Unlimited Sept/Oct 2014

FIRST STEPS

First-year coach Wayne Angel is taking the first steps toward building Tech into a title contender

THE OFFICIAL ONLINE

HOW DO YOU KNOW

Student-athletes and coaches weigh in on the questions of when to switch from cold to hot drinks

MAGAZINE OF TENNESSEE TECH

unlimited

ATHLETICS

SIBLING REVELRY Michaella Keyes plays soccer.

Madison Keyes is on the volleyball team. How do they fare in sibling rivalries, going to the same school, and more.....

Plus... * * * *

Hall of Fame Class of 2014 This Day in Tech Sports History Playlist Chatter ...and some great photos

September / October 2014

Volume 3, Issue 1

Were you there...

The Golden Eagle football team has provided some thrilling games in Tucker Stadium this season (all wins, so far), and Tech fans have responded in big numbers. Will you be there for the next three? And, who’s that guy wearing green? Somebody needs to let him know the school colors are purple & gold!

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photo by Tony Marable

IN FOCUS

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Leaping into history...

Sixth-year senior safety Marty Jones leaps over an Eastern Kentucky defender, and into the end zone with what proved to be the winning two point conversion as the Golden Eagles stunned the 12th ranked Colonels, 39-31, during the Golden Eagle Blackout III in Tucker Stadium. Jones was named the National Defensive Player of the Week by three different organizations after he tied an OVC record with four interceptions in the game.

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photo by Jim Dillon

IN FOCUS

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SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER Volume 3, Issue1

IN THIS ISSUE

unlimited

14 Cover Story

Sisters Michaella and Madison Keyes share their thoughts on what it means to be a college student-athlete, how they arrived on the soccer and volleyball teams, and how support from their family has gotten them to where they are.

THE ONLINE MAGAZINE OF TENNESSEE TECH ATHLETICS

30 How do you know...

With the weather shifting gears, it’s that time of year when some folks start thinking about switching from cold drinks to hot drinks. We asked staff and studentathletes to tell us when they know it’s time to make that switch.

32 Magazine Rack

Besides this issue of unlimited magazine, there are many, many, many magazines out there. We took a few minutes looking over a magazine rack at a local book store, selected some at random, and give you an idea about some you might be missing.

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36 Class of 2014

Five former Golden Eagles will be inducted into the Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Fame on Friday, Nov. 7. We wanted you to know who they are.

62 First Steps

With the addition of instant challenger Geoffrey Sambu, first-year Golden Eagle cross country and track & field head coach Wayne Angel has taken what he hopes will be the first step toward competing for OVC championships in those sports.

68 Golden Eagle Hoops The 2014-15 Golden Eagle basketball schedules feature eight doubleheaders this winter in Eblen Center. Here are the complete schedules so you can get your season tickets and won’t miss a minute of the action.

Departments From the Editor / 6 The overlapping of seasons Fresh Faces / 7-11 Meet 15 Golden Eagle newcomers On Our Radar / 27 Things you need to know in Tech athletics Playlist / 35 Distance runner Daniel Williamson Chatter / 46 Volleyball standout Cody Dodd This Day in Tech History / 56 The day Cass Barnes and the Golden Eagles stormed back in the fourth quarter to shock Jacksonville State in Tucker Stadium

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TE N N ESSEE TECH

BASKETBALL

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Twitter - @TTUGoldenEagles Facebook - TTU Sports Internet - www.TTUSports.com T I C K E T S AVA I L A B L E a t

#TTUPURPLE

TTUSPORTS.COM Ticket Office

(931) 372-3940 • athletictickets@tntech.edu

2014-15

TICKET

- Come see your 14-15 Golden Eagle Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams and TTU Cheer and Dance teams!

- Scrimmage, 3-point Shootout, and Slam Dunk Contest - Get autographs from the teams and Awesome Eagle.

- Have FUN!

October 28 Connect with us online

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season overlap From the editor

Just turning the page on the wall calendar to the month of October elicits a new range of senses and emotions. Wood smoke in the air and the rustle of leaves as you rake the yard. Pumpkins on the front porch and pumpkin spice in everything from coffee to beer to candles. Halloween, costumes, Purple Palooza, and a few days away from classes for Fall break.

So many great things come with October. At the same time, so MANY things come with October, one of two times each year when college sports seasons overlap. The fall sports are in full swing and the winter sports, such as Golden Eagle basketball, are on the brink of getting their official schedules underway.

It’s a great time for sports fans, who are getting excitied about slam dunks and blocked shots, while at the same time cheering for soccer, football, and volleyball teams.

Also going strong, the cross country, golf and tennis teams are deep into the fall portion of their schedules.

Meanwhile, it’s a difficult time for many departments within college sports, who are stretched to the limit in keeping up with some teams and getting ready for others. At Tech, that means departments such as athletic training, facilities, marketing, ticket office and sports information are all putting in extra hours to get the job done. No complaints, though. We are all doing what we love to do.

Take this issue of unlimited magazine, for example. Each issue is a joy to work on, right from the start when we plan on contents and assign tasks. This one actually started back in August, when the Golden Eagle soccer team held its annual team photo day.

We brought volleyball player Madison Keyes to the session and spent some extra time shooting photos of sisters Madison and Michaella Keyes for what we planned for the cover story. From there, it was a matter of finding time to meet with and interview the two, then write the story. We talked to both of their coaches, and mom Wendy Keyes, plus followup emails to nearly everybody involved to make sure we got it right.

And that’s just the cover story. We worked with new track & field/cross country coach Wayne Angel to tell the story of the future of his programs. We asked our photographers to submit their favorites shots, did some research on Cass Barnes’ huge game against Jacksonville State in 2010, sent an email to student-athletes and coaches asking their thoughts on when to switch to hot drinks, visited a local bookstore and browsed magazines for the “off the rack” feature, and selected bios of 15 of our newest student-athletes for the ‘fresh faces’ feature.

Then we got to work in the design stage, following by the proofreading and editing session. In all, about 12 people worked on this magazine, all above and beyond our day-to-day workload in covering and distributing the news about Tenessee Tech athletics.

We hope you enjoy this issue, and have the chance to look back through some of our back issues. This magazine is a little bit quirky, but we have fun producing it and hope you have fun reading it. Please let us know with a email what you think, what you’d like to see in the future, and if you have any story or feature ideas.

In the meantime, enjoy the end of the fall seasons and the start of basketball. Go Tech!

Rob Schabert

Assistant Athletic Director / Editor Please send your feedback to: sportsinfo@tntech.edu

On the cover They are sisters. They are nursing students. And they are both student-athletes at Tennessee Tech. We find out about sisterhood, sibling rivalry, family support and how tough it can be to major in nursing while participating as a college student-athlete in a story about Michaella (left) and Madison Keyes. Michaella is a freshman who wears number 8 for the Golden Eagle soccer team. Madison is a senior who dons number 8 on the volleyball team.

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{ } Stuff You Oughta Know

SPECIAL DELIVERY Fans can order season tickets on Wednesday (Oct. 22) and Tennessee Tech will deliver them to you (within Cookeville city limits) in 60 minutes or less, or the tickets are FREE. Coaches Steve Payne and Jim Davis, Awesome Eagle, members of the cheer and dance squads, Director of Athletics Mark Wilson...you don’t know who will show up at your door. Call between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to order the tickets and we’ll be there before you can say.....well, quickly!

SAVE THE DATE: The 2015 Pepsi Bobby Nichols Golden Eagle Scramble presented by Budweiser will be held June 5-6-7 on three Cookeville-area courses. Registration will begin on Tuesday, March 10.

Senior Day is on the way for Tech’s soccer, volleyball and football teams: v On Sunday afternoon, Oct. 27, when the soccer team hosts SIUE, the Golden Eagles will honor seniors Rebecca Toler, Amanda Koch, Hayley Morton, Katie Phillips and Kelsey McGohan. v The football team is next, with Senior Day set for Saturday afternoon, Nov 15 against Chattanooga. The list of seniors includes Darian Stone, Cody Matthews, Marty Jones, Austin Tallant, Stephen Bush, James Huguely, Tra’Darius Goff, Tevin McDermott, Cory Webber, Ben Viaene, Randall Reeves, Matthew Smith, Josh Smith, DaJuan Brown, Midoho, Okpokowuruk, and Zach Sharp. v Finally, a little later in the day on Nov. 15, the volleyball team will host its senior night, honoring the four seniors on the roster. The seniors are Courtney Smith, Allison May, Madison Keyes, and Ellen Conti. The 5:30 p.m. match is against UT Martin.

continued on page 11

fresh faces

Some of the newcomers who are making their debut in 2014-15

Brock McCoin / Football

Livingston, Tenn.

F Brock was twice named the Upper Cumberland Playmaker of the Year, a four-time All-District 7AA selection and a TSWA all-state pick while directing the Livingston Academy offense.

He passed for more than 4,000 career yards and accounted for more than 6,000 yards of total offense as a Wildcat. As a senior, he completed 63 percent of his tosses for 1,536 yards and 17 touchdowns with only two interceptions while rushing 110 times for 820 yards and 14 scores in the 2012 season.

Anna Cunningham / Golf

Cookeville, Tenn.

F Cunningham was a four-year letterwinner at Cookeville High School. As a junior, she sank the winning putt on the first hole of a playoff to lift the Lady Cavaliers over Walker Valley in the Region 3-AAA Tournament. She tied for 17th individually at the TSSAA Class 3A Tournament, helping CHS finish tied for fourth. As a senior, she qualified for the state tournament as an individual, tying for eighth place. She also captured the First Flight Division of the 2013 Tennessee Women’s State Amateur Championship.

Mary Francis Hoots / Soccer

Nashville, Tenn.

