Trevecca Names Former Lipscomb Assistant, Kevin Carroll, As Next Men’s Basketball Head Coach

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Trevecca Nazarene University Director of Athletics, Mark Elliott, has named Kevin Carroll as the tenth head coach in Trojans men’s basketball history. A veteran coach of twenty-three years, Carroll brings both local and national ties to The Hill, including the previous four seasons as an assistant coach at Lipscomb University.

“It’s not shocking there is great interest locally, regionally, and nationally in our men’s basketball coaching position, but we prioritize much more than just a good X’s and O’s coach,” says Elliott. “Kevin Carroll fits our Christian Scholar Athlete mission with his well-defined Live Your Legacy program philosophy. In addition, his spiritual leadership, broad coaching experiences, high-level organizational skills, coach-player relationship focus, local recruiting ties, and strong family values make him an excellent fit for Trevecca. We are excited to welcome Kevin, Caroline, Luke, and Levi to The Hill and Trojan Nation!

The 2023-2024 season will be the twelfth season for Trevecca in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference and in NCAA Division II.

“I am honored and excited to be given the responsibility of ushering in a new era of Trevecca Nazarene University Men’s Basketball,” says Carroll. “My family and I would like to thank Dr. Dan Boone, Mark Elliott, and the entire search committee for their tireless work and belief in our vision for transforming this program and the lives of the young men associated with it.”

Carroll’s career includes 10 seasons of head coaching experience at both the collegiate and high school levels, having most recently served as the head coach of Maryville University-St. Louis from 2010-2017. His tenure was highlighted by setting a program record for wins, eclipsing the 20-win mark for only the second time in the program’s history and becoming the first coach to defeat a nationally ranked opponent.

A native of Wildwood, Georgia, Carroll played collegiately at Berry College, where current Lipscomb head coach Lennie Acuff initially coached him.

After serving three seasons as an assistant in the high school ranks, Carroll earned his first head coaching position in 2003 at St. Pius X Catholic High School in Atlanta, Georgia. While there, he orchestrated an improbable turnaround, leading the program from single-digit wins in year one to only its second regional title and a share of the program best for wins in 2005-06. In Carroll’s last two seasons, the Golden Lions defeated ten ranked teams, including the No. 1 team in AAAA in the 2006 regional final.

Carroll then moved into the collegiate ranks, reuniting with Acuff as an assistant coach at the University of Alabama in Huntsville in 2006-07.

After one season at UAH, Carroll moved to NCAA Division I with a three-year stay at the United States Air Force Academy. The team reached and won a game at the Mountain West Conference tournament for the first time. Carroll helped recruit players from Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, Texas, California, and Kentucky.

In 2010, Carroll’s successful run opened his first collegiate head coaching position at Maryville St. Louis, leading the program through the transition from NCAA Division III to NCAA Division II. Carroll took the challenge and led the team to its most wins in school history and a share of the GLVC West Runner-Up, just behind the eventual Division II National Champion.

At Maryville, he recruited six All-Conference performers, including Maryville’s first-ever GLVC Player of the Year and two DII All-Americans.  His last two stops were as an assistant at the NCAA Division I level, first at Virginia Military Institute (two seasons) and at Lipscomb University, where he’s been reunited with Lennie Acuff since 2019.

Proceeds From Vanderbilt Baseball Game To Benefit The Covenant School

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Hawkins Field

Vanderbilt University will be donating the ticket proceeds from tonight (March 28)’s baseball game against Lipscomb to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee benefitting The Covenant School and supporting those affected by the tragedy that unfolded in the Nashville community yesterday (March 27).

The Commodores, who are currently ranked No. 4 nationally, and the Bisons will meet at 6 p.m. at Hawkins Field. Those wishing to donate can visit CFMT.org or purchase a ticket to tonight’s game. All ticket sales will be donated to the Caring for Covenant Fund.

Tickets are five dollars (plus fees). Vanderbilt and Lipscomb will join those in attendance in a moment of silence prior to the game.

