BMC Toppers News Feed

BMC wins inaugural softball game

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. – Blue Mountain College started its softball program in winning fashion here over the weekend, taking its inaugural game 14-5 over Southwest College and then tying the second game 5-5 against Columbia State.

Several team “firsts” were recorded: Brooke Denton got the first hit with a single in the first inning; Kaylee Thaxton scored the first run in the first inning; Shelby Jackson drove in the first run in the first inning; Kelsey Nelson got the first extra-base hit with a double in the third inning; and pitcher Meggin Nelson picked up the first win.

In the second game, Kaylee Thaxton got the first home run for the Lady Toppers.

The opening victory was, however, a costly win for the Lady Toppers. They lost three players to injury in the first inning: Denton dislocated a finger, and Jackson and Halley Beckham each injured a knee. Four other players also irritated injuries in the first game.

“I can’t say enough about how these young women played,” BMC coach Kevin Barefield said. “I was really happy to see them come together as a team, and they showed a lot of resiliency and courage. To lose that many players that quickly … I don’t even know what to say. But our players played through it and came back really strong.

“We just ran out of gas in the second game with so many players out hurt or playing hurt. We’ll see what the doctors say about all these injuries then suit up and go from there.”

Singh to join BMC golfers in spring

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Daniel Singh, a community college transfer from Hayleville, Ala., has signed a golf scholarship with Blue Mountain College.

Singh, who last year helped lead Northeast Mississippi Community College to a second-place finish in the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior College Championship, will be a junior when he joins the BMC team in January.

Noted for his scoring consistency, Singh averaged 75.3 per round in 9 tournaments for Northeast in 2009-10, including a fourth-place individual finish at the MACJC state tournament with a 73-74 – 154. In the NJCAA Region 23 tournament, he posted a 78-77 – 155 and finished tied for 13^th.

“Daniel is a really solid player who probably won’t go really low, but he’s not going to blow up either,” said BMC golf coach Danny McKenzie. “He’s a golfer you can depend on, and he’ll add a lot of maturity to our program.”

BMC opens its inaugural season on Sept. 17 in Jackson, Tenn., when it goes up against fellow TranSouth Athletic Conference members Union University, Bethel University and Martin Methodist University in an 18-hole match.

Toppers add 3 to round out squad

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – New Blue Mountain College coach J.D. Parker rounded out his first Toppers basketball squad recently with the addition of three players: 6-5 forward Spence Wicks, 6-3 guard Drew Kelso and 5-10 point guard Corbin Harris.

“I’m really pleased with the group of players we have, especially with the addition of these three,” Parker said. “With them coming into the program, we’ll have good depth and more competition for each of the positions on the team.”

Wicks played two years at Northeast Community College, where he averaged 4 points and 3 rebounds per game for the Tigers. In his senior year at Booneville High, he averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Kelso comes to BMC from Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas, where he played one season after two years at Lincoln Trail Community College in Robinson, Ill. He averaged 6 points a game at Lincoln Trail, and 14 points and 4 assists at Valley View High in Jonesboro, Ark.

Harris averaged 6 points, 3 assists and 2 steals a game at Charlotte Christian High in Charlotte, N.C.

Tennessee standout signs with BMC

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Jermael Bingham, a two-year standout at Dyersburg State Community College from Selmer, Tenn., has signed a basketball scholarship with Blue Mountain College.

Bingham, a graduate of McNairy Central High, is BMC Coach J.D. Parker’s first signee for the 2011-12 season.

“Jermael is a really good athlete who plays at a very high level,” Parker said. “The experience he got at Dyersburg State will be very beneficial to us. We are excited Jermael has decided to join the BMC program.”

Bingham, a 6-foot-4 guard, averaged 10.8 points per game and 3.3 rebounds in 43 games during his two years at Dyersburg State, including a 12.3 scoring average last season. He hit on 46 percent of his field goals and 66.4 percent from the free-throw line.

As a senior at McNairy Central, Bingham averaged 14 points and five rebounds.

Dillard, Hall join softball program

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Blue Mountain College picked up two more softball players recently with the addition of Stephanie Dillard and Erin Hall – both from New Albany.

Dillard, a sophomore catcher and outfielder who played at East Union High School, is also member of the BMC Lady Toppers cross country team.

Hall, a junior outfielder, was a standout high school player at Ingomar High School, and has transferred to BMC from Mississippi State.

A four-year letter-winner at East Union High School, Dillard was an all-division and all-state performer who led the Urchins in stolen bases.

Hall also lettered four years while playing for the Falcons. She was a three-time all division player and an all-state performer her senior season.

“Both Stephanie and Erin are great athletes and versatile softball players,” said BMC coach Kevin Barefield. “They’re mature college students who come from very good high school programs, and they will give us some much-needed depth in this first year of our program.”

BMC begins play this season in the NAIA Tran-South Athletic Conference.

BMC teams earn academic honors

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – For the fourth consecutive year, Blue Mountain College has landed in the academic top 10 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics programs as recognized by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.

The Lady Toppers, who compiled a 3.620 grade point during the 2009-2010 season, finished third in the nation. BMC, seventh a year ago, is the only Mississippi team ranked among the top 25 in either division of the NCAA, NAIA and community and junior colleges.

Only Dana College of Blair, Neb. and Valley City (N.D.) State University finished ahead of BMC, which was ranked seventh a year ago.

In addition to the WBCA honor, the Lady Toppers cross country teams joined their women’s basketball cohorts in being named NAIA Scholar Teams for 2009-2010. The BMC women’s cross country team compiled a 3.61 GPA last year.

“Certainly these teams embody what we stand for at BMC and in the TranSouth Athletic Conference,” said Lavon Driskell, athletics director and women’s basketball coach. “It’s always great when your student-athletes can be honored, and to be honored for their academic achievements is just as important as any athletic honors they earn.

“They understand the importance of a good education and what it will mean to them and their future. We’re very proud of both these teams.”

Mooreville's Hussey signs with BMC

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Chelsea Hussey, a 5-foot-11 inside player at Mooreville High, has signed a basketball grant-in-aid with Blue Mountain College.

Hussey, who missed most of her senior season because of a knee injury, averaged 13 points per game for the Lady Troopers her junior season along with 7.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists.

“We’re glad to have Chelsea as part of the Lady Toppers program,” said BMC coach Lavon Driskell. “She’s worked really hard to rehabilitate her knee and has a bright future at BMC.

“She has good size and plenty of speed and quickness to blend in nicely with our style of play, and we look for Chelsea to develop into an outstanding player.”

Lady Toppers sign Bumpus

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Jessica Bumpus, a 4-year letter-winner at Middleton (Tenn.) High School, has signed a softball grant-in-aid with Blue Mountain College.

Bumpus, an outfielder and utility player, played two years at Jackson State Community College in Jackson, Tenn., after a standout prep career at Middleton that also included 4 letters in volleyball.

“Jessica is a great athlete and an outstanding leader,” BMC coach Kevin Barefield said. “Her experience at Jackson State and at Middleton will really benefit us.”

Bumpus was the female student athlete of the year at JSCC, where she hit .250 and had a grand slam home run. She was named to the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association all-scholastic team.

An honor student at Middleton, Bumpus was the team most valuable player her senior year and was named to the all-district tournament team twice.

Toppers sign Ripley's Morrison

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Jonathan Morrison, a standout pitcher and infielder for the Ripley Tigers, has signed a grant-in-aid with Blue Mountain College for the 2011-2012 season.

Morrison, who will be a senior at Ripley, is BMC’s first signee for its second season in the NAIA TranSouth Athletic Conference.

“We’re excited about getting a player the caliber of Jonathan for our program,” Toppers coach Curt Fowler said. “He will be one of the top seniors in the state next season and we’re really happy to get him signed early. He’ll make an immediate impact on our program.”

During his junior season at Ripley, Morrison was 4-3 on the mound with 7 complete games. He rang up 92 strikeouts in 54.2 innings, including 5 games with 11 or more, and compiled a 1.54 earned run average. Morrison also picked up 8 saves on the season and was named Division 1-3A pitcher of the year.

He also hit .367 for the Tigers with 7 runs batted in, 7 doubles and a single home run.

Cruse heads to BMC from ICC

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Sam Cruse, a standout pitcher for South Pontotoc High School, has transferred to Blue Mountain College from Itawamba Community College.

Cruse appeared in only three games for ICC, but was 10-3 with a 2.1 earned run average for South Pontotoc during the Cougars 2009 run to the Class 3A state championship. He was named first team all-division and second team all-state.

“Sam had an outstanding career at South Pontotoc for coach (Bryan) Butler,” BMC coach Curt Fowler said. “He’s got outstanding control and we’re looking for Sam to come in and make a difference for us early on.”

Missouri prep standout signs with BMC

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Tyler Shaver, a 6-0 guard from Anderson, Mo., has signed a basketball grant-in-aid with Blue Mountain College.

Shaver, who will be a sophomore, played his freshman year at Ecclesia College for new BMC coach J.D. Parker.

“Tyler was a key contributor to our program at EC,” Parker said. “He’s a very athletic player with really good skills and I’m excited to have him at BMC.”

As a freshman, Shaver averaged 7 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2.5 steals in 28 games. He was a three-year all-state prep player at McDonald County High, averaging 18 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists his senior season.

Chunn joins BMC cross country program

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Mary Chunn, a burgeoning athlete from Blue Springs, Miss., has signed a cross country scholarship with Blue Mountain College.

Chunn ran for the Spartans, a cross country program for homeschooled students based in New Albany. She was also a swimmer for the Tupelo Aquatic Club, twice qualifying for state championships.

“Mary is an extremely hard worker,” said BMC coach Heather Duley, who coached the Spartans. “The thing that most impressed me is how she was willing to make the sacrifices to improve. Her background in competitive swimming is an example of her athleticism. She’s going to be a valuable addition to our program.

NEMCC catcher signs with BMC

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. -- Kyle Emison, a member of championship teams at Mooreville High School, has signed a baseball scholarship at Blue Mountain College.

Emison, a catcher, played on the 2005 state championship team at Mooreville High School and on the North Mississippi championship teams in 2006 and 2007 -- all under legendary coach Rex Berryman,

He played two years at Northeast Mississippi Community College. In 20 games for the Tigers, he hit .448 with 2 home runs, one double, one triple and 10 runs batted in.

"Kyle is a good solid ballplayer," said BMC coach Curt Fowler. "He's been on winning teams wherever he's been and he'll bring that winning attitude with him. He knows what it takes to become a champion."

Toppers sign two hoops standouts

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – J.D. Parker, the new basketball coach at Blue Mountain College, landed his first two signees Tuesday: DeVante Pulliam, a 6-foot-4 forward from Houston, Miss., and Jarvis Fisher, a 6-0 guard from Pine Bluff, Ark.

“Both these players are excellent athletes with well-rounded games,” Parker said. “Both come from excellent high school programs and they’ve got the type attitudes to fit in well at Blue Mountain.”

Pulliam averaged 14.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game for Houston High School last year while earning 4A all-division and all-North Mississippi honors. A pre-pharmacy major, Pulliam also won the Hilltoppers rebound and basketball scholastic award in 2010.

“DeVante is a ‘long’ player – he’s got a great wingspan,” Parker said. “He’s a good inside scorer who plays very good defense and is a good rebounder. It tells you something about him as a person, though, that he takes greater pride in averaging five assists a game. He’s the type team player every coach wants.”

Fisher scored 15 points a game for Pine Bluff last season with four assists and two steals a game. A two-year letterman, he earned all-conference honors and was selected to the 6A all-state tournament team.

“Jarvis really shoots the ball well,” Parker said. “He’s an especially good defensive player who understands the game and is able to take charge on the floor. He’s a gym-rat – an extremely hard worker who continues to get better every day.”

BMC signs Southaven slugger

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Joel Rich, a hard-hitting infielder at Northwest Mississippi Community College and Southaven High School, has signed a scholarship with Blue Mountain College.

“Joel has one of the best bats I’ve seen in a long time,” said BMC coach Curt Fowler. “He’s a strong defensive player at both third base and first base, and we’ll also use him as a designated hitter. You don’t keep a bat like his in the dugout.”

As a senior, Rich was named the Shelby County Metro Male Athlete of the Year. He lettered in both football and baseball for three seasons, and was a 3-time all-district and all-Chickasaw Conference player for the Chargers. His senior year at Southaven he hit .497 with 7 home runs, 12 doubles and 42 runs batted in.

Rich, who also played football at Northwest, hit .304 and .306 for the Rangers. In 66 games for Northwest, he had 9 homers, 11 doubles and 52 rbi. He also compiled an on base percentage of .443 for the Rangers.

DCHS speedster signs with BMC

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Scott Moore, an all-Chickasaw Conference outfielder for DeSoto Central High School, has signed a baseball scholarship with Blue Mountain College.

Moore, a three-year starter in both baseball and football for the Jaguars, hit more than .400 and stole more than 40 bases during his four years of baseball with the Jags. He committed only one error during his playing days at DCHS.

After earning all-conference honors his junior and senior seasons for the Jaguars, Moore played one year at Mississippi Delta Community College where he led the Trojans in stolen bases (18), playing mostly as a pinch-runner.

BMC coach Curt Fowler said Moore would play in the outfield and some shortstop for the Toppers when they begin their program this fall.

“Scott is a very solid ballplayer and we’re excited to having him join our program,” Fowler said. “His speed, both offensively and defensively, will be a huge asset for us.”

Jordan, Brownlee sign with BMC

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Two former high school standouts from the Northeast Mississippi area signed baseball scholarships with Blue Mountain College on Monday.

Justin Jordan, a 5-year starter at Myrtle High, and Cody Brownlee, a member of the 2007 state champion Nettleton Tigers, will transfer to BMC in the fall for the Toppers’ first season of baseball competition.

Jordan, a middle infielder, hit .597 his senior year for the Hawks and led them in doubles, triples and hits while earning all-division and all-state honors. He was named most valuable player for Myrtle in his junior and senior seasons in both baseball and basketball, and spent last year at Northeast Mississippi Community College.

Brownlee, a first baseman and outfielder, played at East Mississippi Community College for two seasons after graduating from Nettleton. In his two years for the Lions, he hit .265 with 9 doubles, 1 triple and 3 home runs, and drove in 43 runs.

“Justin and Cody have both played in successful programs,” noted BMC coach Curt Fowler, “and that winning experience will be a big factor in building our program. We’re excited to have both these young men on our teams.”

Wayne Co. standout signs with BMC

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Grant Burns, a standout golfer for Wayne County High School and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, has signed a grant-in-aid with Blue Mountain College.

“Grant had an outstanding high school career for the War Eagles and he’s continued to improve while playing for Coach (Tommy) Snell at Gulf Coast,” said BMC coach Danny McKenzie.

“Grant is dedicated to the game and he’s an extremely hard worker. His attitude is contagious and that’s exactly what we’re going to need as we begin our golf program this fall.”

