A closer look at Nick McDevitt, the new head coach of MTSU’s nationally prominent men’s basketball program
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Middle Tennessee State University
Blue Raider Athletic Association
Summer 2018 / Vol. 3, No. 3
Director of Athletics
Chris Massaro
Associate AD/Communications
Mark Owens
Associate Athletic Director/Development
Justin Morrison
Bethany Thurston Boyles
Art Director
Kara Hooper
Contributing Editors
Justin Morrison, Mark Owens, Drew Ruble, Carol Stuart
Contributing Writers
Chris Massaro, Justin Morrison, Mark Owens, Daryl Simpson, Tony Stinnett, Bethany Thurston Boyles, Josh Vardaman, Chip Walters
Design
David G. Lowry
Athletics Photographer
Brent Beerends
Special Thanks to
Charlie Legeman, Fred and Mary Lovelace, Daniel Stiles, Brad Tammen
University President
Sidney A. McPhee
Vice President of Marketing and Communications
Andrew Oppmann
Address changes should be sent to Advancement Services, MTSU Box 109, Murfreesboro, TN 37132; alumni@mtsu.edu. Other correspondence should be sent to the Blue Raider Athletic Association, 1301 E. Main St, Murfreesboro, TN 37132. 1095 copies printed at Falson Press in Nashville, Tenn. 0418-0001 / Middle Tennessee State University does not discriminate against students, employees, or applicants for admission or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or any other legally protected class with respect to all employment, programs, and activities sponsored by MTSU. The Assistant to the President for Institutional Equity and Compliance has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies and can be reached at Cope Administration Building 116, 1301 East Main Street, Murfreesboro, TN 37132; Marian.Wilson@mtsu.edu; or 615-898-2185 The MTSU policy on non-discrimination can be found at www.mtsu.edu/titleix.
A
A photo record of the arrival and
Dentistry dreams help James Beckner renew his mindset on the golf
Soccer star Peyton DePriest brings lessons learned from her recent U.S. Women's Soccer National Team camp
Blue Raider student-athletes from all sports lend a helping hand annually at one of the departments most important outreach events
Softball’s Morgan Harris, baseball’s Aaron Aucker and basketball’s Ed Simpson were the big winners at the 7th Annual Raiders’ Choice Awards on April 26 at Tucker Theatre
The Middle Tennessee women’s track and field program clinched its first Conference USA indoor title
From the Desk of the A.D.
A Perfect Fit
In the fall, Middle Tennessee will start a new men’s basketball era with head coach Nick McDevitt at the helm of our Blue Raiders. While we thank former coach Kermit Davis for everything he did for the program, the University, and our local community during his 16 years here, we know that we will continue to grow our national brand through the efforts of Nick and his terrific staff.
Though the “boys in blue” may look a little different on the basketball court this season, Blue Raider fans and the Murfreesboro community will continue to see the same high-character student-athletes and coaches we’ve become accustomed to over the past few decades. As I said in Nick’s introductory press conference in March, through our extensive national search for our next coach, we were looking for an individual with high moral character to bring outstanding student-athletes and upstanding community members to our basketball program, and then to help mold them into quality men. You can’t foster a good program culture without having leaders who value having high character. We know we’ve found that in Nick and his staff.
We have confidence that Nick will do more than just bring in highcharacter players to our basketball program, though. We also know he’ll bring results on the court. Over the past few seasons under Kermit, our program’s national brand has grown exponentially with Conference USA and Sun Belt championships and NCAA Tournament victories over some of the nation’s most highly touted teams. Though Nick is just 38 years old, he’s already proven to be the same high-level winner in his own five years as a head coach, a
We were looking for an individual with high moral character to b ring outstanding student-athletes to our basketball program
evidenced by UNC–Asheville’s three consecutive 20-win seasons in the past three years and trips to national tournaments in each. Like Kermit, Nick is a basketball junkie, a former UNC–Asheville guard who was named an assistant coach immediately after graduating in 2001 and who quickly rose through the coaching ranks at his alma mater.
When we were looking for our next head coach, we also were looking for someone who showed incredible interest in coming to Murfreesboro and being a part of our great community. Nick contacted us about the possibility of becoming our head coach, and then went above and beyond to meet with us. He and his wife, Lauren, and son, Cooper, welcomed a beautiful baby girl, Kathryn Ann, into their family on March 22; on March 23, Nick and his father were on the road heading to Murfreesboro, where we ultimately decided he was the right guy for our program.
