MEN’S BASKETBALL: Middle Tennessee’s Potts named TSWA award winner
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee’s Giddy Potts earned Tennessee Sports Writers Association Men’s Basketball Player of the Week accolades on Wednesday, averaging 22.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in a pair of victories for the Blue Raiders.
The Athens, Ala., native collected 15 points and five boards with three 3-pointers in the club’s come-from-behind victory over Florida International. He followed that with a career-best 30 points versus Florida Atlantic, hitting 12-of-18 shots overall with three more triples. The junior guard added seven boards and three assists.
Potts is averaging 15.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game for Middle Tennessee as they head into this week’s Conference USA Championships in Birmingham, Ala.
2016-17 TSWA MEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
November 17 – Matthew Butler, UT Martin
November 22 – Josh Robinson, Austin Peay
November 29 – Dedric Lawson, Memphis
December 6 – Evan Bradds, Belmont
December 13 – Garrison Mathews, Lipscomb
December 20 – Dedric Lawson, Memphis
January 3 – Reggie Upshaw, Middle Tennessee
January 10 – Markel Crawford, Memphis
January 17 – Brody Stone, University of the South
January 24 – Charles Clark, Carson-Newman
January 31 – Jacolby Mobley, UT Martin
February 7 – Javier Martinez, UT Martin
February 14 – Charles Clark, Carson-Newman
February 21 – John Murry, Austin Peay
February 28 – Charles Clark, Carson-Newman
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Chattanooga’s Joyner repeats as TSWA weekly winner
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Chattanooga’s Jasmine Joyner garnered Tennessee Sports Writers Association Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honors for the second straight week on Wednesday, registering 16.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 blocks for the Mocs to earn Southern Conference Tournament MVP honors.
The Southaven, Miss., native posted 14 points, nine rebounds and five blocks in the quarterfinal victory over Western Carolina and collected 19 points, 10 boards and four blockis in a win versus UNC-Greensboro. The senior forward netted 17 points with 15 rebounds and four assists in UTC’s come-from-behind victory in the championship game against Mercer, erasing a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit.
Joyner averages 13.2 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game this season for the Mocs.
2016-17 TSWA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
November 17 – Jada Smith, Union University
November 22 – Bella Taylor, University of the South
November 29 – Jada Smith, Union University
December 6 – Whitney Mitchell, King University
December 13 – Samantha Reeves, Christian Brothers
December 20 – Darby Maggard, Belmont
January 3 – Ty Petty, Middle Tennessee
January 10 – Sally McCabe, Belmont
January 17 – Samantha Reeves, Christian Brothers
January 24 – Alex Johnson, Middle Tennessee
January 31 – Bria Gaines, Union University
February 7 – Amber Levi, Bryan College
February 14 – Ty Petty, Middle Tennessee
February 21 – Sally McCabe, Belmont
February 28 – Jasmine Joyner, Chattanooga
BASEBALL: Bryan’s Weinburger, Tennessee Tech’s Wood garner TSWA accolades
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Bryan College’s Wade Weinburger and Tennessee Tech’s Michael Wood were named the Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association on Tuesday for their performances for February 27-March 5.
Weinburger batted .714 (5-for-7) with three home runs, eight RBIs and six runs scored in three games against St. Andrews University. The James Cistern, Bahamas, native collected three hits, three runs scored and three RBIs along with a home run in the series opener.
The freshman outfielder added a two-run homer in the second game of the series and posted two hits, three RBIs and another home run in the series finale. Weinburger is batting .364 with six doubles, seven home runs, 21 RBIs and 29 runs scored in 21 games this season.
Wood tossed a complete-game shutout at Bethune-Cookman, allowing just five hits with five strikeouts and no walks. The senior righthander faced only two batters over the minimum in the 5-0 victory and retired the first 12 batters of the game. He is now 2-1 in four appearances over 19.0 innings of work with 16 strikeouts and just five walks for TTU.
2017 TSWA BASEBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
February 14 – Ryan Addington, Carson-Newman (Player); Travis Dohr, Cumberland University (Pitcher)
February 21 – Nolen Milton, Union University (Player); Evan Heffner, Maryville College (Pitcher)
February 28 – Collin Harris, Tennessee Tech (Player); Brady Puckett, Lipscomb (Pitcher)
SOFTBALL: Maryville’s Brewer, King’s Smothers named TSWA award winners
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Maryville College’s Morgan Brewer and King University’s Hayley Smothers were named the Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association on Tuesday for their performances for February 27-March 5.
Brewer batted .818 (9-for-11) with two home runs, nine RBIs and five runs scored in four games for the Scots. The Maryville, Tenn., native was 6-for-6 in a doubleheader against Agnes Scott, including a triple, two home runs and four RBIs in the opener and three more hits and three more RBIs in the second game.
The freshman infielder posted two hits and one RBI in the first game of a doubleheader versus Wesleyan College and added a single and one RBI in the second contest. She is batting .463 with three doubles, three triples, three home runs, 19 RBIs and 14 runs scored in 16 games this season.
Smothers tossed a pair of complete-game shutouts during the week for the Tornado, allowing four hits with three strikeouts in a five-inning victory over West Virginia Tech. The senior hurler then scattered eight hits with two strikeouts against Mars Hill. She is now 3-3 in 10 appearances over 48.2 innings, striking out 24.
2017 TSWA SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
February 14 – Lexi Cushing, Middle Tennessee (Player); Brooklin Lee, Belmont (Pitcher)
February 21 – Chelsey Deloney, Belmont (Player); McCarley Thomas, Lipscomb (Pitcher)
February 28 – Ashley Scott, Union University (Player); Mandy Jordan, Lipscomb (Pitcher)