Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
NOTEBOOK: Home Finale on Tap for Football
11/15/2021 3:56:00 PM | Football, General
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee football heads into the final home game with momentum after last weekend's 50-10 rout of FIU, but their opponent, Old Dominion, perhaps has the most momentum of any team in C-USA at the moment.
The Monarchs started the 2021 season 1-6, with their only win in their first seven games coming against FCS foe Hampton. But since Halloween weekend, ODU has rattled off three straight C-USA wins, edging out Louisiana Tech 23-20 at home, cruising 47-24 over FIU, and dominating on defense and special teams to beat Florida Atlantic last week, 30-16.
"Old Dominion is a much improved football team," head coach Rick Stockstill said. "They're playing really well in every phase of the game. They blocked two kicks last week, returning a blocked (PAT) for a (two points). Scored defensively with two safeties."
The winning streak has given the Monarchs a spark toward the end of the season. Now with a 4-6 record, ODU can win out and become bowl eligible in head coach Ricky Rahne's first season at the helm, as the Monarchs opted out of the 2020 season due to concerns with COVID-19.
"When you don't play for a whole year, and I don't know what they were able to do this past spring, but as an athlete in any sport, if you take that much time off, it takes a little bit of time to get back fundamentally," Stockstill said of ODU getting better as the season went on. "I'm sure that's part of it."
For the Blue Raiders, Saturday represents the last obstacle to putting up a perfect 5-0 record at home this season, and a chance to earn bowl eligibility for themselves. The game will also be the last home game for a plethora of Blue Raider seniors, including safety Reed Blankenship, who expects the afternoon to be "bittersweet."
"This is my second home," Blankenship said. "I love everything this program has done for me. My teammates mean the world to me. We all grew as men. Coach Stock has been one of the best coaches I've ever played for. The relationship that we have with each other is phenomenal. I'll never forget that. I'll take that into my life and hopefully become a coach one day, and be just like Stock."
Women's Basketball dominates defensively during opening week
Coach Rick Insell's women's basketball program has gotten off to a solid start in non-conference play, triumphing in their home opener against ECU on Tuesday before heading on the road and taking down reigning Atlantic-10 champion VCU on Friday last week.
Insell's squad is holding opponents to just 47.5 points per game ahead of the Lady Raiders' clash with Vanderbilt tonight at 6:30 pm in the Murphy Center.
Veteran newcomer Dor Saar is leading MT in scoring through two games. The Maine transfer dropped 18 points against both the Pirates and Rams, tying for the team lead in three pointers (seven) while also getting the free throw 13 times in two games, scoring 11 of her 36 points at the charity stripe. Alexis Whittington leads the Lady Raiders on the boards with 8.5 rebounds a game.
Of note from SID Tony Stinnett's game notes is MT is currently undefeated when freshman Courtney Blakely wins the team's halfcourt shooting contest at the end of each game's shootaround. The point guard has won both of those contests in this young season.
Full Court Press Pays Dividends for Men's Basketball
Coach Nick McDevitt's men's basketball team has also availed itself well through the team's two opening games, easily defeating NAIA foe Brescia and SWAC member Bethune-Cookman in the team's first two home games of the 2021-22 season.
McDevitt has played a deep bench through two games, regularly rotating in as many as 11 or 12 players in meaningful moments of the game. Six Blue Raiders are averaging at least seven points a game, with three players averaging at least 10 points a game, led by Josh Jefferson's 13.5 points.
That long bench has led to an effective full court press system, which has held MT's opponents to just 55.0 points per game on average, while forcing opposing teams into 24 turnovers a game on average. That, coupled with the Blue Raiders' ability to not turn the ball over, had led to an average TO margin of +13.5.
Middle Tennessee will face their toughest test of the early stretch of the season on Tuesday, when resigning Big South champion Winthrop visits the Murphy Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 pm.
Runner qualifies for NCAA Championships with NCAA Regional run
Jacob Choge earned an automatic qualification to this weekend's NCAA Championships in Tallahassee, Fla. after finishing sixth as an individual at the NCAA South Regional this past weekend in Huntsville, Ala.
The Blue Raiders fared decently overall in what was one of the most loaded fields of all the NCAA regionals that weekend, with the men's team earning a sixth place finish while the women's team raced their way to eighth place. Hillary Kimaiyo also podiumed for the men's team (16th) while Eusila Chepkemei podiumed for the women (12th).
"Both teams ran exactly what they were capable of, nothing better, nothing worse," cross country head coach Keith Vroman said. "It was a great season and an average day. I'm happy with both teams' performances, they competed how they train. I am very excited for Jacob Choge making the NCAA Championships next week in Florida. It is an incredible way to finish out an incredible career. Eusila, Hillary, and Jacob all competed well today by making the awards podium individually."
Volleyball's Samira Lawson Body earns All-Academic Team Honors
Outside hitter Samira Lawson Body continued her excellence on and off the court this week, as C-USA named her to the All-Academic team for the second time in her career on Monday.
Projected to graduate in spring of 2022 with a degree in Biology, Lawson Body currently has a GPA of 4.0 through nearly her entire academic career in Murfreesboro. She has been on the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll and received a C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal in each season since arriving on campus.
Lawson Body leads the Blue Raiders with 236 kills, 256.0 points, and seven double-doubles in 18 matches this season. She currently sits ninth all-time in career kills in the 25-point rally scoring era (since 2008) with 543 total kills.
To be eligible for consideration for the C-USA All-Academic team, a student-athlete must have a 3.2 cumulative grade point average, be at least a sophomore class standing, and be a starter or key reserve member of the squad. The selection is also based on a student-athlete's athletic performance.