F Mary Francis lettered four years in both soccer and basketball at Father Ryan High School, earning team MVP honors as a senior. She was named all-region as both a junior and senior, scoring 12 goals and totaling 11 assists throughout her career.

She led her team to back-to-back region championships in 2012 and 2013 as well as a state title in 2012. Named to the honor roll all four years, she earned the Chemistry Honors Award and was a member of the National Honors Society.

Trey Thompson / Football

Cincinnati, Ohio

F In four seasons at LaSalle High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, Trey piled up over 200 career tackles as a starter at linebacker.

A versatile athlete, he lettered in football, baseball and basketball. As a senior, he had 120 total tackles along with five quarterback sacks and one interception.

Jordan Wachowiak / Volleyball

Muskego, Wis.

F Jordan wrapped up four years of play at Muskego High School with a hitting percentage of .318 while tallying 425 kills. She showcased her exceptional blocking skills with 308 block assists and 148 solo blocks. She qualified for state every year, including a state runner-up finish at the Division 1 level and left MHS holding the WIAA Division 1 State tournament records for most total blocks in four sets and most block assists in four sets.

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Feeling Social?

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{ } Stuff You Oughta Know

Basketball season is upon us, and the 2014-15 men’s and women’s teams will open up at home on Thursday night, Nov. 6 with the first of eight exciting doubleheaders in Eblen Center.

The women’s team will host Tennessee Wesleyan in an exhibition game at 5:30 p.m., and the men’s team will follow at 7:30 p.m. with an exhibition game versus Bluefield College.

Season tickets are on sale now through the Athletics Ticket Office in Eblen Center, or by calling (931) 372-3940. Tickets are available online at: www.TTUsports.com Get your costumes ready, and get ready to cheer. It’s Purple Palooza, this year with a Halloween theme once again.

Bring the little ones. Trick-ortreating around the concourse of Eblen Center begins at 6 p.m. At 7 p.m., the basketball teams will hit the floor with introductions, intra-squad scrimmages and 3-point shooting and dunk contests. It promises to be a night of fun and merriment. What will you dress up as?

Tune in to the OVC Digital Network to follow the Golden Eagles when you can’t be at the game. Home contests are produced by the Golden Eagle Sports Network. Best of all, the webstream productions are all FREE. Sign up for the Hoop Troop in 2014-15. The cost is still only $25 per person, and benefits are practically priceless! Free admission to every home basketball game, special gifts and activities, a Hoop Troop member presents the game ball at every home game, and much more. Call the Athletics Ticket Office in Eblen Center for details.

Get your tickets and plan to attend the annual Hall of Fame Dinner, when the five members

continued on page 13

fresh faces

Some of the newcomers who are making their debut in 2014-15

Lera McNamara / Cross Country Canton, Ga. F Lera attended Creekview High School in Canton, Ga., receiving awards in both athletics and academics. She received both the President’s Education Award and the Scholar Athlete Gold Award. She went to the state meet multiple years and twice received the teammate award. During her career, she was named Team Co-Captain, National Elite, and Top 10 County & Region.

While at CHS, she set personal records of 19:57 for the 5K, 5:48 for the mile, 12:26 for the two-mile and 2:43 for the 800m races.

K’Vonna Johnson / Volleyball

Missouri City, Texas F K’Vonna earned four letters in basketball and three in volleyball, playing both setter and middle blocker in high school and club. She averaged 28 assists, 11 kills and 13 blocks per match in her career at Lawrence Elkins High School, being named team captain her senior year. As a senior, she earned two first-team all-district awards and was named one of VYPE High School Sports Magazine’s 2013 “Hottest Hard Court Prospects” as a setter.

Willie Davis / Football

Lithonia, Ga. F Willie, the younger brother of former Golden Eagle AllAmerican receiver Tim Benford, transferred to Tech after spending the past two seasons at USF. As a redshirt freshman, he appeared in 11 games, ranking third on the team with 142 rushing yards on 39 carries. Prior to USF, he was an all-state selection and region MVP at Stephenson High School. As a senior he posted over 1,300 yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground with an additional 175 yards on 21 receptions.

Cassidy Ortman / Soccer

Huntsville, Ala.

F Cassidy was a two-sport athlete at Grissom High School in Huntsville, Ala., lettering in soccer for four years and playing volleyball for one. She earned all-city defensive player firstteam honors while serving as team captain as a senior. In her career, she helped lead the team to a 66-9 combined record, including a section championship in 2012. In club play, she was a member of both the Birmingham United Soccer Association and the Alabama Olympic Development Program.

Blake Luevano / Football

Arcadia, Calif.

F Blake started 17 games in two years for the Citrus College Fighting Owls in Glendora, Calif. before transferring to Tech. He was selected as permanent team captain following the 2013 season and earned second-team all-conference honors for the National Division of the Southern California Football Association. He also led Citrus to its first bowl game victory in 25 years. He lettered four years at Arcadia High School and also participated in track & field for four seasons, earning an all-conference nod for throwing.

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{ } Stuff You Oughta Know

of the Class of 2014 will be inducted (read all about the five inductees elsewhere in this issue of unlimited). Good food, great fellowship, and a chance to recognize some of the former student-athletes who have represented Tech with dignity, class and outstanding athletics careers. The event is simpy “out of this world.”

Faith, Family and Youth Day is set for Saturday, Nov. 1, when Tech hosts defending OVC champion Eastern Ilinois at 1:30 p.m. in Tucker Stadium. Groups tickets are available at $3 each for groups of 25 to 49 persons, $2 each for 50 to 99 persons, and just $1 each for 100 or more. It’s also “Take a Kid to the Game” day with free youth admission when accompanied by a paid adult. Call (931) 372-3940 for additional information or to order tickets. A post-game concert will wrap up what promises to be an uplifting day.

fresh faces

Some of the newcomers who are making their debut in 2014-15

Zoie Hensley / Soccer Ranchos de Taos, N.M. F Zoie lettered four years at Taos High School, earning Gatorade New Mexico Girls Soccer Player of the Year, Albuquerque Journal Player of the Year and the Santa Fe New Mexican Soccer Player of the Year. She ranked fourth in the nation in scoring by Max Preps as a senior, finishing the year with 54 goals and 17 assists and leading her team to the state semifinals. Her team also finished as the state runner-up her sophomore year. She won back-toback state titles while playing for the New Mexico Rush 96.

John Arnold / Football

Rockwood, Tenn.

F John was a three year letterman as the kicker and punter under Coach Bruce Lussier at Father Ryan High School. He earned All-Region and All-State kicker, Special Teams MVP and TWSA All-State kicker honors. He was also the captain of the football team his senior year. His field goal career high was 49 yards and he averaged a 38.3 punting average. John was also an All-State soccer player for the state championship soccer team.

Geoffrey Sambu / Cross Country

Nakura, Kenya F Geoffrey spent his first year of college at Florida A&M University before he transferred to TTU for his sophomore year.

He competed in the 8K, 10K, and mile run, setting personal records of 24:39 for the 8K, 31:13 for the 10K and 4:28.21 for the mile. (See pages 64-67 to read more about Geoffrey).

Tech’s final home game of the year, Saturday, Nov. 15 against Chattanooga, is Military and Pubic Safety Appreciation Day, with free admission for members and families of the U.S. military, both active and retired, as well as persons who work in public safety fields. It’s also Scout Day for area scouts, with free admission for all scouts.

Kellie Williams / Volleyball

Tennessee Tech is the most followed Athletics Department in the Ohio Valley Conference, with more than 8,000 Twitter followers, and here’s your chance to add your name to the growing list of followers.

You can receive updates, photos and special offers, so follow and/or like us today.

Check us out at: TTUGoldenEagles and #TTUPurplePride

Tyler Harrell / Football

Charlotte, N.C.

F Kellie was a four-year letterwinner at Charlotte Latin High School, finishing her prep career with 1,185 kills, 1,058 digs, 145 blocks and 203 aces. Becoming just the third player in CLHS history to go over the 1,000 kills mark, Kellie helped the school to three NCISSA-3A State Championships during her freshman, sophomore and junior years. She was honored as a three-time NCISSA-3A all-state selection, a four-time all-conference selection and was named to the Under Armor All-American Watch List.

Calera, Ala.

F Tyler helped guide Calera High School to its best season in school history and No. 1 ranking in Class 4A in Alabama for six consecutive weeks in 2013. He scored three touchdowns on interception returns and three more as a punt returner, earning spots on the All-Shelby County and All-Birmingham Metro teams. A versatile athlete, he also lettered in basketball and baseball.

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photo by Matt Reynolds

IN FOCUS

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Waving with pride...

Golden Eagle cheerleaders wave the golden flag at a Golden Eagle football game in Tucker Stadium. One thing is for sure, the team will never wave a “white� flag of surrender. No, this one will do just fine, thank you!

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SIBLING REVELRY

By Rob Schabert Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information

They

claim there isn’t any competition between them, these two Cincinnati sisters, and that assertion appears authentic during casual conversations and everyday enterprises.

Yeah, right.

A college volleyball player and a college soccer player, three years apart and the fruit of the same loving family, their claim is mostly true. However, a sporting, killer instinct bubbles just under the surface. One seemingly simple, innocent question unleashes their scrappiness. continued on page 18

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How do two sisters growing up in the same house, with the same support from their family, and aiming toward similar careers in nursing, end up playing distinctly different sports in college? We dig (not in the volleyball sense) into the history and habits of freshman Michaella Keyes (left) and senior Madison Keyes.

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cover story continued from page 17

We asked: Which of you plays the better sport?

VOLLEYBALL PLAYER: I do.

SOCCER PLAYER: Are you serious? I do.

VOLLEYBALL PLAYER: Volleyball is the greatest combination of skill and athleticism.

SOCCER PLAYER: Volleyball? Volleyball?