We are confident Blue Raider fans will love the same things about Nick that so galvanized us: his high-character personality, winning attitude, desire to be in Murfreesboro, and hunger to keep pushing the Middle Tennessee brand to greater heights. Murphy Center is in good hands, and now we just need you, the Blue Raider faithful, to continue being the outstanding fans that you are and to help show Nick and his staff that we’re excited to have them in the ’Boro. You can do so by packing the building for every home game.
It’s an exciting time to be a Blue Raider, and we hope to see you in Murphy Center this fall! RR
Chris Massaro Athletic Director
Chris Massaro
Raider Review sat down with Nick McDevitt, the 20th men’s basketball coach in Middle Tennessee history, to dig a little deeper into the personality of the man Blue Raider fans will see pacing the sidelines next season.
McDevitt, who came to Murfreesboro after spending the past 21 years as a player, assistant coach, and head coach at UNC–Asheville, took over the MT program in late March. He follows in the footsteps of former head coach Kermit Davis, who accepted the head coaching position at Ole Miss after 16 years of leading the Blue Raider program.
Here’s a brief Q&A with the new Blue Raiders head coach conducted soon after he accepted the job.
A closer look at Nick McDevitt, the new head coach of MTSU’s nationally prominent men’s basketball program
You were at UNC–Asheville for more than two decades. Why was now the time to leave, and why come to Middle Tennessee?
You know, because of how great the university is at UNC–Asheville and the City of Asheville—that’s home— I told the players it was going to take a special place to make us want to leave Asheville. We wanted to go somewhere that was going to be a good place to work and a place we could raise a family. With two kids, having all the right things in place was important.
When you look at the longevity of the folks who’ve been here . . . a lot of good things are obviously happening here both as a university as a whole and as an athletic department. We knew this was a place we wanted to seek.
Your new job isn’t the biggest thing that’s happened with your family this week—you also welcomed a new addition to the family the day before you were hired by MTSU. With the birth of your daughter and then accepting a new job, what’s this week been like for you?
Exciting, life-changing, everything all at once. We were extremely lucky there with just how things went with the birth of our daughter, Kathryn—we’re calling her Katy—and just talking about a new life and a new job in a 24-hour period. It’s been life-changing for me and my family. We’ve added to our family, and our basketball family has grown and changed as well. It’s been an exciting few days, to say the least.
What are your first impressions of Murfreesboro and the MTSU campus?
It’s just so welcoming. You feel at home the second you meet people, and that’s what was so interesting, exciting, intriguing, all those things at once, especially meeting Dr. Sidney A. McPhee, Chris Massaro, and Whit Turnbow. It felt like you’d known these guys from somewhere in another life or something the second you meet them.
Everywhere you turn, people are just so welcoming and friendly. That’s what makes this place so special— the people. There are a lot of great qualities about Middle Tennessee, but from what I’ve seen so far, it’s the people that have clearly made this place go for a long time
What do you want your teams to look like on the floor?
I think some of the things that are currently in place are great qualities. If you just ask folks how they would describe Middle Tennessee and their team, they’d say they’re tough, rugged, gritty, defensive-oriented, toughminded young men. Those are the characteristics I want to continue.
I like having long and mobile guys at different positions. We’ll tend to play fast offensively—I want to play as fast as we can without turning it over. On the defensive end, we’ll do some things that look awfully familiar to fans, but I want to be faster.
Is getting your team out into the community something you stress?
Absolutely. You have to get out into the community if you want the community to come to Murphy Center. That’s a two-way street.
We have to have and need the support of the community, but they need us as well. We’ll be involved in lots of different organizations, because that’s important. We’re a public university, and it’s important that Middle Tennessee’s students and student-athletes, and in particular the ones on our team, are supporting Middle Tennessee.
Have you contacted Kermit Davis and asked him anything about the community or campus?
I’ve known Kermit for quite some time and respect the job that he did here at Middle Tennessee. We played against Middle Tennessee when I was at Asheville at the Great Alaskan Shootout a few years ago, so not only did I see how good they were up close and personal, but also being in the region, I saw this place is very well-respected.
