College players of the week honored - Oct. 1

October 2, 2024 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Chattanooga quarterback Chase Artopoeus had a tremendous night as he led an offensive explosion, earning this week’s Tennessee Sports Writers Association Football Offensive Player of the Week honor.

In all, Artopoeus threw for a season-high 396 yards with four touchdowns as he completed 24-of-32 passes. That stands as the ninth-most in Chattanooga program history as well as his fourth game of over 300 passing yards – ranking behind Chris Sanders’ 12 and B.J. Coleman’s six. The 396 passing yards were three shy of tying his career-best of 399 last season against Western Carolina.

The Orcutt, Calif., native added seven rushing yards to put him at 403 yards of total offense, the 12th time a Chattanooga player surpassed 400 total yards and his second after posting 401 in that career game against WCU and the most since Jacob Huesman compiled 428 at New Hampshire in the FCS quarterfinals.

On the defensive side, Tennessee Tech junior defensive lineman Theron Gaines was selected as this week’s Defensive Player of the Week after earning the Stats Perform FCS National Player of the Week and sharing the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference’s defensive honor with UT Martin’s Oshae Baker – who helped the Skyhawks top FBS newcomer Kennesaw State.

With no power at Gardner-Webb after Hurricane Helene passed through the western part of North Carolina, the two teams lined up in an old-school manner and Gaines dominated the Runnin’ Bulldogs as the Golden Eagles defeated the defending Big South-OVC champions 52-21 to improve to 2-0 in conference play for the first time since 2011.

Gaines, a Murfreesboro product, recorded seven total tackles – six of those solo – as he had three sacks for 36 yards and 3.5 tackles-for-loss for 38 yards. He also forced a fumble that teammate Daniel Rickert returned for a 50-yard touchdown.

The three sacks stand two short of the single-game record five that Branon Vaughn recorded in 1988 against Eastern Kentucky and Elois Grooms posted against Murray State in 1974.

VOLLEYBALL: Middle Tennessee senior outside hitter Laure Jansen had a historic week as she set a new single-game record for digs and digs per set, recording 39 digs and an astonishing 9.75 digs per set rate at Sam Houston. She finished the week with 75 digs – distilled down to an amazing 7.5 digs per set – including 19 digs in three sets in a sweep over Alabama A&M. The Valburg, Netherlands, native also had five service aces on the week. She was also named the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week.

MEN’S SOCCER: Lipscomb sophomore goalkeeper Juan Carlos Rodriguez added to his Atlantic Sun Conference Goalkeeper of the Week honor as he recorded his second-straight shutout. The Almeria, Spain, native posted the clean sheet with a 2-0 victory over Bellarmine on Sunday. He made five saves and has yet to allow a goal in conference play.

WOMEN’S SOCCER: Sewanee senior defender Ashlyn Richards had a great week as she anchored the defense to two victories. The Charlotte, N.C., native scored the game-winning goal and added an assist in the conference match against Berry, while also collecting an assist against Piedmont. In the two matches on the week, the defense did not allow a goal and held both opponents to a combined three shots on goal.

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)

TSWA Prep Poll presented by CoachT.com - Sept. 30

September 30, 2024 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Sports Writers Association announced football rankings after Week 6 on Monday, with the poll presented by CoachT.com. Top 10 teams in each of the six Division I classifications and Top 5 in three Division II classes were selected by TSWA members with first-place votes in parentheses and total points based on 10 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 10th-place vote.

Class A
1. McKenzie (6-0) – 139 (13)
2. Whitwell (5-0) – 125 (1)
3. Coalfield (5-1) – 96
4. Oliver Springs (5-1) – 87
5. Halls (6-0) – 83
6. Chattanooga Prep (5-1) – 65
7. Gordonsville (4-2) – 43
8. Union City (4-2) – 35
9. South Pittsburg (4-2) – 32
10. South Fulton (5-1) – 26
Others receiving votes: MASE 15, Clay County 12, Richland 6, North Greene 3, Middle College 2, Houston County 1

Class 2A
1. East Robertson (6-0) – 140 (14)
2. Decatur County Riverside (5-1) – 120
3. Fairley (5-0) – 98
4. Marion County (5-1) – 90
5. Milan (5-1) – 78
6. Jackson Central-Merry (5-0) – 77
7. Bledsoe County (5-1) – 48
8. Forrest (5-1) – 22
9. Huntingdon (3-2) – 20
10. Westmoreland (5-1) – 18
Others receiving votes: Mt. Pleasant 16, Mitchell 16, York Institute 9, East Hickman 8, Happy Valley 7, Loretto 2, Memphis Business 1