Burns, from Waynesboro, won the Class 5A District 7 championship as a senior at Wayne County High and finished fourth in the 5A state championship. During his junior year he finished second in the district championship and in the top 25 of the state tournament.

In his two years at MGC, Burns averaged 78.2 and earned spots on two all-tournament teams.

BMC will begin play in the NAIA Division I TranSouth Athletic Conference in the fall.

Robbins signs to play golf at BMC

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Brandon Robbins, who helped lead Northeast Mississippi Community College to a second-place finish in the NJCAA Region 23 golf tournament, signed a grant-in-aid with Blue Mountain College.

"Brandon is an outstanding golfer who has continued to improve at each stage of the game," said BMC coach Danny McKenzie. "His most recent play in the Mississippi, regional and national community college tournaments is testament to his ability. He will be a major player for BMC when we get this program launched this fall."

Robbins, who played high school golf at Corinth and Booneville, recently finished third in the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 23 tournament at Hinds Community College with 71-76-148 performance. He then competed in the NCJAA National Championships in Phoenix and posted an 82-80-78-77-317 total.

Prior to the regional tournament, Robbins finished seventh in the Mississippi state community college championships. He had a 76.36 scoring average going into the state and regional tournaments.

He also lettered as a freshman at NEMCC and finished 16^th in the Region 23 tournament.

An all-state prep player at Corinth High and Booneville High, Robbins won the Class 3A state championship as a sophomore and was runner-up his freshman season. After moving to Booneville he finished second in the 3A state championships his junior and senior seasons. He earned all-state honors in 2006 and 2007.

BMC signs Michigan juco star

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. -- Hard-hitting Nathan Bell, a two-year standout at Jackson (Mich.) Community College, has signed a baseball grant-in-aide with the Blue Mountain College Toppers.

"Nathan will be a big player for us," said BMC coach Curt Fowler. "He's a really good hitter and a strong defensive player at first base. He's got a lot of that 'pop' in his bat you hear so much about -- and he's an outstanding student."

Bell hit .342 for Jackson CC this year. He had 29 doubles, 2 home runs, 35 runs batted in and scored 39 runs for the Jets, who finished the season at 37-19. His freshman season at JCC, Bell hit .289 in 35 games with 7 doubles, 2 homers and 20 rbi.

Bell, a pre-pharmacy major and valedictorian of his Tecumseh (Mich.) High class two years ago, earned all-conference and all-state honors druing his senior season when he hit .495 with 10 doubles, 5 triples, 9 homers and 49 rbi. He was also academic all-state.

NWCC standout Plummer signs with BMC

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Haylei Plummer, a two-time all-state infielder at Northwest Mississippi Community College, has signed a softball grant-in-aid with Blue Mountain College.

Playing mostly second base for the Lady Rangers, Plummer led the team in batting her two seasons - hitting .434 as a freshman and .435 as a sophomore. In her freshman year, Plummer had 3 home runs, 10 doubles and a triple, driving in 19 runs and scoring another 28. She had 3 triples and 8 doubles as a sophomore with 31 runs batted in and 38 runs scored.

"Besides being an outstanding infielder, both offensively and defensively, Haylei will bring a level of leadership to BMC that will make us a solid team," coach Kevin Barefield said. "She knows what it takes to win and her attitude is infectious."

Plummer, a native of Pope, Miss., was an all-state player on the two-time MSHAA 5A state champion South Panola team. In her senior season she hit .555 with 2 homers and 31 rbi.

ICC trio signs with Toppers

Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Three standouts from Itawamba Community College have signed baseball letters-of-intent with Blue Mountain College.

Sam Summerford, a catcher and first baseman from Fulton; B.J. Johnson, a right-handed pitcher from Fulton; and Dustin Lunn, a catcher from Pontotoc, will be a part of the Toppers inaugural baseball program this fall when it begins play in the NAIA TranSouth Athletic Conference.

"All three of these young men are really good players from one of the best community college programs around," BMC coach Curt Fowler said. "They'll give us a level of maturity right off the bat that we'll need when we jump into the TranSouth."

Johnson and Lunn are 2009 ICC alumni who will transfer to BMC from the University of West Alabama.

In his two years with the Indians, Dunn had 22 home runs, 18 doubles and 97 runs batted in. Johnson compiled a 15-5 record in his two seasons at ICC with 50 strikeouts and 30 bases on balls in 98 innings pitched.

Summeerford hit .285 for the Indians with 32 rbi, two home runs and a .623 on-base percentage. He drew 20 walks and was hit by 10 pitches in his sophomore season.

Lunn, Johnson and Summerford will join ICC teammates Channing Walker and Blake Jolly on the BMC team.

Parker named BMC men's coach

Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - J.D. Parker, who four years ago began the men's basketball program at Ecclesia College, has been named the men's basketball coach at Blue Mountain College.

Parker's teams compiled a 64-55 record at Ecclesia, a liberal arts college in Springdale, Ark., and member of the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association.

"I'm very excited about the opportunity at Blue Mountain," Parker said. "I'm looking forward to every aspect of the job - getting to know the players, the school and the people who work there, and the entire community."

Parker, 28, and his wife, Rebecca, have three children. He will replace Jerry Conner, who started the BMC program three years ago and recently stepped down to return to his home in Phoenix.

"Blue Mountain College is pleased to welcome Coach Parker and his family to the BMC community," said Dr. Bettye Rogers Coward, college president. "Coach Parker brings the experience in intercollegiate athletics that will be an asset in leading the Toppers at this important stage in the program. He understands the mission of the college and the role of intercollegiate athletics in helping to accomplish the mission and vision of BMC.

A Magna Cum Laude psychology graduate from Lyon College in Batesville, Ark., Parker lettered four years as a point guard for the Scots and was an NAIA academic all-American three years. He also taught elementary school, and coached on the high school and AAU levels while earning his master's degree in sports management from the University of Arkansas.

"The process of selecting a new men's basketball coach has been difficult because of the high quality of applicants for this position," said Lavon Driskell, BMC athletics director. "Having emerged as the one selected, says a great deal about J.D. Parker.

"Coach Parker has a proven record as a men's basketball coach and is a quality individual. He has the knowledge and ability to take our men's basketball program to the next level."

Parker's teams at Ecclesia showed steady improvement from their 9-17 opening season. The Royals were 15-16 in their second season, and in their third season he led them to a 23-11 record and a trip to the NCCAA national tournament. Ecclesia finished 17-11 this year.

The Royals were noted for their motion offense under Parker and he said he would carry that same philosophy to BMC.

"Of course, we'll adjust to the type players we have, but we'll basically run the motion offense," he said. "On defense, we'll play man-to-man the majority of the time with some match-up zone. It all depends on the players and on the flow of each game."

Competing in the NAIA TranSouth Athletic Conference will be a homecoming of sorts for Parker.

"There's not a team in the TranSouth that I didn't play against while I was at Lyon," he said. "I know personally how strong a conference it is and what a challenge it's going to be. But it's one we're going to embrace."

BMC inks Winston Academy's Sanders

Sat, 15 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. -- Channing Sanders, a hard-throwing pitcher and outfielder from Winston Academy in Louisville, Miss., has signed a baseball grant-in-aid with Blue Mountain College.

Toppers coach Curt Fowler has the potential to become a strong closer for BMC.

"When I saw Channing pitch earlier in the season he hit 85 on the gun and with his build, I believe he can add even more speed to his fast ball," Fowler said. "He should see some opportunities in spot situations on the mound next season. Could eventually develop into our closer for the future."

Sanders was the Patriots most valuable player this season and also lettered in football and basketball. He compiled a 4-2 record on the mounds with 85 strikeouts, and hit .568 in his senior season.

"With his arm and his bat, he'll be an extremely valuable player as we begin to build the program at BMC," Fowler said.

BMC signs Alabama prep star

Fri, 14 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. -- Brent Townsend, a second baseman and catcher at Vina (Ala.) High School has signed a baseball grant-in-aid with Blue Mountain College.

Toppers coach Curt Fower called Townsend "one of the most athletic players I saw play all last season."

"He's a proven leader, on and off the field," Fowler said. "He has a lot of pop in his bat, has really good speed and plays the game the way it should be played. We'll use Brent at second base and also give him a little work behind the plate."

Townsend, recently selected to play in the Lions Club All-Star Baseball game, was the most valuable player on Vina's baseball, basketball and football teams this year.

He hit .400 his senior season with 18 runs batted in and 40 stolen bases. As a junior Townsend hit .468 for the Devils during his junior year.

"Brent is the type of player every coach wants on his team," Fowler said. "We're proud to have him at BMC as we begin our baseball program."

2-time state champ signs with BMC

Wed, 12 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Kyesha Clark, who helped lead Raymond High School to two consecutive Mississippi championships, has signed a basketball scholarship with Blue Mountain College.

"Kyesha is an outstanding player who will bring a new level of athleticism to BMC," said Lady Toppers coach Lavon Driskell. "She definitely has winning attitude - I don't think anyone can argue that point - and Kyesha will push us all to be better. We're excited to have her at BMC."

During her senior season, Clark, a 5-7 guard, averaged 7.5 points and 3 rebounds for the Lady Rangers while dishing out 35 assists and 20 steals.

Raymond compiled a 33-1 record while capturing both the Class 4A state championship last season. They won the Grand Slam title after knocking off 3A, 5A and 6A champions.

In her junior season, Clark's Lady Rangers put up a 33-1 record to capture the 3A state title and finished second in the Grand Slam.

Tenn. runner Bales signs with BMC

Fri, 07 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Casey Bales, a three-year captain of the White County High School cross country team, has signed a grant-in-aid to run for Blue Mountain College.

Bales, from Sparta, Tenn., recently won the Markie's Mile at Cookeville, Tenn., to cap off an outstanding senior season for the Warriors.

"Casey is a strong runner who will be able to come in and really help our program," said BMC coach Heather Duley. "He is a serious competitor and his work ethic will really pay off when we get into the TranSouth (Athletic Conference) competition this fall."

Bales finished 10^th in the high school regional cross country meet and competed in the state championship with a pulled hamstring. During his senior track season, he won the Class 3A district championship in the 300 meters, 800 meters and 1,600 meters., and posted a personal best time of 2:00.17 in the state 800 meters.

Kossuth's Baxter signs with BMC

Thu, 06 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Emma Baxter, a five-time letter-winner for the Kossuth Aggies, has signed a cross country grant-in-aid with Blue Mountain College.

Baxter, a former all-state and all-division runner for the Aggies, fought through injuries her sophomore and junior years to finish 16^th in the 2009 Class 3A championship. Baxter also lettered in track as a two-mile runner.

"Emma is a good runner with a really big heart," said BMC coach Heather Duley. "She'll give us some much needed depth right away as she continues to improve."

M.A. all-star James signs with BMC

Mon, 03 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Parker James, a standout pitcher and outfielder at Marshall Academy, has signed a baseball grant-in-aid with Blue Mountain College.

James, who helped lead the Patriots to a record-tying 27-7 season, led M.A. in batting with a .402 average and was successful on 24 of 25 stolen base attempts. As a pitcher, James was 6-2 with a 1.30 earned run average, and racked up 57 strikeouts in 49 innings pitched.

BMC coach Curt Fowler said James, 6-3 and 185 pounds, "has all the tools of a great ballplayer."

"He comes from a great program where he played for Johnny Ray," Fowler said. "Parker has speed, a strong arm and good bat, and a great attitude. He'll see a lot of time both in the outfield and on the mound.

"Parker loves to play the game and it shows every time he takes the field."

Coach Ray said James, who was named the most valuable player in District 1-AA and will play in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools all-star game later this month, makes coaching enjoyable.

"Parker deserves every accolade he gets," Ray said. "At the end of the day you know that he has put everything he has into it. He'll do well at Blue Mountain College."

BMC baseball tryouts moved to May 15

Sat, 01 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Heavy rains forced Blue Mountain College to postpone its baseball tryout session huntil 10 a.m., Saturday, May 15 at the New Albany Sportsplex.

The tryouts are for high school seniors and college students with certain stipulations:

· High school players whose teams are still playing or practicing must have written permission from their coaches.

· College players currently on teams cannot try out.

· Community college players who have completed their sophomore seasons are eligible to try out.

· High school and college players cannot compete against each other.

BMC will begin play in the NAIA TranSouth Athletic Conference in the fall. For complete information contact Coach Curt Fowler at 662-538-4952.

Saltillo standout Hall is first BMC golfer

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Adam Hall, who led Saltillo High to the District 1 golf championship earlier this year and finished second in the state Class 5A championship, recently became the first player to sign with Blue Mountain College.

"We don't even have a golf ball yet, but we've got one of the top players in North Mississippi," said Danny McKenzie, who also earlier this week was named the BMC golf coach. "Adam gives us instant credibility in the NAIA and TranSouth Athletic Conference; now we've got to get him some teammates."

Hall shot a 81-74--155 and finished two shots behind Class 5A champion Ryan Blackwell of West Jones. The Saltillo standout was the medalist in the District 1 tournament, shooting a 76 at the Country Club of Oxford. He was the only player in the field to break 80. His nine-hole scoring average for the Tigers this year was 38.2.

The high school honors student and future business major at BMC tied for the eighth place in the 2009 Mississippi Junior Amateur, with rounds of 79-74-72 at Colonial Country Club in Jackson, Miss., and won the high school division of the '09 Butch Lambert Invitational with rounds of 77-69 at Natchez Trace Golf Club.

Hall won the 2009 Mississippi Junior Golf Association Greenwood Invitational (72-70) and the MJGA Cleveland Invitational (72-70), then later tied for sixth place in the USGA Junior Amateur Qualifier in Birmingham (70-73).

In 2008, Hall was the Coca-Cola Junior Tour champion, tied for ninth in the state junior amateur (75-74-71 at Mississippi State University). In the Bubba Conlee Amateur in Memphis, he finished T56 with rounds of 80-71-71.

"The great thing about golf is that the numbers pretty much tell the story," McKenzie said, "and Adam's speak out loud and clear. He's a really good student and golfer, and he's an even better person. He's the perfect player to get our program started."

Middleton's Thaxton signs with BMC

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

MIDDLETON, Tenn. - Kaylee Thaxton, a four-year starter at catcher for the Middleton Lady Tigers, has signed a softball grant-in-aid to play for Blue Mountain College.

"Kaylee will be an impact player for us right away," said BMC coach Kevin Barefield. "She's a really good catcher and can play third base for us as well. She's a consistent hitter and her bat has more pop in it than you might think."

During her four years for the Lady Tigers, Thaxton improved her batting average each year from .350 to .500 through the first half of this season. In 2009 she hit .435 with two home runs and nine runs batted in, and through nine games this year she is batting .500 with one homer and eight RBI. She has a career slugging percentage of .846.

Thaxton has earned all-district honors in each of her four years at Middleton and was named the co-Most Valuable Player in 2009. She also lettered in volleyball and basketball for the Lady Tigers.