There’s no one that is going to know Middle Tennessee basketball better than Kermit. I’ve talked to him several times over the past week or so.
What do you like to do outside of basketball?
I’m a NASCAR fan. On Sunday afternoons, that’s where you can find me. I grew up going to Bristol Motor Speedway and to Talladega and Charlotte.
I spend a lot of time with my kids—it’s still a little different saying kids—but I love spending time with my family.
Meet Coach McDevitt Hoops history
UNC–Asheville head coach, 2013–18
3 consecutive 20-win seasons
Back-to-back Big South titles
2016 NCAA Tournament
2017 Big South Coach of the Year
2018 National Invitational Tournament
98-66 record in 5 seasons
UNC-Asheville associate coach, 2011–13
UNC-Asheville assistant coach, 2001–11
UNC–Asheville player, 1997–2001
2-time Big South All-Academic team
NABC Student Basketball Council as junior and senior
Personal life
Family: Wife, Lauren; son, Cooper Lee; and newborn daughter, Kathryn Ann
College: Bachelor’s degree in History from UNC–Asheville
What are you focusing on as you start your new job?
Current players and future players, and that’s it. The guys who are already in this room, they’re already here and are priority No. 1. That will always be that way, not just this week. They’re the lifeblood of this program and the heartbeat of this program. Day to day, we will do things to help them on and off the court in some form or fashion.
You also have to be good to those guys when they graduate, and you bring in more good players. It’s always about recruiting and making sure when they’re here they have all the tools to be successful, whether that’s academically, in the community, or getting better on the basketball floor.
Thanks, Coach. Good luck. RR
THE ARRIVAL GREETINGS
Nick McDevitt Begins His MT Basketball Leadership
THE SPEACHES MEET THE PRESS
BECKNERReality Check
by Josh Vardaman
Dentistry
dreams help James Beckner renew his mindset on the golf course
As Middle Tennessee’s men’s golf team circled The Grove course at the 2017 NCAA Regional in nearby College Grove, Tennessee, it did so with one team member watching from the sidelines, desperately thinking of ways to hone his game and hopefully crack the lineup the following fall.
The Blue Raiders finished the tournament last May tied for sixth overall, one place shy of making it back to their first NCAA Championships since the 2007–08 season. While it was a banner year for MT, including a fourth-place finish at the Conference USA Championship, it was simultaneously one of the toughest in the career of current junior James Beckner.
Beckner isn’t used to being unsuccessful. The Kingsport, Tennessee, native was a four-time all-conference member at Dobyns-Bennett High School and a 2015 all-state recipient following a third-place finish in the TSSAA Class AAA state championship, all while graduating 18th in his senior class of 456 students.
When he didn’t get off to a good start on the golf course in the fall of his sophomore year at Middle Tennessee, though, things started to spiral downhill with Beckner’s golf game.
“He expects so much from himself that he had some really high expectations,” former MT head coach Brennan Webb said, “and when he didn’t meet those expectations, he would let that get to him in the middle of rounds and let some rounds get away from him.
“He kind of played himself out of the lineup last year just mentally.”After competing in all 12 events in the fall and spring combined his freshman year, Beckner struggled through the fall of 2016, playing in four of five Blue Raider outings and registering a 74.2 stroke average.
His confidence in his swing was waning, and the heavy classroom stresses from a tough course load that included Microbiology and Organic Chemistry were also adding to his burden.
Needless to say, Beckner was stressed out. It showed on the golf course so much that Webb was forced to take Beckner out of the lineup for the entirety of the spring season in 2017.
“I could see the physical reactions to his bad shots,” Webb said, “and even standing far away from it . . . you could still see him costing himself shots down the line. He wants it so bad and he wants to be great, and it took him a while to learn that he was doing more harm than good.”
summer, where he got to job shadow and learn everything about his future profession.
The inter nship did more than fulfill credit hours. It also helped Beckner find a renewed mindset on the golf course.
“The shadowing really helped my mental game,” Beckner said. “It helped me realize what I’m really here at MTSU for is to be a dentist. Golf is just here for fun; and I’m supposed to enjoy it, not get mad about bad shots or get stressed out about it.
“I only have a year and a half left here, and I don’t want to spend that getting mad on the golf course.”
