University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball coach Frank Reed announced the finalization of the program's 2020 recruiting class Monday.
The class is comprised of eight players from five states - Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas - and covers every position on the field.
"We're really excited about the 2020 class," Reed said in a school release. "I think we did a great job in answering a lot of questions for us. We have a couple of corner players, some up the middle, a couple of pitchers.
"Bringing in eight people, that's a large number. I think our success with those guys will be on how quickly they come together as a team and a class moving forward. That will be something that they have to do as a group."
Included in the group is Coahulla Creek High School senior infielder Rayanna Janke, who committed as a freshman before earning multiple all-region, all-area and all-state honors.
Rayanna Janke / Contributed photoThe versatile group also includes infielders Courtney Ball of Tattnall Square Academy in Macon, Rockmart first baseman Carlee Graham and Kailey Snell from Shelbyville, Tennessee, and Cascade High; a pair of catchers/third basemen in Kendall Forsythe from Riverdale High in Murfreesboro and Liz Rodebaugh from Dale County High in Midland City, Alabama; and pitchers Kyle Coffin from Tampa, Florida, and Reagan Lowrie from Sugar Land, Texas.
Complete bios can be found at www.gomocs.com.
Mocs add receiver
Football coach Rusty Wright and his staff added a potential offensive weapon this weekend with the commitment of Islands High School wide receiver Shamar Sandgren to the 2020 recruiting class.
Sandgren (6-foot-1, 170) originally committed to Western Kentucky and also had received scholarship offers from Georgia State, UNC Charlotte, Coastal Carolina and Akron. He scored six offensive touchdowns and returned a kickoff for a score this past in earning Georgia Region 3-AAA first-team honors.
Sandgren formerly attended Bluffton (South Carolina) High School, where he had 611 yards and eight touchdowns on 41 receptions as a junior. He was a two-way starter at Islands in Savannah, where he also plays basketball.
Hoops reunion set
The UTC men's basketball team hosts Western Carolina at 2 p.m. Saturday in front of what is expected to be a large gathering of former Mocs players.
The university is hosting a reunion weekend for former players to celebrate 43 seasons of competition in the Southern Conference. During that time the program has won 30 SoCon titles - 11 regular-season, 11 tournament and eight division - and has appeared in 11 NCAA Division I tournaments, including a Sweet 16 berth in 1997. The 1977 team was the NCAA Division II national champion.
All former players and coaches are invited to participate. There are several events planned with receptions, time with the current team and a brunch before Saturday's game. Members of the Mocs Club at the Gold Mocs level and higher get the opportunity to meet with the group. There is also an on-court recognition planned for the reunion attendees.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.