Help decide MTSU's greatest basketball players, opponents to ever play in Murphy Center

As part of the 50th anniversary celebration for Middle Tennessee State's Murphy Center, athletic department officials are compiling lists, with the help of fans, to determine the greatest athletes who have played in the iconic facility.

Part of the yearlong celebration includes renovation of the 11,500-seat arena, which has served as home for the Blue Raiders men's and women's basketball teams since 1972, along with hosting NCAA and NIT basketball tournaments, state high school basketball championships and other events.

Some of the lists and nominees fans can vote for include:

Best visiting players (among 44 nominees):

Fly Williams (Austin Peay 1972-74), Dyron Nix (Tennessee 1988), Ja Morant (Murray State 2017-19), Terry Compton (Vanderbilt 1972), Willie Anderson (Georgia 1984-88), Arvidas Sabonis (Russian Nationals 1988), Anthony Mason (Tennessee State 19884-88), Nick Collison (Kansas 1999-2003), Dana Barros (Boston College (1985-89), Jeff Martin (Murray State 1985-89), Popeye Jones (Murray State 1988-92), Ronnie McMahan (Vanderbilt 1995), Brendan Haywood, (North Carolina 1997-2001), Marshall Henderson (Ole Miss 2012-14), Kurt Thomas (TCU 1995), Courtney Lee (Western Kentucky 2004-08), Joe Jakubick (Akron 1980-84), Alec Kessler (Georgia 1986-90), Eric Chenowith (Kansas 1997-2001), Kirk Hinrich (Kansas 1997-2001), Patrick Sparks (Western Kentucky 2003), Carlos Rogers (Tennessee State 1992-94), Bubba Wells (Austin Peay 1993-97); Trenton Hassell (Austin Peay 1997-2001), Ian Clark (Belmont 2009-13), Lester Hudson (UT Martin 2007-09).

Best MTSU men's players (among 33 nominees):

George Sorrell (1974-75), Tim Sisneros (1972-76), Sleepy Taylor (1974-78), Bob Martin (1977-78), Jerry Beck (1978-82), Pancakes Perry (1980-83), Tyrus Baynham (1988), Kerry Hammonds (1984-89), Randy Henry (1985-89), Chris Rainey (1986-89), Robert Taylor (1989-93), Warren Kidd (1990-93), Tommy Gunn (2000-04), Boogie Yates (2006-10), Reggie Upshaw (2013-17), Giddy Potts (2014-18), Nick King (2018), Brandon Walters (2018).

OTHER COLLEGE SPORTS NEWS:How Eddie George is handling his celebrity and being Tennessee State's football coach

Best MTSU women's players (among 33 nominees):

Sharon McClannahan (1975-79), Holly Hoover (1981-84), Jennifer McFall (1981-85), Kim Webb (1983-87), Janet Ross (1983-87), Tawanya Mucker (1985-89), Stephanie Capley (1987-91), Priscilla Robinson (1990-94), Sherry Tucker (1991-95), Heather Prater (1992-96), Jonelda Buck (1995-99), Patrice Holmes (2001-05), Chrissy Givens (2003-07), Amber Holt (2006-08), Alysha Clark (2008-10), Ebony Rowe (2010-14), Ty Petty (2013-17), Alex Johnson (2015-19).

To vote go to goblueraiders.com.

Tennessee Tech names 100 best basketball players

Speaking of all-time greats, Tennessee Tech announced its 100 best men's basketball players as part of its celebration of the team's 100th anniversary.

Some of the players include Eddie "Jelly" Watson (1922-28), Joe Sills (1927-31), Flavious Smith (1948-52), Herbie Merritt (1953-57), Kenny Sidwell (1954-58), Jimmy Hagan (1957-60), Ron Shumate (1957-61), Bobby Young (1961-64), Ron Filipek (1964-67), David Pratt (1964-67), Rich Stone (1969-73), Frank Jones (1972-76), Bobby Porter (1973-78), Carlton Clarington (1981-85), Stephen Kite (1982-86), Anthony Avery (1985-89), Earl Wise (1986-90), Milos Bobic (1987-90), Jerome Rodgers (1987-91) Van Usher (1989-92), Mitch Cupples (1989-93), John Best (1989-93), Rob West (1990-94), Maurice Houston (1990-94), Greg Bibb (1992-96), Lorenzo Coleman (1993-97), Brent Jolly (1999-03), Damien Kinloch (2001-03), Willie Jenkins (2003-05), Belton Rivers (2005-07), Anthony Fisher (2004-08), Kevin Murphy (2008-12), Aleska Jugovic (2014-18), Jr. Clay 2018-22).