The revelation has been nothing short of a game-changer for Beckner.
“I feel like I’m having fun on the golf course,” he said. “I was taking that stress to the course when golf should be a place where I can let all of that stress out. I’m trying to play more stress-free, and it seems to be working right now.”
While putting in hours over the summer interning at the dentist’s office, Beckner also had work to do on the course, most notably with his short game.
I feel like I’m having fun on the golf course,” he said. “I was taking stress to the course. Golf should be a place where I can let all of that stress out.
Instead of lamenting about his lost place in the lineup, Beckner, who’s studying to become a dentist, used last spring to buckle down in the classroom. Little did he know at the time that his added focus on his studies would make a lasting impact on his golf game, too.
Beckner’s work in the classroom allowed him to obtain an internship with a dentist over the
That hard work started paying off immediately in the fall. As the Blue Raiders were winning the team championship in their first tournament of the season at the Memphis Intercollegiate, Beckner unleashed his newly fortified approach and finished tied for third as an individual with a 3-under perfor mance.
He was inserted into the lineup in MT’s next outing at the Bearcat Invitational last September and hasn’t left it since, finishing the fall with a 72.4 stroke average to rank fourth on the team, nearly two strokes better than his career average.
“Through all of my experiences here and what Coach Webb has taught me, all of it has kind of come together,” Beckner said. “Everything is kind of working right now.”
As the Blue Raiders reached their second straight NCAA Regional this May, Beckner is an instrumental piece of the puzzle this time around. Beckner won his matches in both the semifinal and final for the 2018 C-USA champions. But, even if he hits another rough spell on the golf course, don’t expect his head to drop or to hear him let out a yell in anger.
A lot more than golf lies ahead for Beckner, and knowing that will continue to help him when the going gets tough.
“He’s just an impressive kid,” Webb said. “He does everything to the max and gets the most out of every minute of the day. To be 21 and have that much commitment and dedication, he’s a special kid. He’ll be super, super successful, and we’re proud of him.” RR
Peyton DePriest
he last two years have been a whirlwind on the soccer pitch for ennessee freshman Peyton DePriest.
From playing for a state high school championship, to having a recordsetting freshman year in college, to joining a U.S. Women’s Soccer National Team training camp, she’s experienced a lot in a short timeframe.
According to DePriest, it all combines to make her even hungrier for success in her upcoming sophomore campaign.
Soccer star Peyton DePriest brings lessons learned from her recent U.S. Women’s Soccer National Team camp experience to MT pitch
“We’re just ready to play,” DePriest said. “I pretty much grilled the coaches about the girls coming in, and they seem pretty excited about the class as a whole. The anticipation of seeing how they adjust to the college game will be interesting, but I’m expecting pretty high standards.”
After leading Franklin High School to a state Class AAA runner-up finish as a senior in the fall of 2016, DePriest was named a Tennessee Player of the Year finalist and Gatorade
Player of the Year candidate. She also played on the national stage earlier in 2016. Her Tennessee Soccer Club team captured the U–18 National Championship, a first for a club team in the state, which led to their induction into the Tennessee Soccer Hall of Fame.
With national championship experience already notched on her belt, DePriest then turned her attention to Middle Tennessee, where she became an instant star for the Blue Raiders in the fall of 2017.
She started all 18 games as a forward and was named Conference USA Freshman of the Year (and to the allconference second team) after leading MT and C-USA in goals. Her 13 scores also were tied for the nation’s lead among freshmen. Additionally, she led the Blue Raiders in points (29), shots (57), shots on goal (30), and gamewinning goals (four).
Middle Tennessee had a bounce-back campaign in 2017 behind DePriest, improving from just four wins the year before to an 8-10 overall record and 5-5 mark in league play. The Blue Raiders also got back to the Conference USA Tournament after missing out in 2016.
“I wanted to be able to come in and make some type of impact,” DePriest said, “but I don’t think I realized how well I could actually do. Honestly, I just wanted to get a starting position.”
