Belmont Women’s Basketball Drops 2022-23 Non-Conference Schedule

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After one of its best seasons ever, the Belmont women’s basketball team is right back at it, dropping its 2022-23 non-conference schedule featuring games against Louisville, Georgia and more.

Like always, head coach Bart Brooks tries to set up his team for the postseason by building one of the toughest schedules in all of college basketball. Belmont will face at least seven 20-win programs from last season. Nine of the known non-conference opponents combined for nearly 200 victories a season ago.

Belmont’s non-conference schedule also features five NCAA Tournament teams from 2021-22, four of which reached at least the Round of 32, with the possibility to face even more at the 2022 Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Florida.

“I’m really excited for our program to have the opportunity to compete against some of the best players and coaches in the country this year,” says coach Brooks. “We have a great mix of local rivals and nationally-recognized programs on our schedule this season. I know our fans will love the opportunity to watch our team compete in some amazing environments against outstanding competition. We know our challenging non-conference schedule will help prepare us for the great competition that awaits us in our first season in the Missouri Valley Conference.”

The Bruins will welcome Louisville, a reigning Final Four team, and Georgia Tech at the Curb Event Center in two of the most highly anticipated games 0f the year.

Belmont will host two games in both November and December on the newly refurbished Rick Byrd Court inside the Curb Event Center beginning with its season opener on Wednesday, Nov. 9 versus the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The Bruins will then face Louisville on Sunday, Nov. 13. The Cardinals went 29-5 in 2021-22 and were a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They will represent the first-ever reigning Final Four team Belmont has hosted.

Renewing a local rivalry after last season’s matchup was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns, the Bruins will take on 2022 WNIT semifinalist Middle Tennessee in Murfreesboro on Wednesday, Nov. 16. The Lady Raiders went 27-8 a season ago and won four games in the WNIT, including victories over Wake Forest and Vanderbilt.

On Sunday, Nov. 20, Belmont will travel to defending Big Ten Conference regular season and tournament champion Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes received a No. 2 seed in last year’s NCAA Tournament after going 14-4 in Big Ten play and were one possession away from a third consecutive Sweet 16 appearance. Iowa finished 24-8 on the season.

The Bruins will take part in one of the premier in-season college basketball tournaments when they make the trip to the Sunshine State for the 2022 Gulf Coast Showcase, held Friday-Sunday, Nov. 25-27 inside Hertz Arena in Estero, Florida. Belmont will see Villanova in the quarterfinals on Friday, Nov. 25 at 12:30 p.m. CT with the winner advancing to play either Baylor or Saint Louis in the semifinals. The Wildcats went 24-9 last season and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament after upsetting sixth-seeded BYU as a No. 11 seed.

The semifinals of the Gulf Coast Showcase will take place on Saturday, Nov. 26 and the championship will be held on Sunday, Nov. 27. The tournament bracket also includes consolation matchups with the Bruins guaranteed three games across Thanksgiving weekend.

Returning to Nashville, Belmont will host another NCAA Tournament team from last season when Georgia Tech visits on Sunday, Dec. 4. The second ACC team to play in the Curb, the Yellow Jackets went 21-11 in 2021-22 and were a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The 76th Battle of the Boulevard versus Lipscomb is set for Tuesday, Dec. 6 at the opposite end of the boulevard inside Allen Arena. Following an 11-day break from game action, the Bruins will head to Athens, Georgia, to face Southeastern Conference mainstay Georgia on Saturday, Dec. 17. The Bulldogs posted a 21-10 record last season and reached the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament as a No. 6 seed. Belmont has defeated an SEC team on the road each of the last two seasons.

Wrapping up their non-conference slate, the Bruins will welcome defending Sun Belt Conference regular season champion Troy to the Curb on Tuesday, Dec. 20. The Trojans went 24-9 last year and qualified for the WNIT.

Six of Belmont’s set non-conference opponents finished in the top 70 of the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings last year led by No. 5 Louisville, followed by No. 14 Iowa, No. 29 Georgia, No. 33 Georgia Tech, No. 57 Middle Tennessee and No. 70 Villanova. The Bruins ended last season ranked No. 45 in the NET.

Belmont, who returns seven of its top nine players including its top three scorers, reached its second consecutive NCAA Tournament Round of 32 as a No. 12 seed last March with a thrilling, double-overtime victory over fifth-seeded Oregon (73-70). The Bruins became only the second program in Division I women’s basketball history to win NCAA Tournament games in back-to-back seasons as a No. 12 seed or lower.

