The Porky's Open, one of the largest fundraisers each year for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga athletic department, has been moved from April 28 to Aug. 25 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The schedule of events at Council Fire Golf Club will remain the same on the new date, with registration beginning at 10:30 a.m. and the shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. In a release announcing the change, UTC vice chancellor and athletic director Mark Wharton pointed out the event for the Mocs "brings many of our loyal donors and fans together for one special event. With all of the directives responding to COVID-19, including the avoidance of large gatherings, we decided to reschedule for August 25. This allows all of our student-athletes and coaches to be present during the tournament." Hosted by the Mocs Club and presented by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, the Porky's Open has raised well over $1 million for UTC student-athlete scholarships, according to the release. This year, $10,000 of the proceeds will go towards the Frank Kinser Porky's Open Endowed Scholarship. Those seeking information on the tournament, including how to become an event sponsor, can contact JJ Eftink at jude-eftink@utc.edu or 662-816-3440.
* Dalton State's Sydney Hermann is the Southern States Athletic Conference freshman of the year for women's golf and one of seven Roadrunners - that's their entire roster - voted to the all-conference team. Hermann was joined as an all-freshman selection in the league by teammate Megan Donahue, and they were joined by seniors Haejin Choe, Hannah Gasaway and Isabel Rijos and sophomores Cameron Daniel and Katelyn Skiffen as All-SSAC picks. Daniel, Donahue and Gasaway were also all-academic honorees, with Gasaway on the league's "Champions of Character" team. The Dalton State men's golf team's SSAC award winners were previously reported.
Volleyball
* The UTC beach volleyball program and coach Darin Van Horn have finalized their first official recruiting class with four additions announced Thursday. Junior college transfer Hanley Lomax from California's MiraCosta College - of Roswell, Georgia, she prepped at Blessed Trinity - is joined by three high school signees: Madi Morris of Knoxville's Grace Christian and North Carolina recruits Jordan Krege (Grimsley in Greensboro) and Maddi Meyers-Osband (John T. Hoggard in Wilmington). The Mocs went 0-3 this year in their inaugural season as a Division I and Ohio Valley Conference beach volleyball program, with the limited schedule mostly wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic. A full schedule is planned for the 2021 spring semester.
Compiled by Marty Kirkland and Lindsey Young. Contact Kirkland at mkirkland@timesfreepress.com. Contact Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com.