College players of the week announced - Sept. 26

September 26, 2023 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tusculum sophomore quarterback Matthew Palazzo combined for four touchdowns this weekend in a 35-21 victory over Catawba to earn the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Offensive Player of the Week in football as the organization announced its weekly winners for Sept. 18-24 on Tuesday.

Palazzo, a sophomore out of Greenville, Tenn., combined for 282 yards of total offense and four touchdowns as the Pioneers defeated Catawba 35-21. He threw for 226 yards as he completed 23 of his 33 passes with two scores, while also rushing for 56 yards and two more touchdowns.

On the defensive side, Chattanooga sophomore linebacker Alex Mitchell (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) helped lead the Mocs to a 47-24 win over No. 17 Samford as he collected five tackles – the most by a non-secondary player – with a 38-yard interception return for a touchdown. Mitchell and his Mocs teammates held the Bulldogs to a 2-for-5 performance in the red zone, forcing them to a plus-3 turnover margin.

MEN’S SOCCER: In his first career starts, Sewanee sophomore goalkeeper Nathan Vanhoeve (Richmond, Ky.) collected two shutouts and allowed just one goal in three contests last week with 18 saves in all. Vanhoeve collected nine saves in a 2-0 win over Covenant, four in a 0-0 draw with Berry, then allowed one goal on six shots faced on goal against No. 18 Emory in a 1-0 loss.

WOMEN’S SOCCER: Cumberland junior midfielder Brenna Swiger (Franklin, Tenn.) opened Mid-South Conference play with an exclamation point as she scored five goals and had an assist on another in the Phoenix’s 13-0 victory over Freed-Hardeman. She also had an assist in Cumberland’s 2-1 victory over Missouri Baptist to give her 12 points on the week. Swiger ranks second in the NAIA with 12 goals, third in assists with eight and second in points with 12.

VOLLEYBALL: Tennessee State senior opposite hitter Jayla Holcombe (Belleville, Ill.) was dominant on offense and defense for the Tigers on Friday and Saturday as she led TSU to a pair of 3-2 victories over Tennessee Tech to open Ohio Valley Conference play. For the weekend, Holcombe recorded 41 kills with a .262 hitting percentage, while also recording nine blocks. She had 49.5 total points in the two matches for the defending OVC tournament champions.

2023-24 TSWA College Sports Players of the Week
FOOTBALL
8/29 | Offensive: A.J. Swann (Vanderbilt), Defensive: De’Rickey Wright (Vanderbilt)
9/5 | Offensive: Joe Milton III (Tennessee), Defensive: Jake Cottle (Carson-Newman)
9/12 | Offensive: Sam Franklin (UT Martin), Defensive: Aaron Beasley (Tennessee)
9/19 | Offensive: Kinkead Dent (UT Martin), Defensive: Sam Brumfield (Middle Tennessee)
9/26 | Offensive: Matthew Palazzo (Tusculum), Defensive: Alex Mitchell (Chattanooga)

