Earl, Ziegler garner TSWA coach, player of year awards

NASHVILLE – Chattanooga’s Dan Earl and Tennessee’s Zakai Zeigler were voted Tennessee Sports Writers Association Men’s Basketball College Coach and Player of the Year, respectively, as announced this week by the organization. Earl and Ziegler will be honored at the annual TSWA Hall of Fame banquet on Thursday, July 10 in Baird Chapel at Cumberland University.

Earl led Chattanooga to a 29-9 overall record and Southern Conference regular season championship, tying the program record for wins in a season. The Mocs posted a 15-3 mark to win the SoCon regular season title and Earl was voted SoCon Coach of the Year.

Chattanooga claimed five victories to earn the 2025 NIT Championship, the program’s first-ever NIT title, with two of those wins in overtime and only one at home (two on the road, two at neutral site). It marked the first SoCon team since 1959 (West Virginia) to reach the NIT title game. Earl has posted 68 wins over his first three seasons, the most by a Mocs head coach in program history.

Zeigler won SEC Defensive Player of the Year for the second season in a row, becoming the third individual do so, and became the first four-time SEC All-Defensive Team honoree in league history. He was named First Team All-SEC by the conference’s coaches for the second consecutive season and a Third Team All-American by all four major outlets.

The Long Island, N.Y., native was among five finalists for the Bob Cousy Award (best point guard), was among four finalists for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award and made the Wooden Award Top 15 national ballot. He set the SEC single-season assists record (275), the UT career assists mark (747; third in SEC history) and the UT career steals record (251; tied for ninth in SEC history).

He averaged 13.6 points, 7.4 assists (fifth nationally), 2.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game. Zeigler had five-plus assists in 32 of 37 outings, with eight-plus in 18 games and 10-plus in six contests. He scored in double figures 30 times, with 15-plus in 18 appearances and six double-doubles. The senior helped UT post a 30-8 overall record, reach the Elite Eight and finish fifth in the final AP Poll.

TSWA honors college players of the week - April 22

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Trevecca Nazarene senior Cade Moore earned the Tennessee Sports Writers Association College Baseball Player of the Week honor on Tuesday after he put together a strong run over the last four games to lead the Trojans to a 4-0 week and winning three of their last four Gulf South Conference series.

Moore, a Terre Haute, Ind., product, batted .444 on the week as he also collected a .474 on-base percentage and a 1.111 slugging percentage. For the week, he was 8-for-18 at the plate with seven total RBI and six runs scored.

He had his best game of the week in the opener against Alabama-Huntsville as he was 4-for-5 at the plate with four runs scored, five RBI and three home runs. Moore also went 2-for-4 with an RBI in the finale.

On the hill, Austin Peay picked up a no-hitter in two consecutive weeks. Lyndon Glidewell got the no-no last week, while it was Jacob Weaver who threw the no-hitter this week as he silenced Eastern Kentucky in the second game of the series.

The senior from Fruita, Colo., went all seven innings in the game, walking three and striking out five. He faced 22 batters in all with 83 pitches thrown. It is the second no-hitter this season and only the first time since 1970 that Austin Peay collected two no-hitters in the same season.

SOFTBALL: Chattanooga claimed both softball awards for the week as senior Olivia Lipari was named the Player of the Week, while junior pitcher Peja Goold won her fifth Pitcher of the Week honor.

Lipari batted .533 as the Oviedo, Fla., collected two doubles, a triple, a home run, four RBI and four runs scored. Lipari homered against Lipscomb in a 2-1 win, then went 3-for-3 in the opener against Wofford. She ended the series against the Terriers with five hits.

Goold went 3-0 in the circle last week as the junior from Stockton, Calif., posted a 0.33 earned run average. She struck out 24 – eight in each game – and had a no-hitter going until there were two outs in the fourth inning in the finale, holding Wofford to just one hit.

BASEBALL
Feb. 18 | Player: Blake Pou (Sewanee); Pitcher: Ryan Higgins (Carson-Newman)
Feb. 25 | Player: Eston Snider (Middle Tennessee); Pitcher: Liam Doyle (Tennessee)
March 4 | Player: Gavin Kilen (Tennessee); Pitcher: Jake Poindexter (Lipscomb)
March 11 | Player: Levi Clark (Tennessee); Pitcher: Drew Horn (Middle Tennessee)
March 18 | Player: Joey Parliament (Trevecca Nazarene); Pitcher: Marcus Phillips (Tennessee)
March 25 | Player: Hunter Ensley (Tennessee); Pitcher: Taj Donald (Sewanee)
April 1 | Player: Cameron Nickens (Austin Peay); Pitcher: Kolton Casson (Carson-Newman)
April 8 | Player: Carson Chavies (Union); Pitcher: Liam Doyle (Tennessee)
April 15 | Player: Eddie Garza (Tennessee Tech); Pitcher: Lyndon Glidewell (Austin Peay)
April 22 | Player: Cade Moore (Trevecca Nazarene); Pitcher: Jacob Weaver (Austin Peay)