VOLLEYBALL PLAYER: Yes. I’m just saying. It uses every part of your body (holding her arms out to her sides, limp, to signifying their non-use in soccer).

SOCCER PLAYER: When you’re getting bumped off the ball you use your arms. No, soccer is far superior to volleyball. We play through weather conditions. We literally run seven to nine miles every day.

VOLLEYBALL PLAYER: So, we’re smart enough to play inside and not out in the weather.

SOCCER PLAYER: There is no contact in volleyball. In soccer, you’re getting slammed off the ball.

VOLLEYBALL PLAYER: The only thing we agree on is that I would die if I played her sport, and she would die if she played my sport. If she jumped for three hours…

SOCCER PLAYER: I’d play libero! And you’d sit in the back. You wouldn’t run. You’d be the goalkeeper.

VOLLEYBALL PLAYER: Soccer, anybody can go kick a ball around. In volleyball, not just anybody can play.

You have to have some skill to keep the ball in the air.

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cover story Got it from dad

Madison Keyes is a senior member of the Tennessee Tech volleyball team. Her sister Michaella, three years her junior, is a true freshman member of the Golden Eagle soccer team. They are two of three daughters born to Wendy and Michael Keyes of Cincinnati.

The third sister, Macey, is attend Sycamore High School where she is a freshman on the Aviator’s volleyball team.

“She’s actually pretty good,” admits Madison, who shares the sport with her youngest sister.

Three young women, all competing in sports. Clearly from an athletic family, right?

Not necessarily.

“Mom played softball in high school,” says Michaella.

“But it wasn’t anything real serious,” adds Madison “We got it mainly from our dad,” says Michaella.

“Mom isn’t really the athletic type. She’s more like a Barbie Doll. She’s ‘princess-y.’ She doesn’t want to get dirty or sweaty.”

Mom doesn’t disagree.

“It’s a good description,” says Wendy. “I didn’t play sports in high school. I didn’t really have the opportunity to play.”

It was Wendy and Michael who got the girls started in sports, enrolling them in gymnastics, swimming and other activities at the YMCA when they were very young.

The family has always nurtured a sports-heavy lifestyle.

“We’re all big sports fans. The Bengals and the Reds.

We like them a lot,” says Madison. “My dad has finished our basement and set it up like a sports lounge. It’s awesome, really. We have all kinds of sports-related stuff down there. There’s a big, neon Bengals sign.”

It’s in the blood

The love of sports isn’t the only trait that was nurtured by their family. Both are majoring in nursing at Tech, a career path that is also in the family history.

Wendy is a nurse in a women’s health field, and their maternal grandmother was also in nursing.

“In the end, I want to be a family nurse practitioner, so that will take some extra school,” says Madison. “I think eventually I’ll need my master’s.”

And majoring in nursing is no small task, keeping her away from volleyball quite often in her senior season.

“The workload is tremendous,” says TTU volleyball coach Dave Zelenock. “It’s very challenging for her to find time to eat, sleep, practice , study, and she has had to make concessions.

“She flat out does not practice at all on Thursdays because of clinicals and Thursday is a big ‘live day’ for us.

It’s been really tough on her. She has to get it done on film, and doesn’t have a chance to do some of those things in practice. She has to ‘think’ it in preparations for our next opponent,” Zelenock explained.

That heavy workload hasn’t slowed her or caused a letdown.

“I have never heard her complain,” Zelenock says. “She accepts that the next couple months will be a real grind, and then it will get a little better when volleyball is finished.

She wanted to be a nurse, and she also wanted to be a volleyball player.

It was her decision, and she’s making it work.”

Madison admits that it’s a burden.

“The goal right now is just to get through this semester, because it’s really kicking my butt,” she says. “I’ve continued on next page

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cover story continued from page 19

finally adjusted to everything, but I’m telling you, at the beginning of the semester I thought I was going to have a panic attack. “

Having her little sister living with her was a huge plus.

“She did have a panic attack a couple of times,” Michaella says.

“I would wake up crying, and I was worried that I was late for class, and Michaella was there. She would say to me, ‘it’s like two in the morning and you’re fine.’ I always felt like I was trying to catch my breath and get caught up on everything. I mean it just hit me. Nursing was crazy.”

In her fourth year on campus, Madison started upper division nursing courses last semester and this fall is in clinicals, and she feels like she has things under control despite the pressures and timecrushing schedules.

“Now I feel like I’ve got in under control. I’ve adjusted well. My clinicals are almost done. I just had to figure how to manage my time.”

Family ties

With both girls playing high school and club sports, and Macey not too many years behind, it put the family to the test in trying to follow and support each of them.

“It was absolutely crazy, especially before I started driving,” says Madison. “There was a lot of planning to do, because we also had our younger sister playing, too. You have to be careful about giving too much attention to anyone, especially with girls.”

All of that travel didn’t keep anyone from participating.

“They wanted us involved in stuff, so there was never anyone saying, ‘oh, you can’t make it’ to something. ” They found a way to get us where we needed to be, even if it meant them taking time off. I can’t thank my parents enough for all the stuff they did. We stressed them out with all that. It’s just incredible how they made it all work.”

“It was tough. We just juggled things,” explains Wendy. “There were many times they were playing in different cities. We’d just figure out how we were going to manage where we were going to be.”

Many times the family was forced to split up and go in different directions to follow the daughters.

Having two sisters at the same college will help reduce travel from the pinball-like bouncing around from site to site.

“They come to a lot of games, especially since it’s my senior year and especially when we both have big home games,” Madison says. “They make it to a lot of games, but if they do stay at home, they watch the webstream of it, and they connect it to the big screen TV in our basement. They have people over, make food and they dress up our dog with a jersey.

Great Eights

And, of course the dog’s jersey bears the number “8” just like both Keyes’ Golden Eagle game jerseys (left). That, however, was not planned.

“Actually, Michaella requested a different number. They just happened to give her eight,” Madison says.

“I really wanted number five,” says Michaella. “Number five has been my number for the longest time.”

Madison tried to go in a different direction.

“When I started playing volleyball, they asked what number I wanted and I chose 58 because she was five and I was eight at the continued on page 22

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cover story

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cover story Keyes Notes

continued from page 20

time. But nobody’s 58 in volleyball, so I just took the 8.

My big numbers were 13, 36, and five. I guess eight was all that was left.”

And Macey requested the number eight for her high school volleyball jersey, and wears it proudly in tribute to her older sisters.

Different roads

Madison’s Answers

Michaella’s Answers

Who is more competitive?

So, exactly how did two seemingly close sisters end up playing two distinctly different sports in college?

“I actually started playing volleyball because I got cut from the soccer team,” admits Madison. “I got cut from the team in seventh grade. I wanted to stay active, so I started running cross country in high school. The next fall, I saw girls going into the gym wearing knee pads, and I checked into that, and I thought maybe I’d try out for volleyball.

“I literally tried out for volleyball with absolutely no experience,” she admits.

“She couldn’t even serve a ball overhand over the net when she went to tryout,” says Michaella.

Madison was the last person added to the eighth grade team. The next year, there was a new coach at the helm. According to Madison, the new coach was “really intense.”

“If you can’t serve a ball, you’re cut right there,” he told the hopefuls. “I was in trouble.”

Enter Kristen Hammergren, the neighbor who lived across the street. She was four years older than Madison and had just gotten a full scholarship offer to play volleyball in Pittsburgh for Duquesne University.

“She took me to the high school gym and taught me how to serve,” Madison recalls. “The day of tryouts I made two serves over the net, and I made the team. It was enough to get me on the team, but I knew for the next two years if I wanted to keep playing, I needed to get better, so I played club, I took private lessons, and I really improved a lot my sophomore and junior years.”

During her junior season at Sycamore, she followed the lead of other players on her team who were making recruiting videos in hopes of gaining the attention of college coaches.

“My teammates questioned why I would make one, but I went ahead and did,” she says, and sent it out to several schools.

She was talking with coaches at Wright State, IUPUI and Evansville, among others, and (then TTU coach) John Blair sent a letter asking her to visit Cookeville.

“On my visit, he offered me a scholarship and I just knew it was the right place. I really liked the campus, the girls on the team were really nice, and I had always wanted to go south. I hate the cold and the weather in Cincinnati. So, I accepted the offer and came to Tech.” continued on page 24

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We asked the Keyes sisters a few questions and told them to choose which of them was the best answer to the question.

Who is the better athlete?

Who became interested in boys first?

Who is the better student?

Who is the funniest?

Who has the most influence over the other one?

Who is the better driver?

Neither, we are both horrible drivers

Who is the better singer?

Who is the better dancer?

What is your sister most afraid of?

Michaella is most afraid of going out too far in the ocean and not being able to see what is around her.

I would say that Madison is most afraid of failing out of the nursing program.

What is the proudest you’ve ever been for your sister?

When she overcame her ACL injury and decided to continue playing in college. She worked so had to recover and showed that she is extremely tough mentally and physically.

The proudest I’ve ever been of Madison is when she made it into the nursing program at TTU. She worked so hard to achieve that goal, and it finally paid off.

cover story

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cover story continued from page 22

The second sister

Michaella’s journey to Tech took a slightly different route, and because of a serious injury in her senior season, almost didn’t happen.

During her freshman year in high school, she played “down” a level for the U15 club team in her area.

“Then, in my sophomore year, I decided I wanted to play in college, so I moved ‘up’ a level. I went from U15 to U17, and I skipped U16. That’s when I really decided. I was talking to some schools, and talking to the coach at Tech (former coach Daniel Brizard).

Once she made the decision to attend Tech, Madison played a key role.

“Her being here really influenced me,” Michaella says. “We decided that since I was also going into nursing, we should just live together.”

The living arrangement not only saved money, but it made it convenient for their parents to have them both at one school.

But, wait, we’ve gotten ahead of ourselves.

