good spot in terms of the depth and the talent right now,” Duncan said after the opening meet.

Mary Nyaboke Ogwoka has led the women’s squad through two races this season, with a 3-mile race time of 16:32:39 on Aug. 29 and a second-place finish of 19:07.7 in the Gans Creek Classic on Friday to help Tennessee finish 12th out of 30 in the women’s team race.

On the men’s side, Zouhair Redouane has immediately made his name known early with a dominant first-place effort with a 4-mile race time of 19:18:27 in the season opener, but did not compete on Friday.

Sophomore Ethan Edgeworth was the runner-up for the men in the season opener and notched another runner-up on Friday with a 23:53.5 performance in the gold 8k race.

Tennessee will travel to Columbia, Missouri, on Oct 18 for the Pre-National Invitational, also hosted by Missouri.

SPORTS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, October 1, 2025

GAMES TO WATCH

Football

THIS WEEK OCTOBER 2-7, 2025

THURS

SUN

Soccer vs. Georgia — 7 p.m.

Men’s tennis at MT Shootout in Murfreesboro, TN — All day

2

FRI

3

Men’s tennis at MT Shootout in Murfreesboro, TN — All day Softball vs. Carson-Newman — 6 p.m.

Volleyball vs. LSU in Baton Rouge, La. — 8 p.m.

SAT

4

Men’s tennis at MT Shootout in Murfreesboro, TN — All day Softball vs. ETSU — 5 p.m.

5

Women’s golf at Mercedes-Benz Intercollegiate in Knoxville, TN — All day Soccer at Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss. — 3 p.m. ET

MON

6 Women’s golf at Mercedes-Benz Intercollegiate in

2025

16

PICK ‘EM

ALEX SARKIS ASST. SPORTS EDITOR (28-7)

Knoxville, TN — All day

Men’s golf at Fighting Irish Classic in South Bend, Ind. — All day Men’s tennis at M15 Lexington in Lexington, Ky. — All day

TUES

TREVOR MCGEE SPORTS EDITOR (25-10)

7

Women’s golf at Mercedes-Benz Intercollegiate in Knoxville, TN — All day Men’s golf at Fighting Irish Classic in South Bend, Ind. — All day Men’s tennis at M15 Lexington in Lexington, Ky. — All day

7:30PM

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THEO COLLI SENIOR STAFF WRITER (22-13)

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TICKETS

THURSDAY

OCTOBER 30 7:30PM TICKETS

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PATRICK BUSCH NEWS EDITOR (23-12)

THURSDAY

OCTOBER 16

VANDERBILT VS. ALABAMA MIAMI VS. FLORIDA STATE TEXAS VS. FLORIDA TEXAS TECH VS. HOUSTON IOWA STATE VS. CINCINNATI ILLINOIS VS. PURDUE MISSISSIPPI STATE VS. TEXAS A&M