Last Friday Tennessee lost to Mississippi State 73-56 in the SEC tourney quarterfinals but still earned an at-large bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Volunteers had made the NCAA tourney for 3 straight years as a 3-5 seed and are heading back to the NCAA tourney this year as a #2-seed. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Tennessee dancer Janie Schowalter about her team’s remarkable run.
You are from Grand Rapids, MI: what made you choose Tennessee? It was mainly due to the dance team, and after visiting campus I loved it. The team has a great family dynamic, and I just loved the environment here.
You are studying Psychology with a minor in Business: why did you choose those subjects? I originally wanted to be a counselor…but as I come closer to graduation I am unsure if I still want to do that. I have done social media for both the team and a boutique so I might end up in the digital marketing realm.
You are a senior: what is the post-graduation plan? I do not have concrete plans and am still trying to figure it out.
You play several sports in your free time including pickleball/golf/wake surfing: what is your favorite 1? I enjoy them all because I really like being outside/active. I probably play pickleball the most since it is the easiest for me to get access to.
You been dancing for more than a decade: how did you 1st get into it, and what is the best part of being on the dance team? A lot of people start dance when they are 2-3 years old but throughout my childhood I played a lot of sports instead (soccer/basketball/tennis/volleyball/etc.). In middle school I had a friend invite me to join her for dance classes: she gave it up the following year, but I stuck with it. I later went out to California to work with a choreographer, started the process of tryouts, and then ended up at Tennessee. It is hard to choose 1 favorite part because we get to do so many cool things: football games have such great traditions, but it is also fun to travel to basketball tournaments, plus I have made such great friends.
In 2021 you were named UDA Game Day National Champion: what did it mean to you to win a championship? It was really amazing: I was a freshman that year so it was crazy to take it all in. It is very difficult to compete at that level but after putting in so many hours of preparation, especially during COVID and all the challenges that involved, it is a cool thing to leave college with a ring. It is fun to compete every year even if we do not win a title.
You help run the social media account for the dance team: what does that involve, and any tips for a blogger who wants to take some nice photographs at a basketball game? We have a committee that changes each year based on who wants to help. I joined as a sophomore and have added new tools to my toolbox in terms of graphics/videos/photos. There is a lot of trial/error but being able to grow in that space has been great. I would not call myself a “photographer”, but I do what I can. It is a little more difficult when I am dancing rather than taking photos but if we are running a clinic then I will take some photos. My best advice is to be on top of it by planning ahead to make it an easy process. It is different for each team based on what their “brand” is.
Last year the Vols made it all the way to the Sweet 16: did you get to go dancing with them in Orlando/NYC? I did not get to travel last year. It is based on seniority and last year we had 6 seniors who traveled for that. I get to go to the NCAA tourney this year and I am excited because I think we will win a lot of games. It is always fun to cheer on the team regardless of whether we win or lose…but I always hope that we end up on top. I was in Nashville for the SEC tourney last week: it did not go the way that we wanted but it could be good for the long run.
What has been your favorite memory from this season: spending Thanksgiving in Hawaii, beating Illinois at home in December, other? I always love being in our home arena to see all the fans/energy. My favorite is when the fans “checkerboard” it with different sections wearing orange or white: there is a light show and everyone gets into it!
Any predictions for your game against St. Peter’s in Charlotte on Thursday? I am hoping for a nice and easy win. I think that we could go far because this is the best team that I have seen during my time here. I know we did not win our last 2 games, but it might be a good thing if it sets them up for a longer run because they have the talent to make the Final 4. I will be cheering them on and my hopes are high!