Michaella secured a position on the highest level club team in the area, but halfway through her senior high school season, she suffered an injury, tearing her ACL and was forced to miss the remainder of her final season and a full season of club. The injury happened in October, and she didn’t delay the start of rehab.

“She worked really hard in rehab,” recalls Madison.

“She was going three days a week, trying to get ready to come here. She was really pushing it, doing rehab and also doing even more on her own.”

With the injury coming in October, and signing day not scheduled until the spring, Michaella was determined to be ready to go when the time came. She decided to commit to Tennessee Tech, but had to tell Brizard that she had torn her ACL. She was worried he wouldn’t want her anymore.

They talked about it, and he told her to come anyway.

“You know what? Let’s go,” is what Michaella recalls of the conversation with Brizard. “Let’s just see what you’ve got.”

Clockwise from top left: Madison Keyes (volleyball), Michaella Keyes (soccer), Kyle Keatts (baseball), Hannah Eldridge (softball) and Brock McCoin (football).

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8 Current Golden Eagles who wear number 8

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cover story

“He told me that he had other girls who had those types of injuries in the past, and wanted me to have the opportunity to give it a try,” she says.

About a week later, Tech made a coaching change as Brizard stepped down and administration began a national search for a new head coach.

All through the next couple months of rehab, Tech was really supportive of me in everything,” she says, beginning with assistant coach Corey Boyd and continuing when Steve Springthorpe was named head coach.

“They told me ‘just get back, get back into it.’ They would call me every week and ask about how rehab was going, how running was going, and how I felt. They were cool.”

Once she arrived on campus, her season was almost derailed as it pulled out of the station. On the second day of practice, while running the stairs of the stadium, she slipped and fell and suffered an injury close to her recently healed ACL. She missed a week of practice while recovering from that injury.

Still, she has brought several intangibles to the team, according to her coach.

“She has shown a really good character in her role,” Springthorpe says. “She has been really accepting of her role and she is working very hard to improve. She challenges our other players when she’s on the second squad.

Against our top 11, she makes it hard on the defensive team. She’s attentive, and she does everything expected of her from a coaching perspective.”

What does it mean

Playing a sport is important to each of the sisters.

“Playing soccer means everything to me,” says Michaella, who is in the Honors program at Tech.

“That’s what I identify myself with. When I go to introduce myself, I say ‘Hi, I’m Michaella, I play soccer,’ because I’ve done it all my life, year-round.”

For Madison, the dedication required to comcontinued on next page

Can you name these sports legends who have worn number 8?

Number 8 in culture, art, literature and trivia k The Jewish holiday Hanukkah has eight days k “Jon and Kate Plus 8” – An American reality television show k There are eight furlongs in a mile k “8 Mile” – 2002 film about Eminem directed by Curtis Hanson k There are eight vegetables in V8 juice

k “Eight Men Out” – 1988 baseball film directed by John Sayles k There are eight teeth in each quadrant and the eighth tooth is the so-called wisdom tooth k There are eight fluid ounces in a cup k The 8-track cartridge is a musical recording format

k “Eight Days a Week” – No. 1 single from the Beatles k I-8 is the designation for the interstate highway that runs from San Diego, Calif. to Casa Grande, Ariz. k The number eight is considered a lucky number in Chinese k In chemisty the atomic number for oxygen is eight.

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cover story continued from page 25

pete in sports has also defined many aspects of her.

“Volleyball represents a lot of hard work and determination. I like setting a goal and saying this is what I want to do. Volleyball has taught me a lot of things, and made me a better person in so many ways. From all the people I’ve met, to time management, to leadership. It’s helped in knowing how to communicate with people, to work things out, to being a team player. It’s taken a lot for me to get to where I am.”

And many of those traits are clearly seen by volleyball coach Dave Zelenock.

“She has done a really good job of learning what works with each of her teammates and adjusting to that,” he says. “She’s shown great maturity.

She has really grown in the two years I’ve known her. She has become more accepting and tolerant of the different personalities in her teammates. She’s there for them to help them get the very best out of each of themselves.”

Not only are they playing sports they love, but doing so on the Division I level in college. That, too, means much to them.

“To be able to get an education while playing as a college studentathlete, that’s an opportunity that a lot of people will never have,” Madison reflects. “I really appreciate the opportunity I’ve had. I never really thought about it, but when I see the reaction of people when they learn I’m a student-athlete, I realize how hard it has been.”

For Michaella, even though she has only just embarked on a career as a collegiate student-athlete, the immensity of it has already sunk in.

“High school was one thing, and club was pretty serious, but this is a whole other level of commitment,” she says. “It’s so much more. It takes so much more.”

Name Game

Madison and Michaella share more than a common uniform number and apartment address. Each

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of them (and sister Macey, as well) has Aleen as a middle name. It’s a name that has been passed down in the family. It was the middle name of their grandmother, Wendy’s mom.

Madison Aleen E. Keyes also has the initial ‘E’ in her title. It stands for her great grandmother, Eleanor.

“She died right before I was born, so they gave me her name,” she explains.

Michaella Aleen C. Keyes got the initial ‘C’ which stands for Claudette. She was supposed to be a boy, according to her elder sister, named for their father, Michael Claude. So, they turned it into Michealla Claudette.

The youngest is Macey Aleen N. Keyes. The ‘N’ is for Nanette, which was Mike’s mom’s name.

cover story It’s getting better

Any advice?

Both sisters play on teams that are striving to rebuild to championship levels, and each sees progress within her team.

“I think the soccer team is growing better and better,” says Michaella. “I see it in the mentality about the team, about what we say about our own team. When people might criticize or say something negative, we don’t go along with it. It’s a whole new mindset.”

She says there’s a sincere camaraderie within the team.

“It’s really good. Everyone is friends,” she says.

“Everybody includes each other. On the field, if we’re having a bad day, there’s always somebody to pick you up.

“We just have to to be patient. It’s a whole new coaching staff, a whole new style of doing everything. It’s working. We’re getting back. We can see it building every practice, every game. We are all totally dedicated to getting better.”

That’s the assessment of a squad under a firstyear coach (Springthorpe). The appraisal by Madison of the volleyball team under a second-year coach (Zelenock) is also positive.

“We’re really focused on what we need to get done. We’re all very serious about getting better.

When you have 14 girls, you have a lot of drama and stuff, but I don’t think there’s any conflicts within this team.”

She said the squad is moving forward.

“We’ve lost a lot of games, and we’ve been through a lot. Losing is never easy. You get a lot of people blaming other people. But I think we’ve been tough and stuck through it, and we’ve continued to work hard. We’ve put in the work to rebuild the program, and I feel we’re getting things going. We’re starting to win more now, and when the team wins more in years to come we’ll feel like we contributed to that rebuilding. We know how much we’ve been through, and we can take pride in knowing we toughed it out.”

It was something the players on the squad began to sense a year ago, when matches were marked with many close losses.

“We could definitely feel we were getting closer.

We had good team chemistry and we could see it in our skill sets. We’re just now realizing what it takes to win. Last year we began the transition, and this year we’re putting it to work and starting to win those close games.”

As the younger of the pair, Michaella doesn’t have many opportunities to offer advice.

“It’s just like when she’s having her little breakdowns with so much going on, I just tell her, ‘calm down, it will be over in a couple weeks.’ She won’t have to deal with volleyball and nursing at the same time. I help her calm down. I have four more years of this, but she’s almost finished.”

Madison, on the other hand, can dish out plenty of advice to her little sis.

“Oh, yeah, and it’s not always welcomed but I give it anyway. I think she listens and pays attention.

She’s trying to figure out her own way. She’s a freshman. She has to live her own life and get her own experiences. I know I did my own dumb freshman stuff.”

And in the end…

Combining a career as a student-athlete with the rigors of working toward a nursing degree have forced Madison (and eventually Michaella) to sacrifice much along the way. There’s been little or no time for anything outside of those two realms.

“Volleyball means a lot to me, but nursing is the rest of my life. It’s my career. I’m not going to play volleyball in the future. I’m not going pro,” Madison admits.

When she walks across the stage next May in Eblen Center to accept her degree, she won’t look back over her shoulder and wonder.

“I will have no regrets, absolutely no regrets. I’m going to be extremely proud of myself for making it through all of this. I may have scared the freshmen away from nursing. Not many people get to even be a nursing major, and to be a student-athlete on top of it. A lot of people warned me how difficult it would be, and it has been really hard, but it will be so worth it. How many people can say they’ve done what I’ve done?”

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WATCH YOUR GOLDEN EAGLES ONLINE ANYTIME! ANYWHERE! FOR FREE!

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on our radar

SPECIAL EVENTS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IN THE COMING MONTHS Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 6 p.m.

Wear your costume to Purple Palooza

F The third annual Purple Palooza continues the Halloween theme

that began a year ago. Student groups and area businesses will fill the outer concourse of Eblen Center with decorated booths and treats. Come dressed in costume starting at 6 p.m. At 7 p.m., the Golden Eagle women’s and men’s basketball teams will be on display with introductions and intrasquad scrimmages

Friday, Oct. 31 and Saturday, Nov. 15

Fans get one final chance to cheer

F Tennessee Tech will bid farewell to seniors in soccer, volleyball and football with the annual Senior Day activities for each sport. The soccer team hosts its event on Sunday, Oct. 26, SIUE at 1 p.m. The volleyball and football teams share Senior Day on Saturday, Nov. 15. The football team hosts Chattanooga at 1:30 p.m. in Tucker Stadium, and the volleyball team entertains UT Martin at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are available for the football game; soccer and volleyball are free admission.

Wedsneday, Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Special Delivery of Basketball Season Tickets F Tennessee Tech basketball coaches Steve Payne and Jim Davis will be among the personnel out on the streets of Cookeville as Tech Athletics holds a Special Delivery Day for persons (within the city limits) who order Golden Eagle Basketball Season Tickets for 2014-15. We will deliver your tickets in 60 minutes or less — or the tickets are free! Who knows who will show up with your tickets. Call (931) 372-3940 to order.

