College players of the week recognized - Jan. 2

January 2, 2025 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – There were still some exciting performances during the holiday break as the Tennessee Sports Writers Association picked Lipscomb senior forward Jacob Ognacevic as its Men’s Basketball Player of the Week and Vanderbilt sophomore forward Khamil Pierre as the Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for games between Dec. 16 and 29.

Ognacevic, a senior from Sheboygan, Wisc., had three strong games during the holiday session as he recorded 32 points on 12-of-18 shooting with six boards, two assists, one steal and four blocks against in-state foe Middle Tennessee.

He also recorded 25 points on 10-for-13 shooting with 12 rebounds to complete the double-double against Asbury with four assists and a steal. Ognacevic also recorded 14 points with six rebounds and a steal against Truett McConnell.

For the two-week span, Ognacevic compiled 71 points with 24 rebounds, six assists, three steals and four blocks, averaging 23.4 points and 8.0 rebounds.

On the women’s side, Pierre collected two double-doubles in three contests as the Commodores maintained a 13-1 record on the season. The Phoenix, Ariz., native has scored in double figures for the 16th straight game, which is the seventh-longest streak since 1999-00 and the longest since Christina Foggie had 19 consecutive games with 10 or more points in 2013-14.

Against Dayton, Pierre scored 14 points with 10 rebounds, five assists and four steals. She followed that up with 23 points, 10 boards, three assists, three steals and a block against West Georgia. Pierre came back from the Christmas holiday with a 29-point, seven-rebound performance against Alabama A&M with four assists, four steals and a block.

Over the three-game span, Pierre scored 66 points (22.0 per game), pulled down 27 rebounds (9.0 per game), with 12 assists (4.0 per game), 11 steals (3.7 per game) and two blocks (0.7 per game).

TSWA recognizes college players of the week - Dec. 17

December 18, 2024 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont senior forward Jonathan Pierre led the Bruins to a big non-conference victory, earning this week’s Tennessee Sports Writers Association Men’s Basketball Player of the Week honor.

Pierre, a Memphis transfer from Hallandale, Fla., has flourished with Belmont this season and put up a strong performance over defending Atlantic 10 champion Richmond as the senior posted one of the top efforts this season by a Missouri Valley Conference player.

In the victory over the Spiders, Pierre collected a career-high 28 points, including a 5-for-9 effort from beyond the arc and a 5-for-5 night at the free-throw line. He also collected seven rebounds and nine assists as he flirted with a triple-double in the victory. It was his seventh double-digit scoring game of the season.

The 6-9 forward is currently averaging 13.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: In a week that saw some amazing women’s basketball performances, the decision went to Vanderbilt sophomore forward Khamil Pierre.

Also named one of this week’s winners of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association’s Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week, the Phoenix, Ariz., native put together one of the best games in Vanderbilt program history as she broke the Commodores’ single-game scoring record with 42 points, surpassing the previous best of 41 set by Chantelle Anderson (Feb. 8, 2001) and Ciaja Harbison (Jan. 29, 2023).

She accomplished one of the rarest feats in basketball as she outscored Evansville by herself as the Commodores defeated the Purple Aces 106-40. The 42 points is the most scored by a Southeastern Conference player this season and the most since the 2020-21 season. Pierre was 19-for-28 from the field and 4-for-6 at the free-throw line.

She scored 20 points alone in the first quarter, setting the program record for points scored in the opening frame, as well as tied Marnelle Garraud’s record for most points scored in any quarter, set on Jan. 16, 2023, in the fourth quarter at Arkansas.

In addition to her career-high 42 points, Pierre also set a new career high in rebounds as she pulled down 18 boards, along with an assist, a block and eight steals.

Pierre extended her double-digit scoring streak to 13 games and posted her eighth double-double of the season.

College players of the week announced by TSWA

December 10, 2024 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Carson-Newman junior guard Jack Browder has been on a tear of late, scoring 30 or more points in three straight games.

As he continues his torrid pace, the Kingsport, Tenn., was selected Tuesday as the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Men’s Basketball Player of the Week.

Despite an 87-81 loss to UVA Wise, Browder put in 36 points and grabbed 16 rebounds – both career highs. The 16 rebounds are tied for the seventh-most in C-N program history and the third-most since the Eagles started play in NCAA Division II.

From the field against the Cavaliers, Browder shot 12-for-18, including 4-for-4 from beyond the arc and connected on all eight of his free throw tries. On the glass, he had five offensive caroms and 11 defensive ricochets, while also blocking two shots.

Browder was efficient in the next game, collecting 30 points in a 98-89 win over Limestone on 9-for-10 shooting, including 4-for-5 from long-range. He was also perfect at the line again, imitating his previous 8-for-8 effort at the stripe. Browder also collected six rebounds, two assists and two blocks.

The Eagles’ junior guard was also announced as the Division II National Player of the Week by the National Basketball Coaches Association on Tuesday.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Tennessee redshirt sophomore guard Talaysia Cooper had a strong week of her own as the Lady Vol extended her streak of scoring 20 or more points to four straight games, posting an average of 22.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.5 blocks and 2.0 steals in wins over Florida State and No. 17 Iowa to improve to 7-0 on the season.

In a nationally televised game from Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, Cooper overcame foul trouble to score 19 of her 23 points in the second half to lead the Lady Vols to the 78-68 victory over the nationally-ranked Hawkeyes in the Shark Beauty Women’s Champions Classic. The Turbeville, S.C., native scored 10 of her points in the final 4:26 of the game, allowing Tennessee to overcome a four-point deficit and close out the game on a 16-2 run. Cooper also had six rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals against Iowa.

