College Sports Madness listed its 2016 football preseason Southern Conference awards Thursday, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's Russ Huesman was dubbed the coach of the year with senior end Keionta Davis from Red Bank was projected as the defensive player of the year. Davis was one of seven Mocs on the all-conference preseason first team, and five made the second team with two on the third team, which also included East Tennessee State linebacker Austin Gatewood from East Hamilton. UTC's first-teamers were Davis, linebacker Nakevion Leslie and back Lucas Webb on defense and running back Derrick Craine, linemen Corey Levin and Jacob Revis and place-kicker Henrique Ribeiro on offense. Offensive lineman Josh Cardiello, punt returner C.J. Board and defenders Isaiah Mack, Vantrel McMillan and Cedric Nettles were the second-teamers. Board at receiver and Ribeiro at punter were third-team picks. Returning league member ETSU had only one pick besides Gatewod: linebacker Dylan Weigel from Ohio.
Fishing
* Brothers Samuel and Matthew Vandagriff from Warren County High School in McMinnville, Tenn., are in second place after the first day of the Costa Bassmaster High School Championship national tournament on Kentucky and Barkley lakes. Aaron Reed and Austin Hamner from Northside High in Tuscaloosa, Ala., took the lead with a five-bass limit of 20 pounds, 3 ounces, and the Vandagriffs totaled 19-6 with Cody Stahl and Tate VanEgmond of Georgia's CrossPointe Christian Academy third at 19-4. Kyle Ingleburger and Kyle Palmer of Grundy County are tied for 35th out of 175 boats with 11-10, and Soddy-Daisy's Jake Beihoffer and Bailey Faires are 41st with 11-5. There are 35 states represented, plus Canada.
Golf
* Just under 70 golfers in three divisions are set to play Saturday and Sunday in the 2016 Brainerd Invitational at Brainerd Golf Course. Trent Mansfield shot two 66s for a six-stroke win last year and will be trying to defend his title.
Soccer
* Dalton State College's newest team, women's soccer, will play the first five official matches in program history in neighboring states, beginning Aug. 26 and 27 in Florida at Ave Marie University and Johnson & Wales. Even the first exhibition, on Aug. 17, will be at Tennessee Wesleyan. The Lady Roadrunners' home debut at Lakeshore Park - beyond an Aug. 23 exhibition at Milligan - will be Sept. 18 against Oakwood from Huntsville, Ala. In their 14-game schedule they also will be home against Middle Georgia, Faulkner and Bethel in October. Seven of their eight contests against Southern States Athletic Conference members will be in doubleheaders with the Dalton State men, who begin their season with games Sept. 2 and 3 at Freed-Hardeman in Henderson, Tenn. Coach Kerem Daser's Roadrunners will host NCAA Division II members Shorter and Lee in scrimmages on Aug. 20 and 23 and Montreat for an official game on Labor Day night, Sept. 5.