Preds Star Filip Forsberg & NBA Champion Giannis Antetokounmpo Join Nashville SC Ownership Group

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Filip Forsberg and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Photos: Courtesy of Nashville SC

A few superstars have joined Nashville Soccer Club, not on the pitch but as minority owners. Nashville Predators all-time leading scorer Filip Forsberg and two-time MVP and NBA Champion Giannis Antetokounmpo have joined the team’s ownership group.

Antetokounmpo is joined in ownership by his brothers Thanasis, Kostas and Alex — all of whom play professional basketball worldwide. Together, Thanasis and Giannis won the NBA Championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, and Kostas won with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.

“My father was a professional soccer player, and it was the first sport I fell in love with in Greece,” says Antetokounmpo. “I’ve always had the dream of owning a soccer team. When my brothers and I explored Nashville SC, we knew it was a team and a city that we wanted to get involved with. I couldn’t be more excited to join the Boys in Gold, and can’t wait to come to a match at GEODIS Park soon!”

Pictured L-R: Alex Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Photo: Courtesy of Nashville SC

The announcement of the new owners maintains the strong momentum Nashville SC has built leading up to the 2023 season, highlighted by its Man in Black jersey collaboration with the Johnny Cash estate. That momentum increased with a 2-0 victory over New York City FC in front of 28,051 fans at GEODIS Park this past Saturday (Feb. 25).

“Nashville is the best sports city in the country, and I am extremely blessed to now be involved with two of our pro teams,” says Forsberg. “Our city is one big family and fanbase, and we support each other on and off the field. Nashville SC has been such a great addition to our sports culture, and joining the ownership group was an opportunity I wasn’t going to pass up. I grew up a Liverpool FC fan in Sweden, and after today I am happy to add a second set of colors to cheer for!”

Forsberg and Antetokounmpo join a robust and diverse ownership group whose most recent additions include Reese Witherspoon and her husband Jim Toth as well as Derrick Henry.

“Soccer is a global sport, and our newest owners once again reinforce our club’s commitment to being a global team,” says Majority Owner John Ingram. “Filip and Giannis are not just amazing athletes – they are ambassadors for their respective sports, role models for millions and advocates in their hometowns and worldwide. We share a common belief that our teams not only play to the highest standards, but also lift up their communities and help those who need it most.”

Nashville SC will hit the road to face the New York Red Bulls at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, March 4.

OVC Basketball Championships Extended At Ford Center Through 2026

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The Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Board of Presidents have voted to accept an agreement to continue to hold the OVC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana through the 2026 Championship. The agreement also includes an option for the 2027 Championship.

The OVC Basketball Championships have been held in the venue since 2018. In September 2019, the OVC accepted a three-year agreement to continue hosting the event at the venue through 2023, and in December exercised an option for 2024.

The Ford Center, which opened in November 2011, is an 11,000-seat arena located in the core of Evansville’s downtown district. The 290,000-square foot facility serves as the home of the Evansville Thunderbolts of the Southern Professional Hockey League and the University of Evansville men’s basketball team. The Ford Center also serves as host to numerous sporting events and concerts on an annual basis.

The 2019 OVC Championships saw record-breaking attendance at the venue, as the men’s semifinals drew an OVC neutral site record 8,294 fans, a mark that was broken the next night with an attendance of 10,525.

The OVC Basketball Tournament is the fourth-oldest Division I Championship in the country; the men’s event will be held for the 60th time this year.

This year’s OVC Basketball Championships runs from March 1-4.

Vanderbilt’s Last-Second Win Over Auburn Extends Win Streak To Five In A Row

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Jerry Stackhouse. Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Vanderbilt men’s basketball continues to garner their best season in recent years as they pulled off a major 67-65 comeback win against Auburn off of a Ezra Manjon game-winning layup with eight-tenths of a second left in regulation.

The win is the Commodores fifth in a row, and they have found themselves in sixth place in the SEC standings with a conference record of 8-6 and an overall record of 15-12.

Senior Liam Robbins posted his third double-double in the last five games for the Commodores with game-high totals of 24 points and 12 rebounds during the win at Memorial Gym. Tyrin Lawrence finished with nine points and six rebounds, Jordan Wright had seven points and seven rebounds, and Manjon ended up with seven points and five assists.