She has also played for the American Softball Association summer team Southaven Illusions since 2003. Before moving to Middleton, Thaxton lettered as an eight-grader for Horn Lake (Miss.) High School.

"Kaylee's experience in both high school and summer league ball will really help our program," Barefield said. "You can coach a lot of things but you can't coach experience."

Thaxton will join Middleton classmate Matthew Kirk at BMC in the fall. Kirk, a shortstop for the Tigers, signed with the Toppers two weeks ago.

Corinth's Parrish signs with BMC

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. -- Errin Parrish, a 5-foot-9 guard from Corinth and Northwest Shoals Community College, signed a basketball grant-in-aid Tuesday with the Blue Mountain College Lady Toppers.

"Errin will give us some immediate help from the outside with her shooting," said BMC women's coach Lavon Driskell. "She's one of the hardest workers I've seen and she'll bring a level of experience and leadership that will make us a much better team."

Parrish averaged 6 points for the 21-8 Lady Patriots this season, with 29 steals and 52 assists. She had high games of 15 points against Columbia State and Northeast Mississippi Community College.

During her freshman season at NW Shoals Parrish averaged 7 points a game with 57 assists and 27 steals as the Lady Patriots compiled a 22-6 record. She had a high game of 22 points against Arkansas Baptist.

McKenzie named BMC golf coach

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Danny McKenzie, sports information director at Blue Mountain College for the past two years, has been named the Toppers golf coach.

McKenzie, a lifelong golfer whose 30-year newspaper career included several years reporting on golf from high school to professional levels, will coach both men's and women's teams in the fall when BMC launches its NAIA program in TranSouth Athletic Conference..

"I am thrilled that Danny has agreed to be our men's and women's golf coach ," said BMC athletics director Lavon Driskell. " Danny has a love and excitement for golf and working with young people. He will be a definite plus for our athletic program at BMC, as he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in golf. We are looking for great things out of Danny and our golf program."

McKenzie will replace Jerry Conner, who recently resigned as men's basketball and golf coach to return to his home in Phoenix, Ariz.

"I'm looking forward to working with Coach Driskell and the entire BMC family to help get the golf program established," McKenzie said. "There are a lot of good young golfers in the mid-south that want a chance to play at the next level, and I'm looking forward to working with them at BMC."

During his sports writing career, McKenzie reported on several PGA tour events, six major championships, Mississippi and Kentucky state amateur championships, the Mississippi PGA Invitational, Kentucky Open, and several high school and college events. He has also competed in many area amateur tournaments.

Saltillo catcher Littlejohn signs with BMC

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Jake Littlejohn, a steady-hitting catcher for the Saltillo Tigers, has signed a baseball grant-in-aid with Blue Mountain College.

Littlejohn is hitting .300 for the Tigers this season with and has a .470 on-base percentage that includes four doubles, 10 walks, six runs batted in, and leads the team in being hit by pitches (six).

"Jake is a solid ballplayer," said BMC coach Curt Fowler. "He's a strong defensive player with a really good arm, and he's a catcher who can control a ballgame. At the plate, he has a knack for getting on base and that's invaluable. He's played for Coach Johnny Bolen all these years, so you know he's a good player."

The Toppers begin NAIA competition in the NAIA TranSouth Athletic Conference in fall 2010.

NEMCC pair Collie, Wallis signs with BMC

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Michael Collie and Ben Wallis became the second pair of players from Northeast Mississippi Community College to sign baseball scholarships with Blue Mountain College.

Collie, an outfielder and pitcher from Germantown, Tenn., and Wallis, a third baseman and second baseman from Ripley, will join NEMCC teammates Seth Kennedy and Zane Treadaway when the Toppers begin their baseball program in the fall.

Collie hit .368 for the Tigers this year with 3 home runs, 13 doubles and 26 runs batted in. Primarily a relief pitcher, he had a 1-1 record in 11.2 innings pitched, with 2 saves, 12 strikeouts, 8 walks and a 5.40 earned run average. In his freshman season, Collie hit .339 with 4 homers and 13 RBI, and did not give up a "Michael is a great outfielder with a very strong arm," said BMC coach Curt Fowler. "He's also a very consistent hitter and will make our offense a lot stronger."

Wallis, who sat out his freshman season after wrist surgery, hit .329 for Northeast this year with 1 homer, 2 triples, 7 doubles and 18 RBI.

"I had the opportunity to coach against Ben in high school and I always admired how hard he played," Fowler said. "Ben will can play third base or second base and provide a great stick in the lineup."

BMC signs Middleton SS Kirk

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

MIDDLETON, Tenn. - Shortstop Matthew Kirk of Middleton, Tenn., has signed a baseball scholarship with Blue Mountain College.

Kirk, a steady hitting, left-handed batter, will join the Toppers in their inaugural season next year when they begin play in the NAIA TranSouth Athletic Conference.

"Matthew is a really good, consistent player," said BMC coach Curt Fowler. "He's a strong defensive player with a good bat, and he'll also pitch some for us."

Kirk is batting .570 for Middleton High this season and has a .429 average as a five-year letterman for the Tigers. As a shortstop, he carries a .947 fielding average.

BMC signs NE guard Goolsby

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Grant Goolsby, a two-year letterman at Northeast Community College, has signed a basketball grant-in-aid with Blue Mountain College.

Goolsby, a 5-10 guard who also played for Myrtle High, led the Tigers with 59 assists last year while averaging 4.5 points per game. He shot 42 percent from the field, including a 40 percent field goal percentage, and he connected on 71 percent of his free throws. Goolsby had a high game of 17 points, including 5 of 8 3-pointers, in an early season setback at Wallace State (Ala.).

"Grant is a good, solid player and a strong leader on the court," said Jerry Conner, who recently resigned as head coach at BMC. "He's a good ball-handler who is capable of scoring from the outside. He will be a strong addition to the BMC program."

While playing for Myrtle, Goolsby sed his team in free throw percentage, assists and three-point field goal percentage for four years. He was named to the all-division team four years and all north state team twice.

He was the MHS student body president won numerous academic honors. At Northeast, Goolsby was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society and was vice-president of leadership.

Goolsby is the older brother of BMC cross country athlete Beth Goolsby.

Conner resigns as men's basketball coach

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Jerry Conner, who four years ago began the men's basketball program at Blue Mountain College, has resigned as men's head coach.

Conner moved to Blue Mountain from Phoenix, Ariz., in 2006, and spent his first year with the Toppers recruiting, scheduling and promoting the program that would begin play the following year.

Conner's resignation is effective May 1 and he will return to Phoenix where several of his family members live.

"These four years at Blue Mountain have been really enjoyable," Conner said. "It's been very frustrating that we haven't won more, but our team has gotten better each year and I believe we've got the program in good shape for the next coach.

"We've got some really good young men playing here, and we're a lot more athletic than we were when we began play three years ago."

"Coach Jerry Conner holds the distinction of serving as the very first coach of men's basketball at Blue Mountain College," said Dr. Bettye Rogers Coward, BMC president. "We are grateful for his investment in the program and for laying the groundwork for others to build upon."

Lavon Driskell, BMC athletics director, also praised Conner for establishing the Toppers program.

"I appreciate all the time and effort that Coach Conner has put into beginning the men's basketball program at BMC," Driskell said. "To build a program from the beginning stages is very time-consuming, plus it requires a lot of energy. Coach Conner was willing to embrace this monumental task and I thank him for his efforts.

"I have enjoyed working with him as an athletic director and as a fellow coach. All of us at BMC wish him the best with his future endeavors."

During Conner's three years as sideline coach, BMC was only able to compile a 3-92 record (2-50 in the TranSouth Conference) in NAIA competition, a stark contrast to his all-star high school career.

Conner's Arizona teams won more than 500 games during his 37 years as a prep coach, including 32 at Shadow Mountain High in Phoenix where he coached such notables as the Atlanta Hawks' Mike Bibby and former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling.

While in Arizona, Conner's teams won two state championships, he was named Arizona Class 4A coach of the year three times, he was inducted into the Arizona Coaches Hall of Fame, and the gym at Shadow Mountain High was named in his honor.

President Coward said BMC would immediately begin the process of finding Conner's successor.

"The college will establish a process for selecting the next head coach for men's basketball," she said. "As a part of the building process for a new program, the college has the opportunity to assess where we are after the first three years and to determine where we want to be within the next few years. We will seek the leadership in coaching to achieve our goals."

BMC signs McNairy Central's Whitten

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Chris Whitten, a 6-foot-7 forward from McNairy Central High in Selmer, Tenn., signed a basketball scholarship with Blue Mountain College.

Whitten, a 4-year letterman for the Bobcats, averaged 10 points and 9.5 rebounds his senior season when he was named the team's most valuable player. After serving as team captain his senior year, he was recently inducted into the McNairy Central High Hall of Fame.

"Chris a really good inside player with good size, and he's probably going to grow a couple more inches," said BMC coach Jerry Conner. "At 230 pounds and growing, he'll give us some bulk inside, and he's got good basketball fundamentals. We're really looking forward to watching him develop during his college days at Blue Mountain."

Whitten is a two-time member of the District 12 Class AA team, and was named the State Farm Player of the Week 9 times the past two seasons. He is involved in several community and school extracurricular activities, and is a 2-year member of the National Honor Society.

4 BMC women named NAIA Scholar-Athletes

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Four Blue Mountain College women basketball players have been named Daktronics-NAIA Division I Scholar Athletes.

Lauren Burgess, Katelynn Wright, Jordan McCormick and Joy Pierce were among 120 NAIA women basketball players selected for the national honor.

Burgess is a senior physical education major from Water Valley; Wright is a senior business major from Oxford; McCormick is a junior mathematics major from Pontotoc; Pierce is a junior psychology major from Cayce.

A student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and have achieved junior academic status to qualify for the honor.

The four from BMC, a member of the TranSouth Athletic Conference, were the most of any league school.

3 BMC men named NAIA Scholar-Athletes

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN - A trio of Blue Mountain College players have been named Daktronics-NAIA Division I Scholar Athletes.

Shayne Adams, Ryan Howell and Brad Pressley were among 67 NAIA players selected for the national honor.

Adams is a senior secondary education and biology major from Sherman who played for North Pontotoc High. Howell is a junior business administration major from Booneville. Pressley is a senior pre-med student majoring in biology from Wheeler.

The Daktronics-NAIA Women Scholar-Athletes will be named later this week. A student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and have achieved junior academic status to qualify for the honor.

The three men from BMC, a member of the TranSouth Athletic Conference, were the most of any league school.

BMC signs Pontotoc infielder Roberts

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Cody Roberts, a standout infielder while at Pontotoc High, has signed a baseball grant-in-aid with Blue Mountain College.

Roberts, who was red-shirted while at East Mississippi Community College a year ago, was one of the Warriors' steadiest players during his high school days.

"Cody is a solid player who will come in and help us at two or three positions on the infield," said Coach Curt Fowler, whose Toppers program will begin in the fall. BMC is a member of the NAIA TranSouth Athletic Conference.

"Cody's a consistent hitter and steady defensive player, and he's played in a solid high school program for Coach (Phil) Webb."

As a senior for the Warriors, Roberts hit .415, and was named to the Division 1-4A first team and was second team all-state. During his junior year he hit .542 and was named first team all-state and all-district. As a sophomore he hit .356 and was first team all-division.

Lady Toppers season ends at Freed-Hardeman

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0600

HENDERSON, Tenn. -- Six Freed-Hardeman University players scored in double digits here Wednesday night and Blue Mountain College's season came to a halt as the Lady Lions captured a 96-58 win in the first round of the TranSouth Athletic Conference Tournament.

BMC finished the season with an 11-20 record, while Freed-Hardeman, ranked No. 13 in the final NAIA women's poll, is now 24-6. On Friday, FHU will play host to Bethel University, a 75-65 winner over Martin-Methodist College in the first round.

The Lady Lions built a 51-32 halftime lead and put the game away with a 17-0 run early in the second half. BMC turned the ball over 25 times and Freed-Hardeman scored 32 points off turnovers. The Lady Lions outshot the Lady Toppers, 47.4 to 36.5, from the field, and controlled the boards, 48-36.

Joy Pierce led BMC with 16 points and Jordan McCormick had 11.

For Freed-Hardeman, Meribeth Boehler had 19 points, Whitney Johnson 15, Jana Cross 11, Natalie Shumpert 11, Tara Deathridge 10, and Maria Bagwell 10.

McCullum on All-TSAC 2nd team

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Lakendrick McCullum from Blue Mountain College was named Wednesday to the 2010 All-TranSouth Athletic Conference second team.

McCullum, a 6-5 forward from Laurel and Jones County Junior College transfer, finished the regular TSAC season ranked second in rebounds with 9.75 per game, second in double-double games with 16 - including a 34-point, 18-rebound performance in the regular season finale - sixth in field goal percentage (53.6) and eleventh in scoring with 15.2 points per game. A business administration major, he recently was named a 2010 TSAC scholar-athlete.

"Lakendrick is one of those quiet, hard-working young men who just go about their day-to-day business," said BMC coach Jerry Conner. "He brought an added dimension to Blue Mountain this year and really gave our young program a boost. He is very deserving of this honor and we are extremely proud of him."

McCullum was the only BMC player named to either the men's or women's teams.

TSAC all-conference women's team

TSAC all-conference men's team

Toppers end season with loss to Lyon

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BATESVILLE, Ark. -- Blue Mountain College's season came to an end here Tuesday night when the Toppers dropped their second game in four days at Lyon College, 120-82, in the play-in round of the TranSouth Athletic Conference Tournament.

The Scots' inside game and a pair of hot streaks doomed the Toppers, who finished their third season of NAIA competition with a 1-32 record. BMC's lone win of the season came in a home game against Lyon, now 7-22.

Lyon converted 51.3 percent (40 of 78) from the field while BMC connected on only 35.9 percent (29 of 78) of its shots, and the Scots controlled the boards, 56-40.

The Scots, who travel to Jackson, Tenn., on Thursday to play top-seeded Union University, went on a 26-9 run to close the first half and opened the second half with an 11-2 burst.

Renell Collins had 17 points to lead BMC, Jake Keller had 11 and Mike Chatham had 11. Lakendrick McCullum, who had 34 points and 18 rebounds against the Scots on Saturday, was held to 9 points and 6 rebounds.

Lyons had a trio break the 20-point mark: James Jackson with 28, Andy Lee with 22 and Quinn Cooper with 22.

Jolly signs to play baseball at BMC

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. -- Blake Jolly, a hard-throwing right-hander from Pontotoc, has signed a baseball scholarship with Blue Mountain College.

Jolly, a 6-1 sophomore at Itawamba Community College who played high school ball at South Pontotoc, will be on BMC's first baseball team when it begins play next season in the TranSouth Athletic Conference.

"Blake is a great baseball player and an outstanding young man," said Toppers coach Curt Fowler. "He is a big addition to our program."

