TSWA honors college players of the week - Feb. 26 — Tennessee Sports Writers Association

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Maryville College senior guard Reed Kemp put together a strong week to earn this week’s Men’s Basketball Player of the Week honor from the Tennessee Sports Writers Association, averaging 33.0 points and 4.0 rebounds as he helped the Scots earn the top seed in the Collegiate Conference of the South Tournament.

The Franklin, Tenn., native was named the CCS Player of the Week as he scored 36 points against Covenant, then 30 more in the Scots’ 77-72 victory at Belhaven to tie for the regular-season title.

For the week, Kemp shot 52.4 percent from the field, including 9-for-15 from long-range. He was also 13-for-16 at the free throw line, while collecting six assists and six steals to just five turnovers. Kemp has scored at least 30 points in each of the last four games and needs just 13 points to tie Maryville’s single-season scoring record of 645 points.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Belmont senior forward Kendal Cheesman was named the Women’s Basketball Player of the Week as she collected a pair of double-doubles on the road at Illinois State and Murray State.

Against Illinois State, the Tampa, Fla., native pulled down a career-best 16 rebounds as she scored 17 points. She followed that performance up with her third-straight double-double at Murray State, scoring 25 points on 9-for-15 shooting and collecting 10 rebounds.

She finished the week shooting 63.6 percent from long range and 51.6 percent from the field. Cheesman has scored in double figures in nine straight games.

BASEBALL: Middle Tennessee center fielder Eston Snider had a hot week at the plate to earn Player of the Week honors, going 6-for-9 with eight RBI and a home run in each of the three games played. He led off the first game with a shot to left field, then, on Saturday, hit his first career grand slam to lead the Blue Raiders to a 10-0 victory.

In addition to his three home runs, he had three walks, two stolen bases and three runs scored. Snider ended the weekend with 15 total bases and a 1.667 slugging percentage.

Tennessee junior lefty Liam Doyle was named the Pitcher of the Week, collecting a win and a 1.69 ERA with one run allowed on two hits against Samford. The Derry, N.H., native bested his own week-old career high in strikeouts as he fanned 14 Bulldog batters over 5 1/3 innings. Doyle walked just one batter in the outing and he currently leads all SEC pitchers in strikeouts through the first two weeks of the campaign.

SOFTBALL: Trevecca’s Brianna Asmondy showed power at the plate this week as she launched five home runs during the Trojans’ series against Valdosta State to earn their first series victory in the Gulf South Conference.

Asmondy, the NFCA Division II National Player of the Week as well as the GSC’s top player this week, batted .556 with all five of her hits leaving the ballpark. She had 10 RBI and five runs scored, while also drawing a walk and was hit twice.

The NCAA Division II leader in home runs, she hit five of Trevecca’s nine long balls for the weekend.

Belmont redshirt junior pitcher Maya Johnson was the Pitcher of the Week as she went 2-0 with complete-game victories over Samford and Purdue.

The win over the Boilermakers was a big one as it gave the Bruins their second win over a Power 4 program this season. Johnson held Purdue scoreless while allowing just three hits and a walk in eight innings of work. Johnson struck out 12 in the contest.

For the week, Johnson recorded 23 strikeouts to one walk, yielding seven hits for a cumulative 0.47 earned run average.

Baseball
2/18 | Player: Blake Pou (Sewanee); Pitcher: Ryan Higgins (Carson-Newman)
2/25 | Player: Eston Snider (Middle Tennessee); Pitcher: Liam Doyle (Tennessee)

Softball
2/11 | Player: Danielle Jason (Tusculum); Pitcher: Maya Johnson (Belmont)
2/18 | Player: Abbie Buckner (Sewanee); Pitcher: Reagen Huskey (Sewanee)
2/25 | Player: Brianna Asmondy (Trevecca): Pitcher: Maya Johnson (Belmont)