Manjon’s basket came after K.D. Johnson tied the game with a three-pointer from the left wing with just 10 seconds to go. The lead changed hands 15 times on the night, with the two teams also tied on 12 occasions.

After the win, Andy Katz from NCAA.com tabbed Vanderbilt at No. 24 in his weekly ‘Power 36’ where he ranks the top 36 best teams in the DI basketball.

So far, Vandy has had the most conference wins in a season since the 2016-17 season when they won 10 games. They have four games remaining before they gear up for the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament between March 8-12 at Bridgestone Arena.

The Commodores travels to LSU on Wednesday, Feb. 22 for a 6 p.m. opening tip in Baton Rouge.

TSSAA Announces 2023 Mr. & Miss Basketball Award Finalists

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The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) has announced the finalists for the 2023 Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards, which are presented to the top girls and boys in six classifications throughout the state.

A statewide committee of sportswriters selected winners based on performance during the 2022-2023 regular season. Academics and character were also taken into consideration. The finalists were nominated by high school head basketball coaches and members of the media.

This is the 38th year that the Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards have been presented to Tennessee’s best high school basketball players. American General was the sponsor of the event from the inception of the awards in 1985 until 2001. The Memphis Grizzlies were sponsors of the awards from 2002-2004. From 2005-2015, the Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards were presented at the conclusion of each respective championship game as part of the post-game trophy ceremony.

The student-athletes will be recognized on the floor of MTSU’s Murphy Center on Monday, March 13 at 5 p.m. The event will be open to the public.

Full list of 2023 Mr. & Miss Basketball Finalists:

Division II-A Miss Basketball Finalists
Jailyn Banks, MTCS
Olivia Lee, Trinity Christian
Angelica Velez, Webb School

Division II-AA Miss Basketball Finalists
Jaloni Cambridge, Ensworth
Kayli Clarkson, Briarcrest
Sydney Mains, Knoxville Catholic

Class 1A Miss Basketball Finalists
Blair Baugus, Wayne County
Lyndie Ramsey, Unaka
Kylie Reynolds, McKenzie

Class 2A Miss Basketball Finalists
Reese Beaty, York Institute
Jada Harrison, Westview
Maddy Newman, Gatlinburg-Pittman

Class 3A Miss Basketball Finalists
Lauren Bailey, Greeneville
Abigail Johnson, Upperman
Ti’Mia Lawson, Jackson South Side

Class 4A Miss Basketball Finalists
Imari Berry, Clarksville
Mallory Collier, Bartlett
Avery Treadwell, Bearden

Division II-A Mr. Basketball Finalists
Seth Grandberry, Lausanne
Eddie Ricks III, Clarksville Academy
Isaiah West, Goodpasture

Division II-AA Mr. Basketball Finalists
Deondrea Lindsey, Knoxville Catholic
Tyler Tanner, Brentwood Academy
Lukas Walls, Knoxville Webb

Class 1A Mr. Basketball Finalists
Jason Britton, North Greene
Cadon Buckles, Hampton
Rodgerick Robinson, Jr., Middleton

Class 2A Mr. Basketball Finalists
Jordan Allen, Hillcrest
Jahvin Carter, Alcoa
Jaylen Jones, East Nashville

Class 3A Mr. Basketball Finalists
Tylon Chatman, Haywood
Shane Cherry, Austin-East
Damarien Yates, Fayette-Ware

Class 4A Mr. Basketball Finalists
Jordan Frison, Memphis Overton
Jarred Hall, Lebanon
Brock Vice, Houston

College Corner: Vandy Beats No. 6 Tennessee, MTSU Fundraiser, Vandy United Breaks Ground

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Vanderbilt Stuns No. 6 Tennessee Off Game-Winning Buzzer Beater At Memorial Gym

Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Vanderbilt has now garnered their signature win of the season after shocking No. 6 and rival Tennessee, beating them 66-65 off of a game-winning buzzer beater at Memorial Gym on Wednesday night (Feb. 8).

Tyrin Lawrence sank a 3-point basket from the corner, lifting the Commodores to their first win over Tennessee since 2017. The game saw the two teams exchange the lead 15 times and featured nine ties.

