Trevor Jolley called his photo of Jack Donnelly one of his favorite images from the night of the Mocs’ NIT championship. Photo courtesy of Trevor Jolley.
When the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men’s basketball team defeated Bradley University in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) quarterfinals on March 25, Trevor Jolley was at roller hockey practice preparing for nationals in Florida.
It was their final weekly practice before heading to Fort Myers, Florida, and—in a brief moment between drills—the UTC Echo sports editor checked the score.
“I kind of stopped thinking about it for that moment,” said Jolley, a senior communication major and geography minor at UTC. “I knew I had to go back to hockey practice.
“I couldn’t really think about anything else but practicing.”
As the president and one of the founding members of the UTC Roller Hockey Club, his enthusiasm quickly turned to concern.
Beating Bradley meant that the Mocs punched their ticket to Indianapolis for a chance at the NIT title. The semifinal and finals would be played on April 1 and 3.
Meanwhile, the club team would be playing its first game on April 2.
“There’s only one of me and I can’t be in two places at once,” Jolley explained. “I just figured they were both over the span of the same days and I didn’t think I would be able to go to both.”
An impossible decision seemingly was on the table—a choice between a club roller hockey program he built and nurtured to the team’s first nationals appearance and his Echo sports editor duties.
Luckily, that choice never came.
“I love hockey,” Jolley explained. “It is my favorite sport. It’s my favorite pastime. Especially being able to play for UTC and with my buddies. To be able to represent the school and do what I love, it’s hard to give that up—especially when I know no matter the results of the competition, this is the last time I’m going to do it.
“Basketball’s also in the Final Four of the NIT. It’s somewhere that UTC has never been before. It was at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse, an amazing venue, and history was on the line to be made.”
Thanks to a collaborative effort involving Eddrick Brooks, Campus Recreation’s coordinator of club sports and sports complex; LaDonna Spruill, assistant to the dean in the Gary W. Rollins College of Business; Department of Communication lecturer and Echo advisor James Tanner; and Interim Chancellor Dr. Robert Dooley, a plan came together through numerous phone calls and meetings to allow Jolley to attend both events.
Jolley could cover the NIT games in person with fellow his fellow Echo mates—assistant sports editor Sydney Banks, staff writer Zoie Denton and photographer Emma Sutherland.
Jolley also would be able to play with his teammates in Florida for one last ride with the team.
Mocs guard Trey Bonham takes a shot in the NIT championship against the University of California, Irvine. Photo courtesy of Trevor Jolley.
Jolley and the Echo team drove with Tanner to Indianapolis for the semifinal game against Loyola University Chicago. In a hard-fought battle, UTC defeated Loyola Chicago to reach the championship game.
The next day, he flew to Florida to meet his roller hockey teammates.
“By the time we got to the hotel (after the basketball victory), it was probably 3 a.m.,” Jolley said. “I slept and woke up at about 10 a.m., went down and ate a bowl of cereal for breakfast. Everything else was gone. Then Professor Tanner took me to the airport.”
While Jolley was in transit, the roller hockey team dropped a heartbreaking 6-5 contest to the University of Florida. The next game was scheduled for 10:45 that night and didn’t start until midnight.
The Mocs went on to win 6-3 over California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
“It’s 2 a.m. at this point,” Jolley said. “We’re leaving the rink tired and get back to the hotel. All 10 guys got to eat and shower. By the time of lights out, it was almost 4 a.m.”
With a 6 a.m. return trip to Indianapolis for the championship game, he fell asleep at the hotel and missed the flight.
He admitted he should have stayed awake.
“They eventually got it worked out and they got me on a 4 p.m. flight to Indianapolis,” Jolley said, “which put me there at 7 p.m. It was pushing it, but it was enough time for a 9 p.m. tip.”
The UTC Roller Hockey Club, including senior Trevor Jolley (right photo), traveled to Florida for the national collegiate championships. Photos courtesy of Trevor Jolley.
Running on adrenaline, Jolley covered the game jointly for the Echo and the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
One of Jolley’s shots was used as the lead photo for the sports section.
“I did all the photos of the celebration and the team cutting nets,” he explained. “I saw Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Mark Wharton … I thanked him that the school allowed us to be up there because he had seen the work that we were doing.
“I shook his hand and congratulated him. I was just like, ‘Congrats, this is huge for the department. This is huge for the school. This is huge for the basketball team. This is an amazing moment in UTC history.’ He agreed and thanked me for being here. ‘If you can find some scissors, get you a piece of this net.’”
Wharton had the net wrapped around his neck. Jolley went on a mad dash for scissors.
“Shout out to the training staff for leaving their bag by the court,” Jolley said with a laugh. “I had to borrow their scissors. I did put them back, so don’t worry. I had to run and get the scissors, and as he was walking off the court, he let me cut a piece off the net. I am going to keep that piece of net forever.”
Jolley was able to fly out the following day and meet the hockey team for their final game against Maryville University in Missouri. While only playing in two of the team’s five games, Jolley said he was just happy to be with the team.
Jolley said that championship week was the perfect way to finish his UTC academic career. Being in Indianapolis to witness history and to be with his teammates as their season ended are memories he’ll never forget.
“I just want to reiterate how grateful I am to everyone who helped me,” Jolley said. “Those people who helped the Echo out and who helped the roller hockey team out … from the bottom of my heart, I appreciate you. Without their support, it wouldn’t have been possible for either side.
“I also couldn’t have done any of this without my mom. She is my biggest supporter in every facet of my life. No one believes in me like she does. I called her after the championship and she told me how proud she was of me. That means more than any published photo or souvenir I could ever take from the event.”
Learn more
Capturing history: UTC communication students take on NIT
UTC Roller Hockey Club heads to Florida for national championships
NIT champions: UTC men’s basketball returns home after thrilling overtime victory
Chattanooga Times Free Press sports section cover from April 4, 2025, Reproduced with permission of the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Photos by Trevor Jolley.