Through ICC's first 12 games this season, Jolly has recorded 5 strikeouts and walked 3 in 5.1 innings. He has a 1-1 record this season and an opponents batting average of .240. While at South Pontotoc, he earned all-division and all-state honors for the 3A Cougars, and pitched in the NEMCABB all-star game.

"Blake had a an outstanding career at South Pontotoc playing for coach (Bryan) Buckner," Fowler said, "and he's continued it while playing for coach (Rick) Collier at ICC. We're looking forward to getting this program started next year and Blake will be a big part of that."

BMC begins TSAC tournament play

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. -- TranSouth Athletics Conference tournament play gets under way this week and Blue Mountain College will hit the road for a pair of first-round games.

The Toppers return to Batesville, Ark., on Tuesday to take on Lyon College at 7 p.m.. BMC dropped a heart-breaker to Lyon on Saturday, 99-93, to end the regular season 1-31 overall and 1-15 in the conference. The Scots finished their season at 6-22 and 2-14.

The winner of Tuesday night's game will play No. 1 seed Union University (23-7, 14-2) on Thursday in Jackson, Tenn.

The Lady Toppers (11-19, 4-12) knocked off Lyon 80-69 on Saturday to close TSAC play with two consecutive wins and finished tied with Cumberland for seventh in the TSAC. BMC will travel to Henderson, Tenn. on Wednesday to take on No. 2 seed Freed-Hardeman, 23-6 and 11-5. Game time is 7 p.m.

BMC splits pair of road games at Lyon

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BATESVILLE, Ark. - Blue Mountain College finished its regular season here Saturday by splitting a pair of TranSouth Athletic Conference games against Lyon College.

The Lady Toppers upset the Pipers 80-69, while the Scots outgunned the Toppers 99-93.

In the women's contest, BMC was 9 of 19 from beyond the 3-point line and held Lyon to 1 of 11 from long range.

Joy Pierce racked up 21 points to lead the Lady Toppers, who finished the regular season with an 11-19 overall record and 4-12 in the TSAC. Jordan McCormick scored 19 for BMC and Anna Lisa Powell had 18 points.

The Lady Toppers will play again on Wednesday against either Freed-Hardeman, Trevecca-Nazarene or Bethel, all of whom finished at 11-5 in the conference and in a three-way tie for second place. A coin-toss on Sunday will determine the pairings.

For the Pipers, 17-12 and 7-9, KK Hodges had 23 points and Lauren Ramsey had 21.

In the men's game, Lakendrick McCullum's 34 points and 18 rebounds weren't enough to get BMC past Lyon. The two teams will meet here again on Tuesday night for a play-in game to the conference tournament.

McCullum was 9 of 13 from the floor and 16 of 17 from the free throw line in his most productive game of the year. Renell Collins and Josh McCalmon each had 19 points and Ethan Ellis had 10 for the Toppers, who finished the regular season 1-31 and 1-15 in the TSAC.

The Scots, 6-22 and 2-14, had six players in double figures: James Johnson with 20, Slater Belew with 17, Brandon Coward with 13, Andy Lee with 12, Hunter Sample with 11, and Quinn Conner with 10.

Dozen Toppers named TSAC Scholar Athletes

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - One dozen Blue Mountain College basketball players were named TranSouth Athletic Conference Scholar Athletes on Friday.

Five Lady Toppers were named to the women's team: Lauren Burgess, a senior physical education major from Water Valley; Katelynn Wright, a senior business major from Oxford; Jordan McCormick, a junior mathematics major from Pontotoc; Joy Pierce, a junior psychology major from Cayce; and Anna Lisa Powell, a sophomore history major from Ecru.

Seven Toppers were named to the TSAC men's team: Shayne Adams, a senior biology major from Sherman; Brad Pressley, a senior biology major from Wheeler; Lakendrick McCullum, a junior business major from Laurel; Ryan Howell, a junior business major from Booneville; Kyle Heard, a sophomore history major from Ingomar; Andrew Harbor, a sophomore biblical studies major from Corinth; and Ethan Ellis, a secondary education major from Gibson, Tenn.

BMC led the TSAC in the number of Scholar-Athletes. TranSouth Scholar-Athlete recipients must be a sophomore or above in academic standing; have a minimum grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.0 scale.

Lady Toppers bounce Mid-Continent

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. -- With five players scoring in double figures here Thursday night, Blue Mountain College whipped Mid-Continent University, 86-57, and snapped a 3-game losing streak in the TranSouth Athletic Conference.

In the men's game, the Cougars won their fifth in a row by knocking off the Toppers 95-63.

The Lady Toppers took their 35-29 halftime lead and went on several runs early in the second half to capture their 10th win of the season.

Anna Lisa Powell poured in 18 points to lead the Lady Toppers, 10-19 overall and 3-12 in the TSAC. Jessi Hayles rifled in 16 points, Joy Pierce had 13, Katelynn Wright had 11, and Jordan McCormick had 10.

For the Lady Cougars, who dropped their eighth straight to fall to 3-24 and 1-14, Tiffany Payton had 19 points, Amanda Daugherty had 11 points and 19 rebounds, and Katelyn Perry had 10 points.

Joshua Woodley hit for 25 to lead Mid-Continent past BMC, and TiRon Peoples had 22 for the Cougars, now 18-11 and 11-4. Josh McCalmon had 13 points to lead the Toppers, who fell to 1-30 and 1-14 after dropping their seventh straight.

BMC closes out its regular season Saturday afternoon when it travels to Batesville, Ark., to take on Lyon College. Tipoff time is 2 p.m.

Duley named BMC cross country coach

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Heather Duley will become head coach of the Blue Mountain College cross country program on March 1.

Duley, coach of the Spartans, a team of North Mississippi home-schooled runners based in New Albany, will replace Fred Smith, who founded the BMC program in 2007. Smith resigned recently to move to Colorado Springs, Colo.

"Coach Duley brings a wealth of knowledge as a cross country coach," said Lavon Driskell, BMC athletic director. "She has worked with and knows numerous athletes and coaches in our area. It was a difficult decision because of the quality of the candidates for the job, but we feel Heather is a good fit for BMC."

Duley, a native of Cordova, Tenn., helped start the East Union High program in 2001 and coached there until 2004 when she and her family moved to Louisville, Ky. She was a four-time letter-winner at Lambuth University and captain of the cross country team.

While she was at East Union, she coached Tuesdae Rowland, Richard Feist and Austin Epting, current members of the BMC cross country program.

The Toppers are members of the NAIA TranSouth Athletic Conference.

"I'm excited to get this opportunity," Duley said. "Blue Mountain is a great college and Coach Smith has done an outstanding job with the cross country program the past three years. It's a big challenge; definitely new and different, but I'm looking forward to it.

"My main goal is to continue to build a strong program on Coach Smith's foundation," she added. "We're going to focus on building a strong team atmosphere and also add to our women's team. We need to get some numbers there where we can be even more competitive in the TranSouth."

Union takes two from BMC

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

JACKSON, Tenn. -- League-leading Union University knocked off Blue Mountain College in both games of a TranSouth Athletic Conference doubleheader here Saturday afternoon. The No. 1 Lady Bulldogs whipped the Lady Toppers, 113-57, and the Bulldogs beat the Toppers, 97-65.

The Lady Bulldogs, 28-1 and 15-0 in the TSAC, had five players in double figures to win their 21st consecutive game: Jessica Graves 23, Kayla Hudson 20, Kaitlin Dudley 18, Laura Crittendon 15, and Lavonda Ross 11.

Jessi Hayles scored 18 points to lead the Lady Toppers, now 9-19 and 2-12, and Anna Lisa Powell had 11 points.

In the men's game, Union was paced by Roland Banhoro with 22 points, Samuel Danache with 18, Keith Tolliver with 17 and Stan McNeil with 12. The Bulldogs are 22-7 overall and 13-2 atop the TSAC.

BMC, now 1-29 and 1-13, were led by Brad Pressley with 13 points and Mike Chatham with 10.

The Toppers close out their home season on Thursday night when the host Mid-Continent University. Tipoff is at 6 p.m.

Martin Methodist knocks off BMC

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. -- Martin Methodist picked up a pair of TranSouth Athletic Conference victories over Blue Mountain College here Thursday night. The Lady Hawks won the women's game, 83-76, and the Red Hawks captured the men's game 96-77.

Micah Anderson exploded for 39 points to lead the Lady Hawks to a come-from-behind 83-76 win over the Lady Toppers.

The Lady Toppers led 59-50 with 11:40 left in the game but the Lady Hawks reeled off 13 unanswered points over the next five minutes to take a 63-60 lead. Martin went ahead for good with 5:04 left on a field goal by Whitney Robison.

Joy Pierce and Anna Lisa Powell each had 14 points to lead BMC, 9-17 overall and 2-10 in the TranSouth Athletic Conference. Jessi Hayles had 12 and Katelynn Wright scored 11.

For the Lady Hawks, 14-12 and 5-7, Ashley Meeks had 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Robison had 10 points.

In the men's game, Will Shackleford scored 26 points and Chris Goodwin had 20 to lead the Red Hawks, 18-9 and 16-7.

For the Toppers, Renell Collins fired in 28 points, Josh McCalmon 12, Kyle Heard 10, and Lakendrick McCullum had 10 points and 12 rebounds -- his 15th double-double of the season. BMC dropped to 1-28 and 1-12.

The Toppers travel to Jackson, Tenn., on Saturday to take on Union University. Tipoff is 2 p.m.

Pontotoc runner signs with BMC

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. -- Ashlee Grisham, a standout runner for the state champion Pontotoc Lady Warriors, has signed a cross country grant-in-aid with Blue Mountain College.

Grisham, who has only been runnning 3 years, is a 3-time letter-winner for the Lady Warriors and in 2009 earned all Division 1-4A, and all state honors as a member of the Class 4A state championship team.

She is also a member of the Pontotoc track team and in 2009 competeted in the North Mississippi 4A 300-meter hurdles. Grisham also competes in 800 meters.

The Pontotoc senior also won the 2009 Race for the Cure 15-19 division and was second in the 2009 Bodock 5K 15-19 division.

"Ashlee is a young runner in terms of experience," said Coach Fred Smith, "but she has come on really strong in such a short time. She will give Blue Mountain a boost and will certainly add some depth to our program. She will be a great addition."

BMC loses pair of shoot-outs at Bethel

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

MCKENZIE, Tenn -- Nothing was sweet for Blue Mountain College on a Valentine weekend trip to Bethel University. The Lady Bulldogs raced past the Lady Toppers, 107-80, and the Bulldogs outran the Toppers in the men's nightcap, 115-102.

Katelynn Wright paced the Lady Toppers with 16 points; Jessi Hayles had 15, Joy Pierce had 12 and Anna Lisa Powell 11 and 7 rebounds. BMC dropped to 9-17 overall and 2-10 in the TranSouth Athletic Conference.

Kashundria Berry had 24 points to lead Bethel (15-9 and 6-5) and Nina Djokovic had 21 points and 15 rebounds.

In the men's game, free throws and rebounds proved to be the difference. Bethel connected 33 of 45 freebies while BMC hit only 12 of 22. The Bulldogs out-rebounded the Toppers 49-32.

Donald Harris rifled in a season-high 36 points for Bethel (11-14 and 3-1), while Andre Crudup had 22 and Eddie King had 12.

Kyle Heard paced the Toppers (1-27 and 1-11) with a career-high 24 points, Renell Collins had 20, Lakendrick McCullum had 18 and Josh McCalmon had 15.

The Toppers return home to play host to Martin Methodist University on Thursday night. Tipoff is at 6 p.m.

Lady Toppers cruise past Cumberland

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. -- Jordan McCormick fired in 18 points here Thursday night to lead Blue Mountain College to an 89-60 TranSouth Athletic Conference win over Cumberland University.

The Lady Toppers snapped a 6-game losing streak and improved their TSAC record to 2-9 and to 9-16 overall. The Lady Bulldogs slipped to 8-12 and 2-8.

In the men's game, Cumberland turned a spate of early second-half BMC turnovers into a 92-68 victory.

The Lady Toppers took a 49-29 halftime advantage and led by as many as 32 points, largely on a 53-40 rebound advantage and 13 3-pointers, while Cumberland was 0-10 from 3-point range.

Katelynn Wright put up 15 points for the Lady Toppers and Anna Lisa Powell came off the bench for 14 points and 7 rebounds. Joy Pierce, BMC's leading scorer, was held to 6 points but grabbed 11 boards, and Lauren Burgess had 10 points.

For the Lady Bulldogs, Keshia Brown had 20 poiints and Simone Ryan had 10.

The Bulldogs led the Toppers, 41-36 at intermission, then opened the second half with an 18-4 run -- including 14 unanswered points -- to improve their record to 9-14 and 5-4. BMC dropped to 1-26 and 1-10.

Cumberland's Brandon Springer led all scorers with 31 points, Walter Simon had 11 and Andrew Ayodji had 10.

For BMC, Renell Collins had 17 points, Josh McCalmon 13, Lakendrick McCullum 13 and Mike Chatham 12. McCullum also pulled down 10 rebounds for his 14th double-double of the season.

BMC hits the road to McKenzie, Tenn., Saturday afternoon to take on Bethel College, while Cumberland returns to Nashville to host Trevecca-Nazarene.

Trevecca takes two from Toppers

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Trevecca-Nazarene University captured a pair of TranSouth Athletic Conference wins over Blue Mountain College here Saturday afternoon. The Trojans, ranked No. 12 in the latest NAIA poll, bopped the Lady Toppers 98-64, and in the men's game the Trojans dropped the Toppers 101-75.

The streaking Trojans, who have won 9 of their last 10, knocked down 53 percent from the field to improve their record to 16-6 and 8-1 in the TSAC. BMC, which dropped its 6th straight to fall to 8-16 and 1-9, converted on only 22.1 percent from the field.

London Elie led TNU with 13 points, Christian Gibson had 12 and Abby Lawson scored 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Anna Lisa Powell led BMC with 12 points and Samantha Burns had 10.

In the men's game, Trevecca went on a 13-3 run to open the second half and improved its record to 15-7 overall and 6-3 int he TSAC. BMC dropped to 1-25 and 1-9.

Lakendrick McCullum led the Toppers with 21 points and 17 rebounds -- his 13th double-double of the season. Josh McCalmon had 12 points, Jake Kellere 11 and Kyle Heard 10.

For the Trojans, Michael France had 24, Jeremy Dixon 16, Matthew Elliott and Camden Jordan 14 each, and Keith Morris 12.

BMC returns home to play host to Cumberland University on Thurday. Game times are 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Freed-Hardeman wins two at BMC

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. -- Nationally ranked Freed-Hardeman University continued its winning ways here Thursday night, capturing a pair of TranSouth Athletics Conference wins over Blue Mountain College.

The NAIA 15th-ranked Lady Lions took the opener 93-53, and in the men's game No. 23 FHU knocked off BMC 83-64.

In the women's contest, Jana Cross poured in 20 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead FHU to its fifth straight win. The Lady Lions, 18-4 overall and 6-3 in the TSAC, also got 16 points from Tara Deathridge and 14 points from Hannah Parsley.