“Just an unbelievable night,” said Vanderbilt Head Coach Jerry Stackhouse. “We finally experienced the Memorial Magic we were looking for. An unbelievable game, unbelievable effort—the guys never quit. It didn’t look great there for a minute, but we just kept battling.

“When you got the right people and you’re about the right things, good things happen for us.”

Lawrence finished with a game-high 19 points, going 8-of-12 from the court including 3-of-4 from beyond the 3-point arc, adding four rebounds to lead the Commodores (12-12, 5-6 SEC). Liam Robbins just missed a double-double after posting 14 points and nine rebounds, and Jordan Wright scored all 12 of his points in the second half.

Vandy connected on 10 3-pointers, with Robbins going 3 of 4 and Wright sinking a pair also, while shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc.

Ezra Manjon finished with seven points and five assists, the last of which came on a pass to find Lawrence for the game-winning shot, and Colin Smith recorded seven points as well.

The Dores head to Florida next to play the Gators on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 2:30 p.m. CT.

 

 

 

MTSU’s Blue Raider Athletic Association Launches Drive To ’25

The Blue Raider Athletic Association (BRAA), the official fundraising organization of MTSU Athletics, is launching the Drive to ’25. This new fundraising initiative is focused on expanding the BRAA membership to 2,025 by Dec. 31, 2025.

Annual membership in the BRAA supports the needs of the MTSU Athletics program including scholarships, athletic training, nutrition, strength, conditioning and more.

“It takes the efforts of many to make a successful athletic department and joining the BRAA is right at the top of the most impactful ways people can help the Blue Raiders on and off the field,” says Director of Athletics Chris Massaro. “Increasing our BRAA membership is imperative to helping us stay competitive in today’s world of college athletics. The more members that join, the more resources we can provide to help us recruit, retain and accomplish the goals of our student-athletes and coaches to win championships for the Blue Raiders.”

The Drive to ’25 is a multi-year membership drive spearheaded by the BRAA Staff and Board of Directors to increase the number of donors to MTSU Athletics that will directly impact the over 360 student-athletes and all 17 sport programs. Fans and alumni can participate in this important drive by joining the BRAA with donations of $100 or more, which makes them eligible for exclusive membership benefits.

“There has never been a better time to be a member of the BRAA,” says Hans C. Malebranche, Associate Athletic Director for Development and Chief Development Officer. “As we grow our membership to 2,025 by the end of 2025, Blue Raiders everywhere will most assuredly ascend to newer and greater heights together.”

BRAA membership for the 2021-22 season was 926, which is below the majority of their peer institutions. The Drive to ’25 will more than double BRAA membership over the next three years and influence the student-athlete experience at MTSU. This will also position the BRAA towards the top of Conference USA.

 

 

 

Vandy United Breaks Ground For New Basketball Operations Center

Pictured (L-R): FirstBank President and CEO Chris Holmes, Jennifer Frist, Billy Frist, Athletic Director Candice Lee, Chancellor Daniel Diermeier, John Ingram, George Huber and Cathy Huber. Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Vanderbilt marked a major milestone in the Vandy United campaign with a groundbreaking ceremony for its new basketball operations center.

Chancellor Daniel Diermeier, Vice Chancellor for Athletics & University Affairs and Athletic Director Candice Lee and leadership donors gathered to celebrate and reflect on Vandy United’s progress toward transforming the athletics footprint on campus and redefining what is possible for Vanderbilt.

“Today, by the very act of turning the earth, we turn a page in the Vandy United story,” Lee said during the event. “Today isn’t the final chapter. Not by a long shot. But it is a new chapter, as the first of Vandy United’s cornerstone projects moves from draft board to building site.”

The Chancellor and Vice Chancellor were joined in breaking ground by John Ingram, Billy and Jennifer Frist, George and Cathy Huber and FirstBank President & CEO Chris Holmes. They mentioned the generosity of several donors who were unable to attend the ceremony, including Fred and Claudia Lummis as well as Fred and Karen Hall. They also credited multiple anonymous donors, as well as all donors of record who have joined the unprecedented $300 million campaign since it publicly launched nearly two years ago.