Former Belmont Coach Rick Byrd Named To NIT Committee

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Rick Byrd. Photo: Courtesy of Belmont Athletics

Former Belmont University men’s basketball head coach Rick Byrd has been named to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) committee.

Byrd was the Bruins head coach for 33 years where he accumulated with 805 career victories and ranks 13th all-time among NCAA Division I head coaches. He was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame this past November and received the 2022 John R. Wooden Award Legends of Coaching honor by the Los Angeles Athletic Club in April.

A current Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame induction candidate and Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame inductee, Byrd systematically led Belmont to national prominence in both NCAA Division I and NAIA. In 1996, Belmont made the unprecedented decision to jump from NAIA to NCAA Division, which Byrd led to eventual success.

The Knoxville, Tennessee native led Belmont to eight NCAA Tournament appearances (2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019) and 17 conference championships (10 regular season, seven tournament) in his final 14 years, and national top 25 poll votes in eight of his last nine years.

Moreover, for programs with at least six decades of history, Byrd retired first among NCAA Division I head coaches when ranked by percentage of schools’ all-time wins, accounting for a staggering 62.4 percent of Belmont’s total victories. A 14-time district or conference coach of the year, Byrd’s career conference winning percentage of .797 (447-114) ranks second in NCAA Division I, behind only Mark Few of Gonzaga.

Under Byrd’s leadership, the Bruin program was one of only nine NCAA Division I programs to win 19 or more games each of his final 14 seasons.

Tennessee Teams To Debut New ‘Summitt Blue’ Uniforms This Year

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Tennessee Athletics is updating its brand standards and renaming the blue accent color historically associated with the Lady Vols “Summitt Blue,” honoring late Lady Vols basketball coach Pat Summitt.

Additionally, four teams will debut the Summitt Blue uniforms during the upcoming 2022-23 academic year – a collection dubbed the “Summitt Legacy” series. The Tennessee soccer, volleyball, softball and basketball teams will compete in the new Summitt Blue jerseys.

Summitt Blue stands alongside “Smokey Grey” and “Dark Mode” (formerly Anthracite) as the three accent colors on Tennessee Athletics’ official color palette.

“Tennessee’s history as a worldwide leader in women’s athletics, along with the Lady Vols’ unique legacy of excellence are traditions we are proud to celebrate,” says Tennessee Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White. “As some of our teams recently saw their new Summitt Blue uniforms for the first time, they reacted with a joy and enthusiasm that I hope will extend to our fans and proud alumni.”

The first version of the Lady Vols’ blue accent color appeared in 1968 when Joan Cronan set out to obtain jerseys for the women’s basketball team. At the time, no company offered an orange uniform, so Cronan opted for Columbia blue uniforms with orange lettering when the Lady Vols played at home.

Later, when orange uniforms became available, Tennessee switched to the traditional orange jerseys but a touch of Summitt Blue has remained.

College Corner: Nick Muszynski, TSU, Vanderbilt Baseball

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Belmont Basketball Star Nick Muszynski Signs Professional Deal In Poland

Nick Muszynski. Photo: Courtesy of Belmont Athletics

Belmont men’s basketball graduate Nick Muszynski has signed a professional contract with Enea Astoria Bydgoszcz in Poland.

Muszynski just completed one of the most decorated  careers in program history, including being selected to participate in the 2022 NABC Reese’s Division I College All-Star Game and the 2022 Portsmouth Invitational.

Upon completion of his eligibility, the 6-11 center ranked 11th among all active frontcourt players in scoring with 1,886 points. His 105 career double figure scoring games ranked second among all active frontcourt players, trailing only Richmond’s Grant Golden.

The Pickerington, Ohio native was one of only nine players over the last 30 years with at least 1,800 points, 700 rebounds, 250 assists and 200 blocked shots, and joined the likes of Tim Duncan (Wake Forest), David West (Xavier), Nick Collison (Kansas) and John Wallace (Syracuse) to reach the standard.

Posting a career record of 104-25, Muszynski led Belmont to three conference regular season championships, two NCAA Tournament bids and the 2022 Postseason NIT. He joined NBA Champion Ian Clark as the second Belmont player in the NCAA Division I era named all-conference four consecutive seasons.

 

 

TSU Athletics Launch New Mobile App

Tennessee State University is launching the TSU Tigers official mobile app, powered by SIDEARM Sports, to help better connect fans to their favorite teams. Featuring real-time news alerts, schedules, exclusive multimedia content, game day details and more, the new app is free and compatible with both iOS and Android devices.

“As a department, we are always looking for new ways to engage our fans and enhance their game day experience, and this app accomplishes both goals,” says Director of Athletics Dr. Mikki Allen. “This digital platform provides an easy and convenient way for our alumni, fans, and supporters to stay up-to-date with the latest news, scores, and original content surrounding their favorite teams.”

