TSWA Hall of Fame induction set for July 8

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame dinner and induction will take place Thursday, July 8 at 6 p.m. CT in Baird Chapel on the campus of Cumberland University, the organization announced this week.

The 15th Annual TSWA dinner and auction will honor classes from 2020 and 2021. Tommy Bryan (Lebanon), Teresa Walker (Associated Press) and Mark Wiedmer (Chattanooga) were selected for the 2020 class while Larry Taft (Nashville), Maurice Patton (Nashville/Columbia) and George Starr (Cleveland) are part of the 2021 class.

The TSWA will also present awards for college football, men’s and women’s basketball coach and player of the year as well as the plaques and certificates for the annual writing contest, with those winners announced in June.

Tickets for the dinner cost $25 per person and may be purchased at the door via cash or check. Anyone planning to attend is urged to RSVP to Jo Jo Freeman at jojo.freeman@gmail.com by Wednesday, June 30. Those attending will be encouraged but not required to wear masks while entering and exiting Memorial Hall/Baird Chapel.

Memphis’ Bibiloni, Vanderbilt’s Leiter named TSWA Players of the Week

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – University of Memphis junior Ian Bibiloni and Vanderbilt’s Jack Leiter earned Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week honors, respectively, for games from May 10-16.

Bibiloni batted .471 (8-for-17) with three doubles, a home run, six RBIs and four runs scored in four games for the Tigers.

The Lakeland, Tenn., native posted a 4-for-5 performance with three RBIs in the second game of Friday’s doubleheader. He doubled and scored in the first inning and plated two runs with a two-bagger in the second. He reached on a bunt single in the fourth and singled home a run in the seventh.

Bibiloni added three more hits, two runs and two RBIs in the third game of the series with the Cougars, doubling and scoring in the first inning and reaching on another bunt single in the fifth. He also hit a solo homer in the seventh.

He walked and scored at the start of the eighth inning and singled home a run later in the frame for the Tigers in the series finale. Bibiloni is hitting .259 for the season with nine doubles, two homers, 24 RBIs and 24 runs scored in 49 contests.

Leiter struck out 13 and allowed just two hits and one run at 18th-ranked Ole Miss, posting his eighth victory of the season.

The Summit, N.J., native worked around a walk in the first and hit batters in the second and fourth innings. Two free passes, a single and a wild pitch plated the only run for the Rebels against the righthander in the sixth inning.

The contest marked the seventh this year with double-digit strikeouts for Leiter, who leads the SEC in punch outs with 119. He improved to 8-2 with a 2.05 ERA in 70.1 innings this season, giving up just 30 hits with 32 walks. Opponents are batting .126 against him in 12 appearances, all starts.

2021 TSWA BASEBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
February 23 – Andrew Keene, Lincoln Memorial (Player); Gunner Becker, Tusculum University (Pitcher)
March 2 – Dominic Keegan, Vanderbilt (Player); Joshua South, Belmont (Pitcher)
March 10 – Fuzzy Furr, Tusculum University (Player); Elijah Pleasants, Tennessee (Pitcher)
March 16 – Isaiah Thomas, Vanderbilt (Player); Kumar Rocker, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
March 23 – Liam Spence, Tennessee (Player); Jack Leiter, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
March 30 – Drew Gilbert, Tennessee (Player); Jack Leiter, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
April 6 – John Behrends, Belmont (Player); Aaron Brown, Middle Tennessee (Pitcher)
April 13 – Jacob Justice, Bryan College (Player); Jack Leiter, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
April 20 – Daulton Martin, Tusculum University (Player); Kumar Rocker, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
April 27 – Jake Rucker, Tennessee (Player); Kumar Rocker, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
May 4 – Enrique Bradfield, Vanderbilt (Player); Alex Clouthier, Trevecca University (Pitcher)
May 12 – Shawn Wallwork, Trevecca University (Player); Blake Tidwell, Tennessee (Pitcher)

College players of the week announced by TSWA - May 12

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BASEBALL: Trevecca’s Wallwork, Tennessee’s Tidwell named TSWA Players of the Week
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Trevecca University’s Shawn Wallwork and Tennessee’s Blake Tidwell earned Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week honors, respectively, for games from May 3-9.

