The Tennessee Volleyball team will not be able to field a full roster for its first game of the 2021 season, due to NCAA rules. Young will not be able to play in the game against Bowling Green on Friday at 8 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. Byron Young began his eligibility for the NCAA during two games for his prep school, Volquest, in 2017. The decision isn’t going to cost him the entire season, however, and the team has filed an appeal.
Rob Lewis
Volquest writer Rob Lewis added to the growing flame on message boards by explaining that Selby’s decommitment has more to do with Nike than anyone is comfortable mentioning. If that’s true, what does it mean for Selby? It probably has more to do with Nike than any of us are comfortable admitting. That’s why we have to ask the question, why did he decommit? Here are three possibilities.
Caleb Herring
Tennessee’s recruiting efforts have been spearheaded by current commits, such as six-foot-five end Caleb Herring. He is one of the top in-state signees in the past decade. Herring will have to fill out his frame and strengthen his body, but he can already play in the middle of the line. Herring’s speed and ability to play off-ball in space give him an edge over the inside receiver.
As a four-star prospect, Herring will be joining the elite recruiting class of 2023. He will join teammates such as Nico Iamaleava, Jack Luttrell, Ayden Bussell, Trevor Duncan, Nathan Robinson, and Ethan Davis. While the early signing period is still eight months away, Herring is not likely to change his mind. In fact, he is excited to join his brother at Tennessee.
Camden Sewell
The Tennessee Volunteers have acquired right-handed reliever Camden Sewell. The incoming freshman has been effective for the Volunteers during his college career. He has two saves and is 1-0 with a 2.26 ERA. In 14.1 innings of work, he has allowed only five hits and two walks. In the SEC Tournament semifinals, Sewell tossed six scoreless innings to beat UF. While the move may not seem significant, it could have been a huge boost to the Tennessee bullpen.
Tennessee baseball announced that Sewell will be returning for his final season in 2019. The sophomore threw 50 innings for the Volunteers last season and posted a 2.52-ERA. He pitched the most innings in 2022 in the SEC Tournament against Florida, pitching five innings while allowing no runs. This performance earned him an All-Tournament selection. Camden Sewell’s return to the Volunteers is a sign of the Vols’ tradition.
Byron Young
Byron Young, a four-star defensive lineman out of Georgia, will not be able to play in Tennessee’s opening game in 2021. The NCAA determined that he is ineligible due to two games he played at a prep school in 2017. The team is appealing the decision, but it is unlikely that Young will lose his eligibility for the entire season. Tennessee has already started the appeal process for the decision.
Dollar General is a chain of variety stores in the United States. The company is headquartered in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. Byron Young has Volquest multiple offers for admission, but is unlikely to play until the 2021 season. Young is a member of the age group that makes up seventy percent of the population – those between the ages of 41 and 60. He worked for Dollar General for 18 months, but was eventually promoted to an executive position. Byron Young’s first job was as an assistant manager of a Dollar General store. In March 2014, he purchased a house from Thomas Hartshorn, an executive with Dollar General. In 2017, he sold the house.
Camden Sewell’s return to the Vols
In March, Sewell formally accepted a full-time job with American Accessories International in Knoxville. In this role, he will continue to play baseball, as well as pursue graduate classes. The Vols lost four pitchers to the draft, including Mark McLaughlin, so Volquest’s return is important. He has pitched well for the Vols and brings valuable experience. While he hasn’t pitched well enough to jumpstart his professional career, he’ll still be an asset to Tennessee’s bullpen.
A familiar repertoire is a foundation for Sewell’s success. His running fastball and sweeping breaking ball are reliable, and Vols coach Tony Vitello has always felt comfortable with Sewell in the big spot. In the SEC Tournament, he’s dominated Florida in two straight appearances, leading the Vols to wins over the Gators in both the 2021 and 2022 tournaments.
Jeremy Pruitt’s investigation into NCAA violations
The NCAA has issued a notice alleging potential Volquest violations involving Jeremy Pruitt and his Tennessee athletics department. According to the notice, Pruitt and his wife, Casey, arranged for more than $12,700 in recruiting benefits for a recruit. The gifts included car payments, game-day parking, and lodging, as well as $3,000 in cash for a player’s mother. The gifts allegedly began before Pruitt recruited the prospect and continued after the player enrolled.
Final Words:
The investigation found that several school officials Volquest NCAA rules. Tennessee’s athletic department was cited for 18 violations. A Level I infraction is one that involves the most serious violation. The list also includes a former employee of the athletic department, Casey Pruitt, who was in charge of checking eligibility and ensuring the athletics department followed NCAA rules. The NCAA notice also alleged that Pruitt paid nearly $60,000 in cash and gifts to former Tennessee football players and their families. The tenth-ranked Tennessee football program is now facing a legal battle, but has made a number of changes in its football staff and athletic department.