“Today is a celebration of—and the product of—the teamwork that is in Vanderbilt’s DNA,” said Diermeier. “Our university was founded on the principle of unity. Now, on the eve of our Sesquicentennial, we are driven more than ever by the idea that, together, we can accomplish anything. We see this belief borne out every day in our classrooms, our laboratories and performance spaces and, of course, on our fields of play.”

Located near the current north end zone of FirstBank Stadium, the muti-story men’s and women’s basketball operations center will feature two practice gyms spanning more than 90,000 square feet, student-athlete facilities and easy access to Memorial Gymnasium as well as premium hospitality areas overlooking the football stadium. Concurrent north end zone construction will connect the stadium’s east and west concourses and include a new videoboard and premium seating experiences.

Nashville Voices: Vanderbilt Basketball’s Kevin Ingram

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College basketball in Nashville has always been fantastic, with a rich history of championship teams and deep-rooted rivalries. It was king before Nashville welcomed the Titans and the Preds into town.

Not many know Nashville college sports and college basketball as well as Vanderbilt’s Director of Digital Operations and basketball play-by-play voice Kevin Ingram.

Ingram has covered sports in Nashville for over 20 years, including the Titans historic Super Bowl run, the Predators and notching 17 years as the voice of Belmont men’s basketball.

Kevin Ingram. Photo: Courtesy of Belmont Athletics

“I think I knew from a young age that it was something I wanted to do,” Ingram shares with The Sports Credential. “I always knew I wanted to announce games and that it was something I wanted to pursue.”

A native of Bowling Green, Kentucky, he has covered almost every team in Nashville since moving here in 1998. His first job was with WSM and WTN as their morning news anchor before becoming their morning sports anchor in early 2000. The first Saturday of the month happened to be the AFC Wild Card game between the Titans and Bills, which would go in NFL history as the Music City Miracle game. That was Ingram’s first experience covering sports in the Nashville.

Ingram went on to cover the Titans historic run to the Super Bowl, which they ultimately lost in dramatic fashion and was an experience he would never forget.

“It’s funny because it was at the end of 1999 and I was ready to maybe try something else or go back to Bowling Green, but they decided to start the sports anchor job. It all went from there and it has been really great,” he explains.

Ingram dabbled with some Predators coverage with WSM and WTN, covering pre-games and post-games in 2004–the first year the team had ever made the playoffs.

However, over the last 20 years or so, Ingram has solidified himself as one of the best college athletics–especially basketball–play-by-play voices in Nashville, serving as the voice of the Belmont men’s basketball team since 2002, calling OVC football games on Saturdays, and now, Vanderbilt men’s basketball.

Kevin Ingram with Vandy football analyst Norman Jordan. Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

“I did the 2002-03 seasons with Belmont and then there was some transition to the radio stations,” Ingram notes. “For a year, I hosted the Predators radio pre-game and missions post-game and that sort of thing. Willie Daunic [the current TV voice of the Preds] did the Belmont games, but after the dust settled, we all ended up working at 104.5 The Zone. Willie and I switched the jobs back and I went back to doing Belmont for the for the 2004-05 season and we went from there.”

He continues, “Around the same time I started at Belmont in 2002, I also started doing sidelines for Vanderbilt football broadcast and did that until 2011. I started doing an OVC Game of the Week on TV and then the SEC Network came along in 2014. Vanderbilt hired me for that and we started doing a lot more games on TV through that.”

At Belmont, Ingram transitioned from the radio voice to the TV voice for home games when the ASUN, and later, the OVC Digital Networks were launched. He saw the program’s exponential growth from ASUN to OVC and from Striplin Gym to the Curb Event Center. Following Rick Byrd‘s career until his retirement in 2019, Ingram was a witness to the change and was part of so many massive Belmont basketball games and moments, including the team’s first NCAA Tournament win in 2019.

“It was crazy when you think about where the program was when I started doing the games in 2002.” Ingram recalls, “If you told me then what that program would become, I’m not sure even the most optimistic person would have believed it. The Curb Event Center was finish in 2003-04, and the transition felt like it sped up after that happened. The real breakthrough, of course, was in 2006 when they won the Atlantic Sun championship, and that classic against Lipscomb in overtime in Johnson City.” He adds, “That was really the breakthrough. They got to the tournament for the first time and they actually ended up winning three-straight tournament titles.