Six people, including three students, were murdered in a mass shooting at The Covenant School in the Green Hills area yesterday morning. Members of the community continue to reach out to all those affected as families attempt to heal from the tragedy.

College Corner: Vanderbilt & Belmont Basketball Stars Enter Transfer Portal

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Belmont Superstars Destinee Wells & Madison Bartley Have Entered Transfer Portal

2022 OVC Tournament MVP Destinee Wells. Photo: Courtesy of Belmont Athletics.

After three amazing seasons with the Belmont women’s basketball team, Destinee Wells has announced she is leaving the Bruins and entering the transfer portal. This comes just days after her teammate Madison Bartley announced she was also entering the transfer portal.

Both Bartley and Wells were key players for Belmont’s success over theses past few years, leading the Bruins to their first NCAA Tournament win in 2021 and another March Madness upset in 2022. Their scoring abilities helped Belmont win the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) regular season title this season, their first in the MVC.

“I would like to thank Belmont and the Belmont family for all the love and support they’ve shown me over the years,” said Wells in an Instagram post. “It was a hard decision, but my time at Belmont has come to an end, as I have decided to take another past and another journey in order to reach my goals.”

Wells career averages at Belmont were 18.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 4.7 apg and she shot 47 percent from the field and 83 percent from free throw. She was named the 2021 OVC Tournament MVP and the 2020-21 OVC Freshman of the Year, the 2022 OVC Tournament MVP and the 2022-23 MVC Preseason Player of the Year.

Bartley finishes her Belmont career with 11.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 103 blocks and a 52 percent field goal percentage. She was named to the 2021-22 All-OVC First Team and 2022-23 All-MVC First Team.

Vanderbilt Leader Jordan Wright Entering Transfer Portal After Exciting 2022-2023 Season

Jordan Wright. Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Though Vanderbilt had an awesome season, they’re not immune from the transfer portal woes as rising star and team leader Jordan Wright is transferring for his final year of eligibility, according to 247Sports.

Wright, one of Head Coach Jerry Stackhouse‘s first recruits, has established himself as one of the Commodores go-to guys over these past two seasons. This season, he averaged 10.5 ppg, 5 rpg, and shot 40 percent from the field. Wright hit a game winner against Kentucky in Lexington with 2.6 seconds to give Vanderbilt a win over the ranked team.

Throughout his four years at Vanderbilt, Wright has been one of the best students on the team, being named the 2022 SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, 2022 CoSIDA Academic All-District and 2022 SEC Academic Honor Roll.

Wright finishes his Commodore career with 1167 points scored, 584 rebounds and two trips to the NIT with wins against Belmont, Dayton, Yale and Michigan.

Column: Vandy Should Be Proud Of Their Season, Despite NIT Exit

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Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Memorial Magic can’t last forever, and even this scrappy Vanderbilt men’s basketball team can’t pull out every win. All good things come to an end, and Vandy’s great 2022-2023 season ended Wednesday night (March 22) when they lost to the University of Alabama at Birmingham 67-59 in the NIT quarterfinals, ending their postseason run.

So many questions surrounded this postseason for the Commodores as they made a run in the SEC Tournament and picked up wins against ranked opponents, but didn’t get the recognition from the NCAA Tournament Committee that many thought they deserved. Liam Robbins had one of the best seasons by a Vandy player in years and Head Coach Jerry Stackhouse was named the SEC’s Co-Coach of the Year after leading the ‘Dores to their best season in nearly seven years.

Fans saw First Four teams Nevada and Mississippi State fail to make anything of their NCAA Tournament bid, and witnessed teams like Rutgers and Clemson, who were picked as the First Four out by the NCAA Tournament Committee, also fail to get past the opening round of the NIT. This made many Vanderbilt fans and some in the Nashville media even more frustrated that Vandy didn’t get a proper shot.

