University of Tennessee senior Phoebe Wright from Signal Mountain and Red Bank High School was added to the Bowerman women’s watch list for top track and field athlete in the country, and Thursday she was announced as the Southeastern Conference indoor women’s runner of the year. Wright follows former teammate Sarah Bowman with the latter honor. Wright repeated as SEC 800-meter champion in the second best indoor time in U.S. women’s collegiate history and also was a key part of the Lady Vols’ record-setting distance medley relay and of the sixth-place 4×400 team. She also has had outstanding mile and 500 times this season. “There are a lot of great athletes in the SEC, and to be named the best of the best by the coaches is something I’m sure she’ll cherish for a long time,” UT coach J.J. Clark said. “I’m really proud of what she’s done.”
Basketball
* Lookout Valley High School seniors Erica Patton and Misty Casteel signed paperwork Thursday to continue their basketball careers at Tennessee Temple University. “Both play the style of basketball that’s going to fit in with our group straightaway,” TTU coach Kenrick Liburd said. “Erica does a great job of playing the gaps defensively, and she has a very high release on her jump shot. She had seven 3s in their last game against Van Buren County. She had to play a lot of point guard but really is a shooting guard, and I think she can be pretty dangerous. And Misty brings a lot of toughness. She does a lot of things that don’t show up on the stat sheet.” Patton, 5-foot-7, averaged 12.3 points and 3.5 steals a game this season and was All-District 6-A. The 5-9 Casteel was all-district a year ago and averaged 9.2 points and 7.5 rebounds a game this season. She also plans to play volleyball for the Lady Crusaders. “Coach Liburd wants to build his program with local girls who have the fundamentals and work hard, and who make good grades and have good families. That describes these girls to a ‘T,'” Lookout Valley coach Kristen Clounch said. “Erica has played varsity since eighth grade and Misty has since ninth grade, and they have contributed every year.”
Baseball
* ATHENS, Tenn. – Freddy Lewis and three relievers combined to pitch a two-hitter as Tennessee Wesleyan defeated Tennessee Temple 9-0 in college baseball Thursday. Max Loveland, who pitched an inning, was 2-for-4 with two doubles as the leadoff batter for the Bulldogs (12-3), and Jonathon Smith was 4-for-5 with three stolen bases, a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. Ryan Santos was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Lewis struck out nine batters in five innings.
Softball
* Holly Satterfield from Hixson pitched a five-inning no-hitter with seven strikeouts, allowing only a hit batter, as Valdosta State won twice Thursday to make its season softball record 10-0. Satterfield’s 10-0 win made her 5-0.
Auto Racing
* Cleveland Speedway plans to open its 2010 season Saturday evening with a full racing program for all six of its regular competition classes. Gates are slated to open at 3 p.m. The Southern All Stars Shamrock 60 for Super Late Models is set for the following Saturday, paying $10,000 to the winner.
* The Brainerd Optimist Drag Strip opens its 53rd season Saturday with a bracket paying $2,000 to win and two heads-up classes. Entry per car is $100. Track operator Steve Longley is setting another $2,000-to-win competition with no entry fees for March 13.
Swimming
* AUSTIN, Texas – Against some of the top swimmers in the country, McCallie School senior Sean Ryan finished sixth in the 400-meter freestyle in 3:56.50 in the Grand Prix meet Thursday at the University of Texas. He was seventh in the 500-yard free in the morning, in 4:25.6. Ryan, a Michigan signee, swims the 400 individual medley and the 200 free today and the 200 backstroke and 1500 free Saturday.