NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tusculum quarterback Matthew Palazzo pulled together four touchdowns – three passing and one rushing – as the Pioneers topped conference foe Virginia-Wise 35-7 and led the way among a talented field for this week’s Tennessee Sports Writers Association College Sports Players of the Week for the games between Oct. 9-15.
In all, Palazzo recorded 314 passing yards – his second-straight 300-plus-yard game – as two of his touchdown passes were 70 yards or better – tosses of 73 and 70. That is the second time in school history a Tusculum quarterback has thrown two 70-plus yard touchdowns in a game, joining Bo Cordell’s game against Urbana in 2009. Since taking over as the Pioneers’ starting QB in week 3, he has a 4-1 record.
On the defensive side, Vanderbilt graduate defensive back Jaylen Mahoney stood strong against No. 1 Georgia recording a career-best 16 tackles in the contest. That total, the most by a Southeastern Conference player this season, is the most by a Vanderbilt player since November 2019.
MEN’S SOCCER: Trevecca Nazarene senior forward Marlon Grossman helped lead the squad to two victories in a big way as he scored a hat trick in a 5-3 win over Ohio Dominican, then scored another game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Malone University.
WOMEN’S SOCCER: Sewanee junior forward Brianna Fee only needed 16 minutes of playing time to record a hat trick in the Tigers’ 4-0 victory over Millsaps. She then picked up an assist in a 3-0 victory at Birmingham-Southern on Sunday to improve Sewanee to a 12-match unbeaten streak.
VOLLEYBALL: Trevecca Nazarene junior right side/middle blocker was unstoppable this past weekend at the Midwest Crossover as she had 20-plus kills in all three matches. She collected 27 against Northern Michigan, 20 against Illinois-Springfield and 20 against Upper Iowa. For the event, she averaged 22.3 kills per match (5.58 per set) with a .248 hitting percentage, while also averaging eight digs per match and collecting nine total blocks.
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)
10/3 | Offensive: Mike DiLiello (Austin Peay), Defensive: Quinn Johnson (Sewanee)
10/10 | Offensive: Javin Whatley (Chattanooga), Defensive: Derek Taylor (Cumberland)
10/17 | Offensive: Matthew Palazzo (Tusculum), Defensive: Jaylen Mahoney (Vanderbilt)
MEN’S SOCCER
8/29 | Brock Kiper (Belmont)
9/5 | Malachi Jones (Lipscomb)
9/12 | Tyrese Spicer (Lipscomb)
9/19 | Ploutarchos Alonefti (Lipscomb)
9/26 | Nathan Vanhoeve (Sewanee)
10/3 | Tyler Cozzie (Sewanee)
10/10 | Jansen Wilson (Belmont)
10/17 | Marlon Grossmann (Trevecca)
WOMEN’S SOCCER
8/29 | Eleanor Gough (Middle Tennessee)
9/5 | Caroline Richvalsky (Chattanooga)
9/12 | Kelli Beiler (Lipscomb)
9/19 | Kylene Monaghan (Sewanee)
9/26 | Brenna Swiger (Cumberland)
10/3 | Taylor Stubbs (King)
10/10 | Katye Dullye (Sewanee)
10/17 | Brianna Fee (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)
9/26 | Jayla Holcombe (Tennessee State)
10/3 | Kristen Clemons (Belmont)
10/10 | Meg Mershman (Lipscomb)
10/17 | Emma Titus (Trevecca)