College players of the week honored by TSWA - March 31

March 31, 2026 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE – Sewanee’s Ansley Giffin and Carson-Newman’s Atiana Stamper were named Tennessee Sports Writers Association Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, as announced Tuesday by the organization.

Giffin batted .714 (10-for-14) with four multi-hit outings in five contests for the Tigers. In a midweek doubleheader against Covenant College, she posted two hits in the first game and was 3-for-3 with a solo homer and two runs scored in the second contest.

She recorded two hits in the second contest versus Southwestern University and was 3-for-3 with a run scored in the series finale against the Pirates. Giffin is hitting .448 with five doubles, 10 RBIs, 14 walks and 17 runs scored in 25 games this season.

Stamper posted a 2-0 mark in two appearances, both starts, allowing two runs on nine hits with 16 strikeouts. She tossed a complete game at Tusculum University in a 3-1 win, allowing one run on six hits with four strikeouts.

She pitched all eight innings in a 2-1 victory over Mars Hill, giving up one run on three hits with 12 strikeouts, her second outing with a dozen punchouts this season. She became first freshman with two double-digit strikeout performances at Carson-Newman since Lacie Rinus in 2017.

Stamper is 9-3 with a 2.04 ERA in 16 appearances this season covering 89.1 innings, collecting 89 strikeouts and allowing just 58 hits. Opponents are hitting just .186 against her.

BASEBALL: Middle Tennessee’s Layne Akers and Union University’s Cole Lannom were named Tennessee Sports Writers Association Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively.

Akers batted .471 (8-for-17) with two doubles, one home run and 11 RBIs with four multi-RBI outings in as many games for the Blue Raiders. He singled and drove in two runs in a midweek contest against Alabama A&M.

He singled and posted two RBIs in the series opener versus New Mexico State and collected a career-high three hits with three RBIs and a run scored in the second game. Akers was 3-for-4 with two doubles, a homer, four RBIs and two runs scored in series finale, including a grand slam.

He is hitting .317 with three doubles, four homers, 19 RBIs and 10 runs scored in 17 games this season.

Lannom posted a 1-0 mark with a save and a 0.00 ERA over 5.2 innings in two appearances, allowing just four hits while striking out seven for the Bulldogs. He worked two innings in a midweek contest against Arkansas Tech, allowing no earned runs on one hit with one strikeout, picking up a win.

He tossed 3.2 scoreless innings of relief versus eighth-ranked West Alabama to earn a save, giving up three hits with six strikeouts. Lannom is 4-4 with two saves in 12 appearances this season (one start), pitching 38.0 innings and allowing 32 hits with 42 strikeouts.

2026 TSWA SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Feb. 10 | Shay Hollingsworth, Trevecca Nazarene (Player); Maya Johnson, Belmont (Pitcher)
Feb. 17 | Avary Makarewicz, UT Martin (Player); Taylor Long, Chattanooga (Pitcher)
Feb. 24 | Macauley Bailey, Carson-Newman (Player); Kayleigh Smith, Bryan College (Pitcher)
March 3 | Macauley Bailey, Carson-Newman (Player); Maya Johnson, Belmont (Pitcher)
March 10 | Sydney Tackett, Sewanee (Player); Chelsey Stonesifer, Tusculum University (Pitcher)
March 17 | Ashley Capelouto, Tennessee Tech (Player); Sami Scholtz, UT Martin (Pitcher)
March 24 | Carly Ward, UT Martin (Player); Addison Abell, Tennessee Tech (Pitcher)
March 31 | Ansley Giffin, Sewanee (Player); Atiana Stamper, Carson-Newman (Pitcher)

2026 TSWA BASEBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Feb. 17 | Cohl Proctor, Cumberland University (Player); Tegan Kuhns, Tennessee (Pitcher)
Feb. 24 | Will Curcio, Bryan College (Player); Logan Baskin, Cumberland University (Pitcher)
March 3 | Jacob Sitton, UT Martin (Pitcher)
March 10 | Zach Fortman, Sewanee (Player); Logan Harrell, Trevecca Nazarene (Pitcher)
March 17 | Denajh Williams, Bryan College (Player); Christian Henderson, Carson-Newman (Pitcher)
March 24 | Cole Johnson, Austin Peay (Player); Kolton Casson, Carson-Newman (Pitcher)
March 31 | Layne Akers, Middle Tennessee (Player); Cole Lannom, Union University (Pitcher)

TSWA names college players of the week - March 24

March 24, 2026 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE – UT Martin’s Carly Ward and Tennessee Tech’s Addison Abell were named Tennessee Sports Writers Association Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, as announced Tuesday by the organization.

