TSWA honors award winners announced - Feb. 28

February 28, 2017 Forrest Freeman

MEN’S BASKETBALL: Carson-Newman’s Clark named TSWA award winner
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Carson-Newman’s Charles Clark earned Tennessee Sports Writers Association Men’s Basketball Player of the Week accolades on Tuesday, posting back-to-back triple-doubles, including 54 points in the second game, the most points in a triple-double in NBA or NCAA history.

The Murfreesboro, Tenn., native collected 33 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists versus Brevard College, hitting 10-of-15 shots with four 3-pointers. He was also 9-for-10 at the foul line in the victory.

The junior guard followed that with a remarkable performance against Coker College, netting 54 points with 11 rebounds, 12 assists and four steals. He made 16-of-27 shots overall, including 7-for-14 from beyond the arc, as well as 15-of-16 at the charity stripe.

Clark averages 22.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game this season for the Eagles.

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

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Chattanooga’s Joyner earns TSWA weekly honor
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Chattanooga’s Joyner garnered Tennessee Sports Writers Association Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honors on Tuesday, recording 17.0 points, 14.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.0 blocks in a pair of wins for the Mocs, clinching the Southern Conference regular season championships.

The Southaven, Miss., native posted 15 points, 15 boards, four assists and four blocks in a victory against Furman, hitting 6-of-13 shots overall. In the title-clinching contest, the senior forward collected 19 points, 14 caroms, four assists and a pair of blocks, making 6-of-12 from the field and 7-for-8 at the foul line.

Joyner now has 427 career blocked shots, ranked 10th on the all-time NCAA list. She also moved into 16th-place on the all-time scoring list at UTC (1,269 points) and ranks fourth in career rebounds with 941. She averages 12.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4.0 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

BASEBALL: Tennessee Tech’s Harris, Lipscomb’s Puckett garner TSWA accolades
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech’s Collin Harris and Lipscomb’s Brady Puckett were named the Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association on Tuesday for their performances for February 20-26.

Harris batted .462 (6-for-13) with four home runs, six RBIs and six runs scored in three games for the Golden Eagles. The Frankfort, Ky., native tied a program record with three home runs, driving in four runs in the first game of a weekend series against Bradley.

The junior outfielder doubled and scored once in the second game versus the Braves and added two hits and two runs scored in the series finale. Harris is batting .462 with two doubles, five home runs, nine RBIs and 10 runs scored through seven games for TTU.

Puckett tossed a one-hit shutout against Bowling Green, his sixth career complete game for the Bisons. The junior righthander used just 96 pitches in the 2-0 victory, striking out seven with one walk. He faced just two batters over the minimum, overcoming three errors in the contest. Puckett is 2-0 with a 1.72 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 15.2 innings over two appearances this season.

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)

SOFTBALL: Union’s Scott, Lipscomb’s Jordan named TSWA award winners
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Union University’s Ashley Scott and Lipscomb’s Mandy Jordan were named the Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association on Tuesday for their performances for February 20-26.

Scott batted .615 (8-for-13) with two home runs, three doubles, 10 RBIs and five runs scored in four games for the Bulldogs. The Dickson, Tenn., native posted three hits with a double, a triple and a homer along with three RBIs and three runs scored versus LeMoyne-Owen. The freshman infielder doubled and homered in the first game of a weekend series against Christian Brothers, driving in three runs and scoring twice.

She doubled and drove in two runs in the middle game of the series and added two more hits and two RBIs in the series finale against the Bucs. Scott is batting .396 with four doubles, three home runs, 17 RBIs and 11 runs scored in 15 contests this season for Union.

Jordan posted a 3-0 mark with one save in four appearances, including a shutout of 19th-ranked Pittsburgh for the Bisons. The Camden, Ala., native scattered eight hits and struck out eight in a 1-0 victory over the Panthers to start the tournament at Troy.

The sophomore righthander gave up just five hits and struck out five in a shutout against Southeastern Louisiana and allowed one earned run on five hits with nine strikeouts in a victory versus Troy. She also tossed a perfect inning to pick up a save earlier in the tournament against the Trojans.