“I think people like Casey Alexander [Belmont’s head coach], Brian Ayers [Belmont’s assistant coach]–and even coach Byrd and those who’ve been around for a long time–think about those years and realize Belmont was not just without a home, but without a conference. To see all this happen and what that program’s become is really amazing,” he admits. “I was so thankful to spend so many years with Coach Byrd. I did 16 seasons with him and the first season with Casey. They’re great friends and wonderful guys.”

Spending 16 years with the same team is a long time, and just like Belmont grew and became better, so did Ingram.

Those years with Belmont helped him grow into a better sportscaster, finding new ways to tell new stories and connect with the audience and fans all over the state and country. Ingram attributes part of his growth to Byrd and his fantastic staff as he learned so much about the game of basketball from them. With that, he was able to bring more to each broadcast and engulf the listeners and viewers in the game.

“I learned a lot about basketball and I learned a lot about broadcasting from them. To get those reps, call those games, have those experiences and travel, I felt like I really grew a lot over that time,” Ingram explains. “It was the same thing doing that OVC football game of the week. I felt like I got quite a bit better at doing play-by-play, especially for TV. With this experience of working with the SEC Network and Vanderbilt, you always feel like you keep growing and learning things. It’s a never-ending process, whether you’re broadcasting, writing or whatever.”

The transition from full-time at Belmont to full-time at Vanderbilt was an emotional one for Ingram. Spending close to 20 years with a program and athletic department is difficult to leave, but he saw the opportunity to join the Commodores as more than a play-by-play voice. Because of that, he knew he couldn’t let it go.

As a top-tier broadcaster, Ingram has learned so much both with Belmont and with Vanderbilt over the years. For him, having conversations and offering more insight for the fans is what he’s learned to do more of, and it’s much more than just calling the game.

“Almost anyone can go look up the game notes, but you want to give the audience more than that,” Ingram sums. “When you’re doing radio, to me, your number one job is to describe the game and make sure people understand the time, score, what’s going on and whatever insight you can offer.”

Pictured (L-R): Vanderbilt football play-by-play voice Andrew Allegretta, Vanderbilt football analyst Norman Jordan and Kevin Ingram. Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Even as a veteran pro, Ingram still gets a little nervous before each game. He likes to take a walk around the gym to get in the mindset and also loves watching warm-ups. Before each game, he’ll chat a bit and see what’s new and if there is a little story or piece of information he can use to make the broadcast better.

“No matter how much of this stuff I’ve done or how many games, I’m always nervous. I always have to get the nerves going and the juices flowing a little bit before a game. I like to get up and walk around, I find that helps. I also do a little bit of a warm up, whether it’s out loud or just in my head. I watch the guys warming up and call a little bit of it to get my brain into the flow of calling a game and thinking in the way that I need to be successful.”

Ingram has been a part of so many amazing moments, from the Music City Miracle, countless NCAA Tournament games with Belmont and the 2021 College Baseball World Series with Vandy. There are so many memories and so many more to come.

With Vandy United, Vanderbilt is heading towards a new era and Ingram will be one of the many voices leading the way as the athletic department continues to build and grow.

Nashville sports, both professional and at the collegiate level, has changed so much over the last 20 years and Ingram has had a front row seat to it all. He has become one of the many constants in the world of Music City sports media and its hard to imagine it without him.

College Corner: Belmont Basketball Players Earn MVC Honors, TSU’s Jr. Clay Recognized By OVC

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Belmont’s Ben Sheppard Named MVC Player Of The Week After Stellar Performances

Ben Sheppard. Photo: Courtesy of Belmont Athletics

Belmont University men’s basketball senior Ben Sheppard has been named Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Player of the Week after scoring a combined 46 points with 12 rebounds in two games. His huge performances led Belmont to major wins over Murray State and Bradley.

Sheppard had 23 points, six rebounds, three assists and made the game-winning shot with 3.3 seconds left as Belmont won at Bradley to end the team’s 17-game home court win streak–the third-longest in the nation behind Auburn and UCLA. Additionally, Sheppard had 23 points, six rebounds and four assists against Murray State.