Jordan McCormick scored 18 points to lead BMC (8-15, 1-8) and Joy Pierce had 10 points.

In the men's game, Jesse Moulton knocked down 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the No. 23 Lions to their 17th consecutive victory. Zack Frey and Ken Bingham scored 17 each for FHU (15-7, 8-1) and Kyle Teichmann had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

The Toppers (1-24, 1-8) were led by Renell Collins with 19 points and Lakendrick McCullum with 12 points and eight rebounds.

BMC travels to Nashville on Saturday to take on Trevecca-Nazarene University. Game times are 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Toppers beat Lyon to end losing streak

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN - The skid is over.

Blue Mountain College zapped Lyon College 90-81 here Monday night to end a 34-game losing streak.

Led by Josh McCalmon's 23 points, BMC posted its first victory since beating Bethel College on Jan. 24, 2009.

Renell Collins had 20 points for the Toppers, now 1-23 and 1-7 in the TranSouth Athletics Conference, and Lakendrick McCullum had 14 points and a season-high 19 rebounds. Mike Chatham scored 11 points.

BMC held a 14-point lead with 3:11 left in the game, but held off a late Lyon rally by converting 11 of 16 free throws in the final 1:45.

Slater Belew led the Scots (5-15, 1-7) with 20 points and Andy Lee had 18.

In the women's game, BMC turned on a furious rally in the final minutes to force overtime, but Lyon pulled out a 69-59 victory.

The Lady Toppers trailed by as many as nine points in the second half but slowly chipped away at the Pipers' lead and Katelynn Wright hit a desperation, off-balance, left-handed 3-pointer at the final buzzer in regulation to tie it at 54-54.

The two teams swapped baskets to open the overtime period, but Lyon the fired off six unanswered points to take the lead for good.

The Pipers were led by Keshianna Hodges with 33 points and Suzanne Fincham with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Lyon improved its record to 14-7 on the season, 4-4 in the TSAC

The Lady Toppers, who dropped their fourth straight and are now 8-14 and 1-7, were led by Joy Pierce with 13 points and Lauren Burgess and Wright with 12 each.

BMC will play host to Freed-Hardeman at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Thursday.

BMC game with Lyon postponed

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Due to icy road conditions, Saturday's TranSouth Athletics Conference basketball doubleheader between Lyon College and Blue Mountain College has been postponed until Monday. The games will be played at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. in Tyler Gymnasium on the BMC campus.

Toppers lose twice at Mid-Continent

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

MAYFIELD, Ky. -- Mid-Continent University captured a pair of TranSouth Athletics Conference victories here Thursday night against Blue Mountain College.

The Lady Cougars held off a stubborn BMC for a 69-64 victory, its first TranSouth Athletics Conference win of the season. In the men's contest, MCU took a 103-65 win.

After trailing 31-26 at halftime, the Lady Toppers came back and took a 57-54 lead on a 3-point field goal by Anna Lisa Powell with 8:08 remaining. The Lady Cougars' inside game, however, proved to much and Mid-Continent raised its record to 2-16 overall and 1-6 in the TSAC.

BMC (8-13, 1-6) was led by Jordan McCormick with 13 points and Jessi Hayles and Joy Pierce with 12 each.

The Lady Cougars were paced in scoring by Tiffany Payton with 19 points, Kandi Knupp with 14 and Amanda Daugherty with 11 points and 20 rebounds.

Kyle Heard scored 11 points to lead the Toppers, who fell to 0-23 and 0-7 on the season. For Mid-Continent (11-20, 4-3), Keiran Nunley had 14 points.

BMC returns home to play host on Saturday to Lyon College. The games begin at 2 p.m.

BMC inks Pontotoc standout Denton

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Brooke Denton, a hard-throwing, two-time Class 4A Division 1 most valuable player for the Pontotoc Lady Warriors, signed a softball grant-in-aid Tuesday with Blue Mountain College.

Denton, a five-time letter-winner at Pontotoc, has racked up 952 strikeouts during her career, including 282 last season when she also compiled a 0.29 earned run average and a .392 batting average.

BMC begins play in fall 2010 in the NAIA TranSouth Athletics Conference.

A regular for the Lady Warriors since the seventh grade, Denton has been named to the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal All-Area team the past four years, and has been named her team's most valuable player four times.

As a seventh-grader, Denton struck out 89 batters and had a 1.4 ERA in 15 games. She had 204 Ks and a 0.63 ERA as an eighth-grader, 182 Ks and 1.1 ERA as a freshman, and as a sophomore struck out 195 with an ERA of 0.38. In her five years, she also batted .245, .351, .352, .390, and .392.

"Brooke is one of the best pitchers in Mississippi and we are thrilled she's chosen Blue Mountain College to continue her academics and athletics," said Kevin Barefield, Lady Toppers head coach. "She's been a leader in a strong program for many years now, and will certainly give our new program an added level of maturity."

Denton's Pontotoc teammate, slugging outfielder KaLeigh Tackitt, signed with BMC in November.

Toppers drop two at Freed-Hardeman

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

HENDERSON, Tenn. - Freed-Hardeman University took a pair of NAIA TranSouth Athletics Conference wins from Blue Mountain College here Monday night.The Lady Lions knocked off the Lady Toppers, 94-66, followed by the Lions' 104-60 victory over the Toppers.

In the women's game, No. 16 FHU got 21 points and 10 rebounds from Meribeth Boehler and 21 points from Jana Cross to run its record to 15-4, 3-3 in TSAC play.

Joy Pierce had 14 points for BMC (8-12, 1-5), Kala Morris had 12 and Katelynn Wright had 11.

In the men's contest, Ken Bingham scored 24 points to lead the Lions (12-7, 5-1). Josh McCalmon scored 17 points to pace BMC (0-22, 0-5) and Lakendrick McCullom had 13.

Blue Mountain travels to Mayfield, Ky., Thursday to take on Mid-Continent University in TSAC action.

Union takes two from BMC

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. -- The top-ranked Union Lady Bulldogs dropped the Blue Mountain College Lady Toppers here Saturday afternoon, 98-57, to stretch their winning streak to 20 games.

In the men's contest, 18th-ranked Union fought off the stubborn Toppers, 76-62, to stay tied atop the TranSouth Athletics Conference.

The Lady Bulldogs, the defending NAIA national champions, jumped out to a 47-26 lead at halftime and cruised to their 20th win of the season and improved their TSAC leading record to 7-0. Union's only loss was a season-opening setback at Vanderbilt.

Kaitlin Dudley was one of six Union players in double figures with 22 points, and she pulled down 10 rebounds. For BMC, now 8-11 and 1-4, Katelynn Wright had 11 points and 7 rebounds.

The 18th-ranked Bulldogs improved their record to 15-6 and 6-1 behind Greg Truvillion's 22 points and 14 rebounds. Stan McNeil hit for 15 points.

Renell Collins rifled in a game-high 31 points and Lakendrick McCullum scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Toppers, now 0-21 and 0-5.

Union built up a 15-point lead in the second half, but theToppers brought it back to 61-55 when Collins hit his fifth 3-pointer with 3:53 to go. The Bulldogs responded with the next eight points to put the game out of reach.

BMC travels to Henderson, Tenn., on Monday to take on Freed-Hardeman University in a TSAC game that was postponed because of icy roads on Jan. 7. Game times at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Nation's top teams coming to BMC

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. -- Two of the country's best NAIA teams will face Blue Mountain College in a Saturday afternoon TranSouth Athletics Conference doubleheader in Tyler Gymnasium on the BMC campus.

The Lady Toppers will face the No. 1 Union University Lady Bulldogs at 2 p.m., and the Toppers will face the 18th-ranked Bulldogs at 4 p.m.

The BMC women, 8-10 overall, will be coming off their first TSAC win in four games -- at Martin Methodist -- while the Union women, 6-0 in the league, have won 19 in a row since a season-opening setback at Vanderbilt.

The Lady Bulldogs, the defending NAIA national champions, have been on top of the national rankings for 30 consecutive weeks.

The Toppers (0-4, 0-20), will face the defending TSAC champion Bulldogs (14-6, 5-1). Union dropped its first conference game of the season at Cumberland on Thursday, and is tied with Trevecca-Nazerene atop the TSAC standings.

This will be a busy week for the BMC teams. On Monday they travel to Henderson, Tenn., to face Freed-Hardeman in a make-up game caused by ice-closed roads back on Jan. 7. On Thursday the Toppers hit the road to Mayfield, Kentucky, to play Mid-Continent University, and then return home to play host to Lyon College on Jan. 30.

Collins named TranSouth Player of Week

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Blue Mountain point guard Renell Collins, who scored 76 points in two games last week, has been named the TranSouth Athletics Conference Player of the Week.

Collins, a 5-10 guard from Laurel, scored 28 points in the Toppers' 90-72 loss at Cumberland University on Thursday, then returned to Blue Mountain and lit up Bethel University for 48 points in a 117-114 setback. The transfer from Jones County Junior College also pulled down 10 rebounds and had 6 assists in the two TranSouth games.

His 48 points against Bethel is a BMC record and a season-high in the TranSouth.

"Renell has given us a dimension that we haven't had in the three years since we started men's basketball," BMC coach Jerry Conner said. "He can score from anywhere on the court, and even though he's a good shooter from the outside he does an excellent job of penetrating and creating scoring opportunities for others."

Collins leads the Toppers in scoring with a 17.7 average. He also had games of 25 points against Harris-Stowe University, 29 against Oakwood University, and on Jan. 9 scored 30 against TSAC leader Trevecca-Nazerene University.

Against Cumberland and Bethel, Collins hit on 48.2 of his field goal attempts (27 of 56), including 11 of 27 3-pointers (40.7). He was also 11 of 15 (73.3) from the free throw line.

Lady Toppers get first TranSouth win

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

PULASKI, Tenn. - Jordan McCormick scored 15 points here Monday night to lead Blue Mountain College to its first TranSouth Athletic Conference win of the season - a 71-62 victory over Martin Methodist College. The Lady Toppers improved to 8-10 overall and 1-3 in the TSAC.

In the men's contest, BMC suffered its worst shooting night in the history of the three-year-old program in a 130-62 loss to Martin.

McCormick was one of four Lady Toppers in double figures. Katelynn Wright had 12 points, and Jessi Hayles and Anna Lisa Powell each had 10 for BMC. Whitney Robison had 29 points and 14 rebounds to lead Martin, 10-7 and 2-2.

The Lady Toppers connected on 9-27 3-point field goals and converted 22 of 25 free throws. Martin hit only 2 of 8 3-pointers and was 16 of 26 from the free throw line.

The Toppers connected on only 25 percent from the field and only 8.8 (3 of 34) 3-pointers, while the Red Hawks hit 62.7 of their field goals and 14 of 28 3-pointers.

Lakendrick McCullum led BMC, 0-20 and 0-3 in the league, with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Renell Collins, who scored 106 points in the Toppers' last three games, was held to nine points. Martin, 12-5 and 1-3, had six players in double figures, led by Chris Goodwin with 22 points.

BMC returns home to play host to Union University at 2 p.m. Saturday.

BMC drops two to Bethel

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. -- Renell Collins scored a school record 48 points here Saturday afternoon but it wasn't enough as the Bethel University Wildcats outgunned the Blue Mountain College Toppers, 117-114.

In the women's game, Bethel knocked off Blue Mountain 80-65. It was the first TranSouth Athletic Conference win for both Wildcats teams, each now 1-2. Both BMC teams dropped to 0-3 in league play.

Collins, a junior point guard from Laurel, connected on 16 of 29 field goals, including 7 of 16 3-pointers, and hit 9 of 9 free shots. He was one of five Toppers in double figures: Brad Pressley had 18 points, Lakendrick McCullum had 14, Josh McCalmon 13 and J.C. Hayles 11. BMC fell to 0-19 on the season.

For the Wildcats, 9-8, Donald Harris knocked down 35 points and Andre Crudup had 24.

BMC cut Bethel's 8-point lead to one point twice -- at 113-112 and 115-114 -- but each time Harris responded with baskets.

In the women's contest, Katelyn Wright led the Lady Toppers, 7-10, with 13 points, followe by Joy Pierce and Lauren Burgess with 11 each and Anna Lisa Powell with 10. Nina Djokovic led Bethel, 10-6, with 25 points and Teena Carter had 19.

Blue Mountain travels to Pulaski, Tenn., on Monday to face Martin Methodist College, while Bethel returns to McKenzie, Tenn., to host Cumberland University.

Cumberland takes two from BMC

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

LEBANON, Tenn. -- Cumberland University took a pair of TranSouth Athletics Conference wins here Thursday night, knocking off Blue Mountain College 67-57 in the women's game and then taking a 90-72 win in the men's contest.

BMC's Joy Pierce rifled in 14 points to lead all scorers in the women's game, but the Lady Toppers dropped to 7-9 overall and 0-2 in the TSAC. Katelynn Wright, with 11 points, was the only other BMC player in double figures.

Ashley Whitmore had 13 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Lady Bulldogs, 7-5 overall and 1-2 in the TSAC. Whitmore was joined by teammates Keisha Wells and Angie Brown, who also had 13 apiece, and Allysia Bailey with 11 points.

The Lady Bulldogs built their 34-20 halftime lead to a 17-point margin with 4:20 left. BMC stormed back and cut it to 63-54 on a pair of free throws by Katelynn Wright with 54 seconds left. A combination of missed BMC shots and converted CU free throws enabled the Lady Bulldogs to rebuild their lead to 67-54 before Anna Lisa Powell bagged a 3-pointer for the game's final score.

In the men's game, BMC let a five-point, second-half lead get away and dropped to 0-18, 0-2 on the year. The Toppers held a 58-53 lead with 13:45 to go, but the Bulldogs went on a 16-4 spurt to take the lead for good. Cumberland improved 5-11 on the season and 2-1 in the TSAC.

BMC was led by Renell Collins with 28 points and Josh McCalmon with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Lakendrick McCullom had 13 points and nine boards.

The Bulldogs had three players to post double-doubles: Brandon Springer with 29 points and 15 rebounds, Lamar Brinkley with 21 and 10, and Walter Simon with 20 and 13

BMC returns home to play host to Bethel University at 2 p.m. Saturday, while Cumberland travels to Trevecca-Nazerene.

Player of Year Noe signs with BMC

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Heather Noe, who helped lead Nettleton to a pair of 3A state softball championships in 2009, has signed a grant-in-aid with Blue Mountain College.

Noe, a catcher/third baseman, was selected the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal 2009 fast-pitch Player of the Year after the Lady Tigers won championships in Division 2, North Mississippi, and state championship.

As a junior on Nettleton's fast-pitch state championship - and Division 2 and North Mississippi titles - Noe, batted .367 with 10 doubles and 2 triples. She had 29 hits and 29 runs batted in for the Lady Tigers, who finished last year with a 24-1 record.

