College players of the week honored by TSWA - Nov. 5

November 5, 2019 Forrest Freeman

FOOTBALL: Memphis’ Gibson, UT Martin’s Cherry earn TSWA weekly awards
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – University of Memphis wide receiver Antonio Gibson and UT Martin’s Cecil Cherry were named the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association for their efforts in contests from October 28-November 3.

Gibson set a Memphis and American Athletic Conference record with 386 all-purpose yards in a win over SMU, scoring three touchdowns, all from 50-plus yards. The Stockbridge, Ga., native caught a 50-yard TD pass late in the second quarter and returned the second-half kickoff 97 yards for a score. He posted what proved to be the game-winning points on a 78-yard TD run in the fourth period.

Gibson became the first Tiger since 2008 to score a touchdown three different ways (receiving, rushing, kick return). He finished the contest with three rushes for 97 yards, six catches for 130 yards and 159 yards on three kickoff returns. The senior has 19 receptions for 481 yards and six touchdowns to go with 120 rushing yards and 541 yards on kickoff returns this season.

Cherry helped the Skyhawks to a 22-17 victory over 18th-ranked Jacksonville State, collecting a season-high 14 tackles with 2.0 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks and five quarterback hurries. The Frostproof, Fla., native recorded a tackle for loss and half a sack along with eight total stops in the fourth quarter on potential game-winning drives by the Gamecocks.

He added three QB hurries on the final two defensive stands, with UTM allowing just three points in the second half. Cherry has 55 tackles with 8.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks along with eight quarterback hurries and five pass breakups in nine games this season.

2019 TSWA FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
September 4 – Bailey Fisher, Tennessee Tech (Offense); Wanya Moton, UT Martin (Defense)
September 10 – Asher O’Hara, Middle Tennessee (Offense); Rondrow Peebles, Carson-Newman (Defense)
September 17 – Jacob Bunch, Maryville College (Offense); Kordell Jackson, Austin Peay (Defense)
September 25 – Bailey Fisher, Tennessee Tech (Offense); Wesley Porter, University of the South (Defense)
October 2 – JaVaughn Craig, Austin Peay (Offense); Darius Williams, Carson-Newman (Defense)
October 9 – Kenneth Gainwell, Memphis (Offense); Jovante Moffat, Middle Tennessee (Defense)
October 16 – John Bachus III, UT Martin (Offense); TJ Jefferson, UT Martin (Defense)
October 22 – Kenneth Gainwell, Memphis (Offense); Trenton Cumby, Maryville College (Defense)
October 30 – JaVaughn Craig, Austin Peay (Offense); Wycleff Phanor, Carson-Newman (Defense)

MEN’S SOCCER: Maryville’s Rucker named TSWA award winner
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Maryville College’s Aaron Rucker earned Tennessee Sports Writers Association Men’s Soccer Player of the Week accolades, collecting two goals in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament.

The Athens, Tenn., native scored on a header in the 12th minute on an assist from Trevor McDonald to put the Scots ahead. The senior defender added the final goal of the match on another header, this one from a corner kick by John Rakhmonberdiev, in the 79th minute, advancing Maryville to the semifinals of the USA South Conference Championships.

He has three goals and three assists in 17 matches this season.

2019 TSWA MEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
September 4 – Ben Siri, Cumberland University
September 10 – Tobias Solem, Carson-Newman
September 17 – Kai Miettinen, Maryville College
September 25 – Ben Delisle, King University
October 2 – Johnny Rakhmonberdiev, Maryville College
October 9 – Sofian Maghouz, Carson-Newman
October 16 – Niccolo Dagnoni, Belmont
October 22 – Ben Delisle, King University
October 30 – Ben Delisle, King University

WOMEN’S SOCCER: Belmont’s Garst garners TSWA weekly honor
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont University’s Julie Garst registered Tennessee Sports Writers Association Women’s Soccer weekly honors, scoring a pair of game-winning goals to propel the Bruins to the semifinals of the conference tournament.

The Franklin, Tenn., native netted the game-winner just 51 seconds into overtime in an opening-round victory against Austin Peay in the OVC Championships, becoming the first Belmont women’s player to score in the conference tourney since 2009.

The junior found the back of the net twice in the quarterfinals versus UT Martin, squaring the match at one with an unassisted goal in the 13th minute. She posted the game-winner unassisted in the 81st minute and has seven goals and three assists in 19 matches this season.

2019 TSWA WOMEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
September 4 – Haley Hopkins, Vanderbilt
September 17 – Shannon Reagan, Maryville College
September 25 – Addie Roemershauser, University of the South
October 2 – Taylor Frizen, Maryville College
October 9 – Niki Clements, Belmont
October 16 – Shannon Reagan, Maryville College
October 22 – Taylor Frizen, Maryville College
October 30 – Shannon Reagan, Maryville College

VOLLEYBALL: Lincoln Memorial’s Walter named TSWA Player of the Week
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Lincoln Memorial’s Emily Walter garnered Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Volleyball Player of the Week honors, registering three double-doubles and averaging 9.55 assists per set for the Railsplitters.