Through the app, TSU fans will enjoy a personalized mobile experience with the ability to manage tickets, shop for official merchandise, receive breaking news, and score notifications for the teams they follow. Additionally, it includes links to video and audio streams of live games, in-game stats, and team social media feeds.

 

 

Commodores Set to Open Next Season At Globe Life Field

Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

The Vanderbilt baseball team will open the 2023 season in the College Baseball Showdown at Globe Life Field—home of the Texas Rangers.

This will be the Commodores first appearance in the third annual tournament, which is scheduled for Feb. 17–19 and features six of the nation’s top programs. Vanderbilt will be joined by Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma State, TCU and Texas. The inaugural tournament in 2021 was one of the highest attended college baseball tournaments in the NCAA.

“It goes without saying that these are privileged opportunities for our players, school and university,” says head coach Tim Corbin. “We are grateful to the Texas Rangers and their ownership for their beautiful facilities and inclusion in this event. With Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker’s recent addition to this organization, we hope our team can add favorably with our representation in these games.”

Five of the six programs in the 2023 showdown lineup played in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, with the Commodores making their 16th consecutive postseason appearance.

All games of the 2023 College Baseball Showdown will be streamed live by FloSports, the exclusive broadcast partner for the tournament. Tickets for the 2023 College Baseball Showdown will go on sale later this year.

Belmont Women’s Basketball To Play In Gulf Coast Showcase Over Thanksgiving Weekend

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After their most historic season, Belmont’s women’s basketball team will play in the 2022 Gulf Coast Showcase. The tournament will be held over Thanksgiving Weekend from Nov. 25-27 inside Hertz Arena in Estero, Florida, and will feature six NCAA Tournament teams from last season.

Joining the Bruins in southwest Florida will be Air Force, three-time national champion Baylor, Georgia Tech, Michigan, Saint Louis, South Florida and Villanova. Michigan reached last year’s Elite Eight, while Belmont, Baylor and Villanova all appeared in the Round of 32. Georgia Tech and South Florida also made the NCAA Tournament field this past March.

Seven of the eight participants in this year’s event made national postseason play in 2021-22, while half the tournament field won at least one game in the 2022 NCAA Tournament.

“This year’s Gulf Coast Showcase field is deep with six teams from last year’s March Madness field and some of the top coaches in the game,” says Gulf Coast Showcase Women’s Tournament Director and CBS/ESPN analyst Debbie Antonelli. “The Bears may enter as the favorite but there are some great teams, led by some outstanding coaches in this year’s field, so any of these eight could go home with the hardware on Sunday night.”

Belmont will face Villanova in the Gulf Coast Showcase quarterfinals Friday, Nov. 25 at 12:30 p.m. CT with the winner advancing to play either Baylor or Saint Louis in the semifinals. This matchup is the first-ever meeting between Wildcats and the Bruins.

The tournament bracket also includes consolation matchups with all teams guaranteed three games across the weekend.

Belmont reached its second consecutive NCAA Tournament Round of 32 as a No. 12 seed this past season with a thrilling, double-overtime victory over fifth-seeded Oregon. The Wildcats upset sixth-seeded BYU 61-57 in the First Round as a No. 11 seed.

Past Gulf Coast Showcase champions include UConn (2014), Stanford (2015), Baylor (2016), Notre Dame (2017), Texas (2018), Gonzaga (2019) and Iowa State (2021).

MTSU Set To Retire Kevin Byard’s Number

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Kevin Byard at MTSU. Photo: Courtesy of MT Athletics

Middle Tennessee legend and Tennessee Titans All-Pro Kevin Byard will have his No. 20 jersey number retired on Sept. 30 during a ceremony at the Blue Raiders’ home game against UTSA.

Byard will join Teddy Morris as the only other player in MTSU football history to have his number retired, whose No. 14 was retired in 1965.

“I am truly honored and blessed to have my jersey number retired at MTSU,” Byard notes. “A lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into making this a reality. Thank you to my coaches, training staff, faculty members, and most importantly my teammates who all played a major role in my success during the five years I attended Middle.”

Byard, a four-year starter for the Blue Raiders from 2012-15, 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.

“This is an incredible honor for any athlete to have their number retired,” says Head Coach Rick Stockstill. “I am very proud of Kevin in what he accomplished here at Middle Tennessee and how he has transitioned into one of the best players in the NFL. More important than his skills as an elite athlete is how he has represented himself, his family, MTSU football and the Titans in a first class manner. KB is very deserving of this honor of having his number hanging in the stadium forever.”

