Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
NOTEBOOK: Blue Raider Basketball is all over C-USA’s Awards
3/7/2022 6:00:00 PM | General, Men's Basketball, Men's Tennis, Softball, Women's Basketball, BRAA
𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑼𝑺𝑨 𝑪𝒐𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒀𝒆𝒂𝒓
— MT Basketball (@MT_MBB) March 7, 2022
Congrats, @MTCoachNick!#BlueRaiders | #StickTogether pic.twitter.com/8DAurmt953
Announcing the 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮 #𝗖𝗨𝗦𝗔𝗪𝗕𝗕 𝗦𝗶𝘅𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 🏀
— Conference USA (@ConferenceUSA) March 7, 2022
Kseniya Malashka - @MT_WBB
Awards are voted on by the league's coaches, sports information directors and a media representative from each school 🗳 pic.twitter.com/f2nCh4sswG
Rick Insell's women's basketball team was also well represented across the award spectrum, with three all-conference selections (Malashka, Courtney Whitson, and Dor Saar, all on the Second Team), as well as Anastasiia Boldyreva and Jalynn Gregory earning All-Freshman Team honors. Alexis Whittington wrapped up the honors for the Lady Raiders with a spot on the C-USA All-Defensive team.
The Lady Raiders land @WhitsonCourtney, Kseniya Malashka, and Dor Saar on the All-Conference USA Second Team!
— MT Women's Basketball (@MT_WBB) March 7, 2022
This marks the most All-Conference Team honors MT has had in a single season since joining Conference USA! 👀#BlueRaiders | #MT pic.twitter.com/O8sJYoIlim
Announcing the 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮 #𝗖𝗨𝗦𝗔𝗪𝗕𝗕 𝗔𝗹𝗹-𝗙𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 🏀
— Conference USA (@ConferenceUSA) March 7, 2022
Awards are voted on by the league's coaches, sports information directors and a media representative from each school 🗳 pic.twitter.com/dB7Jr7bMCj
Announcing the 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮 #𝗖𝗨𝗦𝗔𝗪𝗕𝗕 𝗔𝗹𝗹-𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 🏀
— Conference USA (@ConferenceUSA) March 7, 2022
Awards are voted on by the league's coaches, sports information directors and a media representative from each school 🗳 pic.twitter.com/6ilKIFrNAK
Across the Murphy Center, Josh Jefferson made the All-C-USA second team, with Donovan Sims earning Honorable Mention All-conference. Additionally, Teafale Lenard Jr. made the All-Freshman team for the conference.
Our two All-Conference selections are @Josh_Jefferson1 and @Dsims10! #BlueRaiders | #StickTogether pic.twitter.com/KvnyZLfjjs
— MT Basketball (@MT_MBB) March 7, 2022
Congratulations to @TeafaleJ on being named to the Conference USA All-Freshman Team! #BlueRaiders | #StickTogether pic.twitter.com/jXNcXNyMrP
— MT Basketball (@MT_MBB) March 7, 2022
I'm particularly fond of the postseason award season in college basketball, there's so many debates to be had for each pick, particularly in a conference with as much quality at the top as C-USA. You'll find some of my thoughts on this year's slate (non-voting, of course, that honor for MT's media vote went to our voices for the Blue Raiders and Lady Raiders, Chip Walters and Dick Palmer respectively) in tweets below. Be sure to follow along to see more
12 of C-USA's 15 all-conference slots went to guards this season, if you're wondering about the high level of guard play conference wide https://t.co/EU5MqCMoQb
— Sam Doughton (@sjdoughton) March 7, 2022
Never seen a freshman impact the game is so many ways as Teafale did this season. Some nights he blocked, some nights he stole the ball, some nights he drilled the three. But, he always had time for dunk. Crazy start to a career! https://t.co/PBAdYd5jtX
— Sam Doughton (@sjdoughton) March 7, 2022
Alexis Whittington has made every single great player that's come into Murfreesboro this season look average to mediocre. An impact felt every single night on the court, but not noticed by many off it until you look at the box scores. https://t.co/JPPp6lqZUW
— Sam Doughton (@sjdoughton) March 7, 2022
Really think at least one of our three deserved first team, but hard to argue with MT having the most all-conference honorees in C-USA this season, with three across both teams! Well deserved for Courtney, Dor and Kseniya! https://t.co/x1YLkFOsAE
— Sam Doughton (@sjdoughton) March 7, 2022
Still time to get your tickets to Frisco!
