Successful premier for Lady Vols at new facility

On a weekend in which University of Tennessee students began moving into their new dorm rooms, the Lady Vols soccer team Saturday night moved into their new home — Regal Soccer Stadium.

And, to use terminology familiar to benefactor Regal Entertainment Group of Knoxville, the event was a successful premiere. UT defeated Division II Carson-Newman College in an exhibition match in front of approximately 1,000 fans.

The star of the night was the 3,000-seat brick, cast concrete and aluminum facility off Neyland Drive, which was dedicated prior to the game with brief comments by dignitaries and a ribbon cutting.

“We have the best facility in the country, hands down,” said excited Lady Vols coach Angie Kelly.

She added that the stadium should definitely help with recruiting and encouraged anyone to travel around the country and compare any other college facility with Regal.

Part of the inside of the facility includes pictures of past teams, and that also pleased Kelly, who has been involved with Lady Vols soccer for 12 years, eight as the head coach.

“It’s great to see some of those pictures up with some of the earlier recruits and see how far the program has come,” she said.

During the ceremonies — held in the parking lot between the stadium and the under-construction Lady Vols softball complex — UT women’s athletic director Joan Cronan said she was glad the facility is named in honor of the Knoxville-based company.

“They are No. 1 in their industry and I like being No. 1,” she said.

UT Chancellor Dr. Loren Crabtree jokingly told the crowd that he hoped they did well in their home encounter against Minnesota.

“That is my alma mater and that is OK,” he said.

Prior to the ceremonies, several members of the UT Pride of the Southland Band and some Lady Vol cheerleaders tried to inspire the several hundred fans with popular UT pep songs.

UT men’s athletic director Mike Hamilton also attended the ceremonies. Lady Vols basketball coach Pat Summitt did not take part in the ceremonies, but she attended the game.

At the start of the game, Regal CEO and chairman Mike Campbell and youth soccer player Katelyn Brandau did a ceremonial first kick at midfield to Kelly.