College Corner: Vandy Baseball, TSU Basketball, Blue Raider Hall Of Fame

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Vanderbilt Baseball Ranked As Nation’s Top Program By D1Baseball

Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Vanderbilt baseball has been ranked as the nation’s top program in D1Baseball’s bi-annual Top 100 rankings.

The Commodores, led by head coach Tim Corbin, receive their second No. 1 ranking since 2015. They were ranked second in both 2017 and 2019. They are the only team to have been ranked among the top two spots in each of D1Baseball’s lists. Vandy has posted two national titles across the last nine seasons, including four trips to the College World Series finals.

Vanderbilt has advanced to an SEC-best 16 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, including seven NCAA Super Regionals in the last decade. The Commodores are the first school to reach the College World Series finals four times at TD Ameritrade Park and the first to capture multiple titles at the ballpark.

The top four programs on the list hail from the SEC, including Arkansas (No. 2), Mississippi State (No. 3) and Florida (No. 4). Oregon State rounds out the top five, followed by Louisville, LSU, Ole Miss, Texas Tech and Stanford.

 

 

TSU Basketball Finalizes Coaching Staff Ahead Of 2022-23 Season

Tennessee State University (TSU) men’s basketball head coach Brian “Penny” Collins has finalized his staff for the upcoming season, naming alum Brandon Lockridge as the Director of Basketball Operations.

With the addition of Lockridge, Collins also promoted Josh Bone to Assistant Coach after spending the previous seasons as a video coordinator and Director of Basketball Operations. Collins also bumped up Assistant Coaches Russ Willemsen and Jerry Nichols to Assistants.

Lockridge previously served under former head coach Cy Alexander during the 2007-08 season after two seasons as a graduate assistant video coordinator. As a player, Lockridge served as a team co-captain his senior season and was regarded as one of the top 3-point shooters in the OVC. He finished his collegiate career 10th all-time in the TSU record books with 116 3-point field goals. Lockridge has a career night as a junior when he dropped 18 points in 24 minutes, connecting on 6-of-9 from downtown at Ohio State. He finished his junior season seventh in the OVC in 3-point shooting.

His coaching career began in 2014 on Collins’ staff at Columbia State where the duo led the Chargers to back-to-back NJCAA National Tournament appearances, including runs to the Elite Eight in 2014, Sweet 16, and Region 7 Championship in 2015.

 

Blue Raider Hall Of Fame Induction Set For Oct. 14

The Blue Raider Hall of Fame Class of 2022 induction ceremony is set for Friday, Oct. 14, in front of the Emmett and Rose Kennon Sports Hall of Fame at 6 p.m. CT. The ceremony, as always, will be open to the public and will feature refreshments prior to its start.

The Class of 2022 features alumni from four different decades of Blue Raider athletics, with inductees recognized for their on-the-field achievements and for being outstanding representatives of the MTSU community. The Class of 2022 includes:

  • Leslie (Clark) Vance (Volleyball, 2006-09): The volleyball program’s all-time assists leader that led the Blue Raiders to four NCAA Tournament appearances as a setter
  • Krystle Horton (Women’s Basketball, 2003-07): A dynamic two-way player that ranks in the top 10 for both points and rebounds as a Blue Raider, helping MTSU win three NCAA tournament games across her career
  • Kevin Kanaskie (Men’s Basketball, 2006-09): The all-time assists and minutes played leader; he is the only Blue Raider men’s basketball player with at least 1,200 points, 400 assists and 200 3-pointers
  • Sandy (McMillan) Neal (Women’s Tennis, 1973-76): The first female scholarship student athlete at MTSU that played on Court 1 for both singles and doubles, eventually leading the women’s tennis program to three OVC titles as a coach
  • Bryan Peck (Baseball, 1999-2000): A Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball All-American; the two-time All-OVC selection still ranks in the top 10 in career average, home runs and slugging percentage
  • Don Thomas (Football, 1985-88): An Associated Press First-Team All-American; started at linebacker for MTSU for four seasons, including the Blue Raiders’ 1985 11-0 regular season campaign
Steven Boero
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