TSWA honors college players of week - Oct. 6 — Tennessee Sports Writers Association

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Sports Writers Association has announced the seventh College Players of the Week for the 2026-27 academic year on Tuesday afternoon.

FOOTBALL: Tennessee’s DeSean Bishop was honored as the TSWA Football Offensive Player of the Week after his efforts in their 24-14 win over Auburn to improve to 4-1 on the year and 1-1 in conference play. Setting career highs in rushing yards (220), attempts (34) and touchdowns (3), he accounted for all three Volunteer scores in the second half.

158 of his 220 yards came after contact, as he scored on rushes of 25-, 44- and 5-yards out.

He is the 20th Southeastern Conference player in the last 30 seasons to rack up at least 220 yards and three rushing touchdowns in a single game.

Bishop’s 200+ yard rushing effort marked the first by a Vol since Eric Gray against Vanderbilt on Nov. 30, 2019, and it is the second in program history in the last 20 seasons.

Dejuan Lane earned the TSWA Football Defensive Player of the Week after registering a team-high nine tackles, 2.5 for a loss, two sacks, a quarterback hurry and an interception in the Vols’ win over the Tigers.

Setting a career-high in tackles, he surpassed his previous high of six against Clemson on Dec. 27, 2025, in the Pinstripe Bowl when he was a member of Penn State.

His second interception of the season, third of his career, came midway through the third quarter, which saw him return the pass 32 yards to the Auburn 44-yard line.

MEN’S SOCCER: Chris Douglas was picked as the TSWA Men’s Soccer of the Week for the third time this season after another dazzling performance last week for the Trojans, who are now 8-1-2 overall and 3-1-2 in Gulf South Conference play.

Earning wins over Freed-Hardeman and Delta State, he scored seven points thanks to three goals and an assist.

Against the Lions of FHU on Sept. 29, Douglas produced his first career hat trick on three total shots in a come-from-behind 4-3 victory for the Trojans. Trailing 3-2 in the 68th minute, his goal leveled the match, and in the 89th minute, he scored the game-winner.

On Oct. 3 at home against the Statesmen, he assisted on TNU’s second goal in the first half in the 21st minute as the Trojans cruised to a 3-1 win.

The junior is listed in the top 10 in Division II, including leading in goals per game (1.11), fourth in points per game (2.44), sixth in total goals (10), eighth in points (22) and 11th in game-winning goals (3).

WOMEN’S SOCCER: Chattanooga’s Paige Thomas was chosen as the TSWA Women’s Soccer Player of the Week following five goals in two Southern Conference wins over VMI and Western Carolina to extend the Mocs’ program-record unbeaten streak to nine matches. Entering the second weekend of October, UTC is 7-1-4 overall and 3-0-1 in league play.

Thomas recorded the brace in the team’s 2-0 win at VMI on Oct. 1, scoring in the 60th and 80th minutes.

Three days later, in the 5-0 rout of the Catamounts, the junior recorded the first hat trick of her collegiate career, scoring three times in less than 22 minutes during the first half. She found the back of the net in the fourth, ninth and 26th minutes as the Mocs had a 4-0 lead at the break.

Her eight goals this season pace the SoCon and rank 24th in Division I, while her 17 points are fifth in the league.

VOLLEYBALL: Blair Cherry from Carson-Newman secured the TSWA Volleyball Player of the Week accolade after a perfect 3-0 week with back-to-back five-set wins over Mars Hill and Anderson before a sweep of Newberry to improve to 14-5 and 7-4 in the South Atlantic Conference.

Totaling 159 assists and averaging 12.23 per set, she helped her team hit .235 on the week and saw her team total 76 kills against Mars Hill, where she assisted on 62 of those attacks to set a single-match record and added 13 digs for her 12th double-double of the season.

Adding 51 assists against SAC preseason favorite Anderson, the Eagles put together back-to-back five-set wins for the first time since 2018.

Additionally, she added 29 digs, nine kills, seven blocks and four aces to wrap up her week. Leading the Division II programs with 767 assists, she is 17th in the nation in assists per set (10.36).

2026 TSWA FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Sept. 1 | Chris Parson, Austin Peay (Offense); Elijah Kinsler, Memphis (Defense)
Sept. 9 | Jaylin Carter, Memphis (Offense); Xavier Gilliam, Tennessee (Defense)
Sept. 15 | Denver Harper, Austin Peay (Offense); CJ Heard, Vanderbilt (Defense)
Sept. 22 | Junior Sherrill, Vanderbilt (Offense); Malik Denkins, Austin Peay (Defense)
Sept. 29 | Jax Leatherwood, Tennessee Tech (Offense); Zion Rutledge, Chattanooga (Defense)
Oct. 6 | DeSean Bishop, Tennessee (Offense); Dejuan Lane, Tennessee (Defense)