Baylor School's Cooper Long has signed with UTC.Baylor School tennis team members Drew Hawkins and Cooper Long signed Wednesday to continue their playing careers at NCAA Division I programs, Hawkins at Belmont University in Nashville and Long at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Hawkins, a four-time Times Free Press Best of Preps selection and two-time girls' player of the year, committed to Belmont in June. The four-star prospect and two-time defending TSSAA Division II-AA state singles champion was 12-4 for the Lady Red Raiders in 2016.
She chose the Bruins over offers from UTC and Navy, and she had high interest from Samford and Vanderbilt.
"Belmont is getting a great player," Baylor girls' tennis coach Dustin Kane said. "She's excited. She's a good fit for the program, a hard worker, an unbelievable teammate and a high-level player. They're getting someone that is great in every way and is very coachable.
"I know they're excited to have her."
Long was a first-team Best of Preps honoree in 2016, playing No. 3 singles for the state champion Raiders. He is ranked as a three-star prospect and the No. 7 player in the state, according to tennisrecruiting.net.
Baylor boys' coach Ned Caswell said UTC is getting a "diamond in the rough" who will have a chance to crack the lineup immediately.
"I can't wait for him to get on that level," said Caswell, a former college coach. "He's a relentless worker, a mostly relentless baseline player. He's a real sleeper and getting to a Division I program where he'll be practicing with guys every day to get him better and better.
"He's exactly what you want, someone that comes to practice every day and works."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.
Area NCAA signees
BASEBALL - Baylor: Gunnar Ricketts, Tennessee; Cameron Wolfe, Belmont ' Boyd-Buchanan: Cade Evans, Auburn; Colby Morgan, Carson-Newman ' Calhoun: Jackson Braden, Georgia College and State University; Tanner Gallman, Georgia State ' Dalton: Maccux Houghton, Lipscomb ' East Hamilton: Nick Woods, Tennessee ' Gordon Lee: Ethan Clark, Austin Peay; Chaney Rogers, Georgia ' McCallie: John Behrends, Belmont; Corbin Brooksbank, Vanderbilt; Palmer Steventon, Lipscomb ' North Murray: Blake Davis, UT-Martin ' Signal Mountain: Grant Galbraith, Jacksonville State; Seth Wicker, Lee University ' Silverdale Baptist Academy: Michael Hawkins, Carson-Newman ' Soddy-Daisy: Justin Cooke, East Tennessee State; Logan Workman, Lee University ' South Pittsburg: Micah Genter, Carson-Newman GOLF ' Baylor: A.J. Lintunen, UTC; Chase Roswall, Tennessee ' Bradley Central: Olivia Williams, Carson-Newman ' Calhoun: Kate Mashburn, Tennessee Tech ' Dalton: Davis Kirk, Lee University LACROSSE - McCallie: Charles Dumas, Drexel; Pierce Johnson, Hampton; Dalton Kirby, Rollins; Charlie McLean, Birmingham-Southern; Trevor Miller, Virginia Military Institute; Connor Owens, Lynn; Sage Rieth, Furman; Mick Upchurch, Princeton SOFTBALL - Calhoun: Ashlyn Barnes, Samford; Ryan Brzozoski, Samford; Jana Johns, South Carolina; Allie Jones, Mercer; Chloe Rice, West Georgia ' Central: Brooke Parrott, Tennessee Tech ' Cleveland: Lauren Lee, East Tennessee State ' Dalton: Alli Swinford, UTC ' Gordon Lee: Madison Collier, Carson-Newman ' Rhea County: Delaney Smith, Memphis ' Ridgeland: Morgan Crawford, Carson-Newman ' Silverdale Baptist Academy: Emily Harkleroad, Austin Peay ' Soddy-Daisy: Breanna Britton, West Virginia State; Shonna Penney, Lee University; Cameren Swafford, UTC TENNIS - Baylor: Drew Hawkins, Belmont; Cooper Long, UTC TRACK & FIELD - Tyner: Alexis Wilson, Liberty VOLLEYBALL - Baylor: Gabby Gray, Western Carolina ' Grace Academy: Alexandra Smith, Middle Tennessee State ' Ooltewah: Sidney Killingsworth, Lincoln Memorial ' Silverdale Baptist Academy: Gracie Pierce, Trevecca Nazarene WRESTLING - Bradley Central: Knox Fuller, Army; T.J. Hicks, UTC