Notre Dame High School did something Friday evening it never had done before: retire some uniform numbers. All four honorees at the basketball doubleheader were basketball standouts, but they were known for other excellence also. Joining all-time top Chattanooga scorer Tommy Fox (class of 1994; 2,888 points), Rhesa Sumrell (1967) and Lady Irish top career scorer and rebounder Alicia Ransom (2000) starred also in volleyball and Stan Sumrell (1966), Rhesa's brother, was a track and field standout. Stan Sumrell was Notre Dame's first basketball all-state player and a Catholic All-American as a senior, when he set a state record in winning the track decathlon. His sister was all-city both as a junior and a senior, and she scored a school-record 55 points in one game. The Sumrells both went on to compete at Middle Tennessee State University. After his record-smashing Irish career, Fox played three years for Mountain State College, leading the 1998-99 team to a national tournament and making the school's all-decade team announced in 2004. Ransom, all-state in volleyball as well as basketball, was a third-team All-American at Chattanooga State, which has her in its hall of fame, and then helped Georgia College and State University win the Peach Belt Conference championship.
* Sewanee hosted Oglethorpe in Southern Athletic Association basketball games Friday night, and the visiting men won 77-75 after the 11th-ranked Oglethorpe women won 78-53. Amy Vazquez and Savannah LeGate had 22 and 20 points and 10 and 14 rebounds for the Stormy Petrels (14-1, 4-0). Kinsley Logan scored 18 points with four 3-point baskets and made six steals for Sewanee (5-9, 1-3), and Ellie Treanton contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds. For the male Tigers (8-7, 2-2), Jordan Warlick and Adrian Thomas had 20 and 18 points and 10 and nine rebounds. Joey Knox scored 15 points.
* The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is starting a new marketing promotion with today's men's basketball game against Samford. It will be in effect for men's and women's home games the rest of the season, and it's called "All You Can Eat." For $25 a spectator can get a seat in the McKenzie Arena gold circle and unlimited concession items (though only two at a time to keep the lines moving), according to a UTC release Friday. Those tickets are available online and at the arena's Gate 1 ticket office on game days. "We always want to improve fan experience," vice chancellor and athletic director Mark Wharton said in the release. "This is another step in that direction. It's feedback we received in our most recent fan survey that we were able to act on."
Golf
* State tournament runner-up Jonathan Xoinis of Chattanooga Christian and Baylor's Sheldon McKnight and Kyndall Shamblin made the Tennessee Sports Writers Association all-state golf teams for the 2019 TSSAA Division II-AA season. Foster Wood from Small class state champion Signal Mountain was the only area Division I all-state selection. Shamblin was part of a state-runner-up team finish.
General
* UTC announced Friday the promotion of Dr. Emily Blackman to assistant vice chancellor for athletic enhancement. She is in her 11th year with the department, where she oversees academic support for Mocs athletes. She also is the sport administrator for women's tennis. "The impact of Dr. Blackman's leadership on the academic success of our student-athletes during her tenure has been measurably tremendous," vice chancellor and athletic director Mark Wharton said in the announcement release. "We continue to set records in grade-point-average, graduation rates and many other areas of classroom success. As the main liaison between athletics and campus academics, this new title better aligns her with main campus constituents. She has done a great job cultivating relationships throughout the UTC community, and we look forward to building on that foundation."