MEN’S BASKETBALL: Carson-Newman’s Thomas earns TSWA Player of the Week honors
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Carson-Newman’s Bryant Thomas was named the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Men’s Basketball Player of the Week, averaging 24.0 points and 7.0 rebounds with one double-double in two outings for the Eagles.
The Charlotte, N.C., native connected on 11-of-14 field goals and made 6-for-9 at the foul line for 28 points while pulling down 10 boards in a season-opening three-point loss to Lees-McRae. The senior posted 20 points and four caroms the following day in a win versus King University, hitting 7-of-11 shots and 6-for-7 at the charity stripe.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Vanderbilt’s Harbison garners TSWA Player of the Week accolades
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt’s Ciaja Harbison was voted the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, netting 20.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 3.0 steals in helping the Commodores to their first 3-0 start in eight seasons.
The Louisville, Ky., native made 7-of-8 field goals with a pair of 3-pointers and hit 12-for-14 at the foul line in the season opener at Western Kentucky, finishing with 28 points, four rebounds and five assists. She posted just seven points at Samford but added four boards, seven assists and four steals and ended the week with 27 points, seven assists and four steals at Columbia, connecting on 9-of-13 from field and 9-for-12 at the foul line.
Harbison recorded 16 of her 27 points in the second half against the Lions, as the Commodores overcame an eight-point third quarter deficit en route to the road win.
FOOTBALL: Carson-Newman’s Westfield, Middle Tennessee’s Fluellen earn TSWA weekly honors
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Carson-Newman’s Braxton Westfield and Middle Tennessee’s Tra Fluellen were named the football Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association for their efforts in contests from November 7-13.
Westfield posted five receptions for 162 yards and three touchdowns in the season finale for the Eagles, tying the school single-game receiving TD record in the process. The Simpsonville, S.C., native caught TD passes of 33, 61 and 37 yards, all in the second half at Catawba College, part of a 40-point second half for the Eagles in a 61-23 victory.
Westfield became the sixth player in school history with 100 career receptions, reset the option-era record for receiving yards in a season (886 yards) with the performance and is the only player in program annals with three straight 100-yard receiving games.
Fluellen registered a career-best 16 tackles, eight solo, with 1.5 tackles for loss and one pass breakup in a 24-14 win against Charlotte. The Blue Raiders limited the high-scoring 49ers offense to just 277 total yards and no points after halftime, creating a pair of turnovers and stopped Charlotte on 3-of-4 fourth-down plays.
2022 TSWA FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
September 6 – Ailym Ford, Chattanooga (Offense); Reuben Lowery III, Chattanooga (Defense)
September 13 – Preston Hutchinson, Chattanooga (Offense); Quindarius Dunnigan, Middle Tennessee (Defense)
September 20 – Preston Hutchinson, Chattanooga (Offense); Ty Boeck, Chattanooga (Defense)
September 27 – Chase Cunningham, Middle Tennessee (Offense); Zaylin Wood, Middle Tennessee (Defense)
October 4 – Ailym Ford, Chattanooga (Offense); Jay Person, Chattanooga (Defense)
October 18 – Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee (Offense); Frank Lee, Carson-Newman (Defense)
October 25 – Tre Simmons, Tusculum University (Offense); Ty Boeck, Chattanooga (Defense)
November 8 – Ivan Corbin, Carson-Newman (Offense); Josh Reliford, Tennessee Tech (Defense)