[UT Vols News]

KNOXVILLE — Tyler Smith had already been received with open arms by the Tennessee coaches and his new teammates.

On Monday night, he welcomed himself to the Tennessee fans with a 33-point performance in the debut of the Pilot Rocky Top Summer League. The new venture features all of the current Vols' players, as well as several former players such as Ron Slay, Vincent Yarbrough, Damon Johnson and Dane Bradshaw.

"Being a home-state kid, it's great to be back. It's like I never left," the former Giles County High star said in his first comments about the situation since enrolling at UT.

He signed with Tennessee in November 2004 before spending a year at Hargrave (Va.) Military Academy and then last season at Iowa before deciding to transfer to Tennessee to be closer to his father, Billy, who's battling lung cancer.

"God puts us through things that we've got to go through. He put me through that whole situation, but now I'm back home where I want to be."

Tyler Smith excited about UT career - Nashville, Tennessee - Tuesday, 06/19/07 - Tennessean.com

[UT Vols News]

Brad Bertani, Associate Athletics Director for Compliance, announced Friday he has been notified by the NCAA that the Administrative Review Subcommittee waiver submitted on Tyler Smith's behalf has been granted. This means that Smith will be eligible to compete immediately for the University of Tennessee beginning with the fall 2007 semester and will have three years of eligibility remaining.

"This is really good news for Tyler, his family and the Tennessee basketball program," head coach Bruce Pearl said. "I am pleased to see the process work and I believed all along that granting the waiver was the right decision. I am looking forward to Tyler contributing to the team next year and I'm pleased that his Dad will have an opportunity to watch him play in a Tennessee uniform."

SMITH GRANTED WAIVER TO COMPETE BEGINNING IN FALL 2007