NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Sports Writers Association has announced the third College Players of the Week for the 2026-27 academic year on Tuesday afternoon.
FOOTBALL: Austin Peay’s Denver Harper was honored as the TSWA Football Offensive Player of the Week after totaling 196 all-purpose yards on six touches and three scores in APSU’s 63-7 win over Morehead State.
On the first play from scrimmage, Harper took a pop pass out of the backfield untouched for 72 yards and a score to tie the game. Later, he hauled in a 31-yard reception just after the two-minute timeout in the second quarter for his second score of the day and fourth receiving touchdown of the young season.
To close out the first half, the wide receiver/kick returner used his wheels on a 67-yard punt return touchdown, the first by an Austin Peay returner since 2024.
Harper's 196 all-purpose yards are the most by a Gov since Jaden Barnes (241) in 2024; he also became the first Gov since Barnes with a receiving touchdown in three straight games.
Vanderbilt’s CJ Heard was tapped as the Football Defensive Player of the Week. Leading VU’s defense with eight total tackles, including two forced fumbles, and a pass breakup in the 35-26 win over Delaware.
Late in the first half, after the Blue Hens crossed midfield, the junior forced a fumble on a sack that ended a threat and kept the Dores’ lead going into the locker room. His two fumbles forced happened for the first time for Vanderbilt since Nov. 10, 2018.
The two stops for a loss were both quarterback sacks, totaling 30 yards. His second stop came on a third down late in the third quarter.
Helping Vandy get off to a 2-0 start for the fifth straight year, he was part of a defensive unit that allowed 100 rushing yards for the second week in a row.
MEN’S SOCCER: Chris Douglas from Trevecca Nazarene was honored as the TSWA Men’s Soccer Player of the Week. He tallied three goals over an unbeaten week, defeating Johnson University and drawing with Gulf South Conference foe Montevallo.
Against the Royals, the junior forward found passes from Judah Jones and Levi Jones for the first goal of the match in the 29th minute. He followed up with a 65th minute goal in the 3-0 rout.
On the road at Montevallo, his goal in the 54th minute would be the equalizing goal in a 1-1 draw.
So far this season, he leads the GSC in goals (5), game-winning goals (2) and points (10) as the Trojans are off to a 4-0-1, the best start in program history. On a national level, Douglas is ranked sixth in game-winning goals, 10th in total goals and 16th in total points.
WOMEN’S SOCCER: Sewanee’s Pope Scurlock has been picked at the TSWA Women’s Soccer Player of the Week after a three-goal week for the Tigers earned wins over LaGrange and Trine.
In the 7-0 win versus LaGrange, after assisting on the second goal of the match in the 14th minute, she scored back-to-back in the second half in a 58-second span between the 50th and 51st minutes.
The next day against Trine, she earned her team one point in the match with her game-tying goal in the 88th minute.
So far in four matches this season, Scurlock leads the team in goals (3) and points (7) as the Tigers are 3-0-1 on the year.
VOLLEYBALL: Vanderbilt’s Samantha Wunsch was recognized as the TSWA Volleyball Player of the Week. She helped the Commodores pick up two wins last week, including a victory over No. 18 North Carolina in New York City.
Going 2-0 on the week, the graduate opposite hitter averaged 4.29 kills and 5.14 points per set with 30 kills, 15 digs, four aces and four blocks across seven sets.
Against Boston College, she tallied 12 kills on a .391 hitting percentage with three aces, six digs and a block.
This past Sunday against the Tar Heels, she had season-highs in kills (18) and points (20.5), contributing three blocks in the scoring column and added nine digs while hitting .441 in the four-set upset.
So far in 2026, Wunsch leads the team with 4.54 points and 3.73 kills per set as Vanderbilt is 7-0 on the season.
2026 TSWA FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Sept. 1 | Chris Parson, Austin Peay (Offense); Elijah Kinsler, Memphis (Defense)
Sept. 9 | Jaylin Carter, Memphis (Offense); Xavier Gilliam, Tennessee (Defense)
Sept. 15 | Denver Harper (Austin Peay), CJ Heard (Vanderbilt)
2026 TSWA MEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Sept. 1 | Hays Adams, Lincoln Memorial
Sept. 9 | Miller Lashlee, Memphis
Sept. 15 | Chris Douglas, Trevecca Nazarene
2026 TSWA WOMEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Sept. 1 | Donna van der Zalm, Lincoln Memorial
Sept. 9 | Elsa Bengtsson, Trevecca Nazarene
Sept. 15 | Pope Scurlock, Sewanee
2026 TSWA VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Sept. 1 | Caitlyn Little, Memphis
Sept. 9 | Kelsey Schenck, Lipscomb
Sept. 15 | Samantha Wunsch, Vanderbilt

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