University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestler Jason McCroskey was named to the Capital One Academic All-District IV at-large team announced this week by the College Sports Information Directors of America. McCroskey graduated last week as a mechanical engineering major with a 3.63 grade point average. The former Soddy-Daisy standout was just a junior on the mat this past season, when he led the Mocs with a 23-11 record and was nationally ranked at 184 pounds. He was a three-time NCAA tournament qualifier and finished his college career with a 61-37 record. The Mocs wound up seventh in the NWCA Division I academic rankings with their 3.1386 aggregate GPA – three Ivy League teams were among those ahead of them – and McCroskey, Brandon Wright, Demetrius Johnson and Dean Pavlou made the national all-academic team. Baylor graduate Corey Manson was one of those honored for 10th-place Cornell.
GOLF
• VALDOSTA, Ga. – Greg Hamilton of Atlanta shot a 69 in the first round Friday of the Georgia Mid-Amateur golf tournament at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club, giving him a one-stroke lead over 2006 winner Mark Strickland of Woodstock and Dave Poteet of Suwanee. Lee Gerdes, a Macon resident with Chattanooga roots, is among nine players tied for seventh at even-par 72. David Noll Jr. of Dalton, who won the state Mid-Amateur title in 2007 and was the runner-up last year at Macon, is tied for 36th at 75. Rocky Face’s Matt Oxford shares 58th place at 77.
• GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Lee University moved up into a tie for 10th place and Tennessee Wesleyan was 21st out of 25 teams as the NAIA women’s golf tournament ended Friday at Link Hills Country Club. California Baptist won after tying at 1,252 with Embry-Riddle, and Shorter from Lee’s league was third at 1,254, one stroke ahead of Oklahoma City University. Lee tied Lindsey Wilson at 1,288, and TWC totaled 1,390. Lee’s Courtney Shelton shot a final-day 73 and tied for 14th at 313, and teammates Geandra Almeida and Sloane Skinner tied for 31st and 55th at 320 and 327. Stephanie Carr led TWC with a 334. Shorter’s Greta Lange was sixth at 304, seven shots behind medalist Kylie Barros of British Columbia.
• RANCHO SANTE FE, Calif. – Middle Tennessee State freshman Brett Patterson from McMinnville, Tenn., is tied for fifth at 142, one shot behind senior teammate Jason Millard, in the NCAA San Diego Regional golf tournament after two rounds. Rhea County’s Hunter Green also has helped the Blue Raiders hang close to an NCAA championship berth with a 41st-place 149. They are in seventh place, one shot behind San Diego and Texas sharing fifth.