The Chattanooga State softball team went 55-8 and finished third in the NJCAA Division I tournament last year, and the Lady Tigers begin Blythe Golden’s third season as coach today in Atmore, Ala., with a roster loaded with experience and proven talent. Golden has 10 sophomores back from 2014, including pitchers Sharlene Godoy and Hanna Manley, and Cassidy Howren is a sophomore catcher who will be starting after sophomore transfer Jordan Roberts from Gulf Coast State fractured a tibia Wednesday. One of two freshman pitchers showing promise in the fall, McKenzi Ferguson, is a few weeks away from returning from an injury (the other is Ericka Webster), but Morgan Boggess from Meigs County transferred from Austin Peay between semesters and “definitely is going to get some time right away,” Golden said Thursday. Another midyear transfer is middle infielder Katie Scott from Knoxville Halls by way of Lincoln Memorial. Two freshmen set to start are third baseman, designated player and occasional shortstop Courtney Styles and left fielder Shannon Plese, both from Knoxville, with former left fielder Katy Richardson now at second base and likely filling in at catcher. Center fielder Courtney Crawford, outfielders Izzy McCurry and Sydney Spurgeon and infielders Dana Horgan, Lindsey Stickrod and Syndey Sloan are other returning players who made significant contributions last year.
General
Dalton State College has been honored as a “Five Star” institution in the NAIA’s Champions of Character program, which covers community relationships and academic excellence as well as “character-driven and competitive athletics.” DSC was honored in its first year of eligibility for the recognition. “Like most things that happen in our athletic department, the credit for this award goes to our excellent group of coaches and student-athletes,” athletic director Derek Waugh said in a school release. Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics, Teen Maze and mentoring programs are among the community endeavors that have included Roadrunners participation.
Basketball
Emileigh Swafford scored 19 points, Erin Walsh had 13 plus three steals and Christina Johnson had 10 rebounds and five assists as Lee University won its Gulf South women’s basketball game 67-54 Thursday at Alabama-Huntsville, but UAH overcame an 11-point deficit and won the men’s game 75-68. Chad Lee scored 15 points, Elgin Wilson and Stedmon Ford added 14 each and Cory Billingsley had 13 points, four assists and three steals in defeat.
Dalton State won 84-69 in its Southern States Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Thursday at Brewton-Parker, with Preston Earle scoring 25 points with 6-of-13 3-point shooting. Anthony Hilliard scored 16 points and top NAIA rebounder Ladaris Green had 16 rebounds and five blocked shots, while Jordan Bowling and Sean Tate scored 14 points each. Tate made 10 of 10 free throws.
Football
NCAA Division II and South Atlantic Conference member Carson-Newman University of Jefferson City, Tenn., always includes Chattanooga-area players among its football signees, and this year was no exception. Offensive lineman and long-snapper P.J. Gardner from Ridgeland and linebacker Marshall Cooper from Hixson were among the new Eagles announced Wednesday. Gardner, who has a 4.0 grade point average and plans to major in biology, was honored as the Panthers’ offensive lineman and special-teams player of the year and was first-team all-region. Cooper, the District 6-AA player of the year according to the CNU release, starred on defense but also was a running back who rushed for eight touchdowns and caught a TD pass.
Tusculum College, another SAC member in Tennessee, signed area football players Jaylen Moore (as a defensive lineman) and Trevor Skiles from Red Bank, fellow offensive linemen Bryan Derben from Ringgold and Chase Eichner from Stone Memorial in Crossville, linebacker Dallas Kuykendall from Walker Valley and quarterback Caleb Shiflett from Northwest Whitfield.
NAIA member Cumberland University included three area players among its 24 listed signees Thursday: Brian Billingsley, a 6-1, 225-pound linebacker from Central High; Joshua Russell, a 5-10, 205-pound athlete from Notre Dame; and Tyler Tate, a 5-11, 165-pound athlete from Whitwell.