Dickson County Source

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. 9-4-2023 - One of the all-time greats is returning to Middle Tennessee men's basketball, as head coach Nick McDevitt is adding Reggie Upshaw to the Blue Raiders' staff as Coordinator of Player Development. "I am thrilled to be able to welcome Reggie Upshaw back home," McDevitt said. "He was a great player during his time at Middle Tennessee and was a key member of some great teams. He has a tremendous amount of pride in this university and basketball program. His knowledge and experiences will benefit our players greatly." A Blue Raider from 2013-17, Upshaw returns to Murfreesboro after a seven-year professional career. He finished his Blue Raider playing career in the top five on MTSU's all-time lists in points scored (fifth – 1,571), rebounds (fourth – 910), field goals made (fifth – 598), steals (fourth – 151), blocks (fifth – 110), games played (tied for first – 140), starts (second – 115) and minutes played (second – 3,96...

MURFREESBORO, Tenn.  — Iowa announced that senior  Taylor Eisert  and graduate student  Kayla Henley  were tabbed to the Fryfest Invitational All-Tournament team. Henley lead the team in points this weekend with 45.0. She tallied 35 kills earning 3.9 kills per set. The Little River S.C. native had a hitting percentage of .469 for the weekend. During the Kent State match, she hit .696 which placed her in eighth in the 25-point era in program history. Henley recorded nine services aces during the three matches earning one service ace per set. Henley set a career-high in aces in a match with six against Kent State. The six aces ranked her third in the 25-point era in program history. She also added 18 digs with 2 digs per set. Taylor Eisert  tallied 113 assists earning 12.6 assists per set from the weekend. Eisert added 13 digs which is good for 1.4 digs per set.  She earned 15.33 assists per set in the match against Kent State. With the 15.33 assists per set, Eisert is tied fo...

9-2-2023 - TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Middle Tennessee football dropped the opening game of its the 2023 season on Saturday night in Bryant-Denny Stadium, falling 56-7 to No. 4 Alabama. The Blue Raiders (0-1) were able to weather early momentum from the Crimson Tide (1-0) to string together multiple defensive stops in the first half, giving the Blue Raiders a chance to enter halftime down just one score. But an interception from  Nicholas Vattiato  quickly led to a pair of quick Alabama scores, giving the Blue Raiders a 28-0 deficit at the break that only grew in the second half. . Bryce Bailey  scored the Blue Raiders' first points of the game in the third quarter, springing free with a cut inside on third and goal for a seven-yard touchdown reception from Vattiato. It was the redshirt sophomore's first career touchdown. By the Numbers 12: Players that recorded at least one catch for the Blue Raiders. 0: Turnovers forced by MTSU, the first time in seven games the Blue Rai...

Week one of college football is here! Below is the date, time, and opponent for all Tennessee college football teams so that you can stay in the know this weekend. Thursday, August 31, 2023 Tennessee Tech (0-0) at Furman (0-0) Saturday, September 2, 2023 Tennessee (0-0) vs Virginia (0-0) in Nashville at 11:00am CT Alabama A&M (0-0) at Vanderbilt (1-0) at 6:00 CT MTSU (0-0) at Alabama (0-0) at 6:30 CT Bethune-Cookman (0-0) at Memphis (0-0) at 6:00 CT ETSU (0-0) at J’Ville St (1-0) at 1:00 CT Austin Peay (0-0) at S Illinois (0-0) at 6:00 CT Chattanooga (0-0) at North Alabama (0-1) at 6:00 CT Tennessee St (0-0) at Notre Dame (1-0) at 2:30 CT UT Martin (0-0) at Georgia (0-0) at 5:00 CT https://dicksoncountysource.com/tennessee-college-football-2023-schedule-week-1/?feed_id=25929&_unique_id=64f1c7c755797

It’s finally time. Bust out the grills, fire pits, cornhole boards, pop-up tents, and coolers. Dust off your lucky hats and never-washed jerseys. College football is here! Week 0 gave us a nice appetizer of games, but the main course starts Thursday and will go through January for your viewing pleasure. Week 1 isn’t all cupcakes and there’s some bigtime matchups to look forward to. Here’s our top five for week 1: #5. MTSU at Alabama 6:30 CT, September 2nd, 2023, on SEC Network Nick Saban and Alabama will start 2023 by hosting a team Middle Tennesseans will be very familiar with. MTSU is traveling to Tuscaloosa to take on the Crimson Tide. Alabama fans will be eager for this one to kick off to get their first look at Alabama’s new coordinators as well as find out who will take point as the new QB for Bama following the Bryce Young era. Middle Head Coach, Rick Stockstill, was commented on preparing for the new coordinators in T-Town saying, “We’ve got enough tape. We’ve watch...