The Monarchs started the 2021 season 1-6, with their only win in their first seven games coming against FCS foe Hampton. But since Halloween weekend, ODU has rattled off three straight C-USA wins, edging out Louisiana Tech 23-20 at home, cruising 47-24 over FIU, and dominating on defense and special teams to beat Florida Atlantic last week, 30-16.
"Old Dominion is a much improved football team," head coach Rick Stockstill said. "They're playing really well in every phase of the game. They blocked two kicks last week, returning a blocked (PAT) for a (two points). Scored defensively with two safeties."
The winning streak has given the Monarchs a spark toward the end of the season. Now with a 4-6 record, ODU can win out and become bowl eligible in head coach Ricky Rahne's first season at the helm, as the Monarchs opted out of the 2020 season due to concerns with COVID-19.
"When you don't play for a whole year, and I don't know what they were able to do this past spring, but as an athlete in any sport, if you take that much time off, it takes a little bit of time to get back fundamentally," Stockstill said of ODU getting better as the season went on. "I'm sure that's part of it."
For the Blue Raiders, Saturday represents the last obstacle to putting up a perfect 5-0 record at home this season, and a chance to earn bowl eligibility for themselves. The game will also be the last home game for a plethora of Blue Raider seniors, including safety Reed Blankenship, who expects the afternoon to be "bittersweet."
"This is my second home," Blankenship said. "I love everything this program has done for me. My teammates mean the world to me. We all grew as men. Coach Stock has been one of the best coaches I've ever played for. The relationship that we have with each other is phenomenal. I'll never forget that. I'll take that into my life and hopefully become a coach one day, and be just like Stock."
Women's Basketball dominates defensively during opening week
Coach Rick Insell's women's basketball program has gotten off to a solid start in non-conference play, triumphing in their home opener against ECU on Tuesday before heading on the road and taking down reigning Atlantic-10 champion VCU on Friday last week.
Insell's squad is holding opponents to just 47.5 points per game ahead of the Lady Raiders' clash with Vanderbilt tonight at 6:30 pm in the Murphy Center.
Veteran newcomer Dor Saar is leading MT in scoring through two games. The Maine transfer dropped 18 points against both the Pirates and Rams, tying for the team lead in three pointers (seven) while also getting the free throw 13 times in two games, scoring 11 of her 36 points at the charity stripe. Alexis Whittington leads the Lady Raiders on the boards with 8.5 rebounds a game.
Of note from SID Tony Stinnett's game notes is MT is currently undefeated when freshman Courtney Blakely wins the team's halfcourt shooting contest at the end of each game's shootaround. The point guard has won both of those contests in this young season.
𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗬 🤑#BlueRaiders | @cabblakely1 pic.twitter.com/g4aEfVSlkM
— MT Women's Basketball (@MT_WBB) November 12, 2021
Full Court Press Pays Dividends for Men's Basketball
Coach Nick McDevitt's men's basketball team has also availed itself well through the team's two opening games, easily defeating NAIA foe Brescia and SWAC member Bethune-Cookman in the team's first two home games of the 2021-22 season.
McDevitt has played a deep bench through two games, regularly rotating in as many as 11 or 12 players in meaningful moments of the game. Six Blue Raiders are averaging at least seven points a game, with three players averaging at least 10 points a game, led by Josh Jefferson's 13.5 points.
That long bench has led to an effective full court press system, which has held MT's opponents to just 55.0 points per game on average, while forcing opposing teams into 24 turnovers a game on average. That, coupled with the Blue Raiders' ability to not turn the ball over, had led to an average TO margin of +13.5.
Middle Tennessee will face their toughest test of the early stretch of the season on Tuesday, when resigning Big South champion Winthrop visits the Murphy Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 pm.
End your night with some highlights from our win over Bethune-Cookman. 😉#BlueRaiders | #StickTogether pic.twitter.com/qQtM2WHaVM
— MT Basketball (@MT_MBB) November 13, 2021
Runner qualifies for NCAA Championships with NCAA Regional run
Jacob Choge earned an automatic qualification to this weekend's NCAA Championships in Tallahassee, Fla. after finishing sixth as an individual at the NCAA South Regional this past weekend in Huntsville, Ala.
The Blue Raiders fared decently overall in what was one of the most loaded fields of all the NCAA regionals that weekend, with the men's team earning a sixth place finish while the women's team raced their way to eighth place. Hillary Kimaiyo also podiumed for the men's team (16th) while Eusila Chepkemei podiumed for the women (12th).
"Both teams ran exactly what they were capable of, nothing better, nothing worse," cross country head coach Keith Vroman said. "It was a great season and an average day. I'm happy with both teams' performances, they competed how they train. I am very excited for Jacob Choge making the NCAA Championships next week in Florida. It is an incredible way to finish out an incredible career. Eusila, Hillary, and Jacob all competed well today by making the awards podium individually."
Volleyball's Samira Lawson Body earns All-Academic Team Honors
Outside hitter Samira Lawson Body continued her excellence on and off the court this week, as C-USA named her to the All-Academic team for the second time in her career on Monday.
Projected to graduate in spring of 2022 with a degree in Biology, Lawson Body currently has a GPA of 4.0 through nearly her entire academic career in Murfreesboro. She has been on the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll and received a C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal in each season since arriving on campus.
Lawson Body leads the Blue Raiders with 236 kills, 256.0 points, and seven double-doubles in 18 matches this season. She currently sits ninth all-time in career kills in the 25-point rally scoring era (since 2008) with 543 total kills.
To be eligible for consideration for the C-USA All-Academic team, a student-athlete must have a 3.2 cumulative grade point average, be at least a sophomore class standing, and be a starter or key reserve member of the squad. The selection is also based on a student-athlete's athletic performance.
Players Mentioned
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