After winning the last two West Division regular-season titles in USA South men's tennis, Covenant College got four of the six first-place votes and tied Piedmont for the West top spot in the 2019 coaches' preseason poll announced Wednesday. Covenant was third out of nine teams in the West women's poll, behind defending champion Piedmont and Huntingdon. North Carolina Wesleyan was favored in both East Division polls. Coach John Hirte's Covenant men were the West favorites last year and set a program record with 15 wins. The Scots and Lady Scots open their 2019 schedules Feb. 9 at Birmingham-Southern.
Basketball
» The Covenant women's basketball USA South game scheduled for Tuesday and then for Wednesday night at Maryville College was postponed again. This time it was reset for next Wednesday at 7 p.m.
» The Chattanooga State men defeated visiting Snead State 87-82 in nonconference play Wednesday and now are 13-8 for the season. They have won seven of their last nine games. Donald Green led them with 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting plus 11 rebounds, while Lorenzo Ferrell had 13 points, seven rebounds and three steals. AJ Morris had 12 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, Joshua Conrad also scored 12 and Jaden Rodriguez added 10. The Tigers and Lady Tigers will be back in TCCAA competition Friday and Saturday at Volunteer State and Motlow.
Baseball & softball
» Three area college baseball teams and Lee University's softball squad are scheduled to begin their 2019 seasons Friday, and Lee's baseball Flames open Saturday with an 11:30 a.m. home doubleheader against Lindenwood. They repeat that schedule Sunday. Friday's baseball openers include ranked NAIA teams Tennessee Wesleyan and Bryan hosting Clarke University and Rio Grande in doubleheaders at noon and 1 p.m., respectively, and they swap foes for Saturday twin bills at the same times. Also Friday and Saturday, Chattanooga State is slated to face Georgia Highlands in Emerson, Georgia, at 3 and 1 (DH). Lee's Lady Flames have five games set up this weekend in the Gulf Coast Invitational at Gulf Shores, Alabama, starting at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. EST Friday against Tuskegee and Embry-Riddle.