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. –  A partnership between MTSU Athletics, the Brandr Group, and Athlete's Thread will offer Blue Raider student-athletes licensed NIL opportunities throughout the year. Blue Raider student-athletes who have opted in through the Brandr group rights program will earn royalties from the sale of customizable gear and jerseys featuring their name and number combined with the official MTSU Athletics logo. This opportunity is currently available for the fall sports programs which will be followed by the winter and spring sports student-athletes. Between football, soccer and volleyball, over 100 student-athletes have already registered, and their personalized jerseys and products are now available for purchase. "We are so excited to partner with the Brandr Group and Athlete's Thread to offer customized apparel year-round for MTSU fans to support their favorite Blue Raider student-athletes," said Lee De Leon, Deputy Athletic Director at Middle Tennes...

NASHVILLE, Tenn.  – Tickets are available now for Middle Tennessee Soccer's match against Vanderbilt at GEODIS Park. The Blue Raiders will face Vanderbilt on Sept. 10, with a kickoff time set for 6:00 p.m. Tickets are free, but only 3,000 general admission tickets are set to be made available. Fans can claim tickets by clicking the link  here . Fan parking will be first come, first serve in parking lots 5, 6 and 8 for $10. Click  here  for the parking map. The clear bag policy will be in effect for the match. Bags must be clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC and not exceed 12" x 12" x 6". Non-transparent bags, wallets, and cases must not exceed 4.5" X 6.5" even if you are placing it inside your larger clear bag. GEODIS Park is the home of Nashville Soccer Club and largest soccer-specific stadium in the United States, and MTSU's match against the Commodores will be the first college match at the Major League Soccer venue. Source: MTSU MORE S...

An investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office has resulted in the indictment of three men associated with Middle Tennessee State University’s Campus Outreach ministry organization. The investigation began after MTSU’s Internal Audit staff notified the Comptroller’s Office about the situation. Investigators determined that campus director John Thomas “JT” Farmer, campus minister Greg McCall, and MTSU’s former student chapter president Austin “Audy” Smothers collaborated to submit a false reimbursement request in an attempt to steal $4,700 in student activity fees from the university. The three men claimed the money was spent to pay for students to attend a virtual New Year’s Conference in late 2020, as MTSU’s policies at that time prohibited reimbursements for travel expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic; however, investigators confirmed the men had reserved cabins in Gatlinburg and planned for the conference to be held there in-person. This event was subsequently cance...

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. –  Middle Tennessee Athletics cordially invites all Blue Raiders to the induction of the Blue Raider Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023 on Friday, September 22 at 6:30 p.m. in the Murphy Center Auxiliary Gymnasium. The induction ceremony will take place on Friday evening again prior to the weekend's football game on Saturday, to allow this year's induction class to partake in all of the Homecoming festivities set for the weekend. The induction ceremony, as always, will be open to the public and will feature refreshments after the ceremony. The Class of 2023 features Blue Raiders from four different decades of Middle Tennessee Athletics, with inductees recognized for their on-the-field achievements and for being outstanding representatives of the MTSU community. The Class of 2023 includes: Anne Marie (Lanning) Brentz  was an integral part of one of the greatest eras in Lady Raider basketball, helping lead the team to four postseason appearances, ...

MURFREESBORO, Tenn.  - Blue Raider Athletics will be participating in United Way's Hometown Huddle with this year's theme centered around tackling hunger. One in six children live in a food-insecure household so school breaks should not mean hungry children in our community. Become a real MVP by participating in the Hometown Huddle food drive for children in our community. Middle Tennessee Athletics is making it easy for you to donate by becoming an official collection site. The Blue Raiders will be collecting items until Tuesday, September 19 th . Bring your donated food items to the list below: Murphy Center Athletics Lobby (2650 Middle Tennessee Blvd) | Monday – Friday 8:30am-5pm Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce Business Before Hours | 8/24 7:30am-9am MTSU Athletics Fan Day | 8/20 3pm-5pm MTSU Women's Soccer Matches | 8/20, 8/31, 9/3, 9/7 MTSU Football vs Murray State | September 16 th  | Gates Open at 4:30pm Change doesn...