But Vanderbilt seemed to block all of that out and continued to play great basketball, beating Yale and then Michigan 66-65 after going on a 9-0 run in the final minute of the game. The Commodores were electric and created an atmosphere at Memorial that hasn’t been seen in years. Though their run was short lived, the team created memories that they can build off of next season and beyond. This foundation Stackhouse has laid is what Vandy fans have been waiting for since he took over as Head Coach.

Fans should be over the moon after this season and extremely proud of this team. Guys like Jordan Wright, Tyrin Lawrence and Ezra Manjon had fantastic seasons and some brilliant moments in both the SEC Tournament and the NIT. Lawrence is only a junior and has the potential to be that superstar Vandy needs to take the extra step towards an NCAA Tournament bid. Wright also has another year of eligibility, if he decides to take it. If he does, Vanderbilt will have another strong senior class that can lead.

After two consecutive seasons with strong NIT runs, Vanderbilt needs to push harder and get into the NCAA Tournament. Being so close to a bid this year and ultimately being snubbed should fuel the returning roster. That fuel combined with Stackhouse’s recruiting, which is arguably his best yet, (being ranked 43rd in the country and eighth in the SEC by 247Sports) could be enough to make the Commodores legit contenders.

This season was a fun one, but next season, there will be real expectations for this new era of Vanderbilt basketball.

Teresa Lawrence Phillips & John Henderson Announced As 2023 Tennessee Sports Hall Of Fame Inductees

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Teresa Lawrence Phillips and John Henderson.

Former Vanderbilt women’s basketball player, Fisk Basketball Coach and TSU Athletics Director Teresa Lawrence Phillips and former Tennessee Volunteers Defensive Tackle and Nashville Native John Henderson have been named to the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023.

Phillips was told of the news Wednesday during a Title IX discussion on the Belmont University campus.

“Teresa Lawrence Phillips made positive change for sports during every level of her career. From a player, to a coach, to an athletics director, she worked tirelessly to make sports better in every way,” says Brad Willis, Executive Director of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. “We’re very excited to have Teresa Lawrence Phillips as part of our 2023 Class of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.”

Phillips was born in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, and attended Girls Preparatory School in Chattanooga. She was the second African American student to attend GPS, and the first Black player on the basketball team. After her graduation in 1976, Phillips attended Vanderbilt University on an academic scholarship and was asked to join the university’s first women’s basketball team in 1978. As a senior in 1980, Phillips was awarded the first-ever women’s Athlete of the Year Award. After her graduation, Phillips joined Vanderbilt basketball coach Joe Pepper’s staff as an assistant coach. During that time, the team would become a legitimate contender in the SEC, playing in their first AIAW tournament in 1982 and winning the Women’s NIT Tournament in 1984.

At the age of 26, Phillips was hired as the Head Coach of the Fisk University Lady Bulldogs basketball team. Under her leadership, Fisk tallied a 62-38 record and won two conference titles. Phillips was named WIAC Coach of the Year in 1987 and 1988. In 1989, Phillips became Head Basketball Coach at Tennessee State University (TSU). From 1989-2000 she led the Tigers to their first OVC regular season and tournament championships and their first NCAA Tournament appearance. Phillips moved from coaching to administration in 2002, becoming the Athletic Director at TSU, a position she would hold until her retirement in 2020. In 2003, Phillips made history as the first woman to coach an NCAA men’s basketball team, serving as an interim coach for a game against Austin Peay.

Phillips was inducted into the Vanderbilt Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017 and the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021.

Henderson was told of the news of his induction during a radio interview on 104.5 The Zone in Nashville with former Volunteers Ramon Foster and Ron Slay. The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame pays homage to the state’s rich sports history and their impact within the community.

“John Henderson was a dominant football player at every level of competition. From Pearl Cohn, to Tennessee, to the NFL, John was a force to be reckoned with along the defensive line,” says Willis. “John’s accomplishments throughout his career make him an ideal candidate for the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.”