Ward batted .615 (8-for-13) with four runs scored and five RBIs in four games for the Skyhawks. She posted two hits with two RBIs and a run scored in the first game against Tennessee State and added two more hits with two walks and two runs scored in the second contest. She was 4-for-4 with a triple, three RBIs and a run scored in the series finale. Ward added four stolen bases over the four outings as well.

Abell tallied a 2-0 record in two starts and three appearances, giving up five hits and one earned run with four strikeouts in 13.2 innings. She allowed one earned run in three innings of relief in the midweek versus Austin Peay.

Abell tossed a complete-game shutout in game one of the series against Lindenwood University, taking a no-hit bid into the seventh inning before giving up a single. She worked 3.2 hitless innings in the series finale, striking out one.

BASEBALL: Austin Peay’s Cole Johnson and Carson-Newman’s Kolton Casson were named Tennessee Sports Writers Association Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively

Johnson hit .528 (9-for-17) with five extra-base hits, including three home runs and a pair of doubles while also driving in nine runs. He posted two doubles and two RBIs in a midweek contest at Ole Miss.

Johnson was 4-for-5 with a career-high five RBIs against Lipscomb in the series opener, belting a solo homer and a grand slam in back-to-back at-bats in the second and third innings. He added two hits and three runs scored in the second game and hit a two-run homer in the series finale.

Casson tossed seven scoreless innings, scattering eight hits with one walk and three strikeouts in a 7-0 victory over Tusculum University. He tallied his second career complete game shutout, both this season and in conference play, and has posted 14 consecutive scoreless innings over his past three starts.

TSWA/USA Today Network Prep Poll - March 23

March 23, 2026 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Sports Writers Association and USA Today Network announced the basketball rankings for the 2025-26 season on Monday, March 23. The Top 10 teams in each of the four Division I classifications and Top 5 in two Division II classes were selected by TSWA members and USA Today writers with first-place votes in parentheses and total points based on 10 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 10th-place vote.

BOYS
Division I
Class 1A
1. Jackson County (32-5) – 130 (13). Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 2
2. Humboldt (23-7) – 117. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 4
3. Eagleville (32-1) – 104. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 1
4. Memphis Middle College (23-12) – 88. Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
5. Pickett County (30-5) – 81. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 3
6. Wayne County (24-10) – 62. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 6
7. Unaka (22-8) – 52. Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
8. Hampton (25-10) – 39. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 10
9. Richland (21-7) – 24. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 5
10. Perry County (19-8) – 12. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 7
Other who received 10 or more points: None

Class 2A
1. Chattanooga Prep (22-11) – 130 (13). Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 1
2. Westview (25-8) – 117. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 4
3. Smith County (24-12) – 101. Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
4. Loretto (20-11) – 92. Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
5. Lewis County (20-10) – 57. Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
6. Peabody (25-7) – 54. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 4
7. Tellico Plains (26-6) – 52. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 2
8. Gatlinburg-Pittman (27-5) – 49. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 3
9. East Nashville (23-5) – 35. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 7
10. White House Heritage (26-7) – 26. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 5
Other who received 10 or more points: None

Class 3A
1. Alcoa (24-13) – 130 (13). Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 8
2. Fulton (26-10) – 117. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 5
3. Upperman (31-6) – 104. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 1
4. Tullahoma (28-5) – 91. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 2
5. Tennessee (29-8) – 70. Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
6. South Gibson (23-10) – 58. Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
7. Portland (28-7) – 56. Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
8. Fayette-Ware (26-5) – 44. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 4
9. Jackson North Side (25-5) – 28. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 3
10. Red Bank (22-9) – 17. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 6
Other who received 10 or more points: None

Class 4A
1. Bartlett (35-4) – 130 (11). Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 1
2. Walker Valley (31-4) – 113. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 6
3. Bearden (37-2) – 108. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 2
4. Whitehaven (29-9) – 91. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 5
5. Beech (32-3) – 76. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 7
6. Brentwood (30-4) – 66. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 8
7. Maryville (29-5) – 46. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 3
8. Germantown Houston (19-9) – 38. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 4
9. Blackman (27-5) – 26. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 9
10. Farragut (25-12) – 20. Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
Other who received 10 or more points: None