Class 3A
1. Alcoa (3-1) – 150 (15)
2. Covington (5-0) – 128
3. Westview (6-0) – 115
4. East Nashville (5-1) – 106
5. Unicoi County (4-0) – 78
6. Meigs County (4-1) – 73
7. Sequatchie County (3-1) – 67
8. Johnson County (4-0) – 47
9. McMinn Central (4-1) – 30
10. Pigeon Forge (4-1) – 16
Others receiving votes: Gatlinburg-Pittman 8, Memphis East 3, Dyersburg 3, Bolton 1

Class 4A
1. Upperman (6-0) – 149 (14)
2. Anderson County (5-0) – 129
3. Marshall County (6-0) – 112
4. Haywood (4-1) – 92
5. Greeneville (3-2) – 84 (1)
6. Pearl-Cohn (4-2) – 76
7. Loudon (6-0) – 55
8. Dyer County (5-1) – 44
t9. Macon County (4-2) – 23
t9. Gibbs (5-0) – 23
Others receiving votes: Soddy Daisy 12, White County 8, Signal Mountain 7, Elizabethton 4, DeKalb County 3, Creek Wood 3, Red Bank 1

Class 5A
1. Page (6-0) – 150 (15)
2. Sevier County (5-0) – 124
3. Beech (5-1) – 104
4. Powell (5-1) – 102
5. Southwind (5-1) – 84
6. Knox West (4-2) – 75
7. Munford (5-1) – 54
8. Shelbyville (5-1) – 48
9. East Hamilton (5-1) – 21
10. Centennial (4-2) – 18
Others receiving votes: Walker Valley 16, Henry County 15, Rhea County 8, Hendersonville 4, Lincoln County 2

Class 6A
1. Oakland (6-0) – 139 (11)
2. Ravenwood (6-0) – 121 (1)
3. Maryville (6-0) – 115
4. Cleveland (5-0) – 86
5. Collierville (6-0) – 69
6. Mt. Juliet (5-0) – 60
7. Brentwood (4-1) – 53
8. Riverdale (4-1) – 40
9. Whitehaven (4-1) – 28
10. Germantown Houston (4-1) – 24
Others receiving votes: Science Hill 13, Green Hill 7, Clarksville 4, Bearden 4, Cookeville 4, Bartlett 3

Division II-A
1. Jackson Christian (5-1) – 65 (13)
2. Nashville Christian (3-1) – 49
t3. Columbia Academy (4-2) – 32
t3. Donelson Christian (5-1) – 32
5. Friendship Christian (4-2) – 16
Others receiving votes: FACS 1

Division II-AA
1. Christ Presbyterian (6-0) – 65 (10)
2. Boyd Buchanan (6-0) – 59 (4)
3. Franklin Road Academy (6-0) – 37
4. University School of Jackson (6-0) – 24
5. Battle Ground Academy (5-1) – 13
Others receiving votes: Lausanne 7, Grace Christian-Knoxville 5

Division II-AAA
1. Baylor (6-0) – 64 (12)
2. McCallie (5-1) – 49 (1)
3. Ensworth (6-0) – 43
4. Father Ryan (4-1) – 18
5. Brentwood Academy (3-3) – 13
Others receiving votes: Knox Catholic 6, Montgomery Bell Academy 1, Christian Brothers High 1

College players of the week announced by TSWA - Sept. 24

September 26, 2024 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay running back La’Vell Wright ran for 142 yards and three touchdowns as the Governors blasted Alabama A&M. His performance helped earn him the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Football Offensive Player of the Week.

With the three touchdowns, Wright became the first Governor to rush for three touchdowns since Mike DiLiello against Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 24, 2022, with runs of 53 and 67 yards. He is also the first Governor with multiple 50-plus-yard rushing touchdowns since Brian Sneed against Tennessee State on February 28, 2021.

His three rushing touchdowns are tied for the fourth-most in a single game in the Football Championship Subdivision.

On the defensive side, Carson-Newman senior defensive back Major Williams collected 10 total tackles – two solo and eight assisted during the Eagles’ 31-28 overtime win over No. 23 Wingate. Williams had an interception to set up the Eagles with a 22-yard field. He also returned a fumbled two-point conversion and brought it back 98 yards for a defensive score. Williams also ended the game with half a sack and a pass breakup.

VOLLEYBALL: Fisk’s Reagan Jones collected 65 kills over 14 sets across four matches as the Franklin, Tenn., native registered 16 kills in a five-set with over Talladega – Fisk’s first victory against the team since 2017. Jones also had 16 kills in a five-set loss to Cumberland, while also collecting nine digs against Talladega and eight against Cumberland.

MEN’S SOCCER: Trevecca senior goalkeeper Adan Gonzalez earned the TSWA Men’s Soccer Player of the Week as he collected his second shutout of the season in the team’s first Gulf South Conference match of the campaign with a 2-0 win at Alabama-Huntsville. Gonzalez allowed one goal in two matches as the Trojans fought to a 1-1 draw with No. 23 University of West Alabama. He also claimed the Gulf South Conference Goalkeeper of the Week honor.