MURFREESBORO, Tenn.  - The Middle Tennessee State University Athletic Department is excited to announce three (3) new Ticket Packages for the 2023 football season. There will be two (2) corporate ticket packages for the year and a BRAA/Sideline ticket package. These packages, which can be purchased through the Blue Raider Athletic Association 615-898-2210, are for new football season ticket holders and are only applicable for the 2023 campaign. What is the "BRAA/Sideline Ticket Package"? This package has a value of $340 but can be purchased for only  $300  and includes the following: 1.       Two (2) Sideline reserved Football Season Tickets 2.       One (1) Donor Parking Pass With the purchase of either package, you will also receive a Lightning level membership in the Blue Raider Athletic Association ($100 value) for the year. What are the "Corporate Season Ticket Packages"? Companies can choose between the Standard or Premier packages. Both package...

Houston, TX (August 15, 2023) - The Lombardi Award™,  in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Houston, is pleased to announce the 78 players who will compete for this year's coveted award and Middle Tennessee's  Marley Cook  is among the honorees. The Lombardi Award™ goes annually to the college football offensive or defensive lineman who exemplifies the character and discipline of NFL Hall of Fame Head Coach Vince Lombardi in addition to outstanding performance and ability. Cook, a redshirt junior from Water Valley, Miss., is a member of the CUSA Preseason Watch List after starting all 13 games last season at defensive tackle. Cook enjoyed a career year with 22 tackles, including 9.5 TFLs, 6.5 sacks, five hurries and a blocked kick. This year's watch list is filled with talent from many schools and conferences, making for an exciting voting process. To be considered for the Lombardi Award™, players must be an NCAA FBS College Football team member and meet the follow...

JUPITER, Fla.  – Middle Tennessee Baseball infielder  JT Mabry  has signed with the Miami Marlins as a free agent. The native of Chesterfield, Mo. was a mainstay at second base across his Blue Raider career. Mabry was one of three players to start all 56 games in 2023, and one of four hitters with a batting average above .300, being second on the team with a .325 AVG. The righty was second on the squad with 21 multi-hit games and logged a team-high 18-game hit streak from Feb. 24 to March 25. He also led off in the batting order a team-high 28 times across the season, and finished the year with hits in 14 of the final 15 matchups. Mabry—a fifth-year senior in 2023—is the fourth Blue Raider from this past season to be either drafted or signed by a professional organization. RHPs  Eriq Swan  and  Jaden Hamm  were each selected in the MLB Draft in July by the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers respectively, before  Jeremiah Boyd  signed as a free agent with the Arizona Diamond...

MURFREESBORO, Tenn.  – Middle Tennessee State University Athletics announced today contract extensions with WGNS Radio and Cromwell Media to broadcast Blue Raider football, men's and women's basketball and baseball. These relationships are facilitated by LEARFIELD's Blue Raider Sports Properties, MTSU's multimedia rights partner. WGNS, a partner of MTSU's for the past 76 years, will carry all football games, serve as the exclusive home of women's basketball, while also airing men's basketball games when there are no conflicts with the women's program. WGNS, who will air coaches shows as well, will also broadcast conference and select non-conference baseball games. Outside of the agreement, WGNS also provides a daily report for All Sports Talk that is done by Voice of the Blue Raiders, Chip Walters. The MTSU-WGNS partnership has been special. There are not many businesses that can say they have worked with a client or customer for 76 years. ...

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. —  A Middle Tennessee tradition returns once more with a new twist in 2023, as MTSU Athletics welcomes Blue Raiders to the annual Fan Day Sunday, August 20. The  FREE  and open to the public event runs from 3-5 p.m., with the new addition of Slip N' Slide and other water-based inflatables on the turf of Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium. Fans of all ages are encouraged to dress accordingly to enjoy both the new wet and returning dry inflatables, while the first 250 fans through the Floyd Stadium gates will receive a free Blue Raider Beach Towel. MTSU Football, Volleyball and Cross Country student athletes will be in attendance to sign autographs and fans are encouraged to stick around for Soccer's 6 p.m. kickoff against Belmont that evening in Dean A. Hayes Track & Soccer Stadium. Other returning fan favorites include live music from "The Bizz and Everyday People", face painting and balloon artistry that will entertain fans around...

