Sports
Florida State University Athletics
Clanton is the No. 1 ranked amateur golfer in the world in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and has led the men’s golf team to the NCAA Championship tournament for the sixth consecutive season. He has won six career individual titles and is ranked second all-time in school history with a 70.09 career scoring average. Koenig, the 2024 ACC Player of the Year, earned All-American Third Team and All-ACC First-Team honors as she led the Seminoles to their first ACC Championship this year since 2012.
Each of Florida State’s 21 athletic teams was represented with Golden Nole Award winners including Mirabel Ting and Lottie Woad of the ACC Champion women’s golf team, All-ACC selections O’Mariah Gordon and Makayla Timpson of the nationally ranked women’s basketball team, regional All-American Bieke Schipperen of the women’s cross country team, and All-American Ryan Fitzgerald of the football team.
Gabby Cleveland, a member of the women’s lacrosse team that will begin intercollegiate competition in February 2026, was also honored along with Shelby McMullen of the cheerleading squad and Sam Slauter of the Golden Girls.
A total of 23 Golden Nole awards were presented to standout performers on 21 different teams.
“Our Golden Nole celebration is one of the highlights of the year for our entire athletics department,” said FSU Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Alford. “It’s a unique way for us to recognize our student-athletes, who do a great job in the community, in competition, and in the classroom. Our Student-Athlete Development staff has grown this event into a memorable evening to celebrate our comprehensive success. I am so proud of our student-athletes, and happy they will be recognized for the contributions they have made to their individual teams, the athletic department, and Florida State University.”
Jaysoni Beachum (softball), Justin Cryer (football), Maddy Huggins (women’s swimming), Kelsey Perry (volleyball), Azariah Rusher (men’s tennis) and Tyson Williams (men’s track) were each honored with an Atlantic Coast Conference Top Six for Community Service Award. The award goes to six student-athletes from each ACC school that have gone above and beyond in serving their communities. Each of the Top Six for Service award recipients are known to be dedicated to serving others while displaying a passion for enriching the lives of others.
The Golden Nole, which is sponsored by Florida State’s Student-Athlete Development Office, recognizes those Seminoles who excel as members of the community and who have committed themselves to taking leadership roles on and off of their playing fields and courts. The red-carpet event is hosted by the Student Athlete Advisory Committee – a group of 40 FSU student-athletes – which represents Florida State’s incredible group of more than 500 student-athletes.
Golden Nole Award Winners
Baseball, Alex Lodise
Women’s Basketball, O’Mariah Gordon, Makayla Timpson
Men’s Basketball, Jamir Watkins
Beach Volleyball, Carra Sassack
Cheerleading, Shelby McMullin
Men’s Cross Country, Joe Farley
Women’s Cross Country, Bieke Schipperen
Women’s Diving, Kayleigh Clark
Women’s Golf, Mirabel Ting, Lottie Woad
Men’s Golf, Michael Mays
Football, Ryan Fitzgerald
Golden Girls, Sam Slauter
Lacrosse, Gabby Cleveland
Soccer, Taylor Huff
Softball, Jaysoni Beachum
Men’s Swimming, Tommaso Baravelli
Women’s Swimming, Maddy Huggins
Men’s Tennis, Corey Craig
Women’s Tennis, Maria Juliana Parra Romero
Men’s Track, Tyson Williams
Women’s Track, Tyra Wilson
Volleyball, Kyleene Filimaua
Staff Member of the Year
Jerry Latimer
Coach of the Year
Dwayne Hultquist, Men’s Tennis
Most Valuable Players/Rookies of the Year
Most Valuable Player, Male, Luke Clanton, Men’s Golf
Most Valuable Player, Female, Audrey Koenig, Volleyball, Beach Volleyball
Rookie of the Year, Male, Myles Bailey, Baseball
Rookie of the Year, Female, Wrianna Hudson, Soccer
Top 6 For Service
Jaysoni Beachum, Softball
Justin Cryer, Football
Azariah Rusher, Men’s Tennis
Tyson Williams, Men’s Track
Kelsey Perry, Volleyball
Maddy Huggins, Women’s Swimming
Doc Fauls Award
Corey Craig, Men’s Tennis
Jahni Kerr, Softball
Nole Heart
Justin Cryer, Football
Victoria Cervantes, Women’s Diving
By Jeff Bowe, TTU Athletics Media Relations
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech (6-7, 1-1) men’s basketball plays its final game of 2025 against Tennessee State (7-5, 1-1) at Hooper Eblen Center at 7:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday, Dec. 30.
The Golden Eagles return to the hardwood after an extended break for the holidays to face the Tigers. TSU has won five of the last seven games but most recently fell, 91-82, to SEMO, opening OVC competition 1-1. Tech has won three of the last four games and opened conference play with an 85-74 victory over SEMO, then fell to UT Martin (L, 62-86).
TTU enters today’s game 4-2 at home this season with wins over SEMO, Bethel (101-69), Berea (86-64), and Va. Lynchburg (118-58), and losses to West Ga. (L, 59-61) and UT Martin (L, 62-86).
GAME INFORMATION
Matchup: Tennessee Tech (6-7, 1-1 OVC) vs. Tennessee State (7-5, 1-1 OVC)
Date & Time: Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 7:30 p.m. CT
Venue: Hooper Eblen Center
Watch: ESPN+ | Dylan Vazzano (PxP) and Frank Harrell (Analyst)
Radio: 106.1 The Eagle | Noah McKay (PxP) and Jacob Vinson (Analyst)
Promotion: Purple Haze – WEAR PURPLE!