Earlier in the week, Cooper continued to show her all-around game as she shot 58.8 percent from the field for 22 points against the Seminoles, while also pulling down seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals.

TSWA honors college players of the week

December 3, 2024 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Chattanooga senior guard Trey Bonham had a great week as he helped lead the Mocs to the Coke Classic MTE title en route to this week’s selection as the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Men’s Basketball Player of the Week.

Bonham, a product of Mobile, Ala., averaged 21.5 points on the week with 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game as he shot 51.7 percent from the field and 31.3 percent from 3-point range with a solid 2.3 assist-to-turnover ratio.

During the Mocs’ 85-78 victory over in-state foe Tennessee State, Bonham broke past the 1,200-point mark with 28 points on 11-for-18 shooting with three 3-pointers, while also pulling down seven boards and collecting four dimes. Bonham then had 15 points, three assists and two rebounds in an 84-76 victory over Bryant in what was essentially the MTE’s title game to continue the Mocs’ five-game winning streak.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Middle Tennessee senior center Anastasiia Boldyreva was named the Women’s Basketball Player of the Week as the Blue Raiders picked up a pair of wins over Florida A&M and Purdue before falling in a battle to No. 15 Iowa State.

On the week, the Moscow, Russia, native collected 52 points, 23 rebounds and seven blocks.

She scored a season-high 19 points with seven boards and a block in the 80-54 victory over FAMU as she went 8-for-9 from the field, including a 3-pointer in 22 minutes of action. She tied that season-high and pulled down 10 caroms to get the double-double in the 54-49 win over Purdue.

Boldyreva finished the week with 14 points, six rebounds and a steal against the Cyclones and was named to the Elevance Health Women’s Fort Myers Tip-Off All-Tournament Team.

MEN’S BASKETBALL
11/12 | Jacob Ognacevic (Lipscomb)
11/19 | Doyel Cockrill III (Fisk)
11/26 | Russ Marr (Sewanee)
12/3 | Trey Bonham (Chattanooga)

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
11/12 | Jennifer Sullivan (Carson-Newman)
11/19 | Ni’Kiah Chesterfield (Tusculum)
11/26 | Molly Heard (Lipscomb)
12/3 | Anastasiia Boldyreva (Middle Tennessee)

College players of the week announced - Nov. 26

November 27, 2024 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Chattanooga wrapped up its regular season with a victory over Austin Peay and took both Tennessee Sports Writers Association Football Players of the Week honors as senior quarterback Chase Artopoeus and junior linebacker Alex Mitchell were selected for the awards.

Artopoeus had missed the last three games due to an injury and came into Saturday’s game against the Governors as a backup. He entered the game in the first half, then was involved in three touchdowns to lead the Mocs to the 24-17 victory.

The Orcutt, Calif., native threw for 161 yards as he completed 15-of-21 passes with two touchdowns. His first pass of the game was a nine-yard scoring strike to Javin Whatley, then threw a seven-yard touchdown to John McIntyre for the game-winning score early in the fourth quarter. Artopoeus also ran for a three-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

On the defensive side of the ball, Mitchell led the Mocs with nine tackles, with a sack for a TFL, a forced fumble, an interception and two pass breakups. It was his third career interception – and the first not against Samford.

The win gave Chattanooga its ninth road win in its last 11 Football Championship Subdivision road trips.

VOLLEYBALL: Tennessee Tech senior outside hitter continued to rack up accolades as this week’s Volleyball Player of the Week. Isringhausen was a beast for the Golden Eagles over the final two matches of the regular season, helping Tech extend its winning streak to seven straight matches by averaging 5.17 kills, 1.00 blocks, an absurd 2.17 service aces, and 7.92 points per set while hitting .403 from the outside.

The senior opened the week with 13 kills on a .367 attack, four blocks, and 13 digs for her ninth double-double of the year. The highlight came from the service line, as the Edwardsville native set a new rally-scoring era program record with eight aces, including six alone in the first set. She followed it up with a whopping 18 kills and .432 hitting percentage on Wednesday, adding five more aces, two blocks, and 15 digs for her 10th double-double on the year.

MEN’S BASKETBALL: Sewanee’s Russ Marr hit a milestone en route to the Men’s Basketball Player of the Week honor as he scored a career-high 50 points in the Tigers’ road win over McMurry.

He shot an impressive 64-percent from 3-point range as he drained seven of 11 long-range tries and was 65-percent from the field overall as he was 15-of-23 in just 28 minutes of action. Marr also collected two rebounds, two assists and two steals in the game.

A day earlier, Marr scored 18 points with two rebounds, three blocks, an assist and a steal against LeTourneau, then had 20 points, four steals, four rebounds, four assists and a block against Piedmont.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Lipscomb junior guard Molly Heard earned the Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honor after she collected 32 points in Lipscomb’s 86-79 victory over Evansville.

In the contest, she was 10-of-19 shooting, including 4-of-9 from 3-point range and added 8-for-11 at the free-throw line.

Heard, from Pisgah, Ala., scored 11 points in the first half, then shot 6-for-10 on the court and 7-for-9 at the stripe for 21 points over 18 minutes in the second half. She put the game away in the fourth quarter with 12 of Lipscomb’s final 24 points.

She set new career-highs in points scored, free throws made and attempted and matched her career high in 3-pointers made. It was the first 30-point game of her career and the ninth in Lipscomb program history and tied for the third-most points scored.