Rural Tennesseans will have a better chance at recovering from opioid addiction through a $2.92 million federal grant awarded to MTSU’s Center for Health and Human Services, in partnership with Cedar Recovery treatment clinic. The three-year grant comes from the Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and is part of the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program, or RCORP, an HRSA initiative aimed at reducing the morbidity and mortality of substance use disorder, including opioid use disorder. “We have an opioid crisis in this country — substance use in general — so we have a really good opportunity to change a whole lot of lives with this grant,” said Cynthia Chafin, director of the Center for Health and Human Services. The latest grant will establish new medication-assisted treatment access points in a total of six rural Tennessee counties. The first five counties will include Giles, Hickman, Lawrence, Fra...

DALLAS –  Middle Tennessee running back  Frank Peasant  has been tabbed for the 2023 Doak Walker Award Watch List the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced Wednesday. Peasant is one of four backs from CUSA to make the list. Peasant, a member of CUSA's preseason watch list, appeared in 13 games in 2022 for the Blue Raiders, who finished 8-5 with a win over San Diego State in the easypost Hawai'i Bowl. The Pensacola, Fla., native carried 182 times for 774 yards and nine rushing scores last year, while also catching 28 passes for 286 yards and another two touchdowns. The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name ten semifinalists in November, and three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will be announced in November. The committee will cast a second vote in December to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of past recipients, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members ...

The Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau announced Wednesday afternoon that it will host a neutral site women's basketball match-up on Dec. 6 between Tennessee and Middle Tennessee inside Propst Arena at the Von Braun Center in downtown Huntsville, Alabama. The contest is part of a two-game 2023 college basketball showcase in the 8,300-seat venue, with Auburn meeting UNC Asheville in men's action on Dec. 13 in a showdown billed specifically as The Rocket City Classic. The battle of Volunteer State women's teams will pit a pair of programs that closed out the 2022-23 campaign in the NCAA Tournament, with the Lady Vols advancing to the Sweet 16 in Seattle and the Blue Raiders playing in the first round in Durham, N.C., before falling. The contest will mark the first meeting in a new four-game series between the schools, with dates in Knoxville in 2024 and 2026 and the other being contested in Murfreesboro in 2025.  The Lady Vols lead the all-t...

MURFREESBORO, Tenn.  – Middle Tennessee Baseball announces the addition of four newcomers for the 2024 season. Transfers Matt Schepel, Brady Holloway and Logan Bogue join the program, as well as freshman Brett Rogers. Brett Rogers – OF 6-1 | 195 Chattanooga, Tenn. Freshman "We're very excited with the newest additions to our incoming class," said head coach  Jerry Meyers . "Brett is another outstanding in-state athlete that has shown a lot of growth throughout his high school career. We are looking forward to his future development as a Blue Raider in his years to come. We feel like he can make a strong impact early on and will continue to get better as he gets experience. Rogers comes to Murfreesboro from Silverdale Baptist Academy in Chattanooga. Rogers hit .548 as a senior at Silverdale, with nine home runs and 52 RBI. An All-District and All-State honoree, he led the Seahawks to a pair of state tournament appearances. Rogers was teammates at Sil...

MURFREESBORO, Tenn.  — Conference USA hits the reset button in 2023, with a number of schools leaving and a handful of new schools joining the conference. It provides a great time for the programs that remained in the league with a chance to evaluate themselves and reset as the new-look conference gets ready for competition in the 2023-24 athletic year. One such program that looks to hit the reset button and return to being a bellcow in the Women's Soccer picture is Middle Tennessee. "There's been a ton of unity within the group," said Head Coach  Aston Rhoden . "There's a level of experience that we're missing, so having that unity is going to help us. We don't talk much about last season out loud because it's in the rear-view mirror, but at the same time I think we all know it's still in the mirror and everyone has used it as motivation to work hard and continue getting better." With the departure of Charlotte, Florida Atlant...