Jordan is 7-2 with a 1.42 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 59.1 innings over 10 appearances this season.

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)

TSWA weekly award winners - Feb. 21

February 21, 2017 Forrest Freeman

MEN’S BASKETBALL: Austin Peay’s Murry named TSWA award winner
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay’s John Murry earned Tennessee Sports Writers Association Men’s Basketball Player of the Week accolades on Tuesday, averaging 28.5 points with eight 3-pointers in a pair of victories for the Governors.

The Indianapolis, Ind., native posted a career-high 32 points versus Eastern Illinois, netting 10 straight late in the first half and again midway through the second period. The senior guard made 10-of-21 shots overall with four 3-pointers and hit 8-of-9 at the foul line, adding five rebounds and three assists in the victory.

Murry followed that with 25 points against SIU-Edwardsville, netting four more 3-pointers. He was also 7-for-8 at the foul line and grabbed five boards in the win. He is averaging 16.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game this season.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Belmont’s McCabe earns TSWA weekly honor
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont’s Sally McCabe garnered Tennessee Sports Writers Association Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honors on Tuesday, recording 14.5 points, 12.0 rebounds and 4.0 blocks along with surpassing 1,000 points in her career.

The Mt. Juliet, Tenn., native collected 11 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks at Eastern Kentucky, hitting 4-of-7 shots along with 3-for-4 at the foul line in the victory. The junior center then posted 18 points, 12 boards and three blocks in just 21 minutes versus Morehead State, surpassing the 1,000 point mark in the contest as well. She registered her fourth and fifth double-doubles of the year.

McCabe is averaging 12.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game this season for the Bruins.

BASEBALL: Union’s Milton, Maryville’s Heffner garner TSWA accolades
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Union University’s Nolen Milton and Maryville College’s Evan Heffner were named the Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association on Tuesday for their performances for February 13-19.

Milton batted .444 (8-for-19) with two doubles, three home runs, 15 RBIs and nine runs scored in four games. The Clarksville, Tenn., native started the week with a 4-for-6 outing at Arkansas-Monticello that included two doubles, two home runs (one was a grand slam), a school single-game record nine RBIs and four runs scored.

He hit a two-run homer in the first of a three-game series at Shorter University and went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs scored in the second contest against the Hawks. Milton added a double and two RBIs in the series finale as well. He is batting .426 with five home runs and 21 RBIs through 11 games for the Bulldogs.

Heffner tossed a complete-game four-hitter versus MacMurray College, allowing one unearned run. The lefthander walked two and struck out seven in the nine-inning contest. He retired the first six batters of the contest and nine of the last 10 against the Highlanders. Heffner is 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 15.2 innings this season.

2017 TSWA BASEBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
February 14 – Ryan Addington, Carson-Newman (Player); Travis Dohr, Cumberland University (Pitcher)

SOFTBALL: Belmont’s Deloney, Lipscomb’s Thomas named TSWA award winners
NASHVILLE, Tenn. –Belmont’s Chelsey Deloney and Lipscomb’s McCarley Thomas were named the Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association on Tuesday for their performances for February 13-19.

Deloney batted .429 (6-for-14) with two doubles, three home runs, eight RBIs and six runs scored in four games for the Bruins. The Gardendale, Ala., native collected two doubles and two RBIs versus Western Illinois and belted a three-run homer at Western Kentucky.

The senior catcher drilled a two-homer in the bottom of the sixth against Miami [OH], driving in the game-winning runs in a 4-2 victory, and followed that with a solo homer in the championship game versus Western Illinois. She is batting .407 with five home runs, 11 RBIs and seven runs scored through eight games.

Thomas posted two wins and a save in four appearances for the Bisons, allowed just two earned runs over 15.1 innings of work with one walk and 20 strikeouts. The Brentwood, Tenn., native tossed a complete game versus Monmouth, striking out seven and giving up one run on five hits.