Wallwork batted .500 (9-for-18) in a four-game series against Cedarville University with two doubles, one homer, 11 RBIs and six runs scored.

The Franklin, Tenn., native was 4-for-6 with a double, home run, five RBIs and two runs scored in the opener against the Yellowjackets. He drove in a run with a groundout in the second inning, singled in the fifth, belted a solo homer in the sixth and drove in two runs with a single in the seventh. He also doubled home a run and later scored in the ninth.

The freshman walked, stole second and scored in the first inning of the second game of the series and added an RBI single in the second inning. His other RBI in the contest came on a bases-loaded walk.

Wallwork singled and scored in the fourth inning in game three and drove in a pair of runs with another single in the fifth. In the series finale he doubled home two runs in the seventh inning and later scored and then collected a single in the ninth.

He is hitting .352 with seven doubles, 25 RBIs and 21 runs scored in 29 games this year.

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Tidwell continued his stellar freshman campaign, giving up one run on two hits with two walks and five strikeouts at Missouri.

The Loretto, Tenn., native allowed a single and that runner scored on a sacrifice fly in the first inning. The righthander retired the side in order in the third, fifth, sixth and seventh innings, walking one batter in the second and fourth. Missouri’s only other scoring chance was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a single in the fourth.

Tidwell improved to 6-2 on the season with a 3.71 ERA in 63.0 innings over 12 appearances, all starts. He has allowed 61 hits and 26 earned runs with 21 walks and 58 strikeouts.

2021 TSWA BASEBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
February 23 – Andrew Keene, Lincoln Memorial (Player); Gunner Becker, Tusculum University (Pitcher)
March 2 – Dominic Keegan, Vanderbilt (Player); Joshua South, Belmont (Pitcher)
March 10 – Fuzzy Furr, Tusculum University (Player); Elijah Pleasants, Tennessee (Pitcher)
March 16 – Isaiah Thomas, Vanderbilt (Player); Kumar Rocker, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
March 23 – Liam Spence, Tennessee (Player); Jack Leiter, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
March 30 – Drew Gilbert, Tennessee (Player); Jack Leiter, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
April 6 – John Behrends, Belmont (Player); Aaron Brown, Middle Tennessee (Pitcher)
April 13 – Jacob Justice, Bryan College (Player); Jack Leiter, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
April 20 – Daulton Martin, Tusculum University (Player); Kumar Rocker, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
April 27 – Jake Rucker, Tennessee (Player); Kumar Rocker, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
May 4 – Enrique Bradfield, Vanderbilt (Player); Alex Clouthier, Trevecca University (Pitcher)

SOFTBALL: Trevecca’s Odom, Hall garner TSWA Player of the Week honors
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Trevecca University’s MaKray Odom and Raygn Hall earned Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week accolades, respectively, for games from May 3-9.

Odom batted .421 (8-for-19) with three doubles, eight RBIs and five runs scored in five games for the Trojans in the Great Midwest Conference Championships.

The Dickson, Tenn., native posted two hits, four RBIs and a run scored against Findlay University, including a bases-clearing double and an RBI groundout. The senior collected two hits and scored twice versus Ursuline College and added a two-run double and a run scored against Hillsdale College.

Odom posted two hits and scored a run versus Tiffin University and drove in both TNU runs with a double versus Ohio Dominican. She is hitting .484 with seven doubles, 23 RBIs and 35 runs scored in 38 games this season.

Hall registered a 2-2 mark with one save and a 1.69 ERA in five games, allowing 19 hits and five earned runs in 20.2 innings and striking out 13 without issuing a walk.

The Kingston, Tenn., native threw just 77 pitches in a complete game against Cedarville University, scattering seven hits and giving up one earned run with seven strikeouts but suffering a loss in a 2-1 TNU defeat.

The senior righthander allowed one hit in five innings with four strikeouts for the win in a victory over Ursuline and got the final six outs for a save versus Hillsdale, inducing five ground ball outs while giving up two hits.

Hall recorded a win with two-thirds of an inning of relief against Hillsdale, with the Trojans scoring six times in the sixth inning. She tossed six innings versus Ohio Dominican, giving up four runs on eight hits in a 4-2 defeat.

Hall has posted a 13-9 mark overall in 23 appearances (19 starts) this season for the Trojans, logging 118.0 innings with 22 walks and 73 strikeouts. She has pitched 48 percent of the team’s innings in 2021.