Friday, Nov. 7 at 6:30 p.m.

Hall of Fame Induction F Five former Golden Eagle athletes will be inducted into the Tech Sports Hall of Fame at the annual Hall of Fame Dinner in the Roaden University Center. Come and celebrate the careers of the Class of 2014, which includes Casey Benjamin (baseball), Stephanie Busch Warren (volleyball), Howard Cochran (football), Dr. Aaron Hupman (rifle) and LeeAnn Mongar Shurette (softball). Call (931) 372-3940 for ticket information.

Saturday Nov. 15 vs. Chattanooga at 1:30 p.m.

Military Appreciation Day

F Athletics takes time to honor personnel in the U.S. military, as well as those serving in the fields of public safety. The Golden Eagle football team hosts Chattanooga in the final home game of the 2014 season. All current and retired members of the U.S. military may receive free tickets to the game for their immediate family. Please call (931) 372-3940 for information on receiving your free tickets. And THANK YOU.

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photo by Jim Dillon

IN FOCUS

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Oh, no you don’t...

Golden Eagle goalkeeper Rebecca Toler stretches to deflect a shot away from goal in a match early this season.

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when do you know?

We saw this posted on a chalkboard in a coffee shop, and customers had written their answers in a variety of colors. So, we asked the same question: When do you know when it’s time to switch from cold drinks to hot drinks? Keeping with the chalkboard idea, here are some answeres from student-athletes and staff:

kets n a l b o w t g ed in e n t r a t s I When . e n o f o d a e t (TR) l l a to sleep ins b m i K n y - Bro okl

It’s time to sw itch from co ld drinks to hot drinks when it’s officially swea ter weather.

- Kellie Willi ams (VB)

It’s never time to sw itch to hot drinks!

Iced coffees and frappes are the way to go… Always!

-- Whitney Robertson (WG) utsi de o h t a e r b y see m When I can drinks? m r a w r When the gr o f ass k ( VB) it’s time c o n e l e Z turns mo ist, e v -- Da

when the branches start to limb, and wh en the co ld breeze blows throug h you r hair, it’s time to tu rn to hot drinks.

-Marc Graha m (GESN)

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I think it’s time to start dr inking hot drinks when you stop go ing out only w ith a t-shirt or tank top.

--- Irem Sile (VB)

I would say g on the end in edge of fall so like after Halloween – Davi d Allen (BB)

Usually around the

time where th beg in to cha e leaves nge co lors. S o m e people jum the gun and p run to Starbu cks as so on the pumpkin as spice latte c omes out wh is late Augus ich t. Personally for me that early, I’m m is to o ore patient th an other people, I do n’t make the sw itch until to ro ll up m I need y w indows w hile driving because it’s to o co ld outsid e. That’s whe like my nice n I cup of Britis h Breakfast tea, w ith a d hot ash of milk and a lot m sugar than I ore ’m w illing to admit. Living in co okeville here , I’d say I m ake the sw it around mid ch or la te October.

-Luke Wo o d ason (F B)

Co ld drinks are for when I am thirsty or parched, Hot drinks are for when I need comfort or warmth.

- Nancy Greene (ADMIN)

When you slip on the ice, it’s definitely time to switch to hot drinks.

– Javon McKay (MBB)

depend ing k in r d ld o c r o I drink a hot beg in w ith. to ld o c r o t o h on if I’m of fall! g in n in g e b y ll a But usu s (SOC) -- Karigan Owen

I would sw itch d rinks f rom to hot when it st arts getting - Candace Parso n

co ld co ld ( WBB) 33

off the rack

We wandered the magazine racks at a local bookstore, and randomly pulled several general interest magazines to review. We were looking for magazine with the potential for mass appeal, so we stayed away from magazines aimed at specific audiences or topics such as hot rods, guns, fishing, wedding gowns and home decorating. Here’s some of what we found.

OUR FAVORITE - Most worth a subscription LIVE HAPPY

- monthly Online at: http://www.livehappy.com Here’s a really refreshing take on publications – a magazine devoted to living, well, happy! Columns give tips on changing the way we say things, to getting rid of excess baggage, to showing how your moods are contagious. It might sound superficial, but there’s plenty of good stuff between the covers. A feature on great places to watch 4th of July fireworks displays, America’s 10 most satisfied cities (Fort Collins-Loveland, Colo. is ranked at the top), and a list of great beach books for summer. Feature articles go in-depth with Miranda Lambert, and a special piece on finding happiness in children with special needs. When the world begins to weigh on you, this is one lifeline that can help with a feast of ideas and a push in the right direction. Not much advertising in this one, and the ads included are also positive and/or inspiring toward living better.

There isn’t a digital version of the magazine itself, but there is a website with many of the same articles plus a whole lot more.

APOSTROPHE

- quarterly Online at: http://apostrophemagazine.com Like Live Happy (above), here’s a magazine tha’s extremely positive — it focuses on people, not their disabilities. And it does so in an informative and interesting way, not looking for pity or for readers to feel sorry for the subjects. On the contrary, the features and subjects are uplifting. The editors examine fashion, finances, health and wellness, home & garden and recipes, plus book and movie reviews. There are resources for disabled (which are also resources for able-bodied persons). One of the better features are the series of blogs on a wide variety of subjects. This magazine can be bought in the bookstore, and several of the articles and features are free online. The subscription offer includes giving the magazine as a gift, which could be a wonderful idea for the right person. Consider checking it out.

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BLUE RIDGE

bi-monthly Online at: http://blueridgecountry.com/online Looking for a great Craft Beer Festival within a few hours drive of Cookeville? How about a hiking trail on the Virginia/West Virginia border? Blue Ridge Country magazine, which can be found at the bookstore or read in digital format online, brings a wide scope of stories, features and photographs from throughout Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, the Carolinas, West Virginia and Virginia. The staff tracks down recipes from the iconic restaurants and inns throughout the region, displays beautiful photos highlighting the wonderful scenery, and compiles an extremely comprehensive calendar of events. Published every other month, it’s pretty light, refreshing with very little advertising.

FAST COMPANY

bi-monthly Online at: http://www.fastcompany.com This magazine was created in 1995 by a couple of former Harvard Business Review editors, and its’ been around for nearly 20 years with a progressive business media brand. It’s editorial focus is on innovation in technology, ethical economics, leadership, and design. Written for, by, and about the most progressive business leaders, Fast Company aims to inspire readers to think beyond traditional boundaries, lead conversations, and create the future of business. Articles run the range of how to be a better boss, to choosing fonts and type styles in graphics, to making friends at work, to product reviews. This one is worth a look, if only for the wide variety of fresh stories angles and lessons to learn. Most of the magazine is available online for free, but the printed version is a great carry-on for killing time productively while traveling.

THRIVE

bi-monthly Online at: http://www.mythrivemag.com Thrive connects with today’s most influential movers and shakers, including top performing athletes, elite trainers, professional sports teams, touring musicians who play to sold out stadiums, eco and social entrepreneurs who’s innovations change the way we live our lives. Each issue features diverse columnists, and plant-based performance nutrition as a means to enabling professional and Olympic athletes to perform at the highest level. There are feature stories fitness articles reviews of books, documentaries and gear. Thrive also features top yoga teachers, performance columnists and successful mavericks in numerous fields. You can buy a printed copy or purchase an online subscription, and many of the articles are available for browsing on the website free of charge.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER

bi-monthly Online at: http://www.nationalgeographic.com Anyone with an interest in travel, or simply a curiosity about places and people around the world, should love this magazine. It gets the armchair reader up off the cushy couch and into places they might not even think about visiting. And then, it might also get the reader to actually think about going. This one isn’t free online, so either subscribe or purchase a copy off the magazine rack.

This issue features a visit to Portugal, Amsterdam and royal London, among other locales. The maps are fantastic (leave it to Nat Geo), and the quality of the writing — while it’s sometimes not as exciting and dramatic — as it could be, it’s always informative and correct. You can trust this magazine to not send you on a wild goose chase (unless that’s what you’re looking for), and to put you in (mostly) safe and interesting places when you follow it’s advice.

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in your ear

Daniel Williamson’s

PLAYLIST

The sophomore distance runner, who hails from Union City, Tenn., gives a sneak peek into his musical style.

Ali in the Jungle

by The Hours

At times during the season I start to feel sorry for myself and the excuses to stay down and not get up flood my mind, so I listen to this song as a motivator to keep getting back up and pushing harder.

The Show Goes On

by Lupe Fiasco

I’ve faced a lot of adversity this season and sometimes it’s hard to see past what has happened to me and push forward. This song gives me the inspiration and desire to not let the things of the past define my future but rather to define my own path of success.

Chicken Fried

by Zac Brown Band

This song reminds me of home when I miss my family.

Dirt Road Anthem

by Jason Aldean

I was raised up in a small town where me and my friends would always cruise the back roads and listen to country music.

Eye of the Tiger

by Survivor

Who doesn’t get pumped to “Eye of the Tiger”, this is America.

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Hall of Fame Meet the Class of 2014

A member of the Golden Eagle baseball team from 2001-03, Casey Benjamin was a two-time all-Ohio Valley Conference first teamer, claiming the honor in both 2002 and 2003 as a shortstop. Named as the Tennessee Tech’s Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year in 2003, he led the team in batting average (.423), runs scored (56), hits (85), and doubles (17).

Following just two years with the Tech squad, he found his name among the all-time Golden Eagle greats, finishing in the Top 10 of several statistical categories.

