Three leaders in the Dalton State College athletic department have accepted some added responsibilities. Athletic director Jon Jaudon is now the school's interim chief of staff, so women's cross country and track and field coach Dean Thompson has been made the acting AD and men's golf coach Ben Rickett has assumed the job of overall fundraising. Those two will continue to coach. "Our department is full of talented people, and I am grateful to Dean and Ben for agreeing to serve in these roles," Jaudon said in a DSC release Wednesday night. Jaudon still will oversee athletics, the release said, but he also will have responsibility for such areas as advancement, marketing and communications, institutional research and planning and government relations and external affairs. Thompson, for many years one of the top runners in the Dalton and Chattanooga areas, also is the national race director for the Run for God organization. "It's a great opportunity to be a bigger part of what we are doing," he said of his new college duties. "I want to do anything I can to help this department become what we want it to be." Said Rickett, a former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga golfer and assistant coach who quickly built the Roadrunners into one of the NAIA's top golf programs, with two national golfers of the year: "As an employee and ambassador for Dalton State, the part I love most is selling the school and community, and this gives me another platform to do that from. Our constant need within the department is scholarship dollars. We have had success, but for it to continue this has to be my priority on both a short- and long-term basis. I am looking forward to the work ahead with my current role and my new role."
Wrestling
» UTC senior 125-pounder Alonzo Allen was announced Wednesday as the Southern Conference wrestler of the week for Jan. 2-8, in tribute to his fifth-place finish in the prestigious Southern Scuffle. His victories in that tournament at UTC's McKenzie Arena included a 9-7 decision of the nation's 18th-ranked 125-pounder. Allen is 16-4 this season. The Mocs will wrestle Friday and Saturday in the Virginia Duals at Hampton, Virginia.
Basketball
» The Covenant College basketball teams had mixed success in their USA South games Wednesday evening against Berea. The Covenant men won 75-69 at Berea, but the Lady Scots lost 71-61 at home to the Kentucky school. Will Crumly stayed hot for the hot Scots (7-6, 6-0) with 30 points and nine rebounds, while Mitchell Hollis and James Mitchell scored 11 points each and Bailey Spragg contributed 10 points, eight assists and four steals. The other starter, Noah Oetjen, had eight rebounds. The Berea women also improved to 6-0 in USAS play, 10-3 overall, despite 20 points, 11 rebounds and three steals from Covenant's Joanna Smith. She has 799 career rebounds, fourth most in program history. Also for the Lady Scots (4-11, 2-5), Taylor Robinson scored 11 points and Kaley Hallmark and Bekah Walter had nine apiece.
» Marilauren Farr had 19 points and 13 rebounds in leading LaGrange to a 62-55 Division III nonconference win at Sewanee. Bella Taylor had 14 points and six rebounds in defeat for the Tigers (6-8), who led 30-29 at halftime, and Sue Kim had seven assists and three steals. Jahpera McEachin scored 18 points for LaGrange (8-6).
» Cleveland State resumed its men's basketball schedule Wednesday with a 78-60 win over Combine Preparatory School. Playing for the first time in 32 days, the Cougars (5-8) outscored the visitors 59-28 in the second half. Cleveland State's teams play Saturday afternoon at Chattanooga State. Chattanooga State's men took a 7-6 record to Bristol and a game against the King junior varsity Wednesday night.