TSWA releases players of the week - Sept. 19

September 19, 2023 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – UT Martin graduate quarterback Kinkead Dent torched the Houston Christian defense on Saturday night as the Ole Miss transfer combined for six total touchdowns against their fellow Football Championship Subdivision foe among this week’s Tennessee Sports Writers Association College Sports Players of the Week for events between Sept. 11-17.
Dent only played for two-and-a-half quarters as the Skyhawks continued to add to their total, but Dent had a tremendous night as he completed 20 of his 27 passes, throwing for 347 yards and five touchdowns, completing scoring strikes of 50, 34, 43, six and three yards in succession. He also rushed for a nine-yard touchdown, giving the QB six total scores – the most for a UTM QB against a FCS opponent since 2012. The Skyhawks put together 707 yards of total offense in the game – the most by an FCS team this season thus far.
On the defensive side, Middle Tennessee redshirt junior linebacker Sam Brumfield collected the honor after a great outing against Murray State as the Blue Raider tallied a career-high 13 tackles in the contest, besting his previous high of five against Missouri. Ten of those tackles were solo stops, while he also had 1.5 tackles-for-loss and a sack. Brumfield also had his second straight game with a forced fumble.
MEN’S SOCCER: Lipscomb senior forward Ploutarchos Alonefti took home this week’s nod after a strong showing in the Bisons’ 4-1 victory over Queens University of Charlotte to open Atlantic Sun Conference play. Alonefti recorded four points in the match as he scored a goal and had two assists.
WOMEN’S SOCCER: Sewanee sophomore midfielder Kylene Monaghan wasted no time putting the Tigers on the scoreboard as she scored in just 15 seconds from the opening kickoff. It wasn’t an easy goal either as Monaghan was under pressure from three defenders as she was able to get the scoring shot off just outside the top of the box. Later in the match, she also picked up an assist as she forced a turnover, then fed the ball to Brianna Fee for a score to help the Tigers toward a 3-0 victory.
VOLLEYBALL: Trevecca junior outside hitter Emma Titus put on a show this week as she collected 63 kills in three matches. She had 27 against Ohio Dominican, 23 against Great Midwest Athletic Conference preseason favorite Ashland and 13 against Tiffin, while recording double-doubles in all three matches. On the week, Titus averaged 4.5 kills and 2.43 digs per set, while averaging 21 kills and 11.3 digs per match.
2023-24 TSWA College Sports Players of the Week
FOOTBALL
8/29 | Offensive: A.J. Swann (Vanderbilt), Defensive: De’Rickey Wright (Vanderbilt)
9/5 | Offensive: Joe Milton III (Tennessee), Defensive: Jake Cottle (Carson-Newman)
9/12 | Offensive: Sam Franklin (UT Martin), Defensive: Aaron Beasley (Tennessee)
9/19 | Offensive: Kinkead Dent (UT Martin), Defensive: Sam Brumfield (Middle Tennessee)
MEN’S SOCCER
8/29 | Brock Kiper (Belmont)
9/5 | Malachi Jones (Lipscomb)
9/12 | Tyrese Spicer (Lipscomb)
9/19 | Ploutarchos Alonefti (Lipscomb)
WOMEN’S SOCCER
8/29 | Eleanor Gough (Middle Tennessee)
9/5 | Caroline Richvalsky (Chattanooga)
9/12 | Kelli Beiler (Lipscomb)
9/19 | Kylene Monaghan (Sewanee)
VOLLEYBALL
8/29 | Laure Jansen (Middle Tennessee)
9/5 | Mikayla Powell (Austin Peay)
9/12 | Taylor Eisert (Middle Tennessee)
9/19 | Emma Titus (Trevecca)