Benjamin started every game of his Tech career, playing in 170 contests, including 61 of the 63 games as a member of the 2001 OVC Tournament championship team. He led the Golden Eagles to a Knoxville Regional victory, smoking a two-run game-winning home run in the top of the ninth to defeat the No. 1 seeded Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 9-7.

At the conclusion of his career, he ranked second all-time in hits with 209, just four shy of then-hits leader Chad Malone. His 304 total bases ranked fourth all-time when he finished his Golden Eagle career. He also held the No. 4 spot in career doubles with 44, helping the 2001 squad to a record-setting season with 153 doubles. Benjamin drew 96 walks in his three seasons at Tech, finishing fourth all-time in base on balls. He wrapped up his career ranking fifth in runs scored with 143, sixth in RBI with 114, and seventh in triples with six.

Benjamin enjoyed a largely successful senior campaign in 2003, finishing the season with a .423 batting average, which was good enough for fourth best in single season in Tech history. He also concluded the 2003 season with 82 hits, fourth most among Golden Eagle players. He cracked the Top 10 in single season performances two more times including seventh in total bases with 126 and eighth in runs scored with 56. He was named the team’s Most Valuable Player after leading the Tech squad in batting average, runs scored, hits, and doubles. He also earned OVC Player of the Week honors in 2003.

In 2003, Benjamin signed with the Texas Rangers as an undrafted free agent. He spent eight years with the Rangers’ organization, playing as high as the AAA level for the Oklahoma City Redhawks. He was named to the AA Texas League all-star team in 2007. He was also named both a mid-season and post-season Atlantic League all-star in 2010 and 2012 as a member of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. The Blue Crabs named him as the team MVP in both 2010 and 2012 as well.

Prior to his Golden Eagle career, Benjamin earned three letters in baseball, two letters in basketball, and two letters in tennis at West Fargo High School in West Fargo, N.D. He spent one year at Iowa Western Community College, batting .343 as a freshman before transferring to Tech. Benjamin is the owner and an instructor of LTD Baseball Academy in Murfreesboro, Tenn. He received his bachelor’s degree in 2004.

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Hall of Fame Meet the Class of 2014

A member of the Golden Eagle volleyball team from 19972000, Stephanie Busch made a lasting impact on the record books, helped her team to its first-ever OVC Tournament Championship and first NCAA appearance, and was a fourtime member of all-OVC lists.

To this day, she still holds the TTU single-season record for block assists with 133, the career total blocks record with 548, and career block assists mark with 446. She also holds the single-game Ohio Valley Conference record for block assists with 14, and is third all-time in the OVC with her 446 career block assists. Her presence on the court helped guide the Golden Eagles to a 69-45 overall record during her career, including the school’s first-ever OVC Tournament Championship and the first NCAA appearance in 1997.

Busch opened up her Golden Eagle career with an impressive freshman season. She tallied 133 block assists and 157 total blocks, which were good enough for single-season school records. The 133 block assists still stands as a school record 17 years later. Along with the blocks, Busch recorded 221 kills while hitting .278. The OVC recognized Busch’s achievements as she was named second-team All-OVC as well as being named to the AllNewcomer Team. Her defensive prowess proved exceptionally key during the squad’s OVC Tournament-clinching run, and she was named to the OVC All-Tournament team.

Her second season in purple and gold resulted in more All-OVC honors, this time around a First Team distinction. She tallied an OVC-leading 116 block assists and 135 total blocks, which was good enough for second all-time to her 155 from the season prior. She also added a career-high 297 kills while hitting a career-best .302 Although a shoulder injury shortened her junior season, Busch earned her third-straight All-OVC honor by being named to the second team. She tallied 223 kills while hitting .264, 118 total blocks and 100 block assists. She set the school career record in block assists at 349 through just three seasons. Busch recorded double-figure kills in 11 matches. She also set the OVC single-game block assists record with 14 against Eastern Illinois. She was also honored for her academics, earning a place on the OVC Honor Roll.

During her senior year, she added another 97 block assists, moving her school record up to 446. She tallied 206 kills while hitting a team-high .246. Her team-leading performances during the season led her to her fourth All-OVC honor as she was named to the second team. She was only the second player in OVC history to be named to four consecutive All-OVC teams and to be named to the All-Newcomer team. She also was given the team Coach’s Award.

She received her bachelor’s degree in 2001 in sociology.

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Hall of Fame Meet the Class of 2014

A four-year letterwinner (1969-72) on the Golden Eagle gridiron, Cochran was a member of the 1972 Ohio Valley Conference championship team under head coach Don Wade. The Golden Eagles went 10-2 that season and a perfect 7-0 in conference play, capping off the year with an appearance in the Grantland Rice Bowl versus Louisiana Tech.

Cochran stood 6-foot-5 and weighed in at 245 as a senior (that was pretty big in 1972), and headed into the season as a veteran lineman and starter at guard. Affectionately known as “Red Bone,” Cochran he opened his career as a guard and played some as a freshman. He moved to the defensive line as a sophomore, a role that lasted half a season before the coaches moved him back to the offensive line where he started the remainder of his career. He helped push the team toward numerous offensive records in ‘72, incuding most rushing attempts in a single game (83 vs.

Morningside). It also broke an OVC record that Cochran helped set in 1971 (71 rushes vs.

Youngstown) and 1969 (71 rushes vs. Austin Peay).

The team also broke the OVC record for most rushes in a season (773, shattering the previous record of 534 set by Morehead State and breaking a previous school record that Cochran helped to set, 609 rushes in 1971) and logged second-most rushing yards in TTU history in a single season (2,593).

Against Morningside, the team also set the record for most plays in a single game in school history with 94. At that time, it claimed the No. 1 spot in the TTU record book as well as the Ohio Valley Conference record book.

The Golden Eagles also set the following school records in 1972: most first downs in a single season with 144 (record still stands today), most field goals in a single game (3 vs.

Western Kentucky), most first downs rushing (23 vs. Morningside). For his efforts on the ’72 championship team, Cochran was one of nine Golden Eagles named first-team all-OVC. At the guard position as a true freshman, Cochran blocked for one of the most productive runningbacks in school history during Larry Schreiber’s final season in 1969. That year, Schreiber put up a team-high 1,522 yards of total offense and 1,901 all-purpose yards.

Schreiber also led the team in scoring with 78 points, lining up behind Cochran.

Over the course of his career, the Golden Eagles amassed a 27-15 record, 18-10 record in the OVC. In 1973, Cochran was signed as a free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles, and also spent one training camp with the Jacksonville Sharks of the WFL. Cochran earned his undergraduate degree in education from Tennessee Tech. He recently retired after a lengthy career teaching and coaching on the high school level.

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Hall of Fame Meet the Class of 2014

In the 1970s and 80s, the Tennessee Tech Rifle Team was one of the premier collegiate teams in the country. Dr. Aaron Hupman is considered by many as one of the cornerstones for the program and the building of its success.

Ed Etzel and Robert Aylward, both members of the TTU Hall of Fame and former teammates of Hupman, say that he was one of the best riflemen they’ve ever seen. Aylward said in his nominating letter, “I would humbly say, however, that as good as I was while in college, Aaron J. Hupman kicked my butt in almost every competition.”

Dr. Hupman received letters for the rifle team in ’71, ’72, and ’73. Rifle was not an OVC recognized sport until 1980, however he is credited with laying the foundation and helping to gain the recognition of the sport for Tennessee Tech.

Hupman was a National Rifle Association (NRA) All-American in 1971, ’72, and ’73, won two NRA Team National Championships in ’71 and ’72, and an Individual National Championship in 1971.

Aylward, Etzel, and Ray Carter were all teammates of Hupman, all three are in the TTU Sports Hall Of Fame, and they all humbly give much credit to Hupman for the success of the sport at Tennessee Tech.

Following their reign on the rifle team and once the OVC began to recognize rifle as a conference sport in 1980, Tennessee Tech’s rifle team was in the Top three in the nation seven of the 10 years during that first decade, including three consecutive NCAA National Championships in 1980, 1981, and 1982.

Dr. Hupman concentrated on more than just athletics while in school. He was also a member of Phi Kappa Phi. After graduating from TTU and Medical school, he opened his own private medical practice in Georgia. He is also a Volunteer Physician at the Gwinnett Community Clinic.

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Hall of Fame Meet the Class of 2014

The list of individual honors and records that are attached to LeeAnn Mongar’s Golden Eagle resume is one of the most impressive in Tech athletics history. It includes not only success on the field, but Academic All-America selections and Tennessee Tech Woman of the Year honors that reflect her overall contributions to the university.

A starter on the softball team from the day she set foot on campus, Mongar helped take the Golden Eagles to two NCAA Tournaments and capture two Ohio Valley Conference regular season and tournament championships. The power-hitting first baseman batted fourth in the lineup for four seasons (2000-2003) and was one of the most dangerous hitters in the league, helping the team produce a combined 161-94 record and an astounding 65-17 mark against OVC foes.

With Mongar clubbing extra base hits from the cleanup spot, the Golden Eagles rolled to Ohio Valley Conference tournament championships in 2001 and 2003 and she was a three-time first-team all-OVC selection.

Her grades placed her on the OVC Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll all four years and she was a member of the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll in each of her eight semesters. In 2002, she was voted Academic All-District followed by Academic All-America. She repeated those two honors as a senior in 2003. She is one of just six student-athletes in Tech history to win multiple Academic All-America awards.

She capped off her list of academic awards with back-to-back President’s Awards for her sport and was chosen as Tech’s NCAA Woman of the Year in 2003.

Her success on the field mirrored her classroom achievements. She was voted first-team all-OVC three straight seasons, and named all-region in 2002. That same year she was selected the OVC Player of the Year. She played her way onto the OVC all-tournament team all four seasons.

She was chosen the team MVP in 2002 and was also winner of the Best Offensive Player award as a junior.

