Wesleyan No. 1, Lee 3 in NAIA preseason poll

Defending champion Tennessee Wesleyan College is ranked No. 1 with Lee University No. 3 in the NAIA baseball preseason poll for the 2013 campaign. Wesleyan got 17 first-place votes and Lee's Flames got the other two. LSU Shreveport, which lost to Wesleyan in the final four of the NAIA World Series last spring in Lewiston, Idaho, is ranked No. 2. Wesleyan outscored its opponents 68-32 in the World Series. "I think this is a solid starting spot for us," Lee coach Mark Brew said, his team having become a perennial top-four finisher. "It is a direct reflection of the consistency of our program over the years. One of the most amazing numbers to me is that we have appeared in 63 consecutive polls dating back to March or 2006."

Tennis

* Chattem chief executive officer Zan Guerry and his son Jeff won 6-1, 6-2 Thursday in the USTA National Senior Father-Son clay court national tournament at Sarasota, Fla. They defeated A.J. and James Nelson from Shreve, Ohio, in the round of 16 at the Landings Racquet Club.

Basketball

* Lee University signed Jordan Hall of Lenoir City High School on Wednesday to play basketball for the Cleveland school as it makes its move to NCAA Division II. Hall is a standout quarterback and Lee does have a committee studying the feasibility of adding football, but basketball coach Tommy Brown emphasized that the fall sport has nothing to do with his interest in Hall, who averaged 18 points a game last season. "Jordan is a strong athlete who really plays hard, and he has a solid basketball IQ," Brown said in a school release. "I had some colleges interested in me for football, but I like basketball better," said Hall, who passed up basketball offers from Division I Jacksonville and Wofford. "Lee had so many things on the positive side of the list. ... The campus is amazing and I'm going to be a theology major, and that was a huge plus in my final decision. Signing with Lee was a win-win situation for me." He has a 3.5 grade point average.

Lacrosse

* US Lacrosse All-American Brier Davis signed to continue his career in the sport at Hofstra University, and McCallie School teammate and Brine All-American Cam Linsley has committed to play for NCAA Division III member Roanoke College. Davis, an all-state player the last two years, scored 58 goals with 20 assists and 38 ground balls last spring for the Blue Tornado. Linsley had 21 goals, 11 assists and 60 ground balls and won 57 percent of his face-offs. "Cam is one of our most versatile and reliable players," McCallie coach Troy Kemp said in a school release. "He has amazing lacrosse IQ and gives tremendous effort at all times." Davis, Kemp said, "is one of the most competitive players I have ever coached. He spent countless hours on the field and the wall to become one of the most prolific scorers in McCallie lacrosse history. Brier is a threat from every area of the field and a relentless rider who creates turnovers regularly."

Golf

* Virgil Waters of Calhoun and Ed Mathis of Rome are tied for third place in the fourth flight of the Georgia Senior Four-Ball golf tournament at Columbus Country Club. They are at 164, two shots out of second place but nine out of first. Dalton's Ron Lowery and David Mansfield are in fourh place at 152 in the first flight, seven shots from the lead.

Football

* UTC football receivers coach Will Healy will be the guest speaker for the Mocs Club's "Breakfast With the Coach" at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the Wally's Restaurant on McCallie Avenue. The public is invited, and reservations are not necessary.

Upcoming Events