2021 TSWA SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
February 23 – Katie Eakes, Carson-Newman (Player); Nikole Counts, King University (Pitcher)
March 10 – Carly Turner, King University (Player); Ragyn Hall, Trevecca University (Pitcher)
March 16 – Shannon Smith, Carson-Newman (Player); Nikole Counts, King University (Pitcher)
March 23 – Shannon Smith, Carson-Newman (Player); Corrina Dodd, Middle Tennessee (Pitcher)
April 20 – Mackenzi David, Union University (Player); Corrina Dodd, Middle Tennessee (Pitcher)
May 4 – Cheyenne Cavanaugh, Belmont (Player); Raygn Hall, Trevecca University (Pitcher)

Memphis' White, Silverfield garner TSWA football honors

NASHVILLE – University of Memphis quarterback Brady White and head coach Ryan Silverfield were recognized as the Tennessee Sports Writers Association College Football Player and Coach of the Year, respectively, as announced this week by the organization.

White finished fifth nationally in passing touchdowns (31) and sixth in the country in passing yards (3,380) during his senior season, helping the Tigers to an 8-3 record. He was named MVP of the Montgomery Bowl in Memphis' first bowl victory since 2014. 

The Santa Clarita, Calif., native set career school records for wins as a starting quarterback (28), passing yards (10,690) and passing touchdowns (90). He concluded his career 73rd on the career FBS passing yards list.

White was named the winner of the 31st William V. Campbell Trophy in January. The award, commonly known as the Academic Heisman, is presented to the college football player with the best combination of academics, community service and on-field performance. White was also a First Team Senior CLASS Award All-American, one of nine semifinalists for the Wuerffel Trophy and a Top 15 candidate for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

Silverfield led the Tigers to an 8-3 record, setting a school record for winning percentage by a first-year head coach. Memphis also set school records for the longest home winning streak, which currently sits at 15 games and ranks in the Top 5 nationally, and the largest comeback after rallying from a 21-point deficit to defeat UCF, 50-49.

Silverfield's first season was capped by a 25-10 victory over Florida Atlantic in the Montgomery Bowl, snapping a five-game bowl losing streak and giving the Tigers their first bowl win since 2014. Due to injuries, roster turnover and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tigers reached eight wins despite just 53 scholarship players available in their final games of the season.

Vanderbilt's Pippen, Belmont's Alexander earn TSWA accolades

NASHVILLE – Vanderbilt’s Scotty Pippen, Jr., and Belmont’s Casey Alexander were voted the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Men’s Basketball Player and Coach of the Year, respectively, as announced this week by the organization.

Pippen, Jr., earned First Team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press and the SEC Coaches as well as First Team All-District accolades from the National Association of Basketball Coaches. He finished second in the SEC and 16th in the NCAA with 20.8 points per game (school record for a sophomore) and second in the SEC with 4.9 assists per game (ninth-best in school history).

The Los Angeles, Calif., native ranked third in the SEC and ninth nationally with 142 made free throws and second in the SEC with 1.77 steals per game. He shot 42.8 percent from the field overall, 35.8 percent from 3-point range and 85.0 percent from the free throw line (second in SEC) and led the team in scoring 13 times. He set an SEC Tournament record for most made free throws without a miss in a single tournament (25 for 25 in two games).

Alexander led Belmont to a 26-4 record and the program’s 12th conference regular season championship in 16 years. Belmont won a program-record 21 consecutive games and Ohio Valley Conference-record 30 consecutive league games (dating to the 2019-20 season).

The Bruins earned national Top 25 poll votes eight consecutive weeks (January 11-March 1) and won the DC Paradise Jam in November, with juniors Nick Muszynski and Grayson Murphy earning All-America honors from CollegeInsider.com.

Belmont’s 26 victories tied Gonzaga for the most nationally on Selection Sunday, and only Gonzaga, Baylor, Houston and Winthrop posted better winning percentages (of programs playing a minimum of 20 games).

Alexander was named a finalist for the Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award, Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year Award, Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year Award, and was a candidate for the Naismith Men’s Coach of the Year Award. Belmont ranked in the Top 25 nationally in 15 statistical categories, including third in assists, third in 2-point field goal percentage and ninth in offensive efficiency.