"Heather is a truly outstanding player who will add a lot to our program," said BMC coach Kevin Barefield. The Lady Toppers begin play in the NAIA TranSouth Athletics Conference in 2010-2011.

"She's a really good third baseman and catcher," Barefield added, "and she will give us some offensive firepower right away."

Noe received numerous awards at Nettleton, twice winning the Coaches Award and Hustle Award. She has also been named to the first team All-Division 2 3A twice in slow-pitch and once in fast-pitch.

BMC drops conference openers

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. -- Nationally ranked Trevecca Nazarene University gunned down Blue Mountain College here Saturday afternoon in TranSouth Athletic Conference basketball action.

In the women's game, the Lady Trojans jumped out to an 18-point halftime lead and cruised to 90-70 win over the Lady Toppers.

In the men's contest, the Trojans followed suit by taking a 23-point halftime lead before winning 113-96 over the Toppers.

Jordan McCormick scored 19 points and pulled down a game-high 9 rebounds to lead the Lady Toppers 7-8 overall and 0-1 in the TSAC. Katelynn Wright had 17 points and 8 rebounds for BMC, and Anna Lisa Powell had 16 points.

K.C. Van Atta scored 24 points to lead the Lady Trojans, ranked 16th nationally in the NAIA polls. Paige McFarlin also had 20 points for TNU, 9-4, 2-0.

In the men's game, Renell Collins went off for 30 points to lead the Toppers, who dropped to 0-17 and 0-1. Lakendrick McCullum had 16 points and 8 rebounds; Josh McCalmon had 13, Michael Chatham 11 and J.C. Hayles had 10.

Matthew Elliott scored 25 points to lead the 13th-ranked Trojans, 10-4, 2-0. Keith Morris hit for 23, Michael France 19, Jeremy Dixon 14 and Marquise Rudolph 13.

BMC travels to Cumberland University on Thursday, while TNU hits the road to play Bethel University on Thursday.

BMC opens TranSouth action

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Blue Mountain College travels to NAIA powerhouse Freed-Hardeman University on Thursday to open play in the TranSouth Athletics Conference. The doubleheader begins at 6 p.m.

The Lady Toppers, who play the No. 6 Lady Lions, brought their record up to 7-7 on the season with a 79-78 win over Williams Baptist College at home Tuesday night. FHU has won its past five games.

The Toppers fell to 0-16 after letting a last-minute lead against Williams Baptist slip away and falling 93-90. The Lions, 7-5, have lost their last four games after being ranked No. 16 in December.

BMC plays eight TSAC games in January, including four at home -- all on Saturday afternoons (tipoff time is 2 p.m.): Jan. 9 vs. Trevecca-Nazerene; Jan. 16. vs Bethel; Jan. 23. vs. Union; and Jan. 30 vs. Lyon.

LADY TOPPERS -- After jumping out to a 3-0 start, the Lady Toppers will take a 7-7 record into Thursday night's TranSouth Athletics Conference opener at No. 6 Freed-Hardeman. BMC evened its record with a 79-78 win Tuesday night against Williams Baptist College.

Three of the Lady Toppers' losses have been by six points or fewer and the pre-conference play has coach Lavon Driskell optimistic heading into TranSouth action.

"We are young but we've had some really great games and some just good games," Driskell said. "I think we have matured and will play even better when we enter the conference games. As I said in the preseason, I really like this team and I believe we can be a surprise in our conference."

Joy Pierce, a senior forward, is leads the Lady Toppers in scoring with a 13.3 per game average. Pierce is followed by freshman guard Jessi Hayles with an 11.2 average and sophomore Anna Lisa Powell at 10.6 per game. "All of our players have stepped up and played well at times," Driskell said. "We are very balanced and on a given night we don't know which one will step up but we know someone will."

After suffering a rash of knee injuries the past two seasons, Driskell reports a healthy Lady Toppers squad. "We have been fortunate that we haven't had any injuries that has caused anyone to miss any games," Driskell said. "I hope we can to stay healthy, because the TranSouth will be as tough as always this year. You'd better bring your best each time out."

TOPPERS -- Admittedly, a 0-16 pre-conference record heading into Thursday night's TSAC opener against Freed-Hardeman is a bit short of ideal, but Blue Mountain College coach Jerry Conner still believes things are looking up for the Toppers as they prepare for another challenging TranSouth season.

"Obviously, we're not proud of our record," says Conner. "But we are much more athletic than we have been, and when we decide to play hard for forty minutes we're much more competitive than we have been."

A trio of junior college transfers - Lakendrick McCullum, Renell Collins and Josh McCalmon - are leading the Toppers. McCullum is averaging 16.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, and has had nine double-double games. Collins is scoring at a 14.4 per game clip and McCalmon has scored 11.4 per game.

"We'll be a team no one can take lightly this time around," Conner said. "There are times when we've played really well and there have been other times when, well, we could have done better. I guess that's what happens when there are a lot of young players who've had to grow up fast, but we've got to become more consistent when we get into TranSouth play. We've got a really strong conference again this year."

BMC splits with Williams Baptist

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. -- Blue Mountain College held off a last-minute run by Williams Baptist College here Tuesday night to claim a 79-78 victory. The Lady Toppers improved their record to 7-7.

"This was a good win for us," said BMC coach Lavon Driskell. "We've lost a couple of close games this year and it feels good to come out on the winning side."

Joy Pierce and Katelynn Wright each scored 14 points for the Lady Toppers, and Samantha Burns had 12 points and 7 rebounds. Anna Lisa Powell scored 9 points for BMC and Kayla Morris also had 7 rebounds to go with her 5 points.

For the Lady Eagles, 7-6, Olivia Morris led all scorers with 24 points; Courtney Sublett had 14, Jessica Shepard had 13 and Rachel Looney scored 10.

In the men's game, BMC fell to 0-16 on the year as Williams Baptist took a 93-90 victory. Lakendrick McCullum scored 25 points and hauled in 10 rebounds to lead the Toppers. Josh McCalmon had 14, Mike Chatham 13 and Renell Collins scored 11. The Eagles, 8-5, were led by Marcus Massey with 19 points and DeVarrio Watson with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

BMC begins play in the TranSouth Athletics Conference on Thursday when it travels to Henderson, Tenn., to take on Freed-Hardeman University in a women-men doubleheader that begins at 6 p.m.

Lady Toppers share Christmas blessings

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600

The Blue Mountain College women's basketball team joined with the school's Ministerial Alliance and Student Body Association to adopt a family for Christmas.

The three groups stated, "We have all been so blessed, and the purpose of our blessings is so they will overflow and bless others. This is what we are trying to do by adopting a family and hoping to make their Christmas a little merrier and a feeling of blessing."

Members of the Lady Topper basketball team, front, left to right Joy Pierce, Jordan McCormick, Samantha Burns, Katelynn Wright, Lauren Burgess, Anna Lisa Powell, Bam Bam Robinson; back row , left to right, Hannah Easley, Katie Underwood, Jessi Hayles, Candace Davis, Caitlin Beckham.

BMC in Coaches vs. Cancer Classic

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Blue Mountain College travels to Jackson this weekend for a little NAIA hoops - and a great cause. BMC teams will take part in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in Rugg Arena at Belhaven University on Friday and Saturday.

The Lady Toppers, 5-6, play Tougaloo, 3-5, at 2 p.m. Friday, and the Toppers, 0-13, play Belhaven, 8-1, at 8 p.m. Friday. The Saturday slate includes BMC versus Tougaloo, 6-1, in the 3 p.m. men's game, BMC against Belhaven, 6-2, in the 5 p.m. women's game. Trevecca Nazarene, a member of the TranSouth Athletic conference with BMC, will also participate in the tournament along with Talladega College.

The tournament is a two day event featuring four games on Friday the 18th and four more game on Saturday the 19th. Some of the proceeds of this tournament will go to the American Cancer Society and Coaches vs. Cancer.

Coaches vs. Cancer is a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). The initiative leverages the personal experiences, community leadership, and professional excellence of basketball coaches nationwide to increase awareness and promote healthy living through year-round awareness efforts, fundraising activities, and advocacy programs. Coaches vs. Cancer provides critical mission outreach, while raising funds in support of the Society's lifesaving cancer research, education, advocacy, and community service efforts.

Friday's games are scheduled for 2, 4, 6, and 8 p.m. with Saturday's first contest slated to tipoff at 1 p.m. followed by games at 3, 5, and 7 p.m. Admission for patrons 12 and older is $5, and children under 12 are free. High school basketball teams and youth groups are invited to attend free of charge (must come as a team/group). The complete tournament schedule is listed below.

Friday:
2 p.m. Blue Mountain (5-6) vs. Tougaloo (3-5) - Women
4 p.m. Tougaloo (6-1) vs. Trevecca Nazarene (8-2) - Men
6 p.m. Belhaven (6-2) vs. Talladega (5-7) - Women
8 p.m. Belhaven (8-1) vs. Blue Mountain (0-13) - Men

Saturday:
1 p.m. Tougaloo vs. Talladega - Women
3 p.m. Tougaloo vs. Blue Mountain - Men
5 p.m. Belhaven vs. Blue Mountain - Women
7 p.m. Belhaven vs. Trevecca Nazarene - Men

Smith resigns as cross country coach

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Fred Smith has resigned as cross country coach at Blue Mountain College, school officials announced Dec. 11.

Smith, who began the BMC cross country program three years ago, and his wife, Wendy, will move to Colorado Springs, Colo., to be near their daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren.

“This has really been a tough decision,” Smith said. “It’s tough to leave anytime, but when you’ve had a hand in starting a program from scratch, it’s really difficult. This has been a big part of my life the past three years. I’ve worked with some great young people and it will be very hard to leave them.”
“Blue Mountain College is indebted to Coach Smith for his leadership in establishing the cross country program,” Dr. Bettye Rogers Coward, BMC president, said. “His skills as a coach are exceptional and his character is impeccable. He has laid the foundation for the program upon which others can build.”

Smith is a native of Ripley and graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. He spent more than 15 years teaching and coaching in private schools in Pennsylvania and Mississippi, before returning to his alma mater – Ripley High – in 2000. He was the track and cross country coach there until joining BMC in fall 2007 on a part-time basis. He launched the college’s cross country program while also teaching and coaching at Ripley. In 2008 he coached the Ripley High boys track team to a Class 3A state championship, then moved to BMC fulltime that fall.

He said he would remain at BMC “at least until spring break.”

“I’ll keep working until then,” he said. “We’ll start training as soon as we get back from Christmas break, and we’ll also keep recruiting for next year. It will be business as usual the next couple of months – our program has improved each year and we’re not going to let that slip.”

Lavon Driskell, BMC athletics director, said losing Smith was a blow to the college but that he understood the decision.
“Anytime you lose a person of Coach Smith’s character, work ethic and individual qualities, it saddens you to see them go,” Driskell said. “Not only did he do a great job with our cross country program but I consider him to be a good friend, and I wish nothing but the best for Fred and his entire family.”

Driskell said BMC was in the process of putting together a plan for searching for a new coach.

Sherard, Hurley sign with Lady Toppers

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Lizzy Sherard and Kristi Hurley, a pair of former standout prep softball players already enrolled at Blue Mountain College, have signed to play with the Lady Toppers when they begin softball competition in fall 2010.

Sherard, a sophomore outfielder from Southaven, batted .270 with five doubles, a grand slam home run and 17 runs-batted-in for the Lady Chargers during her senior year, and had a 1.000 fielding percentage. She was named all-Chickasaw Conference, Gatorade Rookie of the Year, and an All-American Scholar Athlete for four years.

Hurley, a sophomore outfielder/first baseman from Corinth, hit .323 for the Lady Warriors during her senior year at Corinth High. She had a .486 on base percentage with five doubles, two triples and 19 RBI. Hurley was selected All-Alcorn County four years, All- Division three years, and played in both the Northeast Mississippi Softball and Baseball Coaches Association, and the Mississippi Association of Coaches all-star games.

"We're fortunate to have two really strong players already enrolled at Blue Mountain," BMC coach Kevin Barefield said. "Lizzy and Kristi are outstanding players and students, and they both jumped at the opportunity to pick back up their softball careers.

"In addition to their athleticism, they will provide invaluable experience as campus leaders on our team."

Sagely signs for softball with BMC

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN – Samantha Sagely, a slugging outfielder for Alcorn Central High, has signed a softball grant-in-aid with Blue Mountain College.

The 5-foot-8 Sagely, one of Northeast Mississippi’s most accomplished athletes, has lettered in basketball, soccer, track and softball for the Golden Bears.

But it’s softball and track where she has excelled. She has been named All Division 1-3A three times in both slow-pitch and fast-pitch softball. In her junior year she batted .295 with 3 home runs, 2 triples, 1 double and stole 23 bases.

In track, she won Class 3A state championships in the triple jump and long jump, and holds Alcorn Central records in the long jump, triple jump and 400-meter run. She is ranked in the top 10 nationally in both the triple jump and long jump, and set the 3A state record in the triple jump last season.

“It’s rare when a total athlete like Samantha comes along,” Lady Toppers coach Kevin Barefield said, “and we feel blessed that she has decided to play softball at Blue Mountain. With her speed, power and total athleticism we’ll be able to do some things a lot of first-year teams wouldn’t even think of.”

BMC begins its softball program in fall 2010 and will play in the NAIA TranSouth Athletic Conference.

Hard-throwing Beckham signs with BMC

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Halley Beckham, one of West Tennessee's outstanding softball players, has signed a scholarship with Blue Mountain College.

Beckham, a 6-foot-3 first baseman and right-hand pitcher who missed her junior season with a knee injury, was named to the District 15-A all-district team the previous three years.

As a sophomore, she led the Lady Cardinals with a batted .340 batting average, 3 home runs and 28 runs batted in. On the mound in 2008 Beckham had an earned run average of 1.23 over 90 innings, striking out 107 batters and compiling a 12-7 record.

Beckham is also 3-year letter-winner for the Adamsville basketball team, who was named to the All District 15-A team last season.

BMC begins play in the fall 2010 in the NAIA TranSouth Athletic Conference.

"Halley is one of the finest players we've seen in our area," Lady Toppers coach Kevin Barefield said of Beckham, whose older sister Caitlin is a sophomore starter on the BMC basketball team. "She is a dependable hitter and a power pitcher, and we'll be counting heavily on Halley when we start our program."

Tupelo's Walker signs with BMC

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Channing Walker, an outfielder for the Tupelo Golden Wave and Itawamba Community College Indians, signed a baseball grant-in-aid with Blue Mountain College.

"Channing is an outstanding defensive player who has some pop in his bat," said BMC coach Curt Fowler. "He's been a good outfielder for Tupelo and ICC, and we're also going to take a look at him at some other positions."

Walker played in 24 games, starting 12, for the state champion Indians last season. In his first season at ICC, he hit .341 with 3 doubles and 10 runs batted in. He had a .415 slugging percentage and a .491 on-base percentage.