The Atlanta, Georgia native ranks among MVC leaders in nine statistical categories, including third in scoring, ninth in assists per game and tenth in steals per game. He has 63 double-figure scoring games and is on the Lou Henson Player of the Year Award Watch List.

 

Belmont’s Madison Bartley Shows Up Big, Earns MVC Player Of the Week

Madison Bartley. Photo: Courtesy of Belmont Athletics

A key piece to the Belmont University women’s basketball team’s dominant weekend, junior forward Madison Bartley, has been named Missouri Valley Conference Player (MVC) of the Week.

The Kettering, Ohio native averaged 24 points and six rebounds in 23.7 minutes across the two wins. Shooting 60 percent (18-of-30) from the field and going 11-for-12 (.917) at the free-throw line, Bartley notched back-to-back 20-point performances.

In Belmont’s Friday (Jan. 20) night win over Missouri State, Bartley scored 14 of her season-high 26 points in the fourth quarter. She went 8-for-8 at the foul line and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, scoring eight-straight points in the closing minutes to seal the victory. On Sunday (Jan. 22), Bartley was ultra-efficient in the Bruins’ 56-point, 101-45 blowout of Southern Illinois. In only 15:49 of action on the court, she scored 22 points on 9-for-10 shooting and collected four boards.

Bartley earns her second conference player of the week award after being selected as Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week last January. Three different Belmont players have now garnered MVC weekly accolades. Junior guard Destinee Wells was tabbed MVC Player of the Week on Nov. 14 following the first week of the season, and graduate guard Sydni Harvey earned both MVC Player and Newcomer of the Week honors on Dec. 27 after her historic three-point shooting display versus Troy.

 

TSU Graduate Jr. Clay Named OVC Player Of The Week

Jr. Clay. Photo: Courtesy of TSU Athletics

Tennessee State men’s basketball graduate student Jr. Clay was named the OVC Co-Player of the Week after scoring his 2,000th point against Little Rock.

On Saturday (Jan. 21) against Little Rock, Clay dropped 33-points as he broke the 2,000 milestone. The 33 points are the third-most by an OVC player in a game this season. The Chattanooga native scored 28 of those points after halftime and finished the game 11-of-24 from the field and 10-of-11 at the free throw line. He added six assists, four rebounds and a steal.

Clay opened the week with 18 points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal against Eastern Illinois. He hit 3-of-4 free throws in the final 42 seconds as the Tigers won by four points.

Clay leads the OVC in scoring (18.9 points/game), is second in assists (4.6/game), fifth in 3-pointers made (2/4/game), sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4), and seventh in free throw percentage (80.9 percent). In Conference-only games, Clay is averaging 22.5 points per game.

MTSU Women’s Basketball Ranked No. 23 In ‘AP’ Top 25 Poll

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MTSU Lady Raiders. Photo: Courtesy of MTSU Athletics

The Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) women’s basketball team ranked No. 23 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 Poll for the first time since the 2013-14 season.

Winners of their last 14 games, which is the fourth longest active winning streak in the country, the Lady Raiders (16-2, 9-0 C-USA) made it into the top 25 after receiving votes in the last seven AP polls. Middle Tennessee has spent 22 weeks in the AP poll in program history.

Checking in at No. 20 in the NET rankings as of Jan. 22, MTSU leads Conference USA and ranks 11th in the country in scoring margin (19.7). Since the start of conference play, the Lady Raiders have posted a point differential of 20.8.

Earlier this season, the Lady Raiders defeated then-No. 18 Louisville, marking the Lady Raiders’ first win over a ranked opponent since Dec. 28, 2011 when MTSU knocked off No. 6 Kentucky 70-58 at the Murphy Center. It was the 11th win in program history over a ranked team–fourth under head coach Rick Insell–and the sixth ranked win inside of Murphy Center.

The team’s recent performances against the University of Alabama Birmingham, Charlotte and Louisiana State earned Insell an ESPN Women’s Basketball Coach of the Week honor. The Lady Raiders outscored their opponents 209-145.

The national ranking adds to the list of achievements around Middle Tennessee Athletics during 2022-23. Blue Raider men’s tennis was ranked No. 25 team in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Preseason Poll, while the Lady Raiders (No. 18/15 Louisville) and the Blue Raider football team (No. 25 Miami) both knocked off ranked opponents.