INSIDE THE SERIES
Overall: TSU leads, 41-39
In Cookeville: Tech leads, 23-17
In Nashville: TSU leads, 18-22
Neutral sites: TSU leads 2-0
Current Streak: TTU won 1
Last Meeting: TTU won 77-74 in Cookeville (Feb. 22, 2025)
TECH NOTES
Dani Pounds leads Tech in scoring, averaging 12.5 points per game (19th in OVC), and Mekhi Cameron is second on the team with 12.2 points per game (20th in OVC). Pounds is fourth in the OVC in free-throw percentage, shooting 84.1 from the line. Pounds leads the Golden Eagles in rebounds with 4.8 per game (20th in OVC).
JaJuan Nicholls is second on the team in rebounds per game (4.7), which is 23rd in the conference.
Tennessee Tech’s 118 points against Va. Lynchburg (W, 118-58, 11/10/25) mark the third-most points scored in a single game by an OVC team this season.
Ty Owens is second in the OVC with 4.2 assists per game (54 total). Nicholls is tied for fifth in the conference in blocks per game (1.2) and fourth in the OVC in total blocks (16).
The Golden Eagles are second in the conference in points per game (79.7), as well as fourth in the conference in scoring margin (3.5). TTU holds the second-best shooting percentage in the OVC (47.0, 365-777), making three fewer shots than the conference leaders (Lindenwood, 47.4).
OPPONENT NOTES
Tennessee State (7-5, 1-1) leads the all-time series 41-39 as the teams split the last two matchups during the 2024-25 season.
The Tigers are coming off a hard-fought 91–82 loss to Southeast Missouri at the Gentry Center, while the Golden Eagles also enter the contest following a defeat.
The game marks the return to action for both programs after a 10-day break. Tennessee State will open the 2026 calendar year on the road at Little Rock on Saturday, Jan. 3.
Aaron Nkrumah leads the Tigers in scoring with 17.0 points per game, averaging 4.8 rebounds per contest and 2.6 assists per game. Travis Harper II is second on the team with 15.8 points per game, and Dante Harris is third on the squad per contest with 12.6 points on average.
PURCHASE TICKETS
Tickets for Tennessee Tech Men’s Basketball are on sale now – call (931) 372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office, or order online at TTUsports.com.
FOLLOW THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Fans can be sure to follow the Golden Eagles men’s basketball team on X (@TTU_Basketball), Instagram (TTUMBB), and Facebook (TTU MBB) for all of the news, notes, and updates.
Helms, a transfer from Texas A&M, bested his previous Heptathlon score of 5394 which he earned at the Stan Scott Invite and Multis taking place on Jan. 30-Feb. 1, hosted by Texas Tech. He has had immense success in the Key City, posting three different splits at the Red Raider open in the 60m hurdles (8.30), 4x400m (3:16.21, 49.27 split) and pole vault (16-2/4.93m).
At the Mountain West Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Robertson has etched herself in the record books. At the NCAA Outdoor National Championships, she recorded the best finish by a Bronco since the 2022 campaign by finishing 53rd in a field of 254 total runners.
Robertson was the first Bronco woman to earn All-America honors in the 1,500 since 2019 (Emma Bates). Hanna Ackermann also posted a top finish while in Eugene. Ackermann recorded a time of 9:54.21 in the steeplechase. The time was the third-fastest time in Boise State history.
Helms registered a score of 7,696 in the decathlon. His mark ranks third in Boise State school history and improved his previous mark in the decathlon at the 2025 Mountain West Outdoor Track and Field Championships which were hosted by Fresno State in Clovis, California.
Dec. 28, 2025, 10:54 a.m. ET
The 2025 Palm Beach Post All-County teams are here!
The Palm Beach County High School Sports Awards is proud to announce the Player of the Year nominees for small school volleyball.
Player of the Year winners will be announced at the South Florida Fair in a live ceremony on Saturday, Jan. 24. Nominees will be able to register to attend for free, thanks to sponsors. For more information about the show, please reach out to deputy sports editor Eric J. Wallace (ejwallace@pbpost.com).
Dec. 28, 2025, 10:54 a.m. ET
The 2025 Palm Beach Post All-County teams are here!
The Palm Beach County High School Sports Awards is proud to announce the Player of the Year nominees for large school volleyball.
Player of the Year winners will be announced at the South Florida Fair in a live ceremony on Saturday, Jan. 24. Nominees will be able to register to attend for free, thanks to sponsors. For more information about the show, please reach out to deputy sports editor Eric J. Wallace (ejwallace@pbpost.com).
MADISON, Wis. — On this day, December 28, 2012, Kelly Sheffield was hired as Wisconsin’s head volleyball coach, instantly propelling the program into one of the best in the country.
The Badgers had been coached by Pete Waite for the previous 13 years, and the program had been struggling since 2008. Sheffield turned things around immediately in his first season, making it all the way to the national championship in 2013, falling just short to Penn State.
Since then, the Badgers have made the NCAA tournament each season and have not lost more than 10 games in any season since he was hired.
He led the program to the top of the mountain in 2021, when they defeated Nebraska for the first championship in program history.
Since then, they have made the Final Four twice, most recently this past season, where they fell just short to the Kentucky Wildcats in five sets.
Sheffield has also coached 20 different Badgers to 45 All-American nominations, headlined by Dana Rettke and Sarah Franklin who won AVCA Player of the Year honors in 2021 and 2023.
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