Clay transferred to TSU, where he will finish his career this season. For the complete list visit tinyurl.com/55ey8huz.

Mt. Juliet and Vandy pitcher Caleb Cotham on the Phillies staff

Former Mt. Juliet and Vanderbilt pitcher Caleb Cotham is in the World Series. He's the pitching coach for the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Phillies hired Cotham from the Cincinnati Reds, where he was assistant pitching coach in 2020.

Cotham made his major league debut as a player in 2015 with the New York Yankees. He played 12 games for the Yankees that season and 23 in 2016 with the Reds.

The Yankees picked Cotham, a 2006 Mt. Juliet graduate, as a draft-eligible sophomore out of Vanderbilt in the fifth round in 2009 amateur draft.

Predators observe moment of silence for Biddle, Howard and Sloan

A moment of silence was observed before the Nashville Predators game Thursday against the St. Louis Blues for Joe Biddle, Mark Howard and Bob Sloan.

Biddle was a sports columnist and editor for the Nashville Banner and columnist for The Tennessean and longtime radio sports talk show host, who died Wednesday.

Howard was a local sportscaster and sports talk radio show host who also hosted the Predators post-game television show and died on July 24.

Sloan was an off-ice official video goal judge for Predators home games, who died on Oct. 13.

Nashville Sports Council supports new Titans stadium

Nashville Sports Council and TransPerfect Music City Bowl President and CEO Scott Ramsey endorsed the proposed enclosed Tennessee Titans stadium Friday.

Ramsey released this statement:

“Since its inception, the mission of the Nashville Sports Council has always been to recruit sporting events that have a positive economic impact on the Greater Nashville area. A new enclosed stadium will only help expand on our mission and allow us to pursue sporting events like a Super Bowl, a CFP national championship, a men's Final Four and other events that meet venue requirements we are unable to currently fulfill. The new stadium could also help the TransPerfect Music City Bowl position itself within the future structure of postseason college football.”

Ramsey also mentioned the Nashville community at large, in particular the funding of the proposed $2.1 billion stadium, which would be funded through numerous sources, including the Titans, NFL and PSL sales, a state of Tennessee $500 million contribution, additional 1% hotel-motel tax and sales and use taxes collected at the new stadium and its surrounding campus.

“We encourage our Sports Council members and the Nashville community at large to join us in supporting this project by working with their local representatives,” Ramsey said. “The Sports Council looks forward to working with the Titans organization, Gov. Bill Lee’s office, Mayor John Cooper’s office, the Nashville Metro Sports Authority and all local and state entities as we look forward to the opportunities to host additional major sports events in Nashville.”

Brandt Snedeker will announce Simmons Bank Open becoming part of Korn Ferry Tour Finals

Brandt Snedeker will be at a press conference Nov. 2 in the Fifth & Broadway complex at 501 Commerce Street, where officials will officially announce that the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation will be elevated to one of four tournaments making up the Korn Ferry Tour Finals in 2023.

Snedeker, a nine-time PGA Tour winner, will be joined by Simmons Bank CEO George Makris, Tennessee Golf Foundation president Whit Turnbow and Simmons Bank Open tournament director Mike Hammontree.

It will mean the tournament will be guaranteed to feature the top 144 golfers on the Korn Ferry Tour with the top 30 earning PGA Tour cards for 2024.

A new date for the tournament is also expected to be announced.

Ex-Austin Peay coach Will Healy fired at Charlotte

Former Austin Peay football coach Will Healy was fired at Charlotte after the 49ers fell to 1-7 after last week's 34-15 loss to Florida International. Charlotte fell into last place in Conference USA.

Healy was 15-24 in four seasons at Charlotte. He landed the 49ers job after leading Austin Peay to a 13-21 record from 2016-18.

His best season at Austin Peay was in 2017, when he led the Governors to an 8-4 record and the FCS playoffs.

Former Predators radio broadcaster gets new gig

Tom Callahan, who served as the Predators radio play-by-play voice from 2008-13, is the new broadcaster for the Columbus (Georgia) River Dragons hockey team, which plays in the Federal Prospects Hockey League.

He will also be the voice for the Columbus Chatt-a-Hoots baseball team, which plays in the Sunbelt Baseball League.

After leaving the Predators, Callahan co-hosted a morning sports talk call-in show in Nashville with Jared Stillman for two years at The Game 102.5-FM.

