Meet the role players who power Tennessee Basketball's training room
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Chad Newman has been the athletic trainer for Tennessee Basketball for nearly 30 years. While he's been the star of the training room, there are role players who play a vital part behind the scenes.
As the cooler is filling up, Delaney Klee's day is just starting.
'I mean, honestly, for me the hardest thing is moving heavy things around,' said Klee.
Zakai Zeigler makes history with 2nd SEC Defensive Player of the Year award win
Klee is a student assistant to the athletic trainer for the men's basketball team.
'I work a lot with rehab and help with first response of injuries or if something happens. And then another main part of the job is during practice handing out waters,' Klee explained. 'Just sort of an extra set of eyes on the court along with Chad.'
Her vision for athletic training began well before she started the internship more than two years ago.
'When I was in seventh grade, I got plantar fasciitis,' said Klee. 'That's the pulling of the tendon on the bottom of your foot. I was out of cross country from the summer all the way through cross country season.'
An injury to Klee's foot in middle school helped her take a step toward her career path.
WATCH: One-on-one interview with Lady Vol basketball assistant coach Gabe Lazo
'I was able to work with athletic trainers, and I was really interested in their role in the athletes' world, so when I came to Tennessee, I knew I wanted to be an athletic trainer,' explained Klee.
Klee took a shot in the field she had dreamed of working in. Just like in the sport she helps, sometimes the game plan changes.
'I am kind of pumping the brakes on athletic training school because it is two more years from a master's program in order to be an athletic trainer, so I'm actually looking into getting my teaching certificate and teaching anatomy or kinesiology in a high school setting,' said Klee.
THE LATEST: University of Tennessee Basketball news
Despite pivoting career paths, the knowledge she has gained from working under Newman will still be passed on.
'That's really what you want to do,' said Newman. 'You want to be an influence in a good way. I want kids to text me and call back.'
Just like when one cooler is full, Klee begins to pour into another. Now, she is ready to help fill the next generation with the knowledge she learned under Newman.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Tennessee ace Liam Doyle among three finalists for Golden Spikes Award
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Tennessee Baseball starting pitcher Liam Doyle was named one of three finalists for the Golden Spikes Award, which is presented annually to the best player in college baseball. Doyle currently has a 10-3 record with a 2.84 ERA and a national-leading 158 strikeouts. Doyle played a big part in the Vols reaching a fifth straight Super Regional. The junior picked up the win by pitching 6.2 innings against Miami (OH) in the Knoxville Regional opener. He closed out the regional against Wake Forest just three days later. Vols ace Liam Doyle breaks single-season strikeout record Wehiwa Aloy of Arkansas and Florida State's Alex Lodise join Doyle as finalists. The winner will be announced on June 21 at 6:30 p.m. before the first pitch of Game 1 of the College World Series finals. Fan voting is officially opening and will go until June 20. Department of Justice comments on Zakai Zeigler lawsuit Doyle is looking to become the first player from the University of Tennessee to win the award. Tennessee has four players named finalists. Todd Helton (1995), Chris Burke (2001) and Luke Hochevar (2005) all earned the honor. Doyle and the Vols will start their Super Regional against Arkansas on Saturday at 5 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Department of Justice comments on Zakai Zeigler lawsuit
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The Department of Justice filed a Statement of Interest commenting on the Zakai Zeigler lawsuit challenging the Four Seasons Rule. While the report stated that the United States took no position on whether the Four Seasons Rule hurt or harmed competition, it did give several comments and legal principles that it asked the court to take into account. It recommended that it consider the previous suit of NCAA v. Alston in which the Supreme Court reiterated that the NCAA is subject to the Sherman Act. Tellico Plains families fighting to regain full access to historic cemetery The report urged the court to think about how the Four Seasons Rule 'may benefit competition in the relevant labor market, including by potentially enhancing the quality of the student-athlete experience.' The report pointed out that if schools don't limit years of participation, they could use more experienced players, gaining an advantage and discouraging other teams from fielding younger players. It also said that a lack of eligibility rules could lead to a blurred line between college and professional sports, potentially reducing consumer demand. Statement-of-interest-of-the-United-States-of-America-Zakai-Zeigler-vs-NCAADownload 'We submit this Statement to affirm the importance of applying the flexible rule of reason to challenges under Section 1 of the Sherman Act to intercollegiate eligibility rules that may have both anticompetitive effects and procompetitive benefits in the labor market for student-athletes,' the report said. THP: Driver arrested after pursuit through Greene County, Johnson City Zeigler sued the NCAA hoping to play a fifth season of college basketball at the University of Tennessee. His lawsuit argues that the Four Seasons Rule — which says that players can only compete for four seasons within a five-year window — violates the Sherman Act, an antitrust law. The NCAA filed a response arguing that this was not the case. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Vols ace Liam Doyle breaks single-season strikeout record
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Tennessee pitcher Liam Doyle helped the Volunteers reach an NCAA Super Regional for the fifth consecutive season on Monday and wrote his name into the program history book in the process. The junior ace entered the decisive last game of the Knoxville Regional against Wake Forest in the seventh inning, recording five strikeouts over the final 2.1 innings to secure an 11-5 win and send Tennessee to a Super Regional showdown against Arkansas. Lady Vols' season ends in Women's College World Series semifinals to Texas Doyle now has struck out 158 batters in 2025. He now holds the program record for most strikeouts in a single-season, eclipsing Luke Hochevar's record of 154 set back in 2005. It marks another accolade in an impressive season for the Derry, New Hampshire native. He became the third player in school history be named SEC Pitcher of the Year and is one of 16 semifinalists for the College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Year Award. CONTINUING COVERAGE; University of Tennessee Baseball With the Razorbacks holding the No. 3 national seed, Tennessee will hit the road for the Fayetteville Super Regional as they seek a third consecutive appearance in the College World Series. It would be Tennessee's eighth trip to Omaha in program history and the fourth under head coach Tony Vitello. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