WOMEN’S SOCCER: Vanderbilt’s Abi Brighton scored the equalizer at No. 6 Auburn in the 80th minute to force a 2-2 draw against No. 6 Auburn in a road Southeastern Conference match. Brighton has started every match this season for the Commodores, appearing in over 650 minutes of action this season. Brighton has three points this season on a goal and an assist to lead Vanderbilt to a 5-1-3 mark on the season.

Volleyball
9/3 | Maddie Isringhausen (Tennessee Tech)
9/10 | Blair Cherry (Carson-Newman)
9/17 | Jordan Karlen (Tennessee Tech)
9/24 | Reagan Jones (Fisk)

TSWA Prep Poll presented by CoachT.com - Sept. 23

September 23, 2024 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Sports Writers Association announced football rankings after Week 5 on Monday, with the poll presented by CoachT.com. Top 10 teams in each of the six Division I classifications and Top 5 in three Division II classes were selected by TSWA members with first-place votes in parentheses and total points based on 10 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 10th-place vote.

Class A
1. McKenzie (5-0) – 140 (14)
2. Whitwell (5-0) – 120
3. Coalfield (5-0) – 109
4. Gordonsville (4-1) – 94
5. Oliver Springs (4-1) – 76
6. Halls (5-0) – 66
7. Chattanooga Prep (4-1) – 50
8. Union City (3-2) – 31
9. South Pittsburg (3-2) – 27
10. South Fulton (4-1) – 20
Others receiving votes: MASE 16, Houston County 9, Clay County 4, Richland 4, Cosby 2, Greenfield 1, North Greene 1

Class 2A
1. East Robertson (5-0) – 140 (14)
2. Decatur County Riverside (4-1) – 112
3. Fairley (4-0) – 93
t4. Marion County (4-1) – 77
t4. Milan (4-1) – 77
6. Jackson Central-Merry (4-0) – 76
7. Huntingdon (3-1) – 64
8. Mt. Pleasant (5-0) – 54
9. Bledsoe County (4-1) – 24
10. Forrest (4-1) – 15
Others receiving votes: Westmoreland 9, Happy Valley 8, Mitchell 5, East Hickman 4, York Institute 4, South Greene 4, Memphis Business 3, Oneida 1

Class 3A
1. Alcoa (3-1) – 139 (13)
2. East Nashville (5-0) – 126 (1)
3. Covington (5-0) – 110
4. Westview (5-0) – 101
5. Unicoi County (3-0) – 71
6. Sequatchie County (3-1) – 62
7. Meigs County (3-0) – 53
8. Johnson County (4-0) – 49
9. McMinn Central (4-1) – 24
10. Pigeon Forge (4-1) – 16
Others receiving votes: Memphis East 5, Giles County 5, Bolton 3, Gatlinburg-Pittman 3, Dyersburg 3

Class 4A
1. Upperman (5-0) – 139 (13)
2. Anderson County (4-0) – 121
3. Marshall County (4-0) – 91
4. Haywood (3-1) – 66
5. Greeneville (2-2) – 64 (1)
6. Pearl-Cohn (2-2) – 63
7. Macon County (3-1) – 56
8. Loudon (4-0) – 45
9. Dyer County (4-0) – 38
10. DeKalb County (4-0) – 34
Others receiving votes: Gibbs 15, Signal Mountain 14, Red Bank 11, Soddy Daisy 7, Elizabethton 6

Class 5A
1. Page (5-0) – 140 (14)
2. Sevier County (5-0) – 118
3. Powell (4-1) – 102
4. Beech (4-1) – 93
5. Southwind (4-1) – 66
6. Centennial (4-1) – 64
7. Walker Valley (4-1) – 59
8. Knox West (3-2) – 48
9. Munford (4-1) – 32
10. Shelbyville (4-1) – 27
Others receiving votes: Hendersonville 9, Henry County 8, Rhea County 2, East Hamilton 2

Class 6A
1. Oakland (5-0) – 124 (11)
2. Ravenwood (5-0) – 111 (1)
3. Maryville (5-0) – 107 (1)
4. Cleveland (5-0) – 81
5. Collierville (5-0) – 59
6. Germantown Houston (4-1) – 58
7. Mt. Juliet (5-0) – 46
8. Brentwood (4-1) – 45
9. Whitehaven (4-1) – 28
10. Riverdale (4-1) – 23
Others receiving votes: Science Hill 16, Green Hill 10, Bartlett 4, Cookeville 3

Division II-A
1. Jackson Christian (4-1) – 59 (10)
2. Nashville Christian (3-1) – 45
t3. Columbia Academy (3-2) – 32
t3. Donelson Christian (4-1) – 32 (1)
5. Friendship Christian (3-2) – 5
Others receiving votes: FACS 4, Trinity Christian 2, Tipton-Rosemark 1, Mt. Juliet Christian 1