When Middle Tennessee’s season came to an end in the Conference USA Tournament on Nov. 1, another opportunity for DePriest to shine presented itself, and it was again on the national stage. She was told MT head coach Aston Rhoden had included her name in a pool of players that had a chance to join the U.S. Women’s Soccer National Team at a training camp in February, where she and others her age would fight for a chance to join the U-20 team at the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in France this August. A few weeks later, DePriest got a phone call from U.S. Soccer and learned she’d been invited to join a combined U-18 and U-19 training group in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
“Three weeks prior to camp I got my official invitation, and probably a week before I went, I finally got my gear and the itinerary and stuff. That was so cool,” DePriest said. “I actually sent it to my parents’ house in Franklin, and my mom called and asked if I had ordered anything, but I couldn’t remember. When I got there and found it, it was in a big box and had cleats, runners, travel gear, a backpack— all of it said U.S. on it, and it was just so cool.”
DePriest, the first Blue Raider ever to attend a U.S. National Team camp, went to Lakewood Ranch Feb. 10–17 as one of six forwards. There she took part in drills, sizing up her game against some of the nation’s best high school seniors and college freshmen. She also got a lot of individualized coaching and learned some new ideas and approaches to the game she plans to try out with the Blue Raiders. “They’re really big about individual development,” she said. “Coming back from that team, I think it would be cool to bring back some suggestions that we can maybe
Annual Special Olympics
April 13, 2018
Annually, Middle Tennessee student-athletes from all sports come out to the Dean Hayes Track and Soccer stadium to help with the Special Olympics. The student-athletes interact with all the kids, help with the competition and spend a good deal of time uplifting the kids and getting to know them.
Photos by Tyler Lamb
Softball’s Morgan Harris, baseball’s Aaron Aucker and basketball’s Ed Simpson were the big winners at the 7th Annual Raiders’ Choice Awards on April 26 at Tucker Theatre. The year-end “Academy Awards”style show highlighted all the academic and athletic accomplishments of the Blue Raider student-athletes for the 2017-18 academic year.
Harris, Aucker and Simpson were honored with the True Blue President’s Award, which is the highest honor bestowed upon a current MT student-athlete who epitomizes all that is good in intercollegiate athletics. Presented annually to one male and one female student-athlete, the President’s Award recognizes outstanding academic and athletic accomplishments, university/community service and leadership. For the first time, cowinners were announced on the men’s side.
The Middle Tennessee women’s track and field program clinched its first Conference USA indoor title in February in Birmingham, Alabama. Senior Agnes Abu led the women to victory, inking the most points on the team as well as the most of any female in the championship.
Similarly, junior Abike Egbeniyi notched a new C-USA indoor championship record in the women’s 400-meter dash to clinch a first-place finish with a time of 52.77 seconds. Meanwhile, freshman Cecilia Francis claimed an individual title and a new school record in the 60 meters (7.37).
“The women really did a good job,” head coach Dean Hayes said. “We thought they might have a chance to take the title going into the championship, and they really made it a team effort.”
Hayes earned his 52nd championship and was named C-USA Women’s Indoor Coach of the Year. RR
Abike Egbeniyi
Agnus Abu
Agnus Abu Agnus Abu
IS A TRUE BLUE SUCCESS
MTSU held the inaugural True Blue Give, a 48-hour giving campaign on Feb. 15–16 to try and raise $250,000 campus-wide from 500 University friends during the two-day effort to support academics, athletics, and scholarships. This initiative allowed donors to target gifts of any amount to specific colleges, departments, and programs throughout the University.
We received many calls, checks, and online payments during the two giving days, and when all departments tabulated their totals, MTSU had far succeeded our original goal. The University ended up bringing in more than $330,000 from more than 600 friends and alumni, exceeding our target by more than $80,000!
While we are appreciative and grateful for all 600-plus gifts given to the University, we are extremely thankful for the more than 100 donors who gave generously to the Blue Raider Athletic Association and MT Athletics. BRAA originally set a goal of $25,000 before the campaign started, and as we moved through
the first day of the campaign, we had already flown past our original target. We decided to raise our goal to $75,000 and by early afternoon of the second day had already surpassed that goal. We raised our goal one last time to try and reach the $100,000 mark.
The BRAA and MT Athletics had raised a total of $103,655 in 48 hours.
As the day concluded on Friday, Feb. 16, the BRAA and MT Athletics had raised a total of $103,655 in 48 hours. A truly unbelievable number!
We really appreciate all of you who went above and beyond your normal generosity by participating in the inaugural True Blue Give and helping
it become a smashing success. We are truly humbled and inspired by your generosity, and we are proud to have such True Blue supporters on our side.
