Baseball all-state teams recognized by TSWA

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Sports Writers Association announced the 2024 baseball all-state teams on Tuesday, including four teams in Division I and two teams in Division II.

Class 1A
C: Nathan Brown, Eagleville, Sr.
C: Luke Treece, Coalfield, Jr.
IF: Brayden Baker, Eagleville, Sr.
IF: Jackson Treece, Coalfield, Fr.
IF: Blane Fisher, Bradford, Sr.
IF: Brady Allison, Greenback, Sr.
IF: Brady Burns, Eagleville, Jr.
OF: Cooper Stevenson, University High-Johnson City, Jr.
OF: Christian Chandler, Lookout Valley, Sr.
OF: Levi Heidel, Coalfield, Jr.
OF: Jacob McCurry, Whitwell, Jr.
UT: Rylan Collins, Lookout Valley, Sr.
UT: Eli Brummett, Oliver Springs, Jr.
P: Colton Bennett, Gordonsville, So.
P: Josh Jeffcoat, Eagleville, Sr.
P: Joseph Summers, Oakdale, Sr.
P: Tate Surber, McKenzie, Jr.
P: Eli Pell, Lookout Valley, Jr.

Class 2A
C: Tristan Davis, Gatlinburg-Pittman, Jr.
C: Clint Seymore, Loretto, Sr.
IF: Gray Eubanks, Huntingdon, Jr.
IF: Blaine Watson, Sweetwater, Sr.
IF: Trey Dooley, Camden, Sr.
IF: Justin Smith, White House Heritage, Jr.
IF: Braylon Rich, Huntingdon, Jr.
OF: Bennett Gammon, Smith County, Jr.
OF: Kolton Casson, Polk County, Sr.
OF: Colin Milligan, Milan, Jr.
OF: Mason McCamey, West Greene, Sr.
UT: Christian Derry, Chuckey-Doak, Sr.
UT: Casen Springer, Loretto, So.
P: Carter Daniel, Loretto, Sr.
P: Stone Wallace, Riverside, Sr.
P: Grayson Burleson, Summertown, Sr.
P: Trevan Myers, Pigeon Forge, Sr.
P: Easton Byars, Huntingdon, Jr.

Class 3A
C: Carson Parrott, Livingston Academy, Sr.
C: Ty Edds, Union County, Jr.
IF: Gabe Eddington, Montgomery Central, Sr.
IF: Carson Quillen, Greeneville, Jr.
IF: Colton Richards, Greeneville, Sr.
IF: Tommy Baker, South Gibson, So.
IF: Caden Shanks, Upperman, Sr.
OF: Jaxon Walker, Loudon, Sr.
OF: Ben Timblin, Signal Mountain, Sr.
OF: Connor Haynes, Volunteer, Sr.
OF: Elijah Miller, Seymour, So.
UT: Will Sharp, Gibbs, Sr.
UT: Kole Fenton, Dyer County, Sr.
P: Will Price, Gibbs, So.
P: Nick Osmun, Stone Memorial, Sr.
P: Cade Allen, South Gibson, So.
P: Evan Tomlin, Tullahoma, Sr.
P: Carter Casabella, Station Camp, Sr.

Class 4A
C: Brooks Wright, Bearden, Sr.
C: Korbin Reynolds, Clarksville, Jr.
IF: Eli Evans, Farragut, Sr.
IF: Andrew Hill, Knox Central, Sr.
IF: Jake Merrick, Farragut, Sr.
IF: Caden Black, Oak Ridge, Sr.
IF: Lukas Buckner, Farragut, Sr.
OF: Coleman Neas, Stewarts Creek, Jr.
OF: Graham Jones, Daniel Boone, Jr. 
OF: Josh Marmo, Science Hill, Sr.
OF: Landis Davila, Farragut, Sr.
UT: Kaden Powell, Beech, So.
UT: Dawson Sweeney, Nolensville, Sr.
P: Brady Scott, Sevier County, Sr.
P: Lake Morris, Hendersonville, Sr.
P: Jack Hibbard, Arlington, Sr.
P: Cole Draper, Farragut, Jr.
P: Chase Clatur, Nolensville, Sr.
P: Saxon Roberts, Independence, Sr.
P: Roman Petricca, Mt. Juliet, Sr.