TSWA honors college players of the week - Sept. 12

September 12, 2023 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A big night for UT Martin redshirt sophomore running back Sam Franklin led to an Offensive Player of the Week nod in football as the Tennessee Sports Writers Association announced its winners on Tuesday, based on the week’s action between Sept. 4 through 10th.
FOOTBALL: Franklin, out of Little Rock, Ark., was just 13 yards shy of tying a UT Martin program record as he rushed for 259 yards and three touchdowns in a thrilling 38-31 victory over Missouri State. The 259 yards is the most collected by a running back this season on any NCAA level.
The Skyhawk rusher scored the game-winning 20-yard touchdown with less than two minutes to go in the contest, following up scores from 81 and 20 yards out as he averaged 13.0 yards per tote. It is the second time in his career to rush for three touchdowns in a game, following a trio of scores against Lindenwood last season.
On the defensive side, the nod went to Tennessee senior linebacker Aaron Beasley. In the Vols’ 30-13 victory over Austin Peay, the Franklin, Ga., native recorded nine total tackles, including five for-loss for 24 yards and two sacks for 19. Beasley’s career-high mark in tackles-for-loss is the most by a Southeastern Conference player this season and the most since Vanderbilt’s Jaylen Mahoney recorded five at Missouri last season. He currently leads the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision with six.
SOCCER: Lipscomb swept the awards in men’s and women’s soccer for the week as senior forward Tyrese Spicer was selected as the men’s soccer player of the week and graduate forward Kelli Beiler was tabbed as the women’s soccer player of the week.
Spicer led the Bisons in a close 3-2 loss to No. 19 Kentucky, scoring both of Lipscomb’s goals in the affair on five shots on goal. Spicer currently leads the team with five goals and is tied with teammate Malachi Jones with 11 points to pace the Lipscomb roster.
Beiler played the full 90 minutes in the Bisons’ win over Ole Miss, recording both goals in Lipscomb’s 2-1 victory. It was the women’s soccer program’s first win over an SEC team since 2018. Beiler has six goals so far this season in eight matches and leads the Atlantic Sun Conference in goals, while ranking 23rd in Division I.
VOLLEYBALL: Middle Tennessee senior setter Taylor Eisert had a tremendous weekend at the Auburn Tiger Invitational as the Louisville, Ky., native recorded 141 assists. The current Division I leader in assists per set (11.97) recorded 44 assists and 13 digs as the Blue Raiders upset No. 25 Auburn 3-1, then tallied another double-double in a 3-2 win over Mercer. Eisert finished the weekend with 30 digs and four service aces.
2023-24 TSWA College Sports Players of the Week
FOOTBALL
8/29 | Offensive: A.J. Swann (Vanderbilt), Defensive: De’Rickey Wright (Vanderbilt)
9/5 | Offensive: Joe Milton III (Tennessee), Defensive: Jake Cottle (Carson-Newman)
9/12 | Offensive: Sam Franklin (UT Martin), Defensive: Aaron Beasley (Tennessee)
MEN’S SOCCER
8/29 | Brock Kiper (Belmont)
9/5 | Malachi Jones (Lipscomb)
9/12 | Tyrese Spicer (Lipscomb)
WOMEN’S SOCCER
8/29 | Eleanor Gough (Middle Tennessee)
9/5 | Caroline Richvalsky (Chattanooga)
9/12 | Kelli Beiler (Lipscomb)
VOLLEYBALL
8/29 | Laure Jansen (Middle Tennessee)
9/5 | Mikayla Powell (Austin Peay)
9/12 | Taylor Eisert (Middle Tennessee)

College players of the week recognized - Sept. 5

September 5, 2023 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – As the vast majority of the state’s colleges and universities hit the gridiron for the first time this season, there were some fantastic performances on the field as the Tennessee Sports Writers Association announced its weekly College Sports Players of the Week, based on the games between August 28 and September 3.
FOOTBALL: Redshirt senior quarterback Joe Milton III made the most of his first start of the season as he compiled 234 yards of total offense and four combined touchdowns as Tennessee opened up the season with a 49-13 victory over Virginia at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. In all, Milton completed 21-of-30 passes for 201 yards and two passing scores, then rushed for 33 yards and two more touchdowns on the ground. He became the first Tennessee player to record two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns since Hendon Hooker last season against Ball State, and was the first Vol to accomplish the feat against a Power 5 opponent since Joshua Dobbs ran for two scores and passed for three against Missouri in 2016.
On the defensive side of the ball, Carson-Newman sophomore linebacker Jake Cottle anchored an Eagle defense to a decisive effort, shutting Virginia-Lynchburg down to just 75 yards in the contest – the third-fewest in C-N history – and just one first down in the second half. Cottle ended the game with eight tackles as well as 1.5 sacks for 10 yards and a pass breakup in the contest.
MEN’S SOCCER: Lipscomb sophomore Malachi Jones got the Bisons off in a hurry as he scored the opening goal against No. 15 Saint Louis in the 15th minute en route to a 2-1 victory in Nashville. Jones also picked up assists on both goals against Charlotte, feeding Javanne Smith on the opening score, then setting up Tyrese Spicer’s game-tying goal in the 85th minute with Nick Dang as Lipscomb drew the 49ers 2-2.
WOMEN’S SOCCER: Chattanooga sophomore forward Caroline Richvalsky had a fantastic week for the Mocs as she finished with nine points last week with four goals and an assist. Richvalsky scored the game-winner as Chattanooga downed Austin Peay 4-1 Thursday night, then she picked up the hat trick against Jacksonville State in a 3-1 victory on Sunday. The hat trick was the first for a Chattanooga player since 2017. Richvalsky led the team in shots taken (12) and shots on goal (6) for the week.
VOLLEYBALL: Austin Peay graduate right-side hitter Mikayla Powell had a strong weekend at the Lindenwood Invitational as the Govs won all three matches. In the opener against the host Lions, Powell had 18 kills. Later that day against Indiana State, she had 24 kills, eight digs and five blocks. She saved the best for last as Powell became just the second Division I player to record 30 kills this season on Saturday as she collected 30 kills with a .456 attack percentage, while also picking up 15 digs for the double-double. Powell is the fourth Austin Peay player to reach the 30-kill milestone and the first since 2012.
2023-24 TSWA College Sports Players of the Week
FOOTBALL
8/29 | Offensive: A.J. Swann (Vanderbilt), Defensive: De’Rickey Wright (Vanderbilt)
9/5 | Offensive: Joe Milton III (Tennessee), Defensive: Jake Cottle (Carson-Newman)
MEN’S SOCCER
8/29 | Brock Kiper (Belmont)
9/5 | Malachi Jones (Lipscomb)
WOMEN’S SOCCER
8/29 | Eleanor Gough (Middle Tennessee)
9/5 | Caroline Richvalsky (Chattanooga)
VOLLEYBALL
8/29 | Laure Jansen (Middle Tennessee)
9/5 | Mikayla Powell (Austin Peay)