We look forward to making this campaign an annual event, and we hope we can make this even bigger and better next year. Thank you for being True Blue! RR
Keep Up with the Blue Raider Athletic Association on Facebook and Twitter! For the latest news and information from the Blue Raider Athletic Association and to connect with other members, be sure to find us on social media. Facebook.com/BRAA
Your 2018–19 BRAA membership card has been mailed and should be arriving to you shortly if it hasn’t already. This card will be valid from July 1, 2018–June 30, 2019 and will be required for entry into all Blue Raider Athletic Association events throughout the year. New for this year: We have added several area discounts that can be redeemed by using your membership card. We hope you visit these locations and take advantage of these exciting new offers!
• Lightning’s Locker Room: Discount based on membership level
• The Boulevard Bar and Grille: 15% off your purchase (not available with any other promotions)
• Sam’s Sports Grill: 15% off your purchase
• Party Fowl: Happy Hour beverage pricing all day every day; half-off drafts and many more (Murfreesboro location only)
BR AA 25–YEAR DONOR RECOGNITION
The Blue Raider Athletic Association annually recognizes our 25th consecutiveyear donors in an on-court ceremony during a basketball game. This year we honored Jeanne and Momolu Massaquoi, Jerry and Karen Hill, Gayle Gillespie,
Dan and Pam Bullock, Gordon and Carol Johnson, Charlie and Judy Myatt, Dale and Carol Patterson, and Rich and Ellie Leese at a ceremony during the Feb. 24 men’s basketball game against UAB. RR
Donor SPOTLIGHT
Fred and Mary Lovelace
n Consecutive Years Giving to the BRAA: 33
n Currently Reside: Murfreesboro
QTell us about you and your family.
AFred grew up in Donelson, Tennessee; attended Donelson Grammar School and Donelson High School; and is a graduate of Peabody/Vanderbilt and the University of Tennessee Medical School. He began his journey as a Blue Raider by taking financial classes at MTSU taught by Kitty Murfree. Mary was born in Murfreesboro and grew up on Tennessee Boulevard, which is now Middle Tennessee Boulevard. She attended Campus School and Central High School, then graduated from MTSU. We have five children, 14 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren. Our son Mike is an MTSU graduate and a Blue Raider fan also.
Q How long have you been a part of the BRAA? How did you get involved?
A Before the Blue Raider Athletic Association, there was the Blue Raider Club, in which Fred served as president for several terms. When it became the BRAA, we continued our support. To know Fred is to know his love of sports, any sports. He was on the football, basketball, baseball, and tennis teams at Donelson High School. He has continued being actively involved in playing racquetball and participating in 5K and 10K runs and the Senior Games until last year. Sports is his passion, and we love supporting all athletics at MTSU.
QWhen your friends/family ask you why do you give to BRAA, what is your response?
AGiving to the BRAA opens many avenues for MTSU athletic programs. It allows MTSU to compete with the other universities to give quality equipment and resources for our athletics programs. Giving to the BRAA supports our programs’ growth and helps them strive for athletic and academic excellence for all our student-athletes. Being a BRAA member is like extending your family. You get to know the coaches and the players and see the positive impact they have in our community.
QWhat is your favorite Blue Raider athletic moment?
AOh, so many. When MTSU was in the OVC, we were big rivals with Austin Peay and Tennessee Tech. It was always interesting to see what the student bodies would do to “outdo” each other. They never disappointed us. We had our own original “Raider Roadie” song. Many of us would sing it on the road after a win at Western Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky, or any away game where we won. It never made it to the top 10 charts, but we were very proud of it!
We had a big surprise WIN in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Florida State; it was played at Vanderbilt with a big MTSU crowd. Oh, what a night! Another NCAA first-round surprise was
MTSU against Kentucky, also at Vanderbilt. All the excitement was being given to Kentucky playing Louisville in the second round. MTSU came ready to play and beat Kentucky, definitely spoiling the big in-state rival game! It was always great to see Jimmy Earle “sacking up the groceries” at Austin Peay. Other great wins we have enjoyed are most recently MTSU beating Michigan State and Minnesota in the NCAA Tournament.
QWho is your all-time favorite Blue Raider coach and player? And why?
