Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
NOTEBOOK: Football readies for Midweek Blackout Game
10/2/2023 5:52:00 PM | Football, General, Men's Tennis, Women's Volleyball
And with 4-1 Jacksonville State coming to Floyd Stadium this week, Head Coach Rick Stockstill was already well versed in the challenges facing the Blue Raiders this week.
"I've known their head coach for a long time," Stockstill said of JSU Head Coach Rich Rodriguez, who Stockstill spent time with on Tommy Bowden's Clemson staff prior to Rodriguez taking the West Virginia head coaching position. "He does a really nice job. He's got a really diverse offensive system."
The Blue Raiders will be looking to get back to winning ways in their second game with a primetime spotlight, as kickoff on Wednesday is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPNU and the Blue Raider Radio Network. It's also MTSU's annual Blackout game, as No. 6, Jakobe Thomas, demonstrates on this week's game day graphics.
CUSA home opener up next on Wednesday night!
— Middle Tennessee Football (@MT_FB) September 30, 2023
🏈 vs. Jacksonville State
🗓️ Wednesday at 7 PM CT
📺 ESPNU#BLUEnited | #EATT pic.twitter.com/NT8Xyz5un5
"I think every team in the country does a Blackout now," Stockstill said. "They all love it. Like I'll tell them today, you're not getting any extra points or any extra stops because you're in black. It's just a uniform color. Have fun wearing it, but the most important thing is how you're going to play in it."
Safety Tra Fluellen is focused on where the MTSU defense can improve, not so much the jersey.
"For me, it's a jersey," Fluellen said. "For other people, they like to be dirty, so that's what we'll be this week. We're just excited to play, excited to be out there and prove ourselves once again."
Wednesday night will be the 19th meeting between the Gamecocks and Blue Raiders, who last met in 1998 during Boots Donnelly's last season as head coach at MTSU. JSU was the first team MTSU ever played in Floyd Stadium, tying the Gamecocks 0-0 nearly 90 years ago in 1933.
The first game in Floyd Stadium history was played by these Blue Raiders against Jacksonville State on October 14, 1933.
— Middle Tennessee Football (@MT_FB) October 1, 2023
On Wednesday, the Blue Raiders and Gamecocks will kick off again at Floyd Stadium!
🎟️ https://t.co/Swce6Rtjuh
🎓🎟️ MTSU students get in FREE with student ID pic.twitter.com/CZ3BnrltFj
With Wednesday's game being the first of two midweek games for MTSU this season, please make sure to review the parking plan, linked here, for the most update to parking lots available on Wednesday afternoon and evening. Students should make note of the lots closing time on the Athletics side of campus ahead of scheduled classes on Wednesday, including the closure of the Greenland Dr. lot all day on Wednesday.
Volleyball nabs two weekly awards from CUSA Office
Middle Tennessee volleyball is already on the road this week, traveling down to Miami to take on FIU on Tuesday and Wednesday evening this week. But coming off a sweep of Liberty over the weekend, MTSU nabbed two CUSA weekly awards, with Adri Rhoda and Taylor Eisert winning offensive player of the week and setter of the week, respectively, from the conference office on Monday.
🏐 OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK 🏐
— Conference USA (@ConferenceUSA) October 2, 2023
presented by Blenders Eyewear //
🏅1️⃣ Adri Rhoda, @MT_Volleyball#NoLimitsOnUs | https://t.co/tceZmIbjlT pic.twitter.com/Oh9pDgIwHM
🏐 SETTER OF THE WEEK 🏐
— Conference USA (@ConferenceUSA) October 2, 2023
presented by Blenders Eyewear //
🏅3️⃣ Taylor Eisert, @MT_Volleyball#NoLimitsOnUs | https://t.co/tceZmIbjlT pic.twitter.com/ShtWyiqiFQ
Eisert recorded 73 assists over the weekend earning 10.73 per set. The Louisville, Ky. native added three service aces, four blocks and eight digs in the two matches against Liberty. The program's all-time leader is assists during the 25-point era, Eisert leads CUSA in assists per set averaging 10.96 per set.
Rhoda earned 36.5 points in the two matches against the Flames, recording 32 kills (4.57 per set) on a .387 hitting percentage. Rhoda tallied eight blocks as well. She set a new career-high in kills in the second matchup against Liberty finishing the match with 21 kills.
Soccer blasts past Chicago State ahead of return to CUSA play
Readers of my Sunday Column will be well aware of the Blue Raiders' dominance on the pitch last Friday, but the matchday 13 highlight tape came out today, so I'd love for all of y'all to see a new angle on all eight goals MTSU scored against Chicago State.
