Here are the top 10 Stillman College athletes to watch across all sports in 2022-23
Stillman College added variety to its athletics by reviving its volleyball program and adding men's and women's bowling. The school is gaining more exposure by partnering with New Balance and signing alliance deals with the Urban Edge Network and HBCU League Pass Plus.
As the Tigers gear up to play in the Southern States Athletic Conference, here are the 10 Stillman athletes to watch in 2022-23.
PHOTOS:Stillman College Basketball Court Redesigned
Men's Sports
Elvis Chebogel, cross-country and outdoor track and field — Chebogel was the SSAC Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year. He earned First-Team All-Conference honors and made the All-Conference and All-Freshman cross-country team. He ran personal records to win conference individual titles in the 800-meter (1:55.99) and 1500-meter (4:07.23) and was Stillman's first NAIA Cross Country National Championship qualifier in 2021.
Devin Merriweather, basketball (G) — Merriweather returns to Stillman as a fifth-year senior. He led the team in assists per game (4.3) and was second in scoring (11.5) and steals (1.3) averaged last season.
More: Stillman College basketball makes NAIA Tournament, has chance to defend HBCU national title
Kelvin Reese, baseball (OF) — Reese made the SSAC Gold Glove team at left field and participated in his second HBCU All-Star Game. In 38 starts, he had a .333 batting average and a perfect fielding percentage, and he logged 49 putouts and two assists in 51 total chances last season.
Willie Washington, track and field — Washington won the SSAC Shot Put Championship with a throw of 13.51 meters, which landed him on first-team All-Conference. He also made All-Conference Third-Team in the discus throw after setting a personal record, 33.78m, to finish in third place at the SSAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Derrian Winters, bowling — Winters joins Stillman's new bowling program with freshman Nicholas Patterson and his high school classmate Robb Dunn. Winters attended Northridge High School, where he holds the school record for best single-game score at an AHSAA State Championship with 244 points.
Women's Sports
Kamryn Harris, cross-country, outdoor track and field and volleyball — Harris received Third-Team All-SSAC honors. She ran a personal record, 53.13, in the 400m to finish in third place to earn the accolade. Harris is also joining Stillman's returning volleyball program.
Taylor Roland, softball (INF/OF) — Roland earned All-SSAC First-Team honors as the utility player. In 24 games, she batted-in 11 runners and had a .321 batting average with 56 at-bats.
Bailie Seales, softball (INF) — Seales made Second-Team All-SSAC as a utility player. She batted .272 with 16 RBIs and four home runs. She led the team in walks (25) and on-base percentage (.465).
Laneja Warner, basketball (G) — Warner made All-SSAC Second-Team. She led Stillman in points per game with 10.1, while shooting 30.2% from the field and 24.1% from three. She averaged 3.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.5 steals.
More: Shorthanded all season due to COVID-19 outbreaks, Stillman women's basketball stuck together
Kylee Whitt, women's bowling — Whitt joins Stillman's new bowling program as a freshman from Albertville, Alabama. She placed fifth in the 2022 Alabama USBC Youth State Tournament with a total score of 1,907 in the Girls 140 and Over, All Events division (handicapped).
Derrian Carter is a sports reporting intern for the Tuscaloosa News. Contact him at DCarter@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @DerrianCarter00.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Stillman Tigers athletes and athletes to watch in 2022-23 school year
