Tom Pappas ranks No. 8 in the decathlon, based on last season's 8,441-point total. Pappas, last year's NCAA champion, is expected by many to make his first Olympic team. He hasn't attempted a decathlon since last summer, but his body is fresh and ready for the trials. He recently competed in six events in a meet in Indianapolis and recorded personal bests in four of them. Dan O'Brien will put up.
Nobody really knows.
Ex-Vols Chad Smith and Brian Brophy also qualified for the decathlon trials. Knoxvillian Tony Cosey and UT senior Anthony Famiglietti will run the steeplechase. Ex-Vol Kevin Fitzpatrick will throw the discus. They can soak up the experience to cash in later in their careers. One other current UT athlete qualified.