Division II-AA
1. Boyd Buchanan (5-0) – 55 (7)
2. Christ Presbyterian (5-0) – 46 (4)
3. Franklin Road Academy (5-0) – 29
4. University School of Jackson (5-0) – 18
5. Battle Ground Academy (4-1) – 14
Others receiving votes: Lausanne 6, St. George's 5, Grace Christian-Knoxville 4, Silverdale Academy 3

Division II-AAA
1. Baylor (5-0) – 60 (12)
2. McCallie (4-1) – 45
3. Ensworth (5-0) – 39
4. Brentwood Academy (3-2) – 17
5. Father Ryan (3-1) – 14
Others receiving votes: Briarcrest Christian 3, Knox Catholic 2

TSWA recognizes college players of the week - Sept. 16

September 17, 2024 Forrest Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee junior running back Dylan Sampson had an incredible first half Saturday as the Volunteers routed Kent State 71-0 with the Baton Rouge native rushing 13 times for 101 yards and four touchdowns.

He earned this week’s Tennessee Sports Writers Association Football Offensive Player of the Week honor for his performance, setting records in the process. Along with the Vols setting a school record for points scored and total offensive yards, Sampson tied the single-game program record for rushing touchdowns in the modern era (1937-onward) with six other Volunteers. He is the first to accomplish the feat in a single half and the first since Gene McEver against South Carolina on Dec. 7, 1929.

Sampson is the first Tennessee player with multiple rushing touchdowns in three straight games since Alvin Kamara in 2016 and the first with four consecutive 100-yard rushing games since Arian Foster had five straight in the 2005 campaign.

The junior currently leads the Southeastern Conference and is tie for the national lead in rushing touchdowns this season with nine.

On the defensive side, Chattanooga junior linebacker Alex Mitchell collected a career-high 11 tackles in a 10-3 loss to Mercer. The defensive effort, despite the loss, was impressive as it held a Mercer team that had been averaging 47.0 points to just 10 in the contest.

Mitchell, a Murfreesboro native, had a career-best nine solo stops, which was more than all but one other tackler – teammate Reuben Lowery III – had in total. Mitchell also recorded 2.0 tackles-for-loss, including his second career sack.

VOLLEYBALL: Tennessee Tech junior setter Jordan Karlen doled out a whopping 12.44 assists per set while adding 2.00 digs per set. She also quarterbacked a Tech offense that hit an elite .285 for the weekend to earn the TSWA Volleyball Player of the Week honor.

The Janesville, Wisc., native opened the weekend with 40 helpers, two kills, four digs, and a block against Nicholls. She turned in 41 more assists with 10 digs for a double-double with two aces against West Georgia. Karlen ended things with a three-kill, 31-assist showing with Radford, landing three more aces and scooping four digs.

Karlen has established herself as one of the country's best setters. The junior ranks eighth nationally in assists per set with a mark of 11.03.

MEN’S SOCCER: Belmont senior midfielder A.J. Chastonay won his second TSWA Men’s Soccer Player of the Week honor after being involved in both goals for the Bruins last week, including his team-leading fifth goal of the season at Bellarmine – where his father is the head coach.

With his goal against the Knights, Chastonay surpassed Niccolo Dagnoni, Will Moorad and Jeremy Littlejohn for the third-most goals in Belmont history.

He also assisted on Belmont’s first-half goal to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead over No. 4 Western Michigan for his second assist on the season and ninth in his career.

WOMEN’S SOCCER: Lipscomb senior Kiara Pralle added to her Atlantic Sun Player of the Week honor after collecting a hat trick in a 4-1 victory at SEC foe Ole Miss. All three of her goals were scored within a span of six minutes and it was the first Bison hat trick since 2021.

Pralle scored her first goal in the 63rd minute before the Rebels responded in the 66th. Only 24 seconds later, Pralle scored to retake the lead and added an insurance marker in the 68th.

She leads Lipscomb in shot attempts this season with 28 and six goals.

2024 TSWA 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)

VOLLEYBALL
9/3 | Maddie Isringhausen (Tennessee Tech)
9/10 | Blair Cherry (Carson-Newman)
9/17 | Jordan Karlen (Tennessee Tech)

MEN’S SOCCER
8/27 | Alex Clayton (Belmont)
9/3 | A.J. Chastonay (Belmont)
9/10 | Robbie Lyons (Cumberland)
9/17 | A.J. Chastonay (Belmont)

WOMEN’S SOCCER
8/27 | Ai Kitagawa (Memphis)
9/3 | Neve Renwick (Tennessee Tech)
9/10 | Gabby Jones (Cumberland)
9/17 | Kiara Pralle (Lipscomb)