College players of the week honored - Oct. 24

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Maryville College sophomore quarterback Bryson Rollins collected all four touchdowns for the Scots in their 26-6 victory over LaGrange Saturday, earning the football offensive player of the week nod from the Tennessee Sports Writers Association on Tuesday based on the games from October 16-22. 

Rollins, an Elizabethton, Tenn., native, rushed for three touchdowns as he carried the ball 13 times for 38 yards, then completed 19-of-32 passes for 237 yards and another score. In the game, Rollins also surpassed the 2,000-yard mark passing and extended his career yardage to 4,595, which already stands as the Scots’ program record.  

On the defensive side, Carson-Newman sophomore linebacker Mekhi Brown (Wauchula, Fla.) had a big game defensively in a 21-17 loss to Mars Hill as he recorded three sacks for 21 yards. He had six total tackles with four for-loss for 24 yards. 

MEN’S SOCCER: Maryville College senior goalkeeper Mykal Manfred (Gallatin, Tenn.) posted two shutouts in goal as the Scots went 1-0-1 on the week. Across the two matches, Manfred made 17 saves, matching his season-best tally of 11 in a 2-0 victory over Birmingham-Southern, while also preserving a 0-0 draw to Huntingdon, facing 30 tries on the weekend. 

WOMEN’S SOCCER: King University senior goalkeeper Kristal Garcia (Orlando, Fla.) made 18 saves over two matches, collecting 10 stops in a thrilling 3-2 victory against North Greenville. She also had eight stops in a 1-0 loss at Lees-McRae. 

VOLLEYBALL: King senior outside hitter Hailee Blankenship (Goode, Va.) recorded her ninth and tenth double-doubles of the season as she averaged 5.13 kills and 4.13 digs per set this past weekend. In a 3-0 win over Belmont Abbey, Blankenship recorded 18 kills and 18 digs with three service aces. In a 3-2 loss at Converse, she had 23 kills and 15 digs. 

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)
10/24 | Offensive: Bryson Rollins (Maryville College), Defensive: Mekhi Brown (Carson-Newman) 

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)
10/24 | Mykal Manfred (Maryville College) 

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)
10/24 | Kristal Garcia (King) 

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)
10/24 | Hailee Blankenship (King)