Division II-A
C: Rinaldo Matti, Providence Academy, Jr.
C: Peyton Vaughn, Davidson Academy, Jr.
IF: Wes Alig, Christian Academy of Knoxville, Sr.
IF: Brodie Johnston, Boyd Buchanan, Sr.
IF: Quin Long, Friendship Christian, Sr.
IF: Tyler Bennett, Christian Academy of Knoxville, Jr.
IF: AJ Ward, Grace Christian Academy-Knoxville, Sr.
OF: Cooper Jones, Boyd Buchanan, Sr.
OF: Nathan Eisfelder, Providence Academy, Jr.
OF: Brennen Gibson, Clarksville Academy, Jr.
OF: Bishop Quarles, Goodpasture Christian, Sr.
UT: Rylan Moses, Goodpasture Christian, Sr.
UT: C.J. Durrough, Columbia Academy, Sr.
P: Gunnar Skelton, Columbia Academy, So.
P: Jackson Lee, Columbia Academy, Jr.
P: Josh Owens, Providence Academy, Jr.
P: England Bryan, Middle Tennessee Christian, Sr.
P: Luke Vierkant, Goodpasture Christian, Jr.

Division II-AA
C: Brock Beddingfield, Christ Presbyterian Academy, Jr.
C: Zach Porter, McCallie School, Sr.
IF: Tomas Valincius, Baylor School, Sr.
IF: Nolan Sergeant, McCallie School, Sr.
IF: Hudson Lutterman, Knox Catholic, Sr.
IF: Connor Cobb, Ensworth School, Sr.
IF: Will Brick, Christian Brothers, Fr.
OF: Amari Jefferson, Baylor School, Sr.
OF: Dominic Monaco, Brentwood Academy, Sr.
OF: Spencer Yu, Ensworth School, Sr.
OF: Hank Stalnaker, Christian Brothers, Sr.
UT: Nelson McKnight, Baylor School, Sr.
UT: Reagan McCluskey, Christ Presbyterian Academy, Jr.
P: Jack Gleason, Briarcrest Christian, Sr.
P: Phinn Waters, Briarcrest Christian, So.
P: Matthew Shorey, Father Ryan, Sr.
P: Christopher Moore, McCallie School, Jr.
P: Jax Bishop, Baylor School, Jr. 

TSWA announces annual writing contest winners

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Sports Writers Association announced the winners for its annual writing contest on Monday. Special thanks to Ron Higgins for coordinating and judging the contest again this year.

TSWA 2023 WRITING CONTEST RESULTS
DIVISION 1 and 2
(Combined because only one Division 2 writer entered)
GARY LUNDY WRITER OF THE YEAR – 1. Tim Buckley, Daily Memphian: Nostalgia stories usually don’t win writing contests … unless they provide perspective or give an important sense of history or are just downright entertaining. This category winner went 3-for-3 – perspective provided in a column of Memphis’ dubious list ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ pro football franchises, an important sense of history permeating in a story of Memphis State’s 1973 Final Four basketball team healing the city’s racial divide and an entertaining remembrance of former MSU play-by-play announcer Jack Eaton. 2. Adam Sparks, Knoxville News-Sentinel 3. Parth Upadhyaya, Daily Memphian

BEST COLUMNIST – 1. John Adams, Knoxville News-Sentinel: The winner’s collection of columns drew varied emotions. His analytic column on the underachieving Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team made you question. His column on a long-time local radio sports caller with a speech impediment who suddenly died put a lump in your throat. His column eviscerating Tennessee’s clownish mishandling of its NCAA football investigation made you want to stand up and applaud. 2. Dave Hooker, Off The Hook Sports.com 3. Tim Buckley, Daily Memphian

BEST FEATURE WRITER – 1. Drew Hill, Daily Memphian: The winner was the only writer in this category whose stories came from various subjects and were delivered at a good pace and with smooth transitions that moved his long pieces along. His story of Derrick Rose’s interest in Elliot Perry’s art collection was by far the best individual story among all the feature entries. 2. Phil Stukenborg, Daily Memphian. 3. Teresa M. Walker, The Associated Press

BEST EVENT WRITER – 1. Parth Upadhyaya, Daily Memphian: The category winner wrote insightful, analytical event stories. 2. Teresa M. Walker, Associated Press 3. Frank Bonner, Daily Memphian

BEST NEWS WRITER – 1. Adam Sparks, Knoxville News-Sentinel: It’s nice to have the good fortune covering Tennessee football, which has provided so many juicy storylines. The winner must have had fun writing stories on Tennessee's internal e-mails during its NCAA investigation, especially the one on then-athletic director Phillip Fulmer’s recommendations for a new head football coach if Jeremy Pruitt was fired. It’s one of the all-time great reads. 2. Teresa M. Walker, The Associated Press. 3. Cecil Joyce, Daily News Journal