TSWA announces fall players of the week - Aug. 29

August 29, 2023 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – As the fall sports begin to get underway, the Tennessee Sports Writers Association announced its first College Players of the Week honors, based on the contests from August 21 through 27. Vanderbilt’s A.J. Swann and De’Rickey Wright were selected as the football players of the week, Belmont’s Brock Kiper took the men’s soccer honor, while Middle Tennessee’s Eleanor Gough and Laure Jansen were picked for the women’s soccer and volleyball awards respectively.
FOOTBALL: Swann, a sophomore quarterback from White, Ga., put together a fantastic effort in the Commodores’ 38-25 victory over Hawaii on Saturday night in Nashville, completing 19 of his 30 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns. He found Will Sheppard twice for TDs, London Humphreys for another, as well as a 2-point conversion pass to Quincy Skinner Jr.
Wright, a senior safety from Gadsden, Ala., intercepted the ball in the end zone midway through the second quarter to keep Vanderbilt on top, then with just under two minutes remaining – with the Commodores up by seven – Wright picked off his second pass of the game to seal the game.
MEN’S SOCCER: Kiper, a sophomore forward from Mason, Ohio, led the Bruins to a 1-0-1 record last week as he scored both of Belmont’s goals. He scored his first career goal in the 37th minute on a header as Belmont topped Georgia State 1-0. A diving header against Florida Atlantic in the 31st minute gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead that held until the 75th minute. Kiper was 2-for-3 shooting for the week.
WOMEN’S SOCCER: Gough, a senior midfielder from Milton Keynes, England, improved the Blue Raiders to a 2-1-1 record on the season as she scored off of a pass from Faith Adje in the 87th minute to give Middle Tennessee a bounce-back win over Howard in a 1-0 victory.
VOLLEYBALL: Jansen, a junior outside hitter from Valburg, Netherlands, had two great showings at the Big Orange Bash, earning all-tournament honors as the Blue Raiders took on Clemson and Wofford. Against the Tigers, Jansen had 12 kills as she hit .259 with three service aces – including the 100th in her career – while also posting a career-high 12 digs. Against the Terriers, Jansen had 11 kills and 10 digs, while hitting .296.
2023-24 TSWA College Sports Players of the Week
FOOTBALL
8/29 | Offensive: A.J. Swann (Vanderbilt), Defensive: De’Rickey Wright (Vanderbilt)
MEN’S SOCCER
8/29 | Brock Kiper (Belmont)
WOMEN’S SOCCER
8/29 | Eleanor Gough (Middle Tennessee)
VOLLEYBALL
8/29 | Laure Jansen (Middle Tennessee)