She also earned a victory against Eastern Kentucky in 4.1 innings, allowing two unearned runs on two hits with five strikeouts. The righthander worked 2.2 scoreless innings of relief versus College of Charleston, giving up two hits with three strikeouts to earn a save, and tossed 3.1 innings of relief against Winthrop, allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts.

Thomas is 2-2 with 26 strikeouts in 23.1 innings over six appearances so far this season for Lipscomb.

2017 TSWA SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
February 14 – Lexi Cushing, Middle Tennessee (Player); Brooklin Lee, Belmont (Pitcher)

TSWA honors weekly award winners - Feb. 14

February 14, 2017 Forrest Freeman

MEN’S BASKETBALL: Carson-Newman’s Clark named TSWA award winner
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Carson-Newman’s Charles Clark earned Tennessee Sports Writers Association Men’s Basketball Player of the Week accolades on Tuesday, posting the first triple-double in program history and averaging 25.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in a pair of victories.

The Murfreesboro, Tenn., native made 9-of-12 shots with a pair of 3-pointers and hit 7-for-8 at the foul line for 27 points at Anderson University. He grabbed eight rebounds in the 73-70 win as well.

Three days later Clark accomplished a first in Carson-Newman program history with a triple-double, registering 24 points, 10 boards and 10 assists. The junior guard connected on six 3-pointers in the contest and made all six foul shots.

Clark is averaging 20.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game this season for the Eagles.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Middle Tennessee’s Petty earns TSWA weekly honor
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee’s Ty Petty garnered Tennessee Sports Writers Association Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honors on Tuesday, recording 21.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists in a pair of Blue Raider road victories.

The Murfreesboro, Tenn., native netted 24 points with three boards and six assists at Old Dominion, hitting four 3-pointers and connecting on 6-of-8 attempts at the foul line. The senior guard followed that with 18 points, six rebounds and eight assists in an 83-81 win at Charlotte.

Petty moved into 19th on the all-time scoring list and third on the all-time assist list at Middle Tennessee during the week, helping the Blue Raiders move into sole possession of first place in Conference USA. She is averaging 17.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game this season.

BASEBALL: Carson-Newman’s Addington, Cumberland’s Dohr garner TSWA accolades
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Carson-Newman’s Ryan Addington and Cumberland University’s Travis Dohr were named the Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association on Tuesday for their performances for February 6-12.

Addington set a South Atlantic Conference record with 10 RBIs in one game against UVA-Wise, hitting a pair of grand slams in the game. In four games for the week the Cincinnati, Ohio, native batted .778 (14-for-18) with six extra-base hits, 13 RBIs and 11 runs scored.

The senior outfielder collected three hits with a double, two RBIs and a run scored in a midweek contest at Limestone College. In the first of three games versus UVA-Wise, he was 5-for-6 with two homers, 10 RBIs and four runs scored. He followed that with four hits and four runs in the first game of a doubleheader and added two more hits with a double and two runs scored in the second contest.

Dohr tossed eight shutout innings at 17th-ranked Middle Georgia State, allowing just five hits and a hit batter in his first start of the season. Five of the six baserunners for the Knights reached second base but none of those got to third against the righthander. He struck out four, retiring 18-of-21 batters after a leadoff single to start the contest.

SOFTBALL: Middle Tennessee’s Cushing, Belmont’s Lee garner TSWA accolades
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee’s Lexi Cushing and Belmont’s Brooklin Lee were named the Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association on Tuesday for their performances for February 6-12.

Cushing batted .429 (6-for-14) with three home runs, 10 RBIs and five runs scored, helping the Blue Raiders to a 4-1 mark in the Eagle Round Robin at Georgia Southern in the team’s opening action of the season. The Flower Mound, Texas, native posted two hits with an RBI and a run scored in the first meeting of the weekend with Georgia Southern.

She hit a pinch-hit, walk-off two-run homer in the first contest against Tennessee Tech and collected a two-run home run and an RBI single in the second contest versus TTU. The freshman capped the weekend with another two-run blast as well as a sacrifice fly in the second game against Georgia Southern.