SOFTBALL
Feb. 11 | Player: Danielle Jason (Tusculum); Pitcher: Maya Johnson (Belmont)
Feb. 18 | Player: Abbie Buckner (Sewanee); Pitcher: Reagen Huskey (Sewanee)
Feb. 25 | Player: Brianna Asmondy (Trevecca): Pitcher: Maya Johnson (Belmont)
March 4 | Player: Hayden Dye (Carson-Newman); Pitcher: Peja Goold (Chattanooga)
March 11 | Player: Presley Williamson (Chattanooga); Pitcher: Peja Goold (Chattanooga)
March 18 | Player: Morgan Jennings (Union University); Pitcher: Ashlan Sensing (Trevecca Nazarene)
March 25 | Player: Abbee Klinefelter (Tennessee Tech); Pitcher: Maya Johnson (Belmont)
April 1 | Player: Alyssa Suits (King University); Pitcher: Taylor Long (Chattanooga)
April 8 | Player: Kailey Snell (Chattanooga); Pitcher: Peja Goold (Chattanooga)
April 15 | Player: Kailey Snell (Chattanooga); Pitcher: Peja Goold (Chattanooga)
April 22 | Player: Olivia Lipari (Chattanooga); Pitcher: Peja Goold (Chattanooga)

Campbell, Blakes voted TSWA coach, player of year

NASHVILLE – Union University’s Mark Campbell and Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes were voted Tennessee Sports Writers Association Women’s Basketball College Coach and Player of the Year, respectively, as announced this week by the organization. Campbell and Blakes will be honored at the annual TSWA Hall of Fame banquet on Thursday, July 10 in Baird Chapel at Cumberland University.

Campbell was named the Pat Summitt Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year, leading Union to a 33-4 overall record and reaching the NCAA Division II Elite Eight and the national semifinals in Pittsburgh, Pa. Union won the Gulf South Conference regular season title (10th in program history) with a 21-1 record as well as the Gulf South Conference Tournament title (7th in program history, fifth in the last six years).

Union earned the No. 1 seed and host of the NCAA D-II South Region Tournament, claiming that title as well to move on to the Elite Eight. Seventh-seeded Union won its national quarterfinal game, upsetting No. 2-seed Bentley, 80-66. Union won 19 straight games before ending its season in the national semifinals.

Campbell picked up his 750th career win with the victory in the national quarterfinals and has a career mark of 750-120 (.867). He was named the GSC Coach of the Year for the sixth time and was also a finalist for the WBCA National Coach of the Year. Campbell has been selected for induction into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville this June.

Blakes rewrote the NCAA, SEC and school record books in her first collegiate season. The guard was named the WBCA Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Year after leading all freshmen nationally in scoring with 23.3 points per game.

The Somerset, N.J., native earned All-America honors from seven different publications this postseason, making her the first Commodore since Jence Rhoads in 2010-11 to garner All-America accolades. Blakes was named the 2024-25 SEC Freshman of the Year and First Team All-SEC. She was twice named the AP Player of the Week and earned a total of four USBWA Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Week honors this season.

Additionally, she was selected SEC Freshman of the Week seven times to set a Vanderbilt record for that award. On February 18, Blakes was named Co-SEC Player of the Week, becoming the first SEC freshman since Candace Parker to earn the SEC’s top weekly player award. The highlight of her season came at Auburn on Feb. 16 when she scored 55 points to set the NCAA freshman record for most points in a game. Her 55-point performance also set the SEC and Vanderbilt single-game scoring records.

Bowling all-state teams recognized by TSWA

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Sports Writers Association announced the 2024-25 bowling all-state teams Friday, which includes two classes for boys and girls, one each in Division I and Division II.

BOYS
Division I
Elijah Pipkin, Bartlett, Jr.
William Davis, Columbia Central, Sr.
Blaydn Bean, Franklin County, So.
Gavin Murray, Chuckey-Doak, Jr.
Kamden Morris, Hardin County, Fr.

Division II
Jackson Roberts, St. Benedict at Auburndale, Jr.
Chandler Butt, Columbia Academy, Sr.
Beckett Ramsom, Columbia Academy, Fr.
Cayden Brown, Friendship Christian, Sr.
Caleb Green, Lipscomb Academy, 8th grade

GIRLS
Division I
Katelynn Woodard, Hardin County, Jr.
Addison Alcott, Hardin County, Sr.
Gabrielle Mann, Creek Wood, Sr.
Libby Bromley, Hardin County, Fr.
Eliza Brown, Hardin County, Jr.

