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Expectations were big.

Renovations and new facilities were everywhere.

A big year for University of Tennessee athletics was matched by big-time donations.

The UT Athletics Board met Saturday morning and learned the Volunteer Athletics and Scholarship Fund had a record-breaking 2006-07.

Total donations ending June 30 added up to $34.8 million, an increase of more than $3 million from the previous year.

Included were $22.2 million in annual gifts and $12.7 million in gifts for capital projects, endowments and other miscellaneous endeavors.

As far as the UT Athletic Department budget goes, the report was just as upbeat.

There was a net surplus of $5.52 million before making $2.8 million in transfers to support the UT system and Knoxville campus programs.

A total of $1.38 million went for academic scholarships for nonstudent-athletes.

Other highlights included: the Thornton Center reporting 222 student-athletes were named to the Thornton Center Honor Roll and 54 athletes received diplomas in the spring of 2007.

A total of 313 UT athletes volunteered for more than 2,500 hours of community service for 72 different organizations.

The Athletics Board also got an update on the completion or ongoing work on facility projects: Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center, Intercollegiate Golf Complex, Lindsey Nelson Stadium, Neyland Stadium, Pratt Basketball Pavilion, Regal Soccer Stadium, Sherry Parker Lee Softball Stadium and Thompson-Boling Arena.

Women's Golf: The 13th-ranked UT women's golf team is in Orlando, Fla., for the Hooters Match Play at Kissimmee's Ginn Reunion Resort. Nicole Smith, Diana Cantu, Rebecca Watson, Rachel Ingram and Ginny Brown of the Lady Vols will be matched with Michigan State golfers for the first round.

Meanwhile, Marci Turner and Angela Oh of the Lady Vols will play in a Futures Tour qualifying tournament and will not be with the team.

Soccer: Tennessee's chances for the SEC East Division championship and the regular-season title were lost in 3-0 setback at Georgia (15-2-2, 8-1-2 SEC).

Tennessee (13-3-3, 8-2-1) awaits the outcome of today's Florida-Vanderbilt match to learn its seeding for the SEC tournament next week. A Florida loss or tie would give the Lady Vols the No. 2 seed.

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.