The Buford, Ga., native posted 28 assists and 12 digs versus Mars Hill University and followed that with 40 assists, 14 digs and three blocks in a five-set win over Tusculum University. The sophomore finished the week with 37 assists, six digs and four kills in a sweep versus UVA Wise.

Walter recorded her 10th match with 40-plus assists this season and assisted on 105 of the team’s 124 points over the three outings. She has 828 assists (8.54 per set) and 232 digs (2.39 per set) this year.

2019 TSWA VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
September 4 – Kaela Massey, East Tennessee State
September 10 – Julie Ward, King University
September 17 – Hannah Flowers, Memphis
September 25 – Meredith Bonee, Maryville College
October 2 – Maggie Mathews, Maryville College
October 9 – Meghan Delaney, Union University
October 16 – Marnie Streeter, Carson-Newman
October 22 – Hannah Flowers, Memphis
October 30 – Meredith Bonee, Maryville College

TSWA recognizes college players of the week - Oct. 30

October 30, 2019 Forrest Freeman

FOOTBALL: Austin Peay’s Craig, Carson-Newman’s Phanor earn TSWA weekly awards
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay’s JaVaughn Craig and Carson-Newman’s Wycleff Phanor were named the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association for their efforts in contests from October 21-27.

Craig completed 16-of-23 passes for 291 yards, tying a school single-game record with five touchdowns, while also rushing for 84 yards and two TDs on seven attempts. The Chattanooga, Tenn., native tossed scoring throws of 46, 30, five, 53 and nine yards and added TD runs of one and 27 yards in the Governors victory at Tennessee Tech.

Austin Peay scored 41 unanswered points after allowing the first seven of the game. Craig has passed for 1,703 yards and 14 touchdowns while rushing for 342 yards and six TDs in eight contests this season.

Phanor posted six tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack in Carson-Newman’s 24-21 victory versus Newberry College. The Naples, Fla., native accounted for tackles for loss in each of the first two quarters and added two tackles for loss with a sack in the fourth quarter, the team’s only sack of the game.

The Eagles’ defense limited Newberry to 5-of-14 on third down and intercepted three passes in the win. Phanor has 15 total tackles with two quarterback hurries this season.

MEN’S SOCCER: King’s Delisle named TSWA award winner
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – King University’s Ben Delisle earned Tennessee Sports Writers Association Men’s Soccer Player of the Week accolades, netting three goals with one assist in two outings for the Tornado.

The Montreal, Quebec, native scored twice in a victory against Southern Wesleyan, finding the back of the net in the 39th minute on an assist from Carlos Saavedra and adding an unassisted goal in the 48th minute.

The junior had a hand in both scores in a come-from-behind win versus Mount Olive, assisting on Saavedra’s tying goal in the 55th minute. The two players switched roles for the game-winner in the 75th minute, Delisle’s 11th goal of the year to go with three assists in 10 matches.

WOMEN’S SOCCER: Maryville’s Reagan garners TSWA weekly honor
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Maryville College’s Shannon Reagan registered Tennessee Sports Writers Association Women’s Soccer weekly honors, posting four goals with one assist in a pair of outings for the Scots.

The Tullahoma, Tenn., native scored twice in the first half versus LaGrange College, in the sixth minute on an assist from Lexi Hill and unassisted in the 25th minute. The senior added another goal from Hill in the 48th minute and the duo hooked up again in the 52nd minute. She assisted on a Alyssa Kral goal in the 20th minute.

Reagan has 19 goals and nine assists in 16 matches this season.

VOLLEYBALL: Maryville’s Bonee named TSWA Player of the Week
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Maryville College’s Meredith Bonee garnered Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Volleyball Player of the Week honors, recording a pair of double-doubles in three victories for the Scots.

The Knoxville, Tenn., native collected eight kills, 10 assists and 10 digs in a sweep at Berea College. The sophomore followed that with seven kills, 14 assists and eight digs versus Covenant College and added seven kills, 11 assists and 17 digs at Agnes Scott.

Bonee has 17 double-doubles, including a pair of triple-doubles, this season. She has 234 kills (2.52 per set), 419 assists (4.51 per set) and 287 digs (3.09 per set) this season.

College players of the week recognized by TSWA

October 22, 2019 Forrest Freeman

FOOTBALL: Memphis’ Gainwell, Maryville’s Cumby earn TSWA weekly awards
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – University of Memphis freshman Kenneth Gainwell and Maryville College’s Trenton Cumby were named the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association for their efforts in contests from October 14-20.

