University of Tennessee at Chattanooga running back Ailym Ford is the STATS FCS national freshman of the week after rushing 31 times for 200 yards and two touchdowns in last Thursday’s 16-13 win over East Tennessee State. After earning honorable mention for the STATS honor three times this season, Ford leads all FCS freshmen with 757 rushing yards. In seven games he has the most for a Moc since Derrick Crane had 1,083 in 2016. “Aliym is an outstanding young man and is definitely deserving of this honor,” coach Rusty Wright said in a UTC release. “He had a great game against ETSU, and we are looking forward to many more in his future.”
Volleyball
* Christian Brothers University volleyball senior Emma Lenoir from East Hamilton has become the NCAA Division II active leader in career kills. She has 1,593 going into tonight’s home match in Memphis against Henderson State. The 5-foot-11 Lenoir had 501 kills last year, at 4.43 per set, and leads CBU this season with 303 in 89 sets (3.40).
* Chattanooga State lost 3-1 Monday to the volleyball varsity from four-year Johnson University. The set scores were 25-20, 20-25, 25-19, 25-21. Kayla Ford had 36 digs and Dakota Rawiszer had 19 assists and 12 digs in defeat, while Brieana Hemphill and Madysun Steele each had nine kills – Hemphill with 24 digs and a hand in 14 blocks and Steele with seven blocks. The Lady Tigers will host Cleveland State at 6 p.m. Friday in the TCCAA/NJCAA Region VII tournament that also includes defending champion Walters State.
* Constance Connolly had 27 assists and three aces in Sewanee’s 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 26-24) Southern Athletic Association win Sunday at Millsaps. Also for the Tigers (15-8, 7-5), Destiny Stewart and Ellie Pederson had 10 and eight kills, Sydney White had 12 digs and Stephanie Price contributed two block solos and four block assists with six kills on .545 hitting.