BEST PREP WRITER – 1. John Varlas, Daily Memphian: Three well-rounded, thoroughly sourced and smartly written features. The feature on naming St. George’s basketball court after a former coach was especially well done, told mostly from his former players’ point of view. 2. Cecil Joyce, Daily News Journal 3. Stephen Hargis, Chattanooga Times-Free Press

BEST INVESTIGATIVE/SERIES – 1. Adam Sparks, Knoxville News-Sentinel: The winner’s three-part series of Tennessee’s extensive NCAA football investigation culled from 2,500 pages of documents obtained by the newspaper was a professionally crafted tale of the Vols’ mind-blowing brazen illegal recruiting. 2. Tim Buckley and Phil Stukenborg, Daily Memphian 3. Drew Hill, Daily Memphian

BEST SPECIAL SECTIONS (ALL DIVISIONS COMBINED) – 1. (Tie) Chattanooga Times-Free Press (Stephen Hargis) and Union City Messenger (Kevin Weaks): It was impossible to break this tie. Both publications produced a preseason football preview section in different formats specific to their readership and coverage area. The Free Press published a high school tabloid with one-page, tightly written previews of 32 Tennessee teams and 14 Georgia teams. Easy-to-read graphics and good use of white space. The Messenger, because it has fewer teams to cover than the Free Press, had four 11-inch wide by 21-inch long sections, three focusing on an area high school team each and one section for college and the Titans. 3. Joe Cannon, Cleveland Daily Banner

NOTE: DID NOT HAVE MULTIPLE ENTRIES TO JUDGE BEST DAILY SECTION, BEST INDIVIDUAL LAYOUT AND BEST OUTDOOR WRITER

DIVISION III
GARY LUNDY WRITER OF THE YEAR – 1. Jimmy Hyams, Off the Hook Sports.com: Strongly opinionated columns on Tennessee QB Joe Milton and suggestions on how to control NIL and the transfer portal carried the winner’s entry. 2. Russell Vannozzi, Main Street Media. 3. Kevin Weaks, Union City Messenger

BEST FEATURE WRITER – 1. Mark McGee, Shelbyville Times-Gazette/Bedford Post: Features on a high school football player overcoming a life-long medical condition, a Bronx-born high school girls basketball star excelling at Webb School and a skeet shooter were well-detailed and efficiently written. 2. Russell Vannozzi, Main Street Media. 3. Joe Cannon, Cleveland Daily Banner

BEST EVENT/NEWS WRITER – 1. Russell Vannozzi, Main Street Media: The winner led with a strong, well-organized, clearly detailed story on Lipscomb Academy’s TSSAA football probation. Then, he took more of a feature approach in two event stories that featured multiple voices, a sign he put in some legwork. 2. Charles Pulliam, Williamson Herald. 3., Jimmy Hyams, Off the Hook Sports.com

DIVISION IV
BEST FEATURE WRITER – 1. Sam Doughton, Middle Tennessee: There was just an ease in how this category winner took readers through his features. Felt like this writer went to great lengths to get multiple voices in his stories to present well-rounded profiles. 2. Thomas Corhern, Tennessee Tech 3. Mike Hutchens, Union City Schools

BEST EVENT WRITER – 1. Mike Hutchens, Union City Schools: Tough to choose a winner. 2. Sam Doughton, Middle Tennessee. 3. Thomas Corhern, Tennessee Tech

College players of the week named - May 14

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Trevecca junior infielder Cole McCallum had a big week as he helped lead the Trojans to a Great Midwest Athletic Conference tournament championship, earning himself this week’s selection as the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s College Baseball Player of the Week.

McCallum, a native of Medina, Tenn., led Trevecca to a 4-0 sweep through the tournament, including a victory over defending tournament champion Walsh, two wins over No. 20 and tournament top-seed Ashland and a triumph over Tiffin in the championship game at cavernous Prasco Park with a high center field fence.

He had no problem finding the clearance though – McCallum’s two home runs sailed over the wall in deep center. For the week, he batted .529 with five RBI and five runs scored, posting a .941 slugging mark and a .556 on-base percentage.

The victory gave Trevecca its second NCAA Division II regional appearance in three seasons.

