Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Wright regarded as one of nation's best
5/19/2004 12:05:00 PM | General
Collegefootballnews.com recently released its 2004 team-by-team previews, conference games of the year, top players, etc. Blue Raider senior receiver Kerry Wright, an All-American candidate, is prominently displayed and is listed is one of the top players in the nation by the Web site.
In fact, one teaser reads: The Sun Belt might not be the league with the highest Q rating, but stars like Middle Tennessee WR Kerry Wright and North Texas RB Patrick Cobbs are worth watching. These two will square off in the Sun Belt Game of the Year.
That's right, CFN believes the Game of the Year in the SBC will take place Oct 2 when the Blue Raiders travel to Denton, Texas to play the Mean Green. In its preview section, CFN writes: North Texas has been the league powerhouse the Blue Raiders were expected to be a few years ago, but finally, head coach Andy McCollum might have the team to get to New Orleans. Outside of Kerry Wright, there aren't many superstars as the team relies on solid players from top to bottom, only needing a few holes to be patched. The preview also states: the team is stacked with the best front seven and best receiving corps McCollum has ever had.
The writer suggests Middle Tennessee is good enough to win the Sun Belt, but "it actually has to live up to all the expectations that have been three years in the making."
CFN calls Wright Middle Tennessee's best offensive player and signals linebacker Jonathan Bonner as the best defensive player; however, the article suggests LB Dennis Burke and DT Jeff Littlejohn could make a push as the team's best defender. Senior corner Danny Tolbert is listed as a key player to a successful season.
In regard to the 2004 signing class, former Murfreesboro Riverdale standout Ralph King, a defensive back, and WR Cleannord Saintil are listed as "instant impact players," while linebacker Boston McCornell is regarded as the "star of the class."
The CFN preview can be accessed at http://collegefootballnews.com.
ALL-TOURNAMENT PERFORMERS: Crystal Bobo, Leah Grothause and Melissa Weiland were named to the Sun Belt All-Tournament team. Bobo was 3-0 in the Sun Belt Tournament with a 0.78 ERA in three starts and four appearances. She allowed three earned runs and struck out 18. Grothause led the Lady Raiders in batting average in the tournament with a .368 and gunned down four base runners behind the plate. Weiland helped her cause for all-tournament in the semi-finals against Florida International as she went 3-of-4 with a homerun, a double, and three RBI. Middle Tennessee played the most games in the tournament, six, and ended the tourney with a 4-2 record. After falling in the second round to FIU 3-2, the Lady Raiders won all three of their games in the losers bracket to reach the Sun Belt Championship against Louisiana-Lafayette.
KLEMETZ, GUSTAFSSON CONTINUE CAREER: Former Middle Tennessee tennis standouts Daniel Klemetz and Robert Gustafsson have been playing club tennis in Germany and France the last month as they continue their professional careers. The two play for the same club in Sweden at times and have been back-and-forth between Germany and France in the last few weeks. Clay Court season in Europe has started, with the French Open beginning March 24 in Paris. Also, former Blue Raider Oliver Foreman has taken a job as a teaching professional in Memphis, Tenn., working for the brother of former teammate Belel Hamadeh.
STUDENT-ATHLETES GRADUATE: The following student-athletes graduated during ceremonies at Murphy Center Saturday: Baseball: Tim Crunk, Travis Horschel, Jason Howarth, David Lusk Martin. Football: Randy Arnold, Robert Billings, Bill Brasch, Gerald Brown, Scotty Brown, Antonio Capps, Alonzo Hudgins, Michael Renda. Men's Basketball: Wilkie Buchanan, Alfred Connor, Fred White. Men's Track: Josh Carroll, Michael Clevenger, Robert Etheridge, Jeremy Farmer, Sam Hutson Hay, Geoffrey Lagat, Bryan Picklesimer, William Rabe, Cedric Waller. Women's Golf: Nicole Biles. Softball: Kari Crandell, Kellie Finney, Kathleen McCraw, Stacy Preator. Women's Basketball: Dana Conner. Women's Soccer: Allison Schulz, Emily Shrum. Women's Tennis: Stacy Varnell. Women's Track: Heather Smith. Women's Volleyball: Karisse Baker, Erin Hillstrom.