Henderson was born in Nashville and attended Pearl-Cohn Comprehensive High School, where he played defensive tackle and tight end for the Pearl-Cohn Firebirds. Henderson was part of back-to-back state championship teams in his junior and senior seasons. Henderson played defensive tackle at the University of Tennessee from 1998-2001. During that time, he was a two-time All-American, two-time All-SEC and the Outland Trophy winner in 2000 for the Nation’s top interior lineman. Henderson was selected with the 9th overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars and went on to spend 10 seasons in the NFL. He was named a Pro Bowler in 2004 and 2006 and All-Pro in 2006.

Henderson and Phillips join former Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck, former Memphis Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph, former Nashville Predators Captain Mike Fisher, Memphis Football linebacker Tim Harris, MTSU baseball legend Steve Smith, golfer Loren Roberts, Bristol Motor Speedway Co-Founder Carl R. Moore, ETSU Basketball Coach and Athletics Director Les Robinson, and Lady Vol Track star and Olympic Gold Medalist Tianna Madison as 2023 Inductees. The full 2023 Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Induction Class will be released over the coming weeks.

The induction ceremony, presented by the Tennessee Titans, will be held Saturday, July 22 at the Omni Nashville Downtown. Ticket information will be announced at a later date.

Titans’ Kevin Byard Given MTSU Student-Athletic Center Naming Rights

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MTSU Head Coach Rick Stockstill and Kevin Byard. Photo: Courtesy of Emily Cole and MTSU Athletics

They don’t call Kevin Byard the “Mayor of Murfreesboro” for nothing. Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU)’s Blue Raider Athletic Association announced that the current Tennessee Titans star and former Blue Raider student-athlete has given a significant gift to the Build Blue Campaign.

The gift, along with his accomplishments on and off the field, will give Byard naming rights to the strength and conditioning space in the new Student-Athlete Performance Center.

“I am super excited about the future of MTSU athletics and the impact that this new facility will have for not only recruiting, but the development of the student-athletes,” says Byard. “I am proud to be an alumnus of this great institution.”

The Build Blue Campaign has now secured over $18 million in donor cash, donor pledges and additional funds towards the over $100 million in transformational changes coming to the athletic facility landscape at MTSU. More than 300 individuals and families have contributed to the Build Blue campaign so far.

“During his time at MTSU, Kevin embodied what a student-athlete is all about in the leadership and high character he displayed in all facets of his life,” says Director of Athletics Chris Massaro. “This generous gift is another demonstration of his leadership, and we are extremely grateful for all that Kevin has done and continues to do for his university. KB was one of the hardest working student-athletes we have ever had, and we are proud to carry that legacy for generations to come. We are honored to put his name on the strength and conditioning center.”

Byard, a four-year starter for the Blue Raiders from 2012-2015, ended his career as the program’s all-time leader in interceptions (19), interception return yards (377), interception return touchdowns (4) and is one of just nine players in school history with 300 or more tackles. A team captain, Byard forced or gained 25 turnovers (19 INT, 5 FF, 1 FR) in 49 career games played.

The Lithonia, Georgia native was a First Team All-Conference selection as well as a FWAA Freshman All-American, while leading the team in interceptions all four years. MTSU retired his number 20 on Sept. 30, 2022, making it only the second football number to be retired in school history.

“I can’t thank Kevin enough for what he has done and is doing for Middle Tennessee football,” says Head Coach Rick Stockstill. “Kevin will always have a special place in my heart because of the respect, love and appreciation I have for him.”

MTSU’s goal for the Build Blue Campaign was increased to $20 million in September and construction on the $66-million Student-Athlete Performance Center is expected to begin next month.

The three-story, 85,500-square-foot performance center will provide all MTSU student-athletes with new facilities for weight training, nutrition and sports medicine. It will also be the new home for Blue Raider Football, allowing MTSU to relocate their football operations from Murphy Center to Floyd Stadium.

Nashville Sports Council & PNC Bank Collaborate On Women, HBCU Content Series

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The Nashville Sports Council and PNC Bank have come together to celebrate women in sports at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in Nashville with content series “Through Her Eyes.”

