(WBIR- Knoxville) Former Lady Vols are speaking out about the University's decision to drop the 'Lady Vols' logo from all women's sports, except basketball.
RELATED STORY:Tennessee drops 'Lady Vols' except for basketball
UT quietly made the change on its website Monday. All Tennessee women and men's sports teams, with the exception of one, will now go by the 'Volunteers'.
"It's not just basketball. It's not just each individual sports team. Soccer, softball, rowing, or anything like that. It's all of us together. All of us together are the Lady Vols," said Jennifer Bailey, former UT rower.
"When the news actually broke yesterday and hearing it for the first time, I was just really disappointed and really frustrated," said Alex Barsanti, former UT swimmer added.
The University of Tennessee has been talking about a new brand since it combined its athletic departments in 2012. It became official on Monday.
"I think by getting rid of it, and I know basketball still has it, but just having it with them now, you're losing something special."
In a press release, UT said as of July 1, 2015 all sports other than women's basketball will compete under the name, "Tennessee Volunteers". Former athletes are disappointed in the news.
"To think that it's an experience that no other future athlete aside from basketball won't get to have this experience, it's heartbreaking," said Barsanti.
UT said women's basketball was excluded from the transition because of the accomplishments and legacy that surrounds Coach Pat Summit and her former players.
"She has made such an impact on female athletes and I am very proud of all the accomplishments," Barsanti said. "That makes me very happy that they get to keep it. I just wish that the athletic department also saw how much the Lady Vol name meant to other sports."
The university said rebranding will unite all of the athletic programs and Chancellor Jimmy Cheek said: "Brand consistency across the university is critical as we strive to become a top 25 public research university."
"In my opinion, it really creates a disunity to have one team still have it and none of the others have it," Bailey said.
The rebranding comes with a transition from adidas to NIKE and the university says the Power T logo will be featured.
Several former UT swimmers have come together to start a petition on Facebook, asking the athletic department to keep the name the same.