A great eight 😈
— Middle Tennessee Soccer (@MT_Soccer) October 2, 2023
Showed out last Friday night with an eight-goal performance! #BLUEnited | #DripByDrip pic.twitter.com/ddb9TsTAnb
The Blue Raiders stick around Murfreesboro this weekend, welcoming Sam Houston State to Dean A. Hayes Track and Soccer Stadium on Sunday. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. on ESPN+.
Softball fall ball rolls on for Blue Raiders
It was a busy week at the Blue Raider Softball Field, as MTSU started off the fall strong with wins over Vol State and Lipscomb on Thursday and Friday.
The #BlueRaiders get the win over Lipscomb!#BLUEnited | ⚡️⬆️ pic.twitter.com/8JwzPxDTaR
— Middle Tennessee Softball (@MT_Softball) September 30, 2023
After finishing the weekend's slate, the team found time to support another program on campus, cheering on Volleyball's 3-1 win over Liberty on Saturday. Our Athletic Communications photographers captured two great team photos.
Supporting @MT_Volleyball in their conference match against Liberty! #BLUEnited | ⚡️⬆️ pic.twitter.com/PQ3cVwC1wE
— Middle Tennessee Softball (@MT_Softball) September 30, 2023
MTSU will play three of their five remaining opponents this weekend, playing Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Check the schedule under the softball tab for more information.
Men's Tennis splits up for weekend of competition
Following tennis for our two programs in the fall can be a challenge for me, admittedly, in part because there's not a clear team aspect to most of their events. While their spring schedule is almost entirely team duels, the fall is often more focused on individual development and rankings.
It also means that there is a plethora of weekends, like this past weekend, where head coach and assistant coach split up and take two sets of players two different places, as Jimmy Borendame and Andrea Caligiana did at the Alabama Four in the Fall and ITA All-American Championships.
The biggest news from the plethora of matches this weekend was Temple transfer Leo Ranquin playing his way into the singles qualifying draw with a pair of straight-set victories on Sunday.
Raquin is into the qualifying draw by defeating Hugo Maia of Virginia Tech 6-3, 6-2! 💪#BLUEnited pic.twitter.com/vS7aUj26mW
— Middle Tennessee Men's Tennis (@MT_MensTennis) October 1, 2023
"Leo is playing high level tennis and I'm amazed how he finds different ways to win points and matches," Caligiana said. "He took care of business very quickly which is very important in a tournament like this where you play lots of matches every day. Hopefully, this will help him tomorrow to be fresh and feel good physically."
Borendame, who took the program's younger players to Alabama, had a straightforward message after the weekend's matches: "We have work to do." He also had my favorite MTSU Athletics tweet of the weekend.
This is how I look when traveling with freshmen that leave their shoes 👟 🤨 pic.twitter.com/YAQOOwAPJ8
— Jimmy Borendame (@CoachJimmyB) September 30, 2023
Women's Tennis hosts MTSU Invitational this weekend
Tucked into this week's "What's Happening in the 'Boro" is women's tennis, who will host their fall event this weekend at the Adams Tennis Complex.
What's Happening in the 'Boro – presented by Ole South
— Middle Tennessee Athletics (@MTAthletics) October 2, 2023
It's a busy week in the 'Boro with FIVE teams in action at home!
🏈🎟️ https://t.co/xTAvmqnevl
🎾🥎🏐⚽️🎟️ FREE#BLUEnited pic.twitter.com/ofRicP2Min
Stay tuned to Women's Tennis social media channels for highlights of the tennis action over the weekend!
Men's Golf starts out strong in Wisconsin
An even-par start for Kus!#BlueRaiders pic.twitter.com/Ir1WzEl4BB
— Middle Tennessee Men's Golf (@MT_MGolf) October 1, 2023
Gavin goes 1-under to start the tournament! pic.twitter.com/RPD4M77JUz
— Middle Tennessee Men's Golf (@MT_MGolf) October 1, 2023
A nice start for Mike!#BlueRaiders pic.twitter.com/bl38IcYYlj
— Middle Tennessee Men's Golf (@MT_MGolf) October 1, 2023
...and Owen is just as nice!#BlueRaiders pic.twitter.com/tilHNknlW0
— Middle Tennessee Men's Golf (@MT_MGolf) October 1, 2023
Women's Golf tees off in the other Manhattan
Another chance to prove ourselves!
— Middle Tennessee Women's Golf (@MT_WGolf) October 2, 2023
🏌️♀️Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational
⛳ Colbert Hills
📍 Franklin, TN
📊 https://t.co/eF8m3RVI3u
📰https://t.co/td7STjB2s1 pic.twitter.com/69RdvujA7r
Halfway through round 1:https://t.co/RqfzqriQQn pic.twitter.com/7FGOMQO4X7
— Middle Tennessee Women's Golf (@MT_WGolf) October 2, 2023