Division II
Julia Casama, St. Benedict at Auburndale, So.
Jessica McClintock, Lipscomb Academy, Fr.
Emmeline Smith, Pope John Paul II, Jr.
Abbey Locks, St. Agnes Academy-St. Dominic School, Sr.
Abigail Lambert, Boyd Buchanan, Jr.

Girls basketball all-state teams honored by TSWA

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Sports Writers Association announced the 2024-25 girls basketball all-state teams Thursday, which includes four classes in Division I and two classes in Division II.

Class 4A
Abby Bryan, Lincoln County, Sr.
Kimora Fields, Bradley Central, Jr.*
Andrea Flores, Daniel Boone, Jr.
Channah Gannon, Coffee County, Sr.
Natalya Hodge, Bearden, Jr.*
Lauren Hurst, Cleveland, Sr.
K.J. McNealy, Farragut, Jr.
McKenzie Percoski, Germantown Houston, Sr.
Ayana Porter, Oak Ridge, Sr.
Ella Ryan, Brentwood, Sr.*
Hilary Shikuku, Collierville, Sr.
Malon Smith, Clarksville, Sr.
Tatiana Stovall, Bradley Central, Sr.
Olivia Vinson, Coffee County, Sr.
Harmonie Ware, Bradley Central, Sr.

Class 3A
Jaidynn Askins, Jackson South Side, Sr.*
Jordyn Maddox, Crockett County, So.
Ke’Miyah Buggs, Fayette-Ware, Jr.
Camryn Brown, Northview Academy, Sr.
Ellie Butler, Livingston Academy, Sr.
Joya Crawford, Dyersburg, Sr.*
Bella Ferguson, David Crockett, Sr.
Chloe Heath, Heritage, Sr.
Karmine Carmichael, Cocke County, So.
Jordan White, Northview Academy, Sr.
Ava Jones, White County, Sr.
Chelby Jordan, Dyersburg, Jr.
Jade Reed, South Gibson, So.
Carsyn Swaney, Heritage, Sr.*
Taya Totten, Portland, Sr.

Class 2A
Reese Beaty, York Institute, Sr.
Ella Busby, Summertown, Jr.
Karina Bystry, McMinn Central, Sr.*
Gwen Carroll, Alcoa, Jr.
Ava Floyd, Hickman County, So.
Maliyah Glasper, Gatlinburg-Pittman, Jr.
Maddie Gray, Westview, Sr.*
Julie Hampton, Scotts Hill, Sr.
Curtlyn Lee, Sequatchie County, Sr.
Makayla Maddox, Tyner, Jr.
Jalynn Meadows, Jackson County, Jr.
McCall Sims, Westview, Sr.
Sara Beth Smith, Huntington, Sr.
Curnesha Taylor, Memphis Business Academy, Jr.
Ally Weathers, Loretto, Sr.*

Class 1A
Blair Baugus, Wayne County, Sr.*
Kyleigh Cawood, Midway, Jr.
Laila Downs-Darden, McEwen, So.*
Rayanna Fisher, Greenfield, So.
Ellie Graham, Moore County, Sr.*
Lexi Hammock, Coalfield, So.
Shelby Higgins, Richland, Sr.
Alexis Hyatt, Copper Basin, Jr.
Hannah Miller, North Greene, Sr.
Cara Mills, Van Buren County, Jr.
Sh’Nyla Moss, Union City, So.
Abigail Netherton, Van Buren County, Sr.
Zoey Nicholas, Pickett County, Jr.
Allye Pennington, East Robertson, So.
Michelle Shields, Unaka, Jr.

Division II-A
Haylen Ayers, University School of Jackson, So.*
Dasha Biriuk, Webb School-Bell Buckle, Sr.*
Kayte Madison Bjornstad, Providence Christian, Jr.
Maddie Braden, Christian Academy of Knoxville, So.*
Nya Burns, Grace Christian Academy-Knoxville, Jr.
Kinsley Owen, Silverdale Baptist, So.
Kinley Painter, Providence Academy, Sr.
Lilly Teague, University School of Jackson, So.
Colie Thompson, Christian Academy of Knoxville, Jr.
Skylar Walden, The King’s Academy, So.
Kami Wilson, Lakeway Christian, Sr.
Ava Zenner, Franklin Road Academy, Fr.

Division II-AA
Grace Abram, Hutchison School, Jr.
Brooke Dyer, Pope John Paul II, So.
Jane Ellis, Christ Presbyterian Academy, Jr.
Meeyah Green, Knox Webb, Jr.*
Tyler Jones, Hutchison School, Sr.*
Ava Krumwiede, Harpeth Hall, Sr.
Kyndall Mays, Knox Webb, Fr.
Kamora Moore, Chattanooga Christian, Fr.*
Lily Morrow, Christ Presbyterian Academy, Jr.
Amaya Redd, Knox Catholic, Sr.
Bella Sheppard, Lipscomb Academy, Jr.
Paige Whitted, Briarcrest Christian, Sr.