Division II-A
1. Providence Christian (29-6) – 65 (13). Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 1
2. Battle Ground Academy (31-8) – 52. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 2
3. St. George’s (25-7) – 39. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 4
4. Boyd Buchanan (24-12) – 26. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 3
5. Harding Academy (18-7) – 13. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 5
Other who received 10 or more points: None

Division II-AA
1. Briarcrest Christian (31-3) – 65 (13). Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 1
2. Pope John Paul II (25-8) – 52. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 3
3. Knox Catholic (24-7) – 38. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 2
4. Montgomery Bell Academy (19-10) – 25. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 4
5. Knox Webb (28-3) – 15. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 5
Other who received 10 or more points: None

GIRLS
Division I
Class 1A
1. Richland (28-3) – 130 (13). Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 2
2. Middleton (21-10) – 115. Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
3. Greenfield (30-3) – 105. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 1
4. Wayne County (30-6) – 89. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 4
5. Van Buren County (28-5) – 80. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 3
6. Gordonsville (29-5) – 62. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 6
7. North Greene (28-8) – 48. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 10
8. Coalfield (26-9) – 44. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 9
9. Jackson County (22-11) – 23. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 5
10. Unaka (24-5) – 16. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 7
Other who received 10 or more points: None

Class 2A
1. Huntingdon (31-3) – 130 (13). Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 2
2. York Institute (30-7) – 117. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 3
3. Loretto (22-11) – 99. Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
4. Gatlinburg-Pittman (30-4) – 93. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 1
5. Smith County (22-13) – 71. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 6
6. Gibson County (25-10) – 64. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 7
7. Westview (24-6) – 62. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 4
8. Stewart County (27-6) – 24. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 5
9. McMinn Central (19-13) – 22. Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
10. Summertown (19-13) – 17. Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
Other who received 10 or more points: East Nashville (14)

Class 3A
1. Dyersburg (27-6) – 130 (13). Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
2. White County (34-6) – 117. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 3
3. Cocke County (34-5) – 95. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 5
4. Alcoa (28-8) – 92. Previous Ranking: No. 9
5. Tullahoma (22-11) – 66. Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
6. Daniel Boone (32-4) – 61. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 2
7. Stone Memorial (27-4) – 54. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 1
8. South Gibson (28-6) – 39. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 4
9. Liberty Creek (30-5) – 32. Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
10. Covington (26-6) – 20. Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
Other who received 10 or more points: None

Class 4A
1. Sevier County (28-5) – 130 (13). Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 6
2. Cookeville (30-5) – 116. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 4
3. Bartlett (26-11) – 101. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 10
4. Blackman (29-4) – 81. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 5
5. Bradley Central (32-1) – 80. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 1
6. Bearden (32-4) – 77. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 2
7. Page (25-7) – 51. Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
8. Collierville (21-11) – 37. Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
9. Nolensville (26-6) – 20. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 7
10. Whitehaven (27-4) – 19. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 3
Other who received 10 or more points: None

Division II-A
1. Providence Christian (28-5) – 65 (13). Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 2
2. University School of Jackson (24-6) – 52. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 1
3. The King’s Academy (27-9) – 39. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 4
4. Notre Dame (26-8) – 25. Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
5. Christian Academy of Knoxville (26-7) – 13. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 4
Other who received 10 or more points: Ezell-Harding (12)

Division II-AA
1. Knox Webb (25-6) – 65 (13). Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 1
2. Lipscomb Academy (27-8) – 52. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 3
3. Christ Presbyterian Academy (26-3) – 38. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 1
4. Hutchison School (14-7) – 25. Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
5. Ensworth School (19-6) – 14. Previous Ranking: Ranked No. 4
Other who received 10 or more points: None

Publications that participated in the voting include The Tennessean in Nashville, the Knoxville News-Sentinel, The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, The Daily Herald in Columbia, The Leaf-Chronicle in Clarksville, Five Star Preps, The Daily News Journal in Murfreesboro, The Chattanooga Times-Free Press, The Mirror-Exchange in Milan, the Herald-Citizen in Cookeville and Tri-Cities Sports.

College players of the week recognized by TSWA - March 17

March 17, 2026 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Tech’s Ashley Capelouto and UT Martin’s Sami Scholtz were named Tennessee Sports Writers Association Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, as announced Tuesday by the organization.

Capelouto batted .538 (7-for-13) with four home runs, 13 RBIs and eight runs scored in four games. She posted two home runs, including a grand slam, with three runs scored and six RBIs at East Tennessee State.