AIt is impossible for us to name our all-time favorite coach and a player. We are close to many former coaches, and we still remain good friends. MTSU has been blessed with many great coaches. We have been blessed to keep in contact with many great players over the years: Sleepy Taylor, Slim Smith, Fred Allen, Robbie Randolph, Bob Martin, and manager Kenny Gray.
We want to thank Kermit Davis for his 16 years at MTSU! Kermit, his staff, and his players have given us incredible memories. Kermit, Betty, Ally, and Claire, thanks for being such an amazing family and friends to us. We wish you the very best as you begin your new chapter! RR
PRESSBOX VIEW FROM THE
The Voice of the Blue
Raiders EMBRACETHECHANGE
If there is one word that sums up what 2018 has been like in Blue Raider Country, that word would be . . . change.
It has been an unprecedented handful of months when it comes to changes that have come down this year with new leadership on campus for two of our higher-profile sports. Change was bound to happen at some point—for one reason or another.
Middle Tennessee has been a bit of an anomaly in college athletics with so little change in head coaches over the past decade or more. There are lots of reasons there hasn’t been much change, and they’re all good: The programs have been successful. The coaches have done a nice job bringing in good kids that have done well on the field, in the classroom, and in the community. It’s been a great place to live and raise a family. It’s easy to be comfortable here.
Many of us thought Kermit Davis might be here the rest of his career,
and he could have. He embraced an incredible opportunity for change and made the move to Ole Miss. In turn, Nick McDevitt embraced a similar opportunity and left his comfort zone and the only university he had ever been a part of.
After McDevitt’s arrival, there was even more change in the Blue Raider roster that will require some adapting.
Jim McGuire had been a beloved part of Blue Raider baseball for 26 years and was part of a nearly 50-year string of head coaches that came from the same coaching tree before it was decided that a change of direction would be made. The hiring of Jim Toman to guide that program means changes ahead for the baseball team: New ideas. New ways of doing things. Changes that will have to be embraced to ensure success.
“Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights.”
—Pauline R. Kezer
For fans, the status quo can get very comfortable as well. Sometimes change takes us a bit out of our comfort zone, and we are forced to adapt. While there may be some uncertainty in change, it certainly adds a new energy. Our history and tradition gives us a base to work from. The changes taking place could be the spark that lights the fuse on newfound successes.
Both programs mentioned here face some challenging times in the next year or so. It’s going to be fun to watch the course both of these new coaches chart for their programs. It’s a time when they most need the support of the Raider Nation. Get on board while things are challenging, and the fruits of your dedication will be even more rewarding.
It’s a time to embrace the change!
by Tyler Lamb
Chip Walters
Photo
New ideas. New ways of doing things. Changes that will have to be embraced to ensure success.
ACTIVITIES must be APPROVED
are limited and
Student-athletes are not permitted to be involved in the advertisement, recommendation, or promotion of a commercial organization or a commercial product or service of any kind. Use of a student-athlete’s name, picture, or appearance to support any charitable, educational, or nonprofit promotional activity requires prior approval from the athletics department. NCAA rules prohibit the use of a student-athlete’s names, pictures, or likeliness for any reason without asking for and receiving prior approval from the compliance office. A student athlete’s eligibility is jeopardized when his or her name, picture, or likeliness appears on commercial items or is used to promote a commercial product with or without the athlete’s knowledge or permission. Regardless of the student-athlete’s knowledge of the promotional activity, their eligibility can still be affected. There are certain instances when student-athletes are permitted
Daryl Simpson Assistant AD/Compliance
to be involved in charitable, educational, community engagement, or nonprofit promotional activities. If you are interested in involving student-athletes for this kind of activity, please contact the compliance office prior to the occurring activity.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about rules regarding promotional activities for student-athletes please, feel free to contact the compliance office. Thank you for your time and as always, ASK BEFORE YOU ACT, and GO BLUE RAIDERS ! RR
Baseball coach Jim Toman
MT SOFTBALL
Sat., Sept. 1 at Vanderbilt
Sat., Sept. 8 UT-MARTIN
Sat., Sept. 15 at Georgia Athens, Georgia
Sat., Sept. 29 FAU Mur freesboro
Oct. 5 (Fri.) at Mar shall Huntington, West Virginia
