Baylor's Hughes, Gordon Lee's Spradlin are FCA athletes of year

Baylor's Kayla Hughes pitches during Baylor's 6-4 win over GPS in their D-II AA state softball tournament championship game Thursday, May 21, 2015, at the TSSAA Spring Fling in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Baylor's Kayla Hughes pitches during Baylor's 6-4 win over GPS in their D-II AA state softball tournament championship game Thursday, May 21, 2015, at the TSSAA Spring Fling in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Sunday was the Day of Champions for both regional Fellowship of Christian Athletes organizations in the Chattanooga area, and Baylor School softball standout Kayla Hughes was the Christian athlete of the year for southeastern Tennessee with Gordon Lee volleyball all-stater Julianna Spradlin receiving that honor for northwestern Georgia.

Spradlin also got the Dicky Clark Outstanding Christian Leadership Award at the FCA Lookout Mountain Chapter's gathering at the Walker County Civic Center in Rock Spring, and Dade County's Molly Trantham was the William "Fireball" Kimsey Determination Award winner and the chapter's overall runner-up. They will use their FCA scholarships at Truett-McConnell College and Kennesaw State, respectively.

photo Julianna Spradlin

Hughes, who is headed to Tennessee Tech to continue her softball career, was chosen from 12 Tennessee high school nominees honored at Ridgeland Baptist Church. Co-runners-up were Ooltewah's Lorenzo Pickett, bound for East Tennessee State, and Jacksonville State football signee Josh Brady from Silverdale Baptist Academy.

The other candidates were East Hamilton's Jeremy Kimbrough, Grace Academy's Danielle Shumaker, Hixson's Haley Couch, Howard's Jahmani Thomas, Marion County's Haley Baker, Red Bank's Megan Paradis, Signal Mountain's Lee Nagle, Soddy-Daisy's Kayla Phillips and Tyner's Marquiesha Conyers.

Hunter's Chloe Johnson was the Greater Chattanooga chapter middle school Christian athlete of the year. Other nominees were CSLA's Cydney Kapperman, East Hamilton's Mitch Dennis, East Ridge's Caroline Johnson, Grace's Holley Fulghum, Hixson's Rebecca Jeter, Loftis' Breanna Williams, Lookout Valley's Gabriel Rains, Ooltewah's Colby Davis, Soddy-Daisy's Garrett Dent and Tyner's Trevor McDade.

Special recognition at the Tennessee event went to Soddy-Daisy FCA volunteer Terry Davis (Gerry Stephens Influence Award), Whitwell huddle coach Heath Thacker (Legacy Builder Coaches Award), Tyner cheer coach Deborah Campbell (Jim Sattler Leadership Award) and Silverdale Baptist Church (FCA Church Partner).

The Georgia group's other individual high school athletes of the year were Chattooga's Chris Murphy, Ridgeland's Joby Pickett, Ringgold's Madison Arnt and Trion's Leslie Thompson. Middle school representatives were Chattanooga Valley's Will Voyles, Gordon Lee's Gracie O'Neal, Heritage's Jasmine Garner, LaFayette's Hannah Dearing, Lakeview's Jessica Clowers, Lyerly's Austin Cordle, Menlo's Jacie Martin, Ringgold's Sam Garrard, Rossville's Vanessa Hart, Saddle Ridge's Jordyn Meeks, Summerville's Choe and Kenzie Rosser and Trion's Bryana Whitaker.

Upcoming Events