Gainwell became the first player in Division I/FBS since 1997 to record a 200-yard receiving and 100-yard rushing game in the Tigers victory over Tulane. The Yazoo City, Miss., native rushed 18 times for 104 yards and one touchdown and posted nine catches for 203 yards and two TDs. His 307 all-purpose yards ranks third in a single-game in Memphis history.

Gainwell has rushed for 830 yards and eight touchdowns and also leads the Tigers with 440 receiving yards with three TDs this season.

Cumby registered five tackles with 3.0 sacks in Maryville’s 21-13 win against Methodist University. The Cookeville, Tenn., native accounted for one sack in each of the first three quarters and added a pair of tackles in the fourth period. Maryville limited the Monarchs to six total rushing yards and 213 yards of total offense, racking up six total sacks.

Cumby has 26 tackles with 9.5 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks in six games this season.

MEN’S SOCCER: King’s Delisle named TSWA award winner
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – King University’s Ben Delisle earned Tennessee Sports Writers Association Men’s Soccer Player of the Week accolades, posting three goals in two matches for the Tornado.

The Montreal, Quebec, native netted two scores versus North Greenville, scoring the first goal of the match in the fifth minute on an assist from Zubair Taylor. The junior collected a second goal against the Crusaders in the 67th minute.

Delisle evened the match versus Chowan University in the 67th minute on an assist from Carlos Saavedra. He has eight goals and two assists in eight matches this season.

WOMEN’S SOCCER: Maryville’s Frizen garners TSWA weekly honor
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Maryville College’s Taylor Frizen registered Tennessee Sports Writers Association Women’s Soccer weekly honors, registering two goals with an assist in the Scots only match of the week.

The Knoxville, Tenn., native assisted on Shannon Reagan’s goal in the 49th minute, evening the match versus Covenant College. The sophomore put the Scots ahead for good in the 71st minute on an assist from Macy Lindsey and added her second goal in the 77th minute on an assist from Kelly Allen.

Frizen has 10 goals and five assists in 14 matches this season.

VOLLEYBALL: Memphis’ Flowers named TSWA Player of the Week
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – University of Memphis junior Hannah Flowers garnered Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Volleyball Player of the Week honors, recording 36 kills with seven digs and nine blocks in two victories for the Tigers.

The Wildwood, Mo., native posted a career-high 22 kills while tying his career-best with six blocks in a victory against Connecticut. She followed that with 14 kills in 17 attacks for an .824 attack percentage in a win versus Temple. Flowers added five digs and three blocks against the Owls.

The .824 attack percentage is the second-highest for a match by an AAC player and the highest by a player in a conference match this season. She has 245 kills (3.36 per set), 35 service aces and 44 total blocks in 19 matches this year.

TSWA announces 2020 Hall of Fame class

October 17, 2019 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tennessee Sports Writers Association announced its newest members of the TSWA Hall of Fame on Thursday, including Tommy Bryan (Lebanon), Teresa Walker (Associated Press) and Mark Wiedmer (Chattanooga). The three individuals will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 9, 2020, at Cumberland University.

Tommy Bryan – Lebanon
A 43-year veteran of the newspaper industry and founding member of the TSWA, Bryan is a 1975 graduate of Lebanon High School. He graduated from then Cumberland Junior College in 1977 and worked in sports information at Cumberland, Austin Peay, Middle Tennessee and Trevecca Nazarene. Bryan started writing for the Lebanon Democrat in 1977 as a sports writer until switching to news beat writer in 1979. He became owner and publisher of The Wilson World newspaper in 1981 through 2003, overseeing daily operations, front page design while also working as sports writer and news editor. He hosted numerous sports talk shows on WANT-FM and has served as master of ceremonies at athletic-related events for 40 years. He has been the voice of the Lebanon High Blue Devils for more than 33 years and Cumberland football for more than 10 years. He's also responsible for online content and social media outlets for Main Street Sports, a group of eight weekly newspapers, for the past six years. A founding member of the Lebanon-Wilson County Sports Council, Bryan was inducted into Cumberland's Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.