The Toppers will launch their baseball program in 2010-2011 and will compete in the NAIA TranSouth Athletic Conference.

BMC runners named Scholar Athletes

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN - Four Blue Mountain College cross country runners have been named TranSouth Athletic Conference scholar athletes.

Tuesdae Rowland, a sophomore biology major from Ripley; Christian Russell, a sophomore elementary education major from Pontotoc; Kreig Sartin, a senior biblical studies major from Pontotoc; and Nathan Young a sophomore from Pontotoc who has yet to declare a major, earned the TSAC recognition. The TranSouth Conference is a member of the NAIA.

To earn the Scholar Athlete honor, a student must be at least a sophomore with a 3.0 overall grade point average.

"All four of these runners define the term 'student-athlete'," said BMC cross country coach Fred Smith. "They train hard for the competition and they work just as hard in the classroom. They've certainly earned this honor with their dedication."

Lady Toppers run record to 3-0

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN - Jordan McCormick broke out of an early season scoring slump here Saturday afternoon and Blue Mountain College ran its record to 3-0 with a 92-74 win over William Carey University.

In the men's game, William Carey cruised to a 105-69 victory over the Toppers.

McCormick, the former Pontotoc High standout who had scored only 4 points in the Lady Toppers' first two games, rifled in 20 points, including 6 of 11 3-point field goals.

Jessi Hayles, a freshman from South Pontotoc, scored 18 points, including 5-8 from outside the arc, and Byhalia junior Joy Pierce scored 18 points and had 8 rebounds.

The Lady Toppers fell behind by 13 early in the first half, but Hayles hit three 3-pointers to spark a rally. Pierce put BMC up for good with 5:30 left in the half when she followed her own miss for a 26-25 lead, and the Lady Toppers pushed it to 42-33 at halftime.

While both teams hit 39 percent from the floor, BMC hit 18 of 45 3-pointers and the Lady Crusaders, 0-1, converted only 7 of 21. The Lady Toppers also won on the boards, outrebounding WC 53-45, 18-13 on the offensive end.

William Carey's Alisha Mason led all scorers with 21 points, Kim Lewis had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Consuela Tucker had 15 points.

The Toppers, 0-5,red their poorest shooting game of the season, hitting only 27.6 from the field, while the Crusaders, 1-0, hit on 56.5 of its field goals.

Renell Collins led BMC with 12 points and LaKendrick McCullum had 11 points and 10 rebounds.

For WC, Drew Meyerchick had 26 points, Brandon Cooks 18, Jamal Doss 16, and Chris Cyprian 13.

Blue Mountain travels to Jackson, Tenn., Tuesday to take on Lambuth University.

Lady Toppers boxscore and complete statistics.

Toppers boxscore and complete statistics.

Lady Toppers win; BC drops BMC

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - After letting a 16-point first-half lead slip away, Blue Mountain College overcame a 5-point second-half deficit here Thursday night to knock off Belhaven College, 74-72.

In the men's nightcap, the Blazers cruised to a 102-79 win over the Toppers.

Anna Lisa Powell from Ecru scored 11 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Lady Toppers, now 2-0. Jessi Hayles from Pontotoc scored 10 points for BMC.

The Lady Toppers led 40-24 with 2:07 left in the first half. The Lady Blazers, 1-1, turned up its defense and pulled to within 5 before BMC took a 45-34 lead at halftime, and then went ahead for most of the second half.

Lauren Burgess hit a three of four free shots with two minutes to go to give BMC the lead it held for the rest of the game.

All 12 Lady Toppers scored points. Caitlin Beckham of Adamsville, Tenn., scored 8 points and had 6 rebounds, and Burgess also had 8 points.

Belhaven's Jira Williams led all scorers with 22 points and Jessica Barlow had 15 points and 11 rebounds.

In the men's game, Nathaniel Roche scored 23 points and grabbed 15 rebounds to lead the Blazers, now 2-0. Woodie Howard had 19 for Belhaven, Rob Wallace had 16 and Larell Bailey had 15

Brad Pressley of Wheeler led the Toppers, 0-4, with 25 points and 10 rebounds. Lakendrick McCullum of Laurel had 20 points and 11 rebounds and Renell Collins of Laurel had 10 points and a game-high 5 assists.

Blue Mountain plays host to William Carey University in a doubleheader at 2 p.m. Saturday.

WOMEN'S GAME BOXSCORE PLUS TEAM STATS

MEN'S GAME BOXSCORE PLUS TEAM STATS

BMC signs Pontotoc standout

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - KaLeigh Tackitt, who helped lead the Pontotoc Lady Warriors to three straight divisional softball championships, has signed a scholarship with Blue Mountain College.

"KaLeigh is a great outfielder and hitter who will bring a lot of excitement to our team and our new program," said BMC coach Kevin Barefield, whose Lady Toppers begin play in fall 2010 in the NAIA TranSouth Athletic Conference.

"KaLeigh is a strong leader who has been part of winning high school and summer league programs in Pontotoc for a number of years."

In 2009, Tackitt batted .329 for the Lady Warriors with one home run, four doubles, 2 triples and 17 runs-batted-in. She also stole 19 bases.

She has been a member of three consecutive division championship teams for Pontotoc High, and two state championship and world series championship teams with the Pontotoc Diamond Girls.

Lady Toppers romp; Toppers drop thriller

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

BLUE MOUNTAIN - Anna Lisa Powell poured in 25 points here Monday night to lead the Blue Mountain College Lady Toppers to a 90-49 season-opening win over Oakwood University.

In the men’s game, a flurry of second-half turnovers cost the Toppers a 13-point lead and the Ambassadors captured a 110-106 victory. BMC, 0-3, overcame an eight-point deficit in the early going to take a 52-49 lead at halftime.

LADY TOPPERS -- Powell, a sophomore from North Pontotoc, hit 9 of 13 field goals, including 4 of 7 3-pointers, as the Lady Toppers jumped out to an early lead and never trailed. Junior forward Joy Pierce scored 11 points and pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds.

For Oakwood, 0-1, Courtney White had 12 points and Kimberly Pointer had 10.

BMC, which led 56-27 at halftime, out-rebounded the Lady Ambassadors 56-49, forced them into 49 turnovers, and shut them out from beyond the three-point line.

TOPPERS -- The Toppers were led by a pair of Jones County Junior College transfers - Renell Collins and Lakendrick McCullum - with 29 and 27 points respectively. Freshman Mike Chatham from Collierville, Tenn., canned 12 for BMC and Itawamba Community College transfer Josh McCalmon scored 10 points and pulled down 8 rebounds.

Landon Bertram exploded for 45 points and 16 rebounds to lead Oakwood and Lenard Bryant had 20.

Blue Mountain plays host to Belhaven at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

LADY TOPPERS

OAKWOOD 49 -- Rhoades 2, White 12, Francis 0, Nappier 0, Pointer 10, Williams 3, Guy 0, Baxter 0, Bean 7, Woodson 4, Hairston 2, Owolabi 0, Berry 9.

BLUE MOUNTAIN 90 --Pierce 11, Wright 7, McCormick 0, Beckham 8, Burgess 4, Davis 5, Hayles 9, Powell 25, Morris 6, Robinson 7, Underwood 6, Burns 2.

TOPPERS

OAKWOOD 110 -- Bryant 20, Bushner 0, Bertram 45, Broome 12, Telesford 15, Long 1, Bushner 6, Richard 0, Bowman 0, Fitts 5, Willis 2, Word 0, Doggette 4, Garnett 0, Jacob 0.

BLUE MOUNTAIN 106 -- Collins 29, McCalmon 10, Pressley 9, Ellis 3, McCullum 27, Hayles 2, Heard 0, Keller 0, Chatham 12, Harbor 0, Wilbanks 8, Flippo 0, Howell 0, Adams 8.

3 BMC runners named all-conference

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN - Three cross country runners from Blue Mountain College earned All-TranSouth Athletic Conference honors this season.

Tuesdae Rowland, a sophomore from Ripley, and Magan Wilburn, a freshman from Mooreville, were named to the women's all-TSAC team, and Austin Epting, a freshman from East Union, was named to the men's squad.

Both BMC teams finished second to Union University in the recent TSAC championship meets and will run in Friday's NAIA regional meets in Nashville.

In the women's TSAC championship meet, Rowland finished second to Union's Hannah Clardy and Wilburn finished fourth among the 27 runners. Stephanie Dillard, a freshman from East Union, finished 10^th; Beth Goolsby, a freshman from Myrtle, finished 12^th;and Christian Russell, a sophomore from Pontotoc, finished 17^th.

In the men's conference championship won by Alex Bett of Union, Epting was fifth among 30 runners. Richard Feist, a sophomore from Saltillo, and Nathan Young, a sophomore from Pontotoc, finished 10^th and 11^th; Hunter Flanagan, a sophomore from Saltillo, and Derek Scott, a freshman from Saltillo, finished 14^th and 15^th; and Will Nichols, a sophomore from Saltillo, and Kreig Sartin, a senior from South Pontotoc, finished 20^th and 21^st.

Vardaman's Nelson signs with BMC

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Kelsey Nelson, a standout first baseman and pitcher for the Vardaman Lady Rams, has signed a softball scholarship with Blue Mountain College.

Lady Toppers coach Kevin Barefield said Nelson will help in several areas when BMC begins its softball program in fall 2010.

"Kelsey is a multi-dimensional player, and she's solid at each of her positions," Barefield said. "She's shown how versatile she is during her years with a really strong program at Vardaman, and we're excited she's going to be playing with us next year."

As a sophomore for the Lady Rams, Nelson batted .294 with 7 doubles, 4 triples, 4 home runs and 23 runs-batted-in. As a pitcher, she struck out 173 batters. Last season Nelson hit .264 with 8 doubles, 4 triples, 2 home runs and 17 RBI, and struck out 179 as a pitcher.

Kelsey and the coaches talk about her signing with BMC.

BMC to open 2009-10 season

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Basketball season at Blue Mountain College will begin in much the same tempo the Lady Toppers and Toppers play - fast and furious.

After the Toppers play Oct. 30-31 in the Freed-Hardeman Classic in Henderson, Tenn., they return to the BMC campus and join the Lady Toppers for three home games the first week of November.

On Nov. 2, BMC will play host to Oakwood University at 6 p.m.; Nov. 5 Belhaven College comes for a 5:30 p.m. doubleheader; and Nov. 7 William Carey University comes for a 2 p.m. doubleheader.

"This will be a great way for us to get our season off on a high note," said Lavon Driskell, BMC athletics director and women's coach. "Any time you can play in front of your fans it's a plus and to start the season off with three home games should give us a boost."

BMC is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and the TranSouth Athletics Conference.

"It's a given that our conference schedule will be tough because the TranSouth is one of the best leagues in the NAIA, if not the best," Driskell said. "But our non-conference schedule is also pretty difficult. I think both the women and men teams will find out pretty early what's ahead for us."

LADY TOPPERS - Experience will be key for BMC this season, Driskell said. Three starters return from last year's squad that finished 7-24, 2-14 in the TSAC. The three starters - Joy Pierce, Katelynn Wright and Jordan McCormick - averaged 30 points a game in 08-09.

"We're more talented than we have been," Driskell said. "Our speed and quickness are better, we're a little bit bigger than we have been, and we've got an exciting group of freshmen. Now, how that translates into wins remains to be seen, but I really like this team."

Pierce, a junior from Byhalia, led the Lady Toppers in scoring last year with 12 points a game. She also led in assists (52), blocked shots (32) and steals (35) and was second in rebounds per game (5.1). Wright, a senior from Oxford, averaged 9.4 points a game and led in rebounds with 5.5 per game. McCormick, a junior from Pontotoc, is a standout defensive player who scored 6.6 points a game and pulled down 3.7 rebounds.

Caitlin Beckham, a 6-0 sophomore from Adamsville, Tenn., and Lauren Burges, a senior from Water Valley, were also part-time starters last year.

Sophomores Anna Lisa Powell and Kala Morris will be counted on heavily to bring scoring and rebounding to our team. Morris was an outstanding scorer and rebounder in high school and we are counting heavily on her to bring her high school shooting touch to the Lady Toppers this season. She has really been performing well in practice. Anna Lisa Powell played inside and out in high school where she led her team in scoring and we are counting on her to do that for us. With a season behind her and healthy, Anna Lisa has the potential to be a scoring threat for us each night out.

The freshman additions are: Samantha Burns (6-0 inside player from McNairy Central in Selma, Tenn.), Candace Davis (5-6 guard from Pine Grove), Jessi Hayles (5-9 guard from South Pontotoc), Shaquinta "Bam Bam" Robinson (5-0 guard from Starkville), and Katie Underwood (5-9 forward from Nettleton).

TOPPERS - Entering its third season of being, BMC men's program is also counting on a more experienced team to improve its record of a year ago (2-29, 1-15).

"We've got a nice blend of returning players, junior college transfers and freshmen," said Coach Jerry Conner. "While we'll be looking to a core group of veteran players to provide the leadership and toughness we need to compete in the TranSouth, we've got some new players who will allow us to be much more physical than we've been the past couple of years. This could be an exciting year."

Brad Pressley, J.C. Hayles and Ryan Howell will be in their third season for the Toppers. Pressley, a 6-4 senior from Wheeler, scored 10.5 points a game last season and pulled down 4.5 rebounds. Hayles, a 6-3 junior from South Pontotoc, is one of the team's defensive leaders who averaged 3.4 points and 3.3 rebounds a game. Howell, 6-0 guard from Booneville who started four games for the Toppers, averaged 2.0 points a game.

Ethan Ellis, a 6-5 sophomore from Gibson, Tenn., and a part-time starter last season, gives the Toppers depth inside, as does Andrew Harbor, a 6-4 sophomore from Corinth. Kyle Heard, a 6-1 sophomore from Ingomar; Benji Bishop, a 6-5 senior from New Albany; and Shayne Adams, a 6-3 senior from North Pontotoc, will also give BMC experience.

The Toppers picked up four exciting junior college players: 6-3 guard Josh McCalmon from Tishomingo County and Itawamba Community College; 6-9 post player MaCay Wilbanks from Kossuth and Northeast Mississippi Community College; and a pair of Jones County Junior College standouts, 6-4 forward Lakendrick McCullum from Laurel and 5-10 guard Renell Collins from Soso.

Three freshmen are expected to make an impact: Jake Keller, a 6-5 forward from Metro Christian Academy in Nashville; Joe Flippo, a 6-5 inside player from Covenant Christian Adademy in Tuscumbia, Ala.; and Michael Chatham, a 5-11 guard from Collierville, Tenn.

Ripley standout signs with BMC

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Anna Hamilton, a five-time letter-winner for the Ripley Tigers, signed a softball grant-in-aid with the Blue Mountain College Lady Toppers on Tuesday. BMC will field its first softball team in fall 2010 in the NAIA TranSouth Athletic Conference.