“Through Her Eyes” will spotlight female athletes, coaches and administrators across the region over the next year, giving a first-person voice to local women.

The new content series aligns with PNC’s commitment to HBCUs and women in sports across the U.S. Last year, the Nashville Sports Council and PNC Bank hosted the first-ever Women in Motorsports panel in Nashville.

“As Chair of the Nashville Sports Council’s Women in Sports Committee, it is my pleasure to see this initiative relaunched with a focus on HBCUs,” says Sheila Gibson, Chair of the Women in Sports Committee. “We are grateful for yet another collaboration with PNC Bank as we reaffirm our initiative’s commitment to amplifying women’s voices in our community.”

“HBCUs play an integral role to creating a strong talent pipeline and driving economic competitiveness in our state,” says Mike Johnson, PNC Regional President for Tennessee. “We’re proud to support this important initiative, which also reflects our longstanding advocacy for women financial decision makers and our passion for celebrating student athlete success.”

In 2022, PNC announced its nationwide $88 billion Community Benefits Plan, which is inclusive of a previously announced $1.5 billion commitment to support the economic empowerment of Black Americans and low- and moderate-income communities.

The first “Through Her Eyes” feature will be released later this month during Women’s History Month, focusing on Fisk University Athletics Director and gymnastics coach Corrinne Tarver. She was the first Black gymnast to win an all-around NCAA Championship while a star athlete at the University of Georgia. After her collegiate and Team USA careers, Tarver went on to have a successful in college athletics departments across America.

Tarver now leads Fisk’s new gymnastics program, which made history earlier this year as the first HBCU program to compete at the NCAA level.

The content series will live on the Nashville Sports Council’s website throughout the year.

Lady Raiders’ Stellar Season Comes To A Close After NCAA Tournament Loss

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Photo: Courtesy of Middle Tennessee Athletics

After one of their best seasons ever, Middle Tennessee women’s basketball ended their 2023 season in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, falling to the No. 6 seed against Colorado 82-60 on Saturday night (March 18).

The Lady Raiders (28-5), struggled to slow down the Buffalo (24-8) attack, getting doubled up the first quarter, 22-11, after a cold start shooting from the floor (4-for-16). MTSU then climbed back into the game late in the second quarter, cutting the Colorado lead to as few as five points, but a 9-0 run in the final 1:21 of the half from the Buffs left MTSU further behind at the break, 42-28.

“I thought that Colorado came out and really really played,” said Head Coach Rick Insell postgame. “I think they’re averaging five threes a game and tonight they made 13 threes. And we played pretty good defense. On our offensive end, they were very aggressive with us, not allowing us to get into our offense. I didn’t say they were fouling now, they were aggressive, they did a good job. Their game plan was excellent, they caused us problems early and knocked down some shots.

“My girls, they didn’t quit. They just kept playing and executing. I was real proud of them, they had a heck of a season. We put them in the fire all year long and they’ve done a good job.”

MTSU lost Colorado’s shooters in transition as the Buffs sped up the game in the third quarter, setting the net on fire with a 6-for-9 clip beyond the arc in the frame to increase their lead to 26 at the quarter break, making the fourth quarter a formality to end the first game of the night at the Durham Tournament site.

“They were aggressive, with the post players, up top, setting screens,” said junior guard Savannah Wheeler. “All we had to do is try to match their physicality. Credit to them. You know, they did a great job of defending . I thought we had a heck of a year. I’m really proud of this group. Proud that I came here. And just ready to get back to work for next season.”

Wheeler did all she could in her first taste of NCAA action, scoring 15 points at point guard. Kseniya Malashka found success offensively in her final game as a Lady Raider, nailing one of MTSU’s only three pointers of the night while finishing around the rim, ending the night with 13 points. Anastasiia Boldyreva was the only MTSU player to shoot above 50 percent during the night, finishing her evening with 6-of-8 shooting and leading the team with 16 points.

The Lady Raiders found themselves on the Associated Press’s Top 25 multiple times throughout the season and won both the Conference USA regular season championship and conference tournament.