Teresa Walker – The Associated Press
A native of Homestead, Fla., Walker is a two-time Tennessee Sportswriter of the Year and won an APSE for feature writing in 2015 for a story from the Masters. A graduate of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in June 1987, she went to work as a news reporter for The Daily Times in Maryville. She covered one high school football game and wrote one sports column and a feature on Hoosier racing tires while mostly covering education, courts and the police beat. Hired by the Associated Press in Nashville in December 1989, Walker wrote college football and basketball games from around Tennessee by phone for the first two years. She became Tennessee sports editor in June 1992 and has covered five Olympics, three Super Bowls, a handful of Southeastern Conference men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, several NCAA Tournaments and regional finals and the 2014 Women’s Final Four in Nashville. She covered the relocation of the NFL’s Houston Oilers between 1995 and 1997, taking over as beat writer upon the team’s arrival in Nashville in July 1997. Walker became one of the AP’s Pro Football Writers helping cover the NFL in 2014 and is the first president of the Pro Football Writers Association’s Nashville chapter. She also is a past president of the TSWA. She has covered the NHL’s Nashville Predators, including the 2017 Stanley Cup Final; Vanderbilt football, men’s and women’s basketball and baseball; the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies and the Memphis Tigers.
Walker becomes the first female sports writer selected for the TSWA Hall of Fame and only the third female elected by the association. The other two, June Stewart and Debby Jennings, are both from the Sports Information field.

Mark Wiedmer – Chattanooga Times-Free Press
A native of Hopkinsville, Ky., Wiedmer has spent 35 years at the Times-Free Press after starting as a graphic artist. He was so poor on his first day at the paper, Valentine’s Day of 1983, he borrowed money from his new boss to buy his wife a Valentine gift. Wiedmer transitioned to writing after filling in for a co-worker who became sick while covering a district baseball tournament. Within two years, Wiedmer took over the UT-Chattanooga basketball beat and has been a columnist since 1987. Over that time, Wiedmer has been a two-time TSWA Sports Writer of the Year, won several Green Eyeshade Awards, a few Football Writers Association honors and totaled more than 75 total writing awards. He covered 28 straight Final Fours between 1988 and 2015, as well as two Super Bowls, six Masters, 14 Kentucky Derbies, one Olympics, two U.S. Opens and two PGA championships. He's also covered 31 Area 4 Special Olympics in Chattanooga.

TSWA honors college players of the week - Oct. 16

October 16, 2019 Forrest Freeman

FOOTBALL: UT Martin’s Bachus III, Jefferson earn TSWA weekly awards
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – UT Martin’s John Bachus III and TJ Jefferson were named the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association for their efforts in contests from October 7-13.

Bachus III completed 16-of-22 pass attempts for 331 yards and five touchdowns in a victory at Tennessee Tech. The Pulaski, Tenn., native tossed scoring throws of 22, 24, 73, 21 and 66 yards while compiling career-highs in yards and touchdowns. He added four rushes for 20 yards in the contest, improving the Skyhawks to 4-2 for the season.

Jefferson tied his season-best with 12 tackles and 2.5 sacks, as UTM shutout the Golden Eagles for more than 50 minutes of the contest. The Nashville, Tenn., native collected his third game this year with 12 stops, limiting Tech to season-lows in points and total offense. The Skyhawks defense also held its third straight opponent to less than 100 rushing yards.

MEN’S SOCCER: Belmont’s Dagnoni named TSWA award winner
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont University’s Niccolo Dagnoni earned Tennessee Sports Writers Association Men’s Soccer Player of the Week accolades, collecting his first career hat trick for the Bruins against Wofford.

The Milan, Italy, native put Belmont ahead, 2-0, with goals in the 17th and 40th minutes, the second one on an assist from JP Armbruster. The sophomore added the Bruins final tally of the match in the 55th minute from Ares Marlonsson. Dagnoni leads the club with six goals and three assists through 12 matches.

WOMEN’S SOCCER: Maryville’s Reagan garners TSWA weekly honor
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Maryville College’s Shannon Reagan registered Tennessee Sports Writers Association Women’s Soccer weekly honors, posting three goals and two assists in a pair of wins for the Scots.

The Tullahoma, Tenn., native tallied an assist on a Lexi Hill goal in the 56th minute versus Huntingdon College and followed that with a hat trick and another assist against Agnes Scott.

The senior netted Maryville’s first two goals of the match on assists from Taylor Frizen in the eighth and 21st minutes and found Hill for a score in the 52nd minute. Reagan and Frizen hooked up again in the 58th minute for Reagan’s third hat trick of the season. She leads the USA South Conference in goals and assists and ranks 20th nationally in goals (14) and 36th in assists (7).

VOLLEYBALL: Carson-Newman’s Streeter named TSWA Player of the Week
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Carson-Newman’s Marnie Streeter was named the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Volleyball Player of the Week, recording 55 kills and 35 digs in four matches during the South Atlantic Conference-Peach Belt Conference Crossover for the Eagles.

The Goldvein, Va., native registered 12 kills against Georgia College and posted 15 kills and nine digs versus USC Aiken, ending a 16-match winning streak to start the season by the Pacers. The senior followed that with 19 kills and nine digs against Augusta University and finished the two-day event with nine kills and 12 digs versus Lander University.

She has 186 kills (3.00 per set) and 165 digs (2.66 per set) this season.