On the hill, the Pitcher of the Week honor went to Middle Tennessee’s Trace Phillips as the freshman from Spring Hill, Tenn., put together strong outings against Lipscomb and Jacksonville State. In his midweek appearance against the Bison, Phillips tossed two clean frames, recording a career-high four strikeouts before switching over to first base and designated hitter duties.

He shattered his career-best tally just days later against the Gamecocks. Throwing a personal-long seven frames against JSU, Phillips whiffed nine Gamecocks batters as he allowed just one earned run on four hits to earmark the victory.

For the week, Phillips went nine total innings, allowing a single unearned run for a 1.00 earned run average while striking out 13.

BASEBALL
2/20 | Player: John Bay (Austin Peay); Pitcher: Peyton Calitri (Tennessee Tech)
2/27 | Player: Hayden Gilliland (Tennessee Tech); Pitcher: Andrew Devine (Austin Peay)
3/5 | Player: Camden Kozeal (Vanderbilt); Pitcher: Will Pryor (Belmont)
3/12 | Player: Tanner Shiver (Tennessee Tech); Pitcher: Devin Futrell (Vanderbilt)
3/19 | Player: Harrison Travis (Carson-Newman); Pitcher: Noah Toney (Union)
3/26 | Player: Cam Suto (Lee); Pitcher: Chandler Alderman (Middle Tennessee)
4/2 | Player: Dylan Dreiling (Tennessee); Pitcher: Bryce Cunningham (Vanderbilt)
4/9 | Player: Brody Szako (Austin Peay); Pitcher: Peyton Calitri (Tennessee Tech)
4/16 | Player: Jacob Tobias (Lipscomb); Pitcher: Landon Smiddy (Tennessee Tech)
4/23 | Player: Christian Moore (Tennessee); Pitcher: Eli Snelson (Union)
4/30 | Player: Lyle Miller-Green (Austin Peay); Pitcher: Bryce Cunningham (Vanderbilt)
5/7 | Player: Harrison Brown (Austin Peay); Pitcher: Solomon Washington (Austin Peay)
5/14 | Player: Cole McCallum (Trevecca); Pitcher: Trace Phillips (Middle Tennessee)

TSWA recognizes college players of the week - May 7

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay continued to show off the bats as Governors outfielder/first baseman Harrison Brown put on a show last week to earn the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Baseball Player of the Week honor.

Brown, a senior from Cambridge, Mass., batted .500 for the week, going 9-for-18, as he collected seven total RBI and six runs scored. He started the week with an Austin Peay-record 11 RBI in the team’s 35-1 victory over Alabama A&M, topping the single-game record set in 1971. He finished the game going 5-for-6 with an RBI-single, a pair of three-run home runs, a bases-loaded walk and a three-run double.

He continued the effort as he drove in two runs in the opener against Stetson, two more in the middle game, then another pair of runs in Sunday’s finale – his two-run single in the sixth tying the game at seven-all as the Govs scored nine unanswered runs.

The Govs also claimed the Pitcher of the Week award as Solomon Washington went 2-0, standing as the starting pitcher in the game vs. Alabama A&M and earned the win with four scoreless frames with one hit allowed and striking out a career-high seven batters.

Washington, a graduate student from Brentwood, Tenn., also came out of the bullpen in the second game vs. Stetson, picking up the win after holding the Hatters to one run on four hits over three frames of work, entering with the game tied at one and APSU took a 3-1 lead. He finished the week with a 1.00 ERA and 10 total strikeouts.

On the softball diamond, both awards went to Maryville College as the Scots went 4-0 to claim the Collegiate Conference of the South championship with junior third baseman Brecca Williams named the Player of the Week and senior pitcher Megan Ackerman taking the Pitcher of the Week honor.

Williams batted .471 with two doubles, a triple, seven runs scored and five RBI. She had the game-winning hit in Maryville’s 6-3 13-inning victory over No. 6-ranked Belhaven with a three-run double to conclude a 5-for-7 contest against CCS Pitcher of the Year Kennedy Carruth. Williams also went 2-for-3 against Carruth in the championship game as she had a single and scored in the first inning, then had a triple and scoring in the fifth inning. Williams went 7-for-10 against Carruth with four RBI and four runs scored.

Ackerman earned the CCS tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award as she pitched three complete-game victories in three days over 27 innings, posting a cumulative 2.59 ERA. In the 13-inning marathon against Belhaven, she threw 198 pitches. Ackerman allowed three runs over the first five innings, then held the Blazers scoreless over the final eight innings as the Scots prevailed in the 13th. The next day, she pitched a 4-2 win over Piedmont before throwing another complete effort with a 6-5 victory in the championship game. Ackerman threw 396 pitches over the three contests.

