With National Association of Christian Athletes and USA National Prep School championships already, the Hamilton Heights Lady Hawks have been invited to play in the ESPN-televised Dick's Sporting Goods national tournament March 31-April 1 in New York City. Coached by Keisha Hunt, the Lady Hawks will be the first Tennessee team to compete in what is considered the top postseason tourney in the United States. The TSSAA does not allow member schools to take part beyond the state tournament. Alabama State signee Amber Hunt and Cy-Cy Hickey-White are the Lady Hawks' seniors, and Tennessee commitment Jazmine Massengill and high-major recruit Elizabeth Balogun are key juniors. Hamilton Heights has only one loss and is No. 3, No. 9 and No. 11 in three sets of national rankings.
- Sewanee senior Brody Stone was named Tuesday to the D3hoops.com All-South Region third team for the 2016-17 season. He's the first Sewanee men's basketball player to be all-region since Turner Emory in 1998. The only other all-region selection from the Southern Athletic Association was player of the year Hank Aldous from Hendrix. Stone led the SAA in minutes played and total rebounds (273) and had double-digit rebounds in 15 games in addition to double-figure points in 17.
Track & Field
- Lee University sophomore Justin Brooks followed his program firsts for inclusion and scoring points in the NCAA Division II national indoor meet with the school's first NCAA track and field first-team All-America distinction. Brooks was fifth in the men's 400-meter dash last Saturday at Birmingham, Ala. "This is a great honor for Justin and our program," Lee coach Caleb Morgan said in a school release. "He is an athlete who puts in the work year round. To achieve such an honor as an underclassman is exceptional."
Softball
- Lincoln Memorial had the South Atlantic Conference player and pitcher of the week for softball games March 6-12, and both are Ooltewah residents. Sophomore outfielder Allie Jones from Ooltewah High batted .500 with nine hits, three home runs, 10 RBIs and nine runs in six games, with three hits, two homers, six RBIs and three runs in one game. Junior Brianna Taylor from Arts & Sciences was the SAC pitcher of the week with three complete games, another five-inning appearance and 15 strikeouts in the four games. She pitched a three-hit shutout with eight strikeouts against Bluefield State and reached eight wins for the season.
- Kelsey Payne from East Hamilton was 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored and Savannah Moore from Soddy-Daisy was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run as Brenau beat Brewton-Parker 11-0 in SSAC softball this past weekend. The Golden Tigers earlier won 4-0 with Moore and Payne each going 1-for-2 with a double, an RBI and a run. The next day they swept Middle Georgia State 4-0 and 7-3, and Payne was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run in the last game. Brenau (27-5, 6-0) beat Faulkner 6-1 and 3-1 on Tuesday with Payne and Moore each totaling three hits and taking turns going 2-for-4 with an RBI.
- Covenant lost 10-1 and 3-1 in a USA South softball home doubleheader Wednesday against Maryville. Madalyn Ames was 2-for-4 in the first game and scored the run in the rematch for Covenant (12-8, 6-4).
Golf
- Dalton State's No. 4-ranked women's golf team finished fifth out of 10 teams Wednesday in the Seminole State Spring Break tournament at Lake Mary, Fla. The Roadrunners repeated their 337 from Tuesday and finished 49 strokes behind the winning hosts and eight out of fourth place. DSC's Isabel Rijos tied for seventh individually at 161 and Carly Shane and Katie Dalton were 19th and 20th at 165 and 166. Haejin Choe and Rachel Rebne shot 175 and 177.
- Alexander Riddle from Notre Dame High School led Tennessee Tech's men to third place out of eight teams Tuesday in the Grover Page Classic at Jackson (Tenn.) Country Club. Riddle tied for sixth individually at 220.