Just north of the administration building, you can hear the sounds of fall football practice. The banging of helmets to shoulder pads, the grunts of players searching deep within themselves for that extra effort, coaches barking out orders to their troops. You can see the intensity of the players as they escape from a play and then tangle with their teammates.

Just west of the administration building in the Skyhawk Fieldhouse, the sounds of volleyball practice are rampant.

Almost to the beat of the techno music in the background are the sounds of monstrous kills, amazing blocks, diving digs and the chants of encouragement from winner to winner.

By the time you read this, you will also be able to go west of campus, along Skyhawk Boule-vard, and hear and see the vigor of fall soccer practice.

Cross country runners, golfers, men’s and women’s tennis players and rifle team members will also be on campus. Their respective fall camps are under way or will soon begin. At stake for the six fall sports are Ohio Valley Conference championships. Here is a brief primer on UTM athletics. About 300 athletes participate in 14 Skyhawk sports. Along with the six fall sports (football, women’s volleyball, women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s rifle and men’s golf), UTM offers men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, cheerleading and rodeo. With the exception of cheerleading and rodeo, all the teams compete in the Ohio Valley Conference, the nation’s eighth oldest conference made up of 11 institutions from as far north as Charleston, Ill., to as far south as Jacksonville, Ala. Among the OVC institutions are Austin Peay and Morehead State (all sports except football), Southeast Mis-souri State, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Illinois, Jacksonville State, Samford, Murray State, Tennessee Tech and Tennessee State.

Will the Skyhawks play in the Bowl Championship Series in January? No, but they compete in Division I-AA football and have a chance to participate in a true playoff format for a national championship. UTM also benefits financially from the BCS. In basketball, both men’s and women’s teams are eligible to compete for a berth in the field of 64 teams (March Madness).

All of the other sports are also eligible to compete for national championships. This past Decem-ber, the Skyhawk volleyball team traveled to Lincoln, Neb., where it played in front of more than 4,000 fans against perennial national power Nebraska.

Cheerleading and rodeo compete for their own national championships. The UTM rodeo team is a member of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) and competes in the Ozark Region. The rodeo team has an impressive history and has been ranked among the top 25 in the nation for the past 30 years.

Here’s some advice on how to follow the Skyhawks throughout the year: Set a bookmark on your Internet browser for UTMSPORTS.COM. The site includes schedules, rosters, pictures, statistics and much more. Use your student ID card for free admission to all home games except the annual spring rodeo. Don’t worry, free rodeo tickets have been available for students. Show up at the games and take an active part in supporting the Skyhawks. Be vocal, be seen and make some noise. Be positive in your encouragement and get to know the athletes; after all, they are your classmates, your roommates and your friends.

Football season opens Thursday, Aug. 28, when the Skyhawks host Austin Peay at Graham Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Soccer season opens Friday, Aug. 29, when the Skyhawks host Cumberland University. Volleyball opens the home portion of its slate Sept. 9 against Memphis.

Come out and catch the Skyhawks in action. If you need season ticket information for your friends and family, call (731) 587-7685. If you want more information about Skyhawk athletics, log onto www.utmsports.com or call me at (731) 587-7632.