BASEBALL
2/20 | Player: John Bay (Austin Peay); Pitcher: Peyton Calitri (Tennessee Tech)
2/27 | Player: Hayden Gilliland (Tennessee Tech); Pitcher: Andrew Devine (Austin Peay)
3/5 | Player: Camden Kozeal (Vanderbilt); Pitcher: Will Pryor (Belmont)
3/12 | Player: Tanner Shiver (Tennessee Tech); Pitcher: Devin Futrell (Vanderbilt)
3/19 | Player: Harrison Travis (Carson-Newman); Pitcher: Noah Toney (Union)
3/26 | Player: Cam Suto (Lee); Pitcher: Chandler Alderman (Middle Tennessee)
4/2 | Player: Dylan Dreiling (Tennessee); Pitcher: Bryce Cunningham (Vanderbilt)
4/9 | Player: Brody Szako (Austin Peay); Pitcher: Peyton Calitri (Tennessee Tech)
4/16 | Player: Jacob Tobias (Lipscomb); Pitcher: Landon Smiddy (Tennessee Tech)
4/23 | Player: Christian Moore (Tennessee); Pitcher: Eli Snelson (Union)
4/30 | Player: Lyle Miller-Green (Austin Peay); Pitcher: Bryce Cunningham (Vanderbilt)
5/7 | Player: Harrison Brown (Austin Peay); Pitcher: Solomon Washington (Austin Peay)

SOFTBALL
2/20 | Player: Olivia Lipari (Chattanooga); Pitcher: Ashlan Sensing (Trevecca)
2/27 | Player: Zoey Neal (Union); Pitcher: Lainey Baker (Union)
3/5 | Player: Hayden Dye (Carson-Newman); Pitcher: Taylor Long (Chattanooga)
3/12 | Player: Brooke Matyasovsky (Carson-Newman); Pitcher: Ashlan Sensing (Trevecca)
3/19 | Player: Kendall Andrews (Trevecca); Pitcher: Caitlyn Manus (Tennessee State)
3/26 | Player: Kendall Andrews (Trevecca); Pitcher: Taylor Long (Chattanooga)
4/2 | Player: Kailey Snell (Chattanooga); Pitcher: Lainey Baker (Union)
4/9 | Player: Sydney McCormick (Trevecca); Pitcher: Ashlan Sensing (Trevecca)
4/16 | Player: Nicole Hughes (Belmont); Pitcher: Jersey Cabana (Lane College)
4/23 | Player: Macey Hughes (Carson-Newman); Pitcher: Emily Sappington (Tusculum)
4/30 | Player: Aliva Eggleston (Freed-Hardeman): Pitcher: Ashlan Sensing (Trevecca)
5/7 | Player: Brecca Williams (Maryville); Pitcher: Megan Ackerman (Maryville)

Stutts, Knecht garner TSWA men's basketball awards

NASHVILLE – Freed-Hardeman’s Drew Stutts and Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht were voted the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Men’s Basketball Coach and Player of the Year, respectively, for the 2023-24 season, as announced this week by the organization.

Stutts led the Lions to the school’s first men’s basketball national championship in his fifth year at the helm of the program. FHU posted a 32-4 mark during the season, winning the Mid-South Conference regular season (co-champions) and tournament titles. In the NAIA National Tournament, the Lions won home games in the first two rounds before recording four victories by a combined 19 points en route to the championship.

Freed-Hardeman has played in the NAIA National Tournament in each of the last three seasons, reaching the Round of 16 in 2022-23 before winning the title this year. In five seasons as head coach, Stutts has amassed a 109-45 and was named the NAIA’s National Coach of the Year in 2023-24.

Knecht earned SEC Player of the Year honors and was a consensus First Team All-American. He was a finalist for the Naismith Trophy and the Wooden Award and won the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award and the Riley Wallace Transfer of the Year Award.

The Thornton, Colo., native averaged 21.67 points per game, leading the SEC in scoring and ranking eighth nationally. He posted six games with 35-plus points, the most of any Division I player in the nation and a UT single-season record, and ranked third nationally with eight 30-point performances.

Knecht registered 25.5 points per game in SEC play, the second-best mark of the last 22 years and the highest league-only scoring figure in Division I. The Vols won the outright SEC regular season championship, reaching the Elite Eight for the second time in program history and ending the year ranked fifth nationally, the best final ranking in program annals.