Former Tennessee athletic trainer Mike Rollo dies

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Mike Rollo, a former Tennessee athletic trainer who worked more than 30 years at the school in a variety of roles, has died. He was 59.

Kevin Knowles, funeral director at Rose Mortuary, said Monday that Rollo died Friday at Westmoreland Health & Rehab Center in Knoxville. Tennessee issued a release Monday announcing Rollo's death.

Rollo graduated from Tennessee in 1977 and joined the training staff on a full-time basis in 1978. He took over as head trainer in 1992 and was promoted to assistant athletics director for sports medicine in 2001 before retiring in 2007.

In a university release, former Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer called Rollo "a great friend" and said "he was a very important part of our success at Tennessee."