NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Sports Writers Association has announced the fifth College Players of the Week for the 2026-27 academic year on Tuesday afternoon.
FOOTBALL: Tennessee Tech’s Jax Leatherwood has been selected as the TSWA Football Offensive Player of the Week after leading the Golden Eagles to a come-from-behind 42-38 victory at Wofford to remain unbeaten overall and in SoCon play (4-0, 2-0).
Trailing 35-21 going into the fourth quarter, Leatherwood went 15-of-18 in the final period for 143 yards and three touchdowns to outscore the Terriers 21-3. Two of the touchdowns were caught by Eric Weatherly, a 15-yard reception to tie the game with 3:23 left and another 15-yard catch to give Tech the 42-38 lead with 1:06 remaining.
Finishing the game with 427 passing yards on 38-of-46 with five touchdowns, his 38 completions, 427 passing yards and five scores are career-bests. His 427 yards also rank third in program history for single-game passing yards.
Connecting with 12 different receivers, Leatherwood went a perfect 9-for-9 with Weatherly, who finished with 100 yards and the two scores that gave the Golden Eagles the win.
Chattanooga’s Zion Rutledge was recognized as the TSWA Football Defensive Player of the Week in the Mocs’ 27-8 rout of The Citadel.
Finishing with 13 total tackles, he had 2 stops for a loss, totaling five yards, and was instrumental in the defense that held the Bulldogs, who entered the game sixth in FCS in rushing yards (243.3), to 172 rushing yards.
3.5 of his 4.5 TFLs on the season have come in his last two games to help Chattanooga start 2-0 in SoCon play.
MEN’S SOCCER: Brady Hammer of Maryville College has been chosen as the TSWA Men’s Soccer Player of the Week after scoring six points with two goals and assists each in the program’s victories over Piedmont University and Warren Wilson College.
Hammer was responsible for both goals in the win at the Lions on Sept. 23, scoring in the 17th minute and assisting on Ben Brophy’s goal in the 57th minute to earn the 2-1 win.
Against the Owls on Sept. 25, his game-winning goal in the 72nd minute gave the Scots the lead for good. Over a minute later, his pass to Jonathan Case gave them insurance they needed for the 3-1 victory.
WOMEN’S SOCCER: Rebekah Jackson of Union University was picked as the TSWA Women’s Soccer Player of the Week after back-to-back braces in the weekend sweep of Alabama Huntsville and Valdosta State to improve to 3-0-2 in league play.
In the Bulldogs’ 3-0 win over the Chargers on Sept. 23, Jackson’s game-winner came in the 57th minute and added a second goal in the 64th minute.
Three days later, against the Blazers, Jackson gave the Bulldogs the early 1-0 lead with a 15th-minute shot. VSU evened the match in the 56th minute, but Jackson came through again for Union, giving them the lead for good in the 70th minute.
Scoring in five of her last six matches, she now has eight goals and leads the Gulf South Conference in goals per match (1.0) and points (2.13).
VOLLEYBALL: Trevecca Nazarene’s Brynne Krangnes was honored as the TSWA Volleyball Player of the Week, leading the Trojans to a perfect 3-0 record in Gulf South Conference play last week.
Averaging 9.83 assists in 12 sets, she averaged 3.0 digs and had her first three double-doubles of the season.
On Sept. 22 against Alabama Huntsville, the Trojans rallied from a 2-1 deficit to defeat the preseason favorites in five sets. She finished with a season-high 45 assists and added 11 digs, four kills, four blocks and three service aces.
In the three-set sweep over Union on Sept. 25, Krangnes totaled 36 assists and 12 digs and added 37 assists, 13 digs, five kills and two aces in a four-set win against Christian Brothers.
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)
2026 TSWA MEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Sept. 1 | Hays Adams, Lincoln Memorial
Sept. 9 | Miller Lashlee, Memphis
Sept. 15 | Chris Douglas, Trevecca Nazarene
Sept. 22 | Chris Douglas, Trevecca Nazarene
Sept. 29 | Brady Hammer, Maryville College
2026 TSWA WOMEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Sept. 1 | Donna van der Zalm, Lincoln Memorial
Sept. 9 | Elsa Bengtsson, Trevecca Nazarene
Sept. 15 | Pope Scurlock, Sewanee
Sept. 22 | Courtney Jones, Vanderbilt
Sept. 29 | Rebekah Jackson, Union University
2026 TSWA VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Sept. 1 | Caitlyn Little, Memphis
Sept. 9 | Kelsey Schenck, Lipscomb
Sept. 15 | Samantha Wunsch, Vanderbilt
Sept. 22 | Caitlyn Little, Memphis
Sept. 29 | Brynne Krangnes, Trevecca Nazarene