Title IX 'trailblazers' will attend book discussion at Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame

Several of the Title IX trailblazers in the recently released book, “Title IX, Pat Summitt, and Tennessee’s Trailblazers: 50 Years, 50 Stories,” will attend a discussion along with author Mary Ellen Pethel on Nov. 3 at the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in Bridgestone Arena.

Vanderbilt athletics director Candice Lee, author Harriet Kimbro-Hamilton, former Vanderbilt player and TSU coach and AD Teresa Phillips, former UT Martin AD Bettye Giles and former Belmont coach and administrator Berry Wiseman will be on the panel. Former Tennessee Lady Vols player and coach Holly Warlick, former East Tennessee State AD Janice Shelton, and former Memphis women’s basketball coach Mary Lou Johns will also be there.

The event begins at 6:30 p.m.

Cumberland ranked 20th in preseason Top 25

Cumberland's men's basketball is ranked No. 20 in the preseason NAIA top 25 coaches poll.

The Phoenix finished the 2021-22 season receiving votes in the final polls after posting a 22-9 record.

Cumberland returns three starters − Isaac Stephens, T.J. Stargell and Nassir Coleman − from last year's team, which advanced to the national tournament.

Gallatin Hall of Fame class announced

The Gallatin Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2023 includes two former Gallatin High athletes along with two teams, one coach, along with one contributor and one former coach from Union.

The Gallatin athletes are Vernon Bass (football), and Tony Raye (basketball) and the coach is Sandy Lewis O’Neal.

The Green Wave teams are the 1985 and 1986 state champion girls cross country squads and the contributor is Clarence Sanders.

The Union coach is Samuel Herod.

The inductees will be recognized during a reception at Gallatin High on Jan. 20. The enshrinement will take place between the girls and boys basketball games in Jerry Vradenburg Gymnasium.

Lipscomb soccer receives highest ranking ever

Lipscomb's men's soccer team moved from No. 12 to No. 10 in the latest United Soccer Coaches National Poll. That's the highest the Bisons have ever been ranked.

Lipscomb moved up after a 1-1 draw at Memphis and 3-0 win over North Florida.

Lipscomb (11-1-2) is No. 12 in the RPI.

TSU adds Norfolk State to its football schedule

TSU has scheduled a home game against Norfolk State for Oct. 14, 2023, according to fbschedules.com. The contract stipulates Norfolk State will receive an $80,000 guarantee for playing the game.

Norfolk State is an HBCU school located in Virginia.

TSU and Norfolk State have only played once before. The Tigers claimed a 56-6 win over the Spartans in 1972.

TSU, which will open the 2023 season at Notre Dame, added an away game at Kennesaw State on Oct. 7.

TSU's Draylen Ellis is national player of the week

After leading TSU to its third straight win last week, quarterback Draylen Ellis was named the HBCU national player of the week by Boxtorow.

Ellis threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-17 win over Eastern Illinois.

Tigers kicker Kaleb Mosley was the OVC specialist of the week. He was 3-for-3 on field goals from 46, 42 and 42 yards. Mosley is ranked 11th nationally in field goals per game (1.43).

Trevecca hall of fame induction is next week

The Trevecca 2020 Athletic Hall of Fame class will be inducted Nov. 3. The induction was delayed because of COVID-19.

The class includes Michael France (basketball), Jennifer Bognar Solano (basketball), Kristin Archie Blankenship (basketball) and Chris Collins (baseball).

Former men’s basketball coach Sam Harris will induct France and former women’s coach Gary Van Atta will induct Blankenship. The enshrinement ceremony will be at the Tarter Student Activities Center on campus. For tickets visit treveccahalloffame.

Lipscomb Lights Out tips off basketball season

The Lipscomb men's and women's basketball teams will tip off the season Nov. 2 with a Lipscomb Lights Out pep rally at Allen Arena. It starts at 9 p.m. There will be contests with prizes including a $1,000 scholarship, big screen television and air pods.

Free T-shirts will be given to all who attend along with the chance to meet the coaches and players from both teams.

Sports on Nashville TV

The five highest-rated sports events locally for the week ending Oct. 23 in Nashville:

1. NFL: Titans-Colts, 21.4

2. NFL: Steelers-Dolphins, 12.3

3. NFL: Chiefs-49ers, 11.2

4. NFL: Broncos-Chargers, 7.8

5. College football: Alabama-Mississippi State 5.7

Source: Mark Binda, WTVF-5 senior programming directorEach rating point is equal to 11,685 TV homes in the Nashville market.

If you have an item for Midstate Chatter contact Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Greatest MTSU basketball players, opponents to play in Murphy Center