As a freshman, she helped Tech post its first-ever 40-win season with a 40-36 mark. The team went on to reach the 40-win plateau three of her four seasons. That year, she topped Tech in home runs and RBI. Mongar information continued on page 55

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chatter

Hailing from Cookeville, Tenn., Cody Dodd is the Golden Eagle volleyball team’s go-to hitter this season.

We asked the junior right-side to answer a few simple questions.

SWEET SOUNDS P My favorite artist is Boyce Avenue

GUILTY PLEASURE P Reality TV

CELEBRITY CRUSH

P My celebrity crush is Zach Rance from Big Brother 16.

FAVORITE MEAL

P My favorite meal is my grandma’s stir fry.

JERSEY SWAP

P I would trade with Sharon Anderson. I guess because I always wanted to be a setter.

TECH SUPPORT

P I like to support all the teams, but football is my favorite.

SUPER POWERED

P If I could have any super power, it would probably be to fly because I could get to places faster and it would just be so much more convenient than having to walk or drive everywhere.

ANIMALISTIC

P If I could be any animal I would be panda bear because they are so cute and cuddly and they just have fun doing bear things; just living their life the simple way.

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CIRCUS ACT

P If I was in the circus, I would be the girls that do the tricks up on the bars that swing. I forget what they are called, but that would just be cool to be able to do that.

Get Golden Eagle Basketball 2014-15 Season Tickets

Call (931) 372-3940 49

photo by Jim Dillon

IN FOCUS

Roaring good times...

Fans have packed the stands at Tennessee Tech’s soccer field several times this year to support the Golden Eagles.

As you might expect from soccer fans, they seem to have a great time, too. Win or lose, you’ll hear sounds and shouts that are unique to the sport.

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photo by Tony Marable

IN FOCUS

Front runner...

Tennessee Tech president Phil Oldham may have more fun than the students when he leads the group onto the field for the annual Running of the Freshmen at the first home game of the season.

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photo by Tony Marable

IN FOCUS

That’s The Spirit...

Golden Eagle football fans have gone all out this year in showing their support of Tech football.

Keep the paint handy, boys!

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Kids Club for TECH Fans ages 3-18

SIGN UP FOR THE 2014-15 HOOP TROOP!

ONLY $25!!

Official Hoop Troop T-Shirt

Opportunity to be a Tip-Off Kid before a Basketball Game

Official Hoop Troop Membership

Special Birthday Card

FREE Admission* to all Men’s and Women’s Basketball Games

Hoop Troop Club Giveaways

Access to Special Events for Hoop Troop Members

A Chance to Meet Coaches and Players

Autographed Picture of Awesome Eagle

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* Parents must purchase tickets for admission to athletic events on Hoop Troop

Call 372-3940 for more info

Hall of Fame Class of 2014

LeeAnn Mongar Shurette (continued)

In Mongar’s sophomore season, Tech went 44-20 and won the OVC regular season and tournament titles, and was an NCAA Tournament Play-In participant. Tech posted a 36-23 overall record in 2002 while tying the school record with 17 wins (17-3) in OVC play. She set the school record for home runs (12) and RBI (47), and was also Tech’s leader in batting average, hits and doubles.

As a senior, Mongar and her teammates cruised to a gaudy 41-16 overall record and a second consecutive 17-3 mark in the league to win the regular season title. Mongar led the team in doubles, home runs and RBI as Tech captured another OVC Tournament crown and advanced to the Texas Regional of the NCAA Tournament.

She wrapped up her career ranked first in doubles (52), home runs (34) and RBI (154), and was second (to her own teammate, 2013 Hall of Fame inductee Stephanie Dallmann) in hits (244) and total bases (407). She was third in at bats (736) and sixth in batting average (.334).

She was named three times as the OVC Player of the Week.

In 2004, she received her bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Tech in health and physical education.

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20

THIS DAY IN GOLDEN EAGLE HISTORY

November 22 vs. Jacksonville State

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10

2010

Golden Eagle Football

The deck was stacked. Down 24-7, just 13 minutes left in the season. A season that would not end in the playoffs. That was already a mathematical impossibility begging the uneasy question: Down by 17 in the fourth quarter, what’s really left to play for?

A season that was now in the hands of a backup quarterback making just his fourth career start in four years with a mere 380 career passing yards under his belt. A season that seemed almost certain to end with the bitter taste from a Jacksonville State squad, one that was 9-1 and ranked fourth in the nation, celebrating an Ohio Valley Conference Championship on on your home field, in front of your home crowd, on your Senior Day. To repeat…the deck was stacked. Down 24-7, 13 minutes left in the season.

Cass Barnes (left) didn’t see it that way. The senior quarterback, who had spent most of his career in the shadows, attempting just 17 passes in his previous three seasons combined, had landed his opportunity for a storybook ending should the 6-foot-2 signal-caller somehow lead the Golden Eagles back from the dead and slip the projected championship rings right off the finger tips of 90 Gamecocks. The script was there, the final page was in Barnes’ hands.

Like Hemingway, he went to work.

Seven plays, 80 yards, 2:07 off the clock, Jocques Crawford scores from seven yards out. Tech now trails 24-14…11:33 remaining. Jacksonville State punts. Eight plays, 84 yards, 2:31 off the clock, Barnes connects with Zack Ziegler from 16 yards out for score. Tech now trails 24-21…6:27 remaining.

Jacksonville State punts. Seven plays, 88 yards, 1:48 off the clock, Cody Forbes takes it in for the score from two yards out. Tech now LEADS 28-24…3:04 remaining. Jacksonville State turns the ball over on downs. Three plays, 11 yards, 52 seconds off the clock, Jocques Crawford scores (again) from four yards out. Tech now running away with it, leading 35-24…1:46 remaining. Jacksonville State turns the ball over on downs. Two plays, zero yards, 1:21 off the clock, Cass Barnes kneels it twice…No time on the clock, Tech wins 35-24.

Thirteen minutes, 278 yards, 28 unanswered points. The Golden Eagles pulled it off, stamping their place in OVC lore as one of the great comebacks in conference history. As for Barnes? 359 yards of total offense in the contest, 213 of it in the dramatic fourth quarter comeback. He was 19-for-28 passing for 271 yards and rushed 18 times for 88 yards in his purple and gold swan song. How’s that for a storybook ending. Spielberg himself couldn’t have scripted it any better.

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It’s a tradition...

Football has been a part of the Tennessee Tech campus scene for nearly as many years as the school has stood on these grounds. From year to year, anticipation for the coming season always runs high, and the 2014 campaign is no exception. Three huge home challenges remain for coach Watson Brown’s team, all in November.

Plan to be in Tucker Stadium Nov. 1, Nov. 8 and Nov. 15 to cheer for the Golden Eagles.

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photo by Tony Marable

IN FOCUS

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Winging it...

photo by Cody Bryant

Sophomore quarterback Jared Davis avoids the rush and unleashes a pass downfield against Kentucky Christian in the season opener. Tech won that game, and has gone unbeaten at home through the first three games. Three really tough home games remain, so fan support will be crucial.

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IN FOCUS

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first steps

First-year coach Wayne Angel looks to build the Tennessee Tech cross country and track & field programs into contenders for OVC championships. The first step was adding a runner from Kenya who will compete with the best in the conference. Add to that a recruiting plan which will combine more international athletes with the best that Tennessee and the region has to offer.

By Rob Schabert Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – When he strolls along the shade-lined sidewalks on the Tennessee Tech campus, hardly anyone takes notice. He's not an imposing figure who creates his own shade like, say, an offensive tackle on the Golden Eagle football team.

He stands about six feet tall. And he's slight, weighing just under 140 pounds.

He's not built for power.

He's not built for speed.

He is, however, built for endurance. For distance. For gracefully running and running. And running.

And running.

Geoffrey Sambu is seemingly built for one more thing – to fill the vital role of cornerstone in a building project that has just gotten underway in earnest at Tennessee Tech. Not a brick-and-mortar campus building, but a project being designed and engineered by first-year cross country and track & field coach Wayne Angel.

Sambu, the first Kenyan runner on the Tennessee Tech men's

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cross country team, is the type of runner that Angel expects to make such an impact on the program, and the Ohio Valley Conference, that future runners will take notice and realize that the new coach is serious about success. He’s also serious about winning championships.

"He has had a tremendous impact on our team already, just from a leadership standpoint and motivating his teammates," Angel says. "He trains very hard and they, in turn, try to run with him.

One person in particular is Brennan Huber, a sophomore from Greenbrier, Tenn. Huber is now third on the all-time list of best 8K times in school history, and it was, in part, the motivation of competing with Geoffrey that helped him achieve that, according to Angel.

It took the Kenyan just three meets to shatter the school record, running an 8K time of 24:41 at the Commodore Invitational, a meet hosted at Percy Warner Park in Nashville by Vanderbilt.

He managed that time despite falling to his knees early in the race, and being forced to catch up to the front-runners. He did so, placing fifth overall with a time that is the best in Tech history at that distance. At least, that is, until he beats that time.

That time toppled the record of 25:30 which had stood for 14 years, since Chris Kennedy established it as the school standard.

Now Sambu's mark is the record, followed by Kennedy's time. Huber's time of 25:40 is next on the list.

"He's the real deal, and they all respect him, and that's what I really like," Angel says.

"They're like a band of brothers, and they embrace him. And the women on our team embrace him, too. He's our 'silent warrior' and leader."

Sambu was recruited out of Kenya by Angel to attend Florida A&M, where the veteran coach was turning around a lackluster Rattler track & field program. He helped FAMU capture a conference championship in his one season on the roster.

When Angel left FAMU and took the position at Tech, Sambu chose to follow the coach who recruited him out of Africa.

"His transition went smoothly from day one in coming here," Angel says. "Everyone at Tennessee Tech has taken care of him, helped settle any concerns he had, and he loves it here."

