After guiding Lee University to an 11-5-4 record and 10-2 mark in the Gulf South Conference as the women's soccer interim head coach this season, Chris Hennessey is now the Lady Flames coach to stay.Chris Hennessey did such a good job as the Lee University women's soccer interim head coach this season that the "interim" has been removed from his title. The announcement came this week from Dr. Paul Conn, the school president, and athletic director Larry Carpenter. The Lady Flames went 11-5-4, 10-2 in the Gulf South Conference, under Hennessey, a former Lee men's standout from Manchester, England, who served two years as a women's assistant under predecessor Matt Yelton. "Chris did a wonderful job with the team this year," Conn said in a school release. "I believe he has earned the right to lead this team on a permanent basis, and it gave me a lot of pleasure to announce that to him and his team." Said Carpenter: "I watched him mature over the course of the year and saw how his team improved as the season progressed. Chris understands the culture and mission of Lee and will do an outstanding job."
Volleyball
' UTC volleyball coach Travis Filar announced the signing of three players for the 2016 season Friday, the eve of his top-seeded Mocs' opening match in the 2015 Southern Conference tournament. The recruits are outside hitter Briana Anderson from Austin, Texas; outside and right-side hitter Mikaela Gauthreaux from Johns Creek, Ga.; and offensively strong middle blocker Dani Szczepanski from Cincinnati. "Our attackers this season have been a driving force of our success," Filar said in the release. "By adding these three student-athletes, we will continue to grow in that area. They will provide even more firepower to our offense and depth to our team." Gauthreaux and Szczepanski both were all-state prep players, and the latter helped Mount Notre Dame High School win three straight state titles.
Golf
' Female golf standout Haverly Harrold from Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport signed with Lee University despite interest also from NCAA Division I members Tennessee Tech, Lipscomb, Austin Peay and Eastern Kentucky. The 2012 Tennessee Girls Amateur champion for the 10-14 age group, she had a number of top-five AAJGT finishesand tied for sixth the last two years in the State Girls Amateur's 15-18 division. She was fourth as a junior and fifth as a senior in the TSSAA Class AAA state, and she is ranked No. 2 in Tennessee junior golf. "She is a very strong player who has performed at a high level throughout her junior career," Lee coach John Maupin said in a release. "Her experience level really stood out as well." Harrold cited Maupin's personality and ability to bring out his golfers' best and the beauty and Christian atmosphere of the Lee campus as reasons she picked the Lady Flames and added, "I really believe with the talent Coach Maupin has attracted and will continue to attract we have a strong chance to win a Division II national championship."
Basketball
' Jorden Williams scored 16 points with four 3-point shots Friday night for host Sewanee in a 78-63 basketball win over Boyce in the Lon Varnell Classic. Brody Stone and Seth Brown scored 14 points each and Keshonn Carter added 13 for the Tigers (2-1), and those three shot 19-for-20 from the field. Jacob McCullough had five assists. For Boyce (2-5), Trey Stewart and Ben Akers each was 5-for-9 on 3s in scoring 22 and 17 points for Boyce (2-5).
' Freshman Bella Taylor had 19 points and eight steals for Sewanee in a 69-60 women's basketball loss to Eastern Mennonite on Friday in the Jean Beamer Holiday Classic in Salem, Va. Katie Wayne scored 13 points and Corey Caulder added 10 plus eight rebounds for the Tigers (2-2).
' Despite 21 points on seven 3s and 12 rebounds from freshman Haley Blevins, the Georgia Northwestern women's basketball team fell to 0-6 with a 61-48 loss to the Covenant junior varsity Thursday. Covenant also won the men's game, 75-67, despite 22 points and eight rebounds from Darrius Fugh for GNTC (3-2). Ashley Gilbert and Noelle Moran scored 20 and 16 points for the Covenant women.