TSWA recognizes college players of the week - Nov. 5 — Tennessee Sports Writers Association

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee junior running back Dylan Sampson continued his strong season this past Saturday with the 28-18 win over Kentucky and claiming his third Tennessee Sports Writers Association Football Offensive Player of the Week honor on Tuesday.

The Baton Rouge, La., native shattered a 95-year-old single-season rushing touchdown record for his 19th of the season as he collected a career-high 142 yards on 27 carries with two touchdowns against the Wildcats. The 19 rushing scores placed Sampson in a six-way tie for tenth in the Southeastern Conference’s single-season leaderboard.

The game was his SEC-best seventh 100-yard game of the year and he became the first Volunteer to score a rushing touchdown in eight straight games in the same season. Sampson is now tied for second in Tennessee’s single-season 100-yard rushing games.

On the defensive side, Tennessee Tech sophomore linebacker Cayman Spaulding was selected as the Defensive Player of the Week after he recorded six total tackles – four solo and two assisted – with 2.5 for-loss and a four-yard sack. The big blow came as he intercepted a pass and returned it 29 yards for a touchdown in the Golden Eagles’ 52-10 Big South-Ohio Valley Conference win over Lindenwood.

Spaulding anchored a Tech defense that held the Lions to 68 rushing yards on 36 carries a week after they rushed for 389 against Western Illinois. It was Tech’s fourth game this season holding opponents under 100 rushing yards.

VOLLEYBALL: Tennessee Tech junior setter Jordan Karlen was named the Volleyball Player of the Week as she delivered another spectacular weekend directing the Golden Eagle offense in a split at Ohio Valley Conference leader Southeast Missouri, handing the Redhawks one of their two league losses.

In all, Karlen averaged 11.1 assists, 3.1 digs, 0.67 aces and 0.67 blocks per set as she recorded 100 assists, 28 digs, six aces and six blocks in all. On Friday, the Janesville, Wisc., native posted 50 assists with four kills, three aces, seven digs and three blocks. She followed it up with 50 assists on Saturday with three aces, three blocks and 21 digs.

MEN’S SOCCER: Trevecca freshman forward Chris Douglas recorded a four-point week as the St. Johns, Antigua native scored a goal and picked up two assists as the Trojans topped Union 4-2. The victory locked up Trevecca’s first appearance in the Gulf South Conference tournament and first postseason appearance for the program since 2017.

Douglas is Trevecca’s leading goal scorer and points leader as a freshman.

2024-25 TSWA College Players of the Week
FOOTBALL
9/3 | Offensive: Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt); Defensive: Bryan Longwell (Vanderbilt)
9/10 | Offensive: Sam Phillips (Chattanooga); Defensive: Elijah Herring (Memphis)
9/17 | Offensive: Dylan Sampson (Tennessee); Defensive: Alex Mitchell (Chattanooga)
9/24 | Offensive: La’Vell Wright (Austin Peay); Defensive: Major Williams (Carson-Newman)
10/1 | Offensive: Chase Artopoeus (Chattanooga); Defensive: Theron Gaines (Tennessee Tech)
10/8 | Offensive: Jayden Sullins (Carson-Newman); Defensive: Bryan Longwell (Vanderbilt)
10/15 | Offensive: Dylan Sampson (Tennessee); Defensive: James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee)
10/22 | Offensive: Mario Anderson Jr. (Memphis); Defensive: Will Brooks (Tennessee)
10/29 | Offensive: Dawson White (Sewanee); Defensive: Chandler Martin (Memphis)
11/5 | Offensive: Dylan Sampson (Tennessee); Defensive: Cayman Spaulding (Tennessee Tech)