Lacye Walker

Chattanooga State sophomores Beth Breeden and Lacye Walker, both of whom were postseason standouts in the national championship softball run last spring, recently signed scholarships to four-year universities. Both made the NJCAA Division I national all-tournament team. Walker, a former Grace Academy all-state player, passed up several NCAA Division I possibilities and signed with Divison II Armstrong Atlantic State, coached by former Chattanoogan Ted Evans; Sweetwater's Breeden is headed to Middle Tennessee State. "I really like Ted Evans and I like the program and what he had to offer," said Walker, who will pitch a lot again after playing almost exclusively at first base last season. Among those recruiting her were Texas Tech, where former Lady Tigers teammate Shelby Johnson is now, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and East Carolina, now headed by former Chatt State coach Beth Keylon-Randolph. Andrea Dalton from the 2012 Lady Tigers already is at AASU, and Walker said that was "a nice bonus."

Volleyball

• UTC volleyball coach Travis Filar has announced the signing of four high school seniors for his 2013 team: 6-foot middle blocker Kendall Sexton from William R. Boone High School in Orlando, Fla.; 6-foot outside hitter Emily Morrison from Norcross, Ga., and St. Pius X Catholic School; 5-9 setter Anne Bachmann from Pius X High School in Lincoln, Neb.; and 5-11 outside hitter Allie Davenport from Sandy Creek High in Tyrone, Ga. Davenport had more than 1,300 career kills and led Georgia with 645 as a senior, when she was the Class AAAA state player of the year and first-team all-state for the second time. Morrison was a three-time all-state first-teamer and had 1,258 career kills with 417 in 2012, when her school was the AAA state runner-up for the second year in a row. Sexton was a three-time all-conference first-teamer and paced a 17-under national championship during her junior year. Bachmann helped Pius X finish fourth in the Nebraska Class B state in 2009 and 2010 and first in 2011 with her as team captain. "All four individuals are phenomenal athletes, intense competitors and, most importantly, great people," Filar said in a UTC release. "They all have been leaders of winning programs in both high school and club and will be instrumental in continuing to build a championship program here."

• Marija Zelenovic and Paula Martins registered 18 and 14 kills and Lee University beat Missouri Baptist 3-1 Tuesday as NAIA volleyball national tournament pool play began at Sioux City, Iowa. The set scores were 25-27, 25-15, 25-17, 25-14. Camil Martinez had 49 assists and Libby Peigen made 27 digs for Lee (29-9), while Irene Ojukwu had 12 digs with nine kills, Sarah Davis added 10 digs and Nicole Sumida had eight kills. Missouri Baptist is 34-4.

Golf

• Caroline Moore of North Laurel High School in London, Ky., is among the recent Lee University women's golf signees for the 2013-14 season. She was a 2012 all-state player, won her region tournament, tied for seventh in the state and was second in the Kentucky Golf Coaches Association senior all-star tournament. Apart from school golf, she tied for second in the 2012 Trusted Choice Big I state tournament on the University of Kentucky course and tied for fifth in the 2012 Kentucky Junior Amateur. She has shot a 66 in tournament play. "We were fortunate to find out about her early in the process, and establish a relationship," Lee coach John Maupin said in a school release. "She was heavily recruited by some very good programs, so we are very happy that she ultimately chose Lee University. Caroline has an excellent background and is a standout on and off the course." Moore said she "was very impressed with the campus, the size of the school and its Christian affiliation" and liked Maupin's early interest and the quick rise of his Lady Flames program. NCAA Division I members Akron, Eastern Kentucky and Charleston Southern were among the schools she considered.

Swimming

• Sewanee's Walter Chiarella and Carolyn Rice were Southern Athletic Association swimmers of the week for competition this past weekend. Chiarella reduced his 400 individual medley time by 21 seconds with his 4:34.96 at the Western Kentucky Invitational, which featured NCAA Division I and scholarship NAIA programs, and he almost matched his best times in the 100 breaststroke and 200 backstroke while also swimming strong legs in four relays. Rice shared SAA female honors with Hendrix junior Jo Claire Robertson. Rice broke the Sewanee women's record with a 4:43.10 in the 400 IM and had in-season personal bests in the 500 freestyle and 200 back as well, in addition to leadoff legs in two relays.