The Lithonia, Georgia native was a first team all-conference selection and an FWAA Freshman All-American while leading the team in interceptions all four years.

“Kevin embodies all of the qualities that warrant having a person’s number retired,” says Athletic Director Chris Massaro. “Kevin is a high character individual who always exhibited a tremendous work ethic. He is a great leader who always gives his all on and off the field. We are very fortunate that Kevin has continued representing our University so well in our local market as a Tennessee Titan. This retirement is in appreciation for all Kevin has done for MTSU and what he continues to do as a Tennessee Titan and beyond.”

Byard was selected with the first pick of the third round in the 2016 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans and is now considered one of the top safeties in the NFL. He is a two-time All-Pro pick and was named the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year winner in 2020 for his work in the community.

From 2017 through 2019, Byard led the NFL with 17 interceptions and in 2020 he led the team and set a career-high with 111 tackles.

Joe Deyo, Dave Joseph Named New PA Announcers For Vanderbilt Athletics

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Vanderbilt Stadium. Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics / Daniel Dubois

With the college football and soccer seasons just weeks away, Vanderbilt Athletics has announced that Joe Deyo and Dave Joseph will serve as public address announcers for its football, baseball and soccer programs.

Deyo will serve as the football public address announcer, while Joseph will be the public address announcer for baseball and soccer.

Deyo is a veteran announcer with more than nine years and 300 games of public address experience to Vanderbilt Stadium. He has worked with Lipscomb and announced games for the Atlantic Sun Conference basketball tournament, and he was a finalist in the Tennessee Titans public address announcer search in 2021.

Joseph has worked with the Los Angeles Kings for seven seasons, as well as on events and games for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Galaxy, UCLA and USC. He was the public address announcer for the 2014 Stanley Cup, 2017 NHL All-Star Game, 2020 AHL All-Star Game and 2021 MLS All-Star Game. A native of Ishpeming, Michigan, he was also selected as a finalist in the Titans’ public address announcer search in 2021.

The Vanderbilt Athletics public address announcer search was spearheaded by an internal committee. The four-step process began with all applicants submitting recordings, followed by interviews and a second round of recordings. Candidates then went through live auditions followed by a fan vote.

Belmont University Undergoes Athletic Department Realignment

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Scott Corley. Photo: Courtesy of Belmont Athletics

Belmont University is realigning its athletic department which includes a series of staff promotions leading into the schools first year in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Renee Schultz has been elevated to Senior Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Success/Senior Woman Administrator. Schultz will oversee areas of academic support, student-athlete services & career development, sport ministry, NCAA compliance, sports medicine, and sports performance.

Josh Ward has been elevated to Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Engagement. Ward will oversee areas of athletic marketing, revenue generation – including sales and sponsorships, licensing and ticketing, brand management, and messaging.

James Woody has been elevated to Senior Associate Athletic Director for Administration. Woody will oversee areas of internal operations, budget and finance, human resources, facilities, and event management.

Schultz, Ward and Woody join Belmont University Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Corley to comprise the athletic executive leadership team.

“As Belmont athletics begins a new chapter in the Missouri Valley Conference, this felt like the ideal time to realign people and responsibilities within our department,” Corley says. “These moves will allow us to become more efficient and responsive to the needs of our student-athletes and coaches. Equally important, it allows me the opportunity to reward many members of the staff with well-deserved promotions and added responsibilities.”

Corley announced the following staff promotions and title changes:

  • Kim Anderson has been elevated to Director of Sports Medicine.
  • Luke Bolanos has been elevated to Director of Athletic Communication.
  • Heather Copeland has been elevated to Associate Athletic Director for Compliance.
  • Colette Keyser has been elevated to Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Success.
  • John Langdon has been elevated to Director of Compliance & Student-Athlete Development.
  • Dr. Ryan Neises has been elevated to Director of Student-Athlete Formation.
  • ReAnna Rice has been elevated to Assistant Director of Administration.
  • Greg Sage has been elevated to Associate Athletic Director for Broadcasting & Media Relations.
  • Jarrett Thompson has been elevated to Assistant Director of Sports Performance.

The department realignment includes the following changes to sport oversight:

  • Schultz assumes sport oversight for women’s basketball, volleyball, women’s soccer and women’s golf.
  • Ward assumes sport oversight for men’s soccer and cheerleading.
  • Copeland assumes sport oversight for softball and women’s tennis.
  • Keyser assumes sport oversight for baseball.
  • Steve Barrick assumes sport oversight for men’s tennis.

Corley maintains sport oversight for men’s basketball, men’s golf, and men’s and women’s cross country and track & field.