Lee golf teams win NCCAA national titles and other sports news

Friday, October 25, 2013

The Lee University golf teams swept the championships Wednesday at the National Christian College Athletic Association national tournaments at Panama City, Fla. "What an unbelievable day," Lee coach John Maupin said in a school release. His Lady Flames' Courtney Shelton was the medalist in the women's invitational by seven shots with her 211 total for 54 holes, and teammate Bernadette Little was second. Cori Burns and Madison Alexander finished at 234 and 235 for the Lady Flames, who won with an aggregate 897. Lee won the men's championship by two strokes over Dallas Baptist with an 869, as freshman Shea Sylvester and junior Hunter Vest finished third and fourth at 214 and 215 and senior Matt Emery tied for ninth at 218 with a final-day 70. "What a way to finish the semester. This easily completes the best semester we have ever had," Maupin said of the Flames. The Lady Flames host a tournament next Monday and Tuesday. The Covenant men finished 18th on Tuesday with James Van Nice tying for 32nd and missing the individual cut by one stroke.

Baseball

• Tyler Massey and Ryan Casteel, members of the Colorado Rockies organization, left Tuesday to play in the Major League Baseball-supported Australian Baseball League. Massey, a former Baylor player, and Casteel, from Bradley Central, are the first Rockies to play in the ABL. Casteel was named California League catcher of the year after hitting 22 home runs and leading the team in slugging percentage (.523). An outfielder, Massey hit .267 with 11 home runs, 19 doubles, nine triples and 10 stolen bases. The two have been teammates the past three seasons at Tri-Cities, Wash.; Asheville, N.C.; and Modesto, Calif. They'll be playing for the Melbourne Aces.

Tennis

• David Snyder of Ringgold is the Chattanooga coordinator for combo team tennis, and he was captain of two teams that won state championships and two others that were among the local runners-up this past Saturday through Monday in Memphis. One of the Chattanooga women's teams that finished second got a wild-card berth into the Southern sectional tournament next March, joining Snyder's 8.5 40-over men and and 7.5 55-over men. The 8.5 40s went 3-0 and didn't have to play their final match; those players were Nate Scire, Patrick Rosenberger, Robert Fisher, Lee Brouner, Mike Bender, Raymond Rich, Bobby Price, Kenny Dillard and Mike Croxall. Snyder played for his 55-over team that prevailed in six matches against three other teams; other players were Bill Sheehan, Randy Ball, Pat Farnsley, Tom McCullough, Ed Coffey, Tom Carter, Steve Moore, Mark Vice, John Blake and Turney Thompson. Snyder's other two teams were 7.5 40-over men and 8.5 55-over men.

Soccer

• Joel Friesen's two first-half goals carried Covenant College to a 2-1 victory over visiting Emory University in NCAA Division III men's soccer Wednesday night on Lookout Mountain. The Scots (9-5-3) are 2-8-7 all-time against the Atlanta school. Friesen scored in the 21st minute from a Matt Hudnut pass and in the 29th unassisted. Emory (10-4-1) outshot the Scots 24-14 but didn't score until nine minutes remained in regulation, as Shuler Polk made seven saves.

• Ryan Ejezie had two goals and an assist as Tennessee Wesleyan beat Tennessee Temple 6-0 in men's soccer Wednesday afternoon in Athens. Theo Dweh, Travis Langhorne, Ross Nelson and Jordan Jacob also scored for the Bulldogs (10-5-1).

General

• Three Sewanee athletes earned Southern Athletic Association honors for their performances last week. Sophomore Ansley McDurmon was the women's cross country runner of the week for her 20th-place in the highly competitive, 21-team Berry College meet, and sophomore Warren Davis was the field hockey offensive player of the week after scoring four goals and adding an assist in two wins. Sewanee freshman Caty Hueske was the league's first women's swimmer of the week after taking part in three event wins against Centre and helping relays to first-, second- and third-place finishes at Birmingham-Southern's Panther Bash.