My flight out to Texas leaves bright and early from BNA tomorrow. I hope I can see many of you all out there in Frisco this week! We'll have notebooks from me on site every night Middle Tennessee doesn't play, and of course the usual game coverage for EVERY game for each team at the Conference tournament.
𝙀𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙯𝙚 👀https://t.co/EyYotUV11Y#BuildBlueNow | #BlueRaiders pic.twitter.com/gpxfeX1woH
— MT Athletics (@MTAthletics) March 7, 2022
Softball gets four wins to close out weekend in Florida
Blue Raider Softball had a big weekend down in the Sunshine State, winning four straight to close out the Spring Games over the weekend ahead of a matchup with Georgia Tech tomorrow in Atlanta.
MT had its most dramatic game in their finale, when Anyce Harvey's single in the bottom of the eighth scored Abby Shoulders from second to walk-off against Georgia Southern. Harvey had multi-hit games in four of MT's six contests at the Spring Games, going 11-for-22 with seven doubles and 14 RBIs over the weekend.
The freshman currently is slashing .417/.447/.722 in 11 games to open the year, with 10 starts.
BLUE RAIDERS WALK IT OFF IN EXTRAS!
— MT Softball (@MT_Softball) March 6, 2022
Middle Tennessee finishes the Spring Games on a four-game winning streak after capturing a wild eight-inning battle with Georgia Southern, 9-8!#BlueRaiders | ⚡️⬆️ pic.twitter.com/zccXo1V7tO
B1 | H.A.R.V.E.Y! @AnyceHarvey2021 connects on ANOTHER DOUBLE to plate Harris and your Blue Raiders take the 1-0 lead!
— MT Softball (@MT_Softball) March 6, 2022
MT 1 - GS 0#BlueRaiders | ⚡️⬆️ pic.twitter.com/lgM45PhpTh
"We are hitting better but need to not strand as many base runners," head coach Jeff Breeden said of his team's performance so far. "This game is about timely hitting. I think Harvey is doing a great job of driving in runs."
MT hosts its home openers this weekend with the MTSU Invitational starting on Friday. You can find the schedule below.
One more on the road before we return to the 'Boro for our home-opening weekend!#BlueRaiders | ⚡️⬆️ pic.twitter.com/1ikgID4Wgf
— MT Softball (@MT_Softball) March 7, 2022
Men's Tennis Grabs ANOTHER P5 Win
Hitting the road for a two-match stint against two consistently great tennis programs over spring break, Coach Jimmy Borendame's men's tennis team earned a singles SWEEP against Oklahoma State ahead of their matchup with No. 69 USF later this week.
"This was a very tough road win, Oklahoma State is way better than their current ranking indicates," head coach Jimmy Borendame said. "Their fans were rowdy and energetic and made it tough on the guys."
*Checks Notes*
— MT Men's Tennis (@MT_MensTennis) March 6, 2022
With the win over Oklahoma State, MT has defeated an opponent in every power 5 conference this season... including the IVY league 😉#KATN | #BlueRaiders pic.twitter.com/jTJr1ldsQ6
.@Francis88903160 and @stijntennis also win on court Nos. 1 and 2, that'll be a singles sweeeeeeeeeep! pic.twitter.com/r5D6bBJnWC
— MT Men's Tennis (@MT_MensTennis) March 6, 2022
Earlier this past week, MT Men's Tennis reached the ITA Ranking of No. 15, the highest ranking in the Boredame era.
𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐄𝐫𝐚 😎
— MT Men's Tennis (@MT_MensTennis) March 2, 2022
- #15 @ITA_Tennis
- #23 @TennisChannel/@usta National Top 25#BlueRaiders | #Superb pic.twitter.com/jeQh2kBXv1
ICYMI: Rick Insell earns 400th career win
Real quick, just wanted to highlight the great work done by our video team here at MT Athletic Communications to celebrate Rick Insell's 400th career win. A tremendous milestone for a living legend of the game, and a video with details from his entire career to match.
𝐇𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐋𝐄.
— MT Women's Basketball (@MT_WBB) March 7, 2022
That is one of many words that can describe Head Coach Rick Insell's road to 400 wins.#BlueRaiders | #MT pic.twitter.com/AeyEQaFHP8