Hamilton, a catcher and 2009 All-Tippah County performer for the Lady Tigers, hit .270 with 4 doubles, 1 triple, 12 RBI and an on-base percentage of .446 in an injury-shortened season last year.

As a junior, she batted .341 with one home run and 25 rbi. For the Mississippi Fury summer league team, Hamilton hit .333 with 3 triples, 2 doubles and 13 rbi.

"Anna is a tough, hard-nosed player who is like having a coach on the field," BMC coach Lady Toppers said. "She is an aggressive, natural leader who works hard on and off the field. When we start our program next fall, she'll be the type of player who makes everyone around her better. We're excited that she's going to be such an integral part of our first team."

BMC signs Arkansas all-state player

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Natalie Mosley, who helped North Little Rock High to the fast pitch softball Class 7A Arkansas state championships the past two seasons, has signed a grant-in-aid to play for Blue Mountain College.

"Natalie is one of the premier players in Arkansas and we're really excited to have her help get our softball program off to a successful start," said Kevin Barefield, coach of the Toppers. BMC will begin play in the NAIA TranSouth Athletic Conference in fall 2010.

"Not only is Natalie an outstanding hitter and defensive player, but she has proven over and over that she is a team player. She hit almost .500 last season but also led the team in sacrifice bunts. That's the kind of attitude that she will bring to our team."

As a junior outfielder for the Charging Wildcats, Mosley hit .497 with 8 doubles, 2 triples and 34 RBI. She was selected to the 7A All-State Tournament Team in 2009 and the 2009 Arkansas Democrat Gazette All-State Team. She also earned 7A all-conference honors in 2008 and 2009.

Mosley was a member of the two Arkansas high school 7A state championship teams and the 2007 North Little Rock team that was runner-up in 2007.

During summer competition, Mosley played for Bluff City Bombers 18U teams that won the USFA Mississippi state championships in 2008 and 2009, the Arkansas Wildcats 14U team that won the USFA Arkansas state championship in 2006, and the Wildcats 12U team that won the USFA Western national championship in 2005.

BMC to add golf in 2010

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Blue Mountain College will add golf programs for men and women to its athletics lineup in fall 2010.

"We are excited about adding two more teams to our growing athletics program," said Lavon Driskell, BMC athletics director. "Being able to add golf is another step that will allow us to compete more fully in the TranSouth Athletic Conference and the NAIA."

Kirkwood National Golf Club in Holly Springs, perennially among the top five courses in Mississippi, will be the Toppers' home course, and men's basketball coach Jerry Conner will also coach the golf teams.

"Being able to play at a course like Kirkwood is really something special," Conner said. "It's one of the best courses in the Mid-South, and having it as a home course gives the BMC golf program instant credibility."

Driskell said each BMC team will be allowed to offer five full scholarships - the NAIA limit.

"This is another opportunity for Blue Mountain College to offer student-athletes help achieve their college degrees," he said, "and it's a huge opportunity for golfers in the region to advance in their sport and compete in a strong conference."

When competition begins in the fall of 2010, Blue Mountain College will have increased its number of athletic teams from two (women's basketball and women's tennis) in 2006 to eight: women's and men's basketball, women's and men's cross country, women's and men's golf, softball and baseball.

Ripley, Kossuth, Saltillo win BMC meet

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Saltillo swept the Class 4A-6A competition in the Blue Mountain College Invitational cross country meet here Saturday, while Ripley took the Class 1A-3A girls title and Kossuth smoked the Class 1A-3A boys field.

Robin Shumaker of Pontotoc won the 4A-6A girls race with a time of 19:32.60 over the rain-soaked and muddy 2.7-mile BMC course. Lealand Flanagan (19:50.12) and Alyssa Kelley (19:51.12) of Saltillo finished second and third, while Esmeralda Rodriguez of Lafayette County (20:07.85) and Miranda Chapman of Saltillo (20:10.43) rounded out the top five.

The Lady Tigers edged the Lady Warriors 53-54 for the top two 4A-6A spots, followed by Oxford (176), North Pontotoc (208), Houston (295), New Hope (402) and Senatobia (411).

Tristan Kitchen of South Pontotoc (20:02.14) won the 1A-3A girls, ahead of Kelsea Hendrix of Alcorn Central (20:20.42), Page Rowland of Ripley (20:30.52) and Lanaesha Cox of Ripley (21:58.65).

The Lady Tigers (119) captured the 1A-3A title over South Pontotoc (175), East Union (205), and Potts Camp (314).

Kossuth literally ran away from the field in the 1A-3A competition. The Aggies scored only 86 points to outdistance Mooreville (217), East Union (249), Ripley (294), Alcorn Central (336), Potts Camp (385) and South Pontotoc (385).

The Aggies’ Casey Parks was the fastest in the entire field, running the soggy 2.7-mile course in 16:30.80. Parks was followed in the 1A-3A field by teammate Andy McElyea (16:58.58), the Troopers’ Jesus Solis (17:11.48) and Zach Barber (17:12.49), and Kossuth’s Kyle Suitor (17:14.84) and Nick Thompson (17:34.72).

Heath Wigginton (16:36.18) led Saltillo to the boys 4A-6A championship, followed by Pontotoc’s Luke Hatcher (16:40.86), Oxford’s Sam Moffett (16:41.94), Saltillo’s Chad Bowen (16:47.06), and Oxford’s Tom Kendricks (16:58.16).

The Tigers (45) won the 4A-6A team title, followed by Pontotoc (82), Oxford (91), Lafayette County (113), North Pontotoc (329), Houston (439), and Tishomingo County (551).

More than 400 runners from throughout North Mississippi competed in the first on-campus BMC Invitational.

Varsity Race (2.7 miles)

Junior Varsity Race (2.0 miles)

Accepting Hall of Fame Nominations

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Nominations for charter members to the Blue Mountain College Sports Hall of Fame are being accepted at the college, Toppers athletic director Lavon Driskell said.

“Through the years, Blue Mountain College has had many outstanding players, coaches and teams, and we want to recognize them,” Driskell said. “They have made tremendous contributions to Blue Mountain College athletics and to the school as a whole over the years and we want to pay tribute to them and thank them for their contributions.”

The BMC Hall of Fame guidelines state that nominees must be “an alumnus or alumna, or other person of significant impact” and that living individual nominees must be at least 35 years old. Nominated coaches must have been a head coach at BMC for a minimum of five years.

Driskell said the charter class of the BMC Sports Hall of Fame would be announced during the 2009-2010 basketball season.

Letters of nomination should include as much biographical and statistical information as possible, as well as supporting statements, and should be mailed to Driskell at BMC Sports Hall of Fame; P.O. Box 160; Blue Mountain College; Blue Mountain, MS 38610 – or sent to Driskell via email at ldriskell@bmc.edu with “BMC Hall of Fame” in the subject line.

Click Here to submit your nomination online.

First two softball players signed

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Sports history at Blue Mountain College got another level deeper Wednesday when the Lady Toppers signed their first two softball players.

Shelby Jackson of Mooreville and Meggin Nelson of North Pontotoc became the first two players to sign grants-in-aid with BMC, which will start its softball program in 2010-2011. The Lady Toppers compete in the TranSouth Athletic Conference in the NAIA.

“This is a historic day for BMC,” Lady Toppers coach Kevin Barefield said, “and we feel certain we have signed two of the very best players in Mississippi to help launch our program. Shelby and Meggin are outstanding players and honor students as well. They give us instant credibility as our program begins to grow.”

Jackson, an infielder at Mooreville, hit .479 for the Lady Troopers as a junior with six doubles, three triples and a homer, and drove in 26 runs.

She lettered five years for Coach Perry Wilburn, was a member of two state championship teams and the Daily Journal All-Area first team. She is the student council president at Mooreville High and its top academic student the past four years.

Nelson, a right-hand pitcher who transferred to North Pontotoc after her sophomore year at Mooreville, has compiled a 15-6 record since she began pitching in the seventh grade. In her first year for the Lady Vikings and coach Shane Montgomery she was 7-4 with three saves, 48 strikeouts and a 2.08 earned run average.

She was a member of four state championship teams (two slow-pitch and two fast-pitch) and also lettered four years in basketball. Nelson is an honor student and a member of the student council.

BMC signs North Pontotoc pair

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. - Corey Adams and Josh Swords, a pair of standout infielders for North Pontotoc High, have signed baseball grants-in-aid with Blue Mountain College.

Adams, a third baseman, and Swords, a first baseman, will be teammates when the Toppers launch their baseball season in 2010-2011 in the NAIA's TranSouth Athletic Conference.

"We're excited to have Corey and Josh join us," said BMC coach Curt Fowler. "Coach (Clay) Anthony has built a strong program at North Pontotoc and we're looking forward to working with him some more. You've got to have a solid infield if you're going to have a good team, and Corey and Josh are very good players. They both are good hitters and they handle their positions really well."

Adams hit .377 with 4 home runs, 12 doubles and 42 runs batted in his senior year for the Vikings. He hit .346 with 2 doubles and 4 RBI in 16 games at Itawamba Community College last season.

Swords hit .386 with 5 homers, 2 triples, 10 doubles and 44 RBI for the Vikings his senior year.

New sports Web site and logo

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Sporting a new team logo and Web site, the Blue Mountain College athletics department introduced its new look Tuesday.

The Toppers’ new logo is a sleeker, more colorful and more aggressive looking ram’s head.

BMC’s new athletics Web site – www.bmcsports.com – and it includes links to Facebook, Twitter, RSS news feeds, a blog site, and the TranSouth Athletic Conference.

“This is all a part of our enhanced marketing plan,” said Lavon Driskell, athletics director and women’s basketball coach. Driskell noted the college has introduced three sports in the past three years and will add baseball and softball in 2010-2011.

“We really needed the upgraded Web site as a communications tool for our fan base and for our conference. It’s much easier now to keep the site updated.

“Our new logo gives us a much fresher brand that will easily be identified with Blue Mountain College athletics.”

David Harrell, who recently joined the BMC staff as Web site and visual communications specialist, designed the logo and the Web site.

“The new Web site is a very important means of keeping in touch with our fans, players and coaches,” Harrell said.

“We’ve streamlined the site and made it much more user-friendly, and it’s already beginning to pay off for us. The number of fans on our Facebook page, for instance, has quadrupled since we established our account a little over week ago, and we don’t see it slowing down any time soon.”

Cross Country Season Begins

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Coach Fred Smith and his Blue Mountain College Toppers enter their second full cross country season in the TranSouth Athletic Conference with youthful optimism building on inaugural year success.

BMC opens its cross country season Saturday night at the Brooks Memphis Twilight Classic at Shelby Farms in Memphis. “This is a really strong meet to open the season,” Smith says. “We’ll know pretty quickly how we stand, but I feel good about our team. We’re like any other athletic team: We’re tired of running against each other and we’re eager to get into competition.

The Toppers qualified six runners for the 2008 NAIA national championship but only three returned for 2009 campaign: Tuesdae Rowland of Ripley, Richard Feist and Hunter Flanagan from Saltillo – all sophomores.

“We’re still a young team, especially the women’s team,” Smith says. “We’re still very much a developing program, but there’s a really strong team chemistry that I think will serve us well this year.”

Rowland and Christian Russell, also a sophomore from Pontotoc, are the only “seasoned” runners on the Lady Toppers squad. They will be joined by freshmen Stephanie Dillard of New Albany, Magan Wilburn of Mooreville and Beth Goolsby of Hickory Flat.

The men’s team goes a deeper, with the return of five lettermen to join freshmen Austin Epting of Baldwin and Derek Scott of Saltillo. Kreig Sartin of Pontotoc, the only senior on either BMC team, is back with sophomores Nathan Young of Pontotoc, Will Nichols, Feist and Flanagan – all from Saltillo.

While a return to the NAIA national meet is always a goal, Smith says the Toppers are focused on the TranSouth championship on Oct. 31.

“Now that we’ve got at least one year of experience, I think we’ll be a much better team,” Smith says. “I know that we’re stronger than we were a year ago, and our runners are ready to get started. It’s going to be a good season, and we’re really excited about having a true conference championship this year.”

BMC travels to Cleveland on Sept. 12 to compete in the Delta State Invitational and on Sept. 19 travels to Nashville for the Commodore Classic.

The Toppers will play hosts to the first Blue Mountain College High School Invitational on the BMC campus on Sept. 26.

They then travel to the Union University Invitational in Jackson, Tenn. on Oct. 3 and the Mississippi College Invitational in Clinton on Oct. 17. The TranSouth Athletic Conference meet is scheduled for Oct. 31 at Union University, and the NAIA qualifying meet will be Nov. 6 in Nashville. The NAIA national championship meet is Nov. 21 in Vancouver, Wash.

BMC Signs Kossuth's Wilbanks

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – MaCay Wilbanks, a four-year standout at Kossuth High School, has signed a basketball grant-in-aid with BlueMountain College.

Wilbanks, a 6-9 center, averaged 17 points and 9 rebounds a game for the Aggies his senior year and played the past two years for Northeast Mississippi Community College. He also played several years of AAU basketball with teams in Birmingham, Jackson and Memphis.

“MaCay will give us some much-needed size inside,” Toppers coach Jerry Conner said. “He’s been around the game his whole life and we will be counting on him to make us a more physical team. He’s a good, steady team player who will fit into our up-tempo system.”

Wilbanks’ mother, Teresa Wilbanks, was a standout prep player at Kossuth High and with the BMC Lady Toppers 1975-77.

BMC signs three players

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0500

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Coach Curt Fowler recently signed three more Northeast Mississippi players to help jumpstart the Blue Mountain College baseball program set to begin in Fall 2010.

Colby Adams, a third baseman from Saltillo; Jared Carter, a pitcher and infielder from Ingomar; and Jon Paul Barber, a pitcher from Nettleton all signed grants-in-aid to play for the Toppers a year from now when they begin competing in the NAIA TranSouth Athletic Conference.

Adams hit .347 his senior year at Saltillo, with 6 home runs and 39 RBI and a .726 slugging average. Twice earning the Tigers slugging award, Adams was a four-year letterman and earned all-division honors four years.

Carter batted .514 with 4 homers and 38 RBI for the Falcons, and put together a 7-2 pitching record with a 2.13 ERA. A four-year letterman, Carter was named Ingomar’s most valuable player, outstanding defensive player, and team captain in 2008, Class 1A and all-division first team.

Barber, a right-handed pitcher on Nettleton’s 2007 Class 3A state championship team, was also named MVP in the state championship game. A four-year letterman in high school who now pitches for Southwest Mississippi Community College, Barber compiled a 2-1 record with a 2.73 ERA this summer pitching for the Tupelo Thunder in the Cotton States Baseball League. He had 20 strikeouts and allowed 8 walks during 29.2 innings pitched.

“These three guys are going really help build the foundation of our team,” said Fowler, who has already signed six players – all from Northeast Mississippi – for the Toppers program. “They’ve all played for some strong coaches and have a lot of baseball knowledge to go with the skills we’re going to need to compete in NAIA competition.”