As Angel sees it, Sambu's success as a sophomore is a harbinger of the future, and a signal to other potentially great runners that Cookeville can be a haven for outstanding continued on next page

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track & field athletes. the building block, Angel also believes a large number of

"I believe his presence on our team is going to runners from across Tennessee and throughout the region be really huge for us." will take notice of his Angel says. "When I was presence on the Golden “We want to look in South Africa recently, Eagle roster. It will be, acI was able to share with cording to Angel, a beaat the state of some of the coaches there con to draw other great about how Geoffrey is runners to Cookeville and Tennessee first. now at Tennessee Tech, Tennessee Tech.

That’s important. and how he is going to be

“The most important a building block for our thing we will do when we But at the same entire program. I think begin our recruiting, is we can find kids from that we want to identify time, there are South Africa, from Kenya, home talent first, then and also from the United look across the state of standards that States. I think they will Tennessee, then regionmust be met dursee we're doing some big ally and beyond that Inthings here. ternationally,” Angel said ing this process”

"The coaches in the of his staff’s global vision.

OVC are seeing a differ It begins in Tech’s ence already, and they own backyard. can see that we're getting ready to do some big

“It’s important to our own community and the state of things here. He's a foundation for our future, and Tennessee that they know we’re looking to develop homewe'll build on him." grown talent and show them that they can be just as good

While Sambu’s arrival from Africa, via FAMU, is as international runners, or anyboody else we bring in.”

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Angel said it will begin with scrutinizing local talent.

“We will attend local and regional meets, try to identify talent that can perform well at Tennessee Tech academically as well as athletically. That’s a major part of the buiding process.

“We will be recruiting in Chattanooga, Memphis, Knoxville, Nashville, East Tennessee as well as West Tennessee trying to spread the good news about Tennessee Tech.

“I want the people of this great state to know that we have opportunities academically as well as athletically here in Cookeville for the right student-athletes”.

Academic success will be just as important as prowess in the fields of competition, according to Angel.

“We want prospective student-athletes, as well as high school coaches, to know that our recruiting standards at Tennessee Tech are much higher now. We are creating a culture of accountability and responsibility. Mediocrity will not be tolerated. The backbone our program is hard work. We will teach and coach our student-athletes to be winners in the classroom as well as in the field of competition”

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photo by Jim Dillon

IN FOCUS

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Up in the air...

The Golden Eagle volleyball team is beginning to take off and the second half of the season shows loads of promise. Sophomore setter Sharon Anderson directs a balanced attack.

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Basketball 101

With eight doubleheaders, basketball fans will have plenty of opportunities to let their hair down and cheer for the Golden Eagles this winter. Here are the schedules, so you can begin making your plans.

If you haven’t ordered your season tickets yet, visit the Athletic Ticket Office in Eblen Center, or call (931) 372-3940. You may also order tickets online at TTUsport.scom.

Women’s Schedule Date Opponent Site Nov. 6 Tennessee Wesleyan (EXH/DH) COOKEVILLE Nov. 14 at FIU Miami, Fla. Nov. 18 at Wake Forest Winston-Salem, N.C. Nov. 22 at Valparaiso Valparaiso, Ind. Nov. 25 at Mercer Macon, Ga. Nov. 29 Georgia COOKEVILLE Dec. 3 at Southern Miss.

Hattiesburg, Miss.

Dec. 6 at Clemson Clemson, S.C. Dec. 13 at Georgia State Atlanta, Ga. Dec. 16 South Alabama COOKEVILLE Dec. 18 at Lipscomb Nashville, Tenn.

Dec. 20 vs. North Carolina A&T 1 Chattanooga, Tenn.

Dec. 21 vs. Morgan State 1 Chattanooga, Tenn.

Dec. 28 Middle Tennessee COOKEVILLE Jan. 1 at Eastern Illinois * (DH) Charleston, Ill. Jan.3 at SIUE * (DH) Edwardsville, Ill. Jan. 8 Murray State * (DH) COOKEVILLE Jan. 10 Austin Peay * (DH) COOKEVILLE Jan. 15 UT Martin * (DH) COOKEVILLE Jan. 17 at Southeast Missouri * (DH) Cape Girardeau, Mo. Jan. 21 at Tennessee State * Nashville, Tenn.

Jan. 24 Eastern Kentucky * (DH) COOKEVILLE Jan. 26 Morehead State * COOKEVILLE Jan. 31 at Belmont * (DH) Nashville, Tenn.

Feb. 7 Jacksonville State * (DH) COOKEVILLE Feb. 12 Tennessee State * (DH) COOKEVILLE Feb. 14 at Jacksonville State * (DH) Jacksonville, Ala. Feb. 18 at Morehead State * Morehead, Ky. Feb. 21 Belmont * (DH) COOKEVILLE Feb. 28 at Eastern Kentucky * (DH) Richmond, Ky. Mar. 4-7 OVC Tournament Nashville, Tenn.

Mar. 20-23 NCAA Tournament – 1st/2nd Rounds TBA Mar. 27-30 NCAA Tournament – Regionals TBA Apr. 5-7 NCAA Tournament – Final Four Tampa, Fla. All times listed are Central * Denotes Ohio Valley Conference game 1 Denotes at Chattanooga Basketball Classic (EXH) Denotes exhibition game (DH) Denotes doubleheader Bold indicates home games

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Men’s Schedule Time 5:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

6 p.m.

1:35 p.m.

6 p.m.

6 p.m.

5 p.m.

5 p.m.

1 p.m.

6 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

1 p.m.

11 a.m.

2 p.m.

1 p.m.

2 p.m.

5:30 p.m.

5:30 p.m.

5:30 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

11 a.m.

5:30 p.m.

6 p.m.

4 p.m.

5:30 p.m.

4:15 p.m.

5 p.m.

5 p.m.

5:30 p.m.

3 p.m.

TBA TBA TBA TBA

Date Opponent Site Time (CT) Nov. 6 Bluefield College (EXH/DH) COOKEVILLE 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 14 Piedmont International COOKEVILLE 6 p.m.

Nov. 17 at USC Los Angeles, Calif. 10 p.m.

Nov. 22 Chattanooga COOKEVILLE 6 p.m.

Nov. 24 Southeastern Louisiana 1 COOKEVILLE 6 p.m.

Nov. 26 at Southeastern Louisiana 1 Hammond, La. 7 p.m.

Nov. 30 at Tulane 1 New Orleans, La. 1 p.m.

Dec. 3 Lipscomb COOKEVILLE 6 p.m.

Dec. 7 Hiwassee College COOKEVILLE 2 p.m.

Dec. 13 at Alabama Tuscaloosa, Ala. 8 p.m.

Dec. 15 at UNF Jacksonville, Fla. 6 p.m.

Dec. 19 at Tennessee Knoxville, Tenn.

6 p.m.

Dec. 22 at UMKC Kansas City, Mo. 7:05 p.m.

Dec. 29 UNF COOKEVILLE 6 p.m.

Jan. 1 at Eastern Illinois * (DH) Charleston, Ill. 3:15 p.m.

Jan. 3 at SIUE * (DH) Edwardsville, Ill. 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 8 Murray State * (DH) COOKEVILLE 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 10 Austin Peay * (DH) COOKEVILLE 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 15 UT Martin * (DH) COOKEVILLE 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 17 at Southeast Missouri * (DH) Cape Girardeau, Mo. 6 p.m.

Jan. 22 Morehead State * COOKEVILLE 6 p.m.

Jan. 24 Eastern Kentucky * (DH) COOKEVILLE 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 29 at Tennessee State * Nashville, Tenn.

7 p.m.

Jan. 31 at Belmont * (DH) Nashville, Tenn.

2 p.m.

Feb. 7 Jacksonville State * (DH) COOKEVILLE 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 12 Tennessee State * (DH) COOKEVILLE 7 p.m.

Feb. 14 at Jacksonville State * (DH) Jacksonville, Ala. 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 16 at East Tennessee State Johnson City, Tenn. 6 p.m.

Feb. 21 Belmont * (DH) COOKEVILLE 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 26 at Morehead State * Morehead, Ky. 8 p.m.

Feb. 28 at Eastern Kentucky * (DH) Richmond, Ky. 6 p.m.

Mar. 4-7 OVC Tournament Nashville, Tenn.

TBA Mar. 17-18 NCAA Tournament – First Four TBA TBA Mar. 19-21 NCAA Tournament – 2nd/3rd Rounds TBA TBA Mar. 26-29 NCAA Tournament – Regionals TBA TBA Apr. 4-6 NCAA Tournament – Final Four Indianapolis, Ind. TBA All times listed are Central * Denotes Ohio Valley Conference game 1 Denotes at Tulane Greenwave Tournament (EXH) Denotes exhibition game (DH) Denotes doubleheader Bold indicates home games

kets

First thing tomorrow, call to order tic

COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD Purple Palooza - Tuesday, Oct. 28 t. 31

Habitat for Humanity Cookin’ On The Square - Oc

Halloween - Oct. 31

Cumberland Alzheimer’s Tennessee WALK - Saturday, Nov. 1 Election Day - Nov. 4 ART Prowl - Nov. 7-8

Mistletoe Market - Nov. 7-8 TTU Sports Hall of Fame Induction Dinner - Friday,

Nov. 7

Homecoming Game vs. SEMO - Saturday, Nov. 8 Veteran’s Day - Nov. 11 Santa’s Workshop - Nov. 14-16 Military Appreciation Day - Saturday, Nov. 15 ThankgsgivingDay - Nov. 27 Cookeville Christmas Parade - Monday, Dec. 1 TSSAA Blue Cross Bowl Games - Dec. 4-6

Santa’s Rotary Run - Dec. 6 TACA All-Star Game - Dec. 13 Winter Commencement - Saturday, Dec. 13