In the first game at Tennessee State, she hit a two-run homer and collected an RBI on a bases-loaded walk and collected two hits and two runs scored in the second contest. In the series finale, Capelouto added two hits with her second grand slam of the week. She is hitting .333 with seven doubles, four homers, 20 RBIs and 13 runs scored in 23 games this season.

Scholtz posted a 2-0 mark with a 1.11 ERA over 12.2 innings with seven strikeouts and an opponent's batting average .050. She tossed the 11th no-hitter in UT Martin history in the first game of Friday’s doubleheader against Southeast Missouri and the first seven-inning no-hitter since 2006. She walked three and struck out one in the 4-0 victory.

In the third game of the series, she carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before allowing her first two hits of the week, striking out six in a 7-2 win. Scholtz has a 5-3 mark in 15 appearances covering 51.2 innings this season, giving up just 35 hits with 37 strikeouts.

BASEBALL: Bryan College’s Denajh Williams and Carson-Newman’s Christian Henderson were named Tennessee Sports Writers Association Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively

Williams hit .571 (8-for-14) with five homers and 11 RBIs in four games, including two home runs with a walk-off two-run homer in the series finale versus fifth-ranked Johnson University. He hit a solo homer and scored twice against Cumberland University and collected two hits with a homer and three RBIs in the first game against Johnson.

He added a solo homer, two hits and two runs scored in the second contest and was 3-for-4 with two homers and six RBIs in the finale. Williams is batting .367 with 14 home runs, 32 RBIs and 32 runs scored in 26 contests.

Henderson allowed three hits in nine innings with no walks and seven strikeouts at Emory & Henry. He tossed the first complete game shutout since April 2021 and just the program's second complete game shutout in the last decade. It marked the second most strikeouts in a game in Henderson's career. He improved to 1-1 in six appearances, all starts, giving up 28 hits with 29 strikeouts in 32.2 innings.

TSWA names college players of the week - March 10

March 10, 2026 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE – Sewanee’s Sydney Tackett and Tusculum University’s Chelsey Stinesifer were named Tennessee Sports Writers Association Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, as announced Tuesday by the organization.

Tackett batted .727 (8-for-11) with seven runs scored, eight RBIs and three walks over four games. She was 3-for-4 with a home run, one double and three RBIs in the first game at Talladega College and followed that with a double, three RBIs and a run scored in the second game.

She posted a single with a run scored and one RBI in the first game and was 3-for-3 with one RBI and three runs scored in the second contest at Hanover College. She also posted her 100th career hit on Sunday at Hanover.

Stonesifer posted two victories and one save in three appearances covering 16.0 innings, striking out 14 with four walks and 14 hits allowed. She tossed eight shutout innings in a 1-0 victory over Lock Haven, giving up one walk with five strikeouts. She also worked one inning of relief for a save in the second contest, allowing two hits with two strikeouts.

Stonesifer pitched seven innings in a 6-1 victory over Bluefield State, giving up one run on eight hits with seven strikeouts. She improved to 7-3 with two saves and a 1.78 ERA in 12 appearances covering 59.0 innings this season, recording 67 strikeouts and allowing just 40 hits.

BASEBALL: Sewanee’s Zach Fortman and Trevecca Nazarene’s Logan Harrell were named Tennessee Sports Writers Association Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively

Fortman batted .733 (11-for-15) with one double, two triples, three home runs, nine runs scored and 18 RBIs in four games for the Tigers. He was 3-for-5 with a double and three runs scored in a midweek contest against Covenant College

In Saturday's doubleheader versus Asbury University, he singled home a run and hit a two-run homer before breaking a 5-5 tie in the seventh inning with a bases-clearing triple, giving him six RBIs in game one (4-for-4 in the game).

In the second contest he tripled home a run and added an RBI on a bases-loaded walk before hitting a grand slam and then a three-run homer, all in the first five innings, giving him nine RBIs in the game and 15 for the day. He added a single and a run scored (was also hit once) in the series finale.

Fortman is hitting .463 with three triples, three homers, 25 RBIs and 17 runs scored in 14 games this season.

Harrell tossed eight innings against fifth-ranked West Florida, allowing just one run on five hits in a 5-1 win. He did not walk a batter and struck out eight, retiring the side in order in the third, fifth and eighth innings. UWF plated its only run on a leadoff homer to start the game and had only two other runners reach second base.

Harrell improved to 4-1 in six appearances this season, all starts, striking out 37 in 32.1 innings.