Lee, a freshman, picked up three victories in the circle in three appearances for the Bruins, tossing a pair of complete games and striking out 19 in 14.2 innings of work. The Burns, Tenn., native struck out 13 and allowed just five hits in a victory over Missouri-Kansas City in her first collegiate appearance.

The next day she got the final two outs in the top of the seventh versus UMKC, stopping the bleeding as the Kangaroos scored four times in the inning to take the lead. Belmont came back with two runs in the bottom of the seventh in a 7-6 victory.

Lee started the second game of the day, against Maryland-Baltimore County, scattering nine hits and giving up one run with no walks and five strikeouts.

UTM's Martinez, Bryan's Levi garner TSWA honors

February 7, 2017 Forrest Freeman

MEN’S BASKETBALL: UT Martin’s Martinez named TSWA award winner
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – UT Martin’s Javier Martinez earned Tennessee Sports Writers Association Men’s Basketball Player of the Week accolades on Tuesday, registering 20.0 points and 16.5 rebounds in a pair of victories, including a 20-20 game against Tennessee Tech.

The St. Croix, Virgin Islands, native became the first UT Martin player in the Division I era to post a 20-20 contest, collecting 22 points and a career-best 21 rebounds at Tennessee Tech. He made 11-of-14 shots from the field and added two assists.

Three days later the senior forward recorded 18 points and a game-high 12 boards versus Eastern Kentucky, connecting on 7-of-11 shots and hitting all four free throws. He is averaging 11.8 points and a team-best 7.8 rebounds in 24 games this season for the Skyhawks.

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

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Bryan’s Levi earns TSWA weekly honor
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Bryan College’s Amber Levi garnered Tennessee Sports Writers Association Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honors on Tuesday, averaging 31.0 points and 5.0 rebounds with 12 total 3-pointers in a pair of wins for the Lions.

The Dayton, Tenn., native started the week with a 20-point effort on the road at Columbia [SC] College, hitting 6-of-17 from the field and 6-for-8 at the foul line. The sophomore guard exploded for 42 points along with nine rebounds and five assists in a 90-81 victory over St. Andrews University, connecting on 13-of-25 shots overall with 10 3-pointers. She was also 6-for-6 at the foul line.

Levi set a single-game school record for made 3-pointers and her 42-point effort ranks as the third most in a contest in Bryan history. She leads the Lions with 15.8 points and pulls down 4.8 rebounds per game.

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

UT Martin's Mobley, Union's Gaines garner Player of the Week accolades

January 31, 2017 Forrest Freeman

MEN’S BASKETBALL: UT Martin’s Mobley named TSWA award winner
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – UT Martin’s Jacolby Mobley earned Tennessee Sports Writers Association Men’s Basketball Player of the Week accolades on Tuesday, netting 31.0 points and connecting on a dozen 3-pointers in a pair of games for the Skyhawks.

The Starkville, Miss., native scored 27 of his career-best 36 points in the first half at Austin Peay before exiting the game with 6:10 remaining because of an injury. He made 12-of-17 shots overall with five 3-pointers and added three assists and three steals in the victory.

The senior guard registered 26 points with a career-best seven triples at Murray State and now leads the conference in 3-pointers per game in league play (4.3). Mobley is averaging 19.2 points per game this season for UTM.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Union’s Gaines earns TSWA weekly honor
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Union University’s Bria Gaines garnered Tennessee Sports Writers Association Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honors on Tuesday, recording a pair of double-doubles and averaging 24.0 points and 13.5 rebounds.

The Chicago, Ill., native collected 18 points and 11 rebounds in a victory at Lee University, hitting 5-of-7 shots from the field and 8-of-10 at the foul line. The junior forward followed that with 30 points and 16 boards at Shorter University, connecting on 13-of-15 attempts from the field.

Gaines has recorded a double-double in four straight games for the Bulldogs and leads the club with 15.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest this season.