University of Tennessee at Chattanooga signee Ally Ford from Flint Hill High School in Oakton, Va., was honored as the USA Today Virginia volleyball player of the year after also being recognized as the state's Gatorade player of the year and the Washington Post's All-Met player of the year. The three-time all-state outside hitter led Flint Hill to a 34-0 record and a third consecutive Virginia Independent School Athletic Association Division I state title. "I could not be more excited for Ally and that all of her hard work, competitive drive and leadership qualities are being recognized with these incredible awards," UTC coach Travis Filar said in a school release. Ford repeated as VISAA player of the year after compiling 352 kills, 256 digs, 113 aces and a .341 hitting percentage in her senior season. She had 1,104 kills, 1,033 digs and 328 aces in her Flint Hill career.
Baskeball
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior Ka'Vonne Towns was named Southern Conference player of the week by College Sports Madness this week. Towns scored 17 points in the Mocs' 59-49 win over SIU Edwardsville in the opening game of the UTSA Holiday Classic in San Antonio on Sunday, and she's averaging eight points per game and leads the team at the free-throw line, shooting 88.2 percent from the line. UTC (11-3) is received 20 points in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll and is on a seven-game win streak heading into Monday's game at Harvard to wrap up nonconference play. Also earning College Sports Madness honors this week was former Baylor School player Amber Howard, who was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference player of the week after scored 13 points for South Carolina State in a 60-51 win over College of Charleston. It was the second time Howard has earned the award this season.