(CLEVELAND) – The Truett McConnell University Bears look to build upon the 2018-19 successes with the 2019-20 year right around the corner.

“When looking to the future, one must first look to the past and the 2018-19 season for TMU Athletics was a remarkable one,” Athletic Director Jenni Shepard said. “We accomplished many things on the court/field/mat/track/course, things that will be remembered for years to come. Strong in their faith, these student-athletes continue to positively influence those around them and through the platform of athletics are able to share the love of Christ with all they come into contact with.

As we look to the future, it is my hope that our current student-athletes will continue to follow in the footsteps of those who have forged the way for them those who have worked hard to build TMU Athletics into something that we can truly be proud of; a program that focuses on discipleship, academics, community service, and athletic performance and one that dominates both within our conference and at the national level.”

Academically as a whole, 78 Bears were named to the All-Appalachian Athletic Conference Team and 31 earned a spot on the Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete team while seven TMU teams were named NAIA Scholar-Teams.

FALL

Women’s soccer kicked off the year for TMU on a high note claiming the 2018 AAC regular season title for the first time in program history. The Lady Bears won the title with still two more AAC games on their schedule. While the title sent them straight to the NAIA national tournament, the team went perfect on the AAC schedule (12-0) and posted overall record of 16-3. Additionally, the team only conceded one goal throughout all 12 conference matches. The Lady Bears’ historical season ended in the NAIA opening round to the No. 1 ranked team in the NAIA at the time.

Furthermore, TMU dominated the AAC postseason awards. Senior Megan McCall was named Co-Offensive Player of the Year, freshman Lydia Williams was named Freshman of the Year while head coach David McDowell was named Coach of the Year. Six earned a spot on the All-AAC first team (Carson Batye, M. McCall, Jordan CornwellRachel BarnettMarissa HarkinsJennifer McCall) and three earned a spot on the All-AAC second team (Jessica HaleTori Wilson, L. Williams). M. McCall (forward) and Barnett (defender) were also United Soccer Coaches All-Region selects.

For the third consecutive year, Joao Costa on the men’s side received NAIA All-America honors. In addition, Costa was named the AAC Offensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on the All-AAC first team while fellow senior Giovanni Giraudo was also named to the first team. Costa ranked first in the country in shots per game (6.0), second in shots on goal per game (3.0) and seventh in goals per game (1.190) and in points per game (2.630). Costa led the Bears compiling a total 19 goals on the year.

The women’s volleyball team picked up the pace winning 10 more games in the 2018 season than the 2017 campaign. For the second time in program history, the Lady Bears qualified for the AAC tournament. Most notable, senior Shayla Smith earned a spot on the All-AAC first team after recording a total of 334 kills (3.01 average per set).

The men’s cross country team placed fifth of 11 teams at the AAC championships and senior Juan Ortega led the way. Ortega earned All-AAC status with his eighth individual finish of 97 runners. On the women’s side, the Lady Bears finished seventh of 14 teams at the AAC championships and were led by junior Ivie Nobles. Nobles individually qualified for the NAIA national championships for the third straight year with her 16th individual finish in the women’s 5K.

WINTER

For the first time in program history, the TMU wrestling team clinched runner-up at the AAC championships, which was also hosted by TMU for the first time ever. In fact, four Bears made it to the finals which led to four runner-up individual finishes. Jordan LeeIan JamesJacob Matheson and Khalil Belk all placed second for the Bears while Jacob TaylorWill Davidson and Kendrik Koller placed third. Matheson, however, earned an at-large bid to the NAIA national championships. At 184 pounds, the junior recorded an overall regular season record of 16-11.

Senior Christian Davis and Enocka Franky highlighted men’s basketball’s postseason awards. Davis, a multi-TMU record holder, claimed a spot on the All-AAC first team and the All-Defensive team while Franky was named to the All-Freshmen team. On the women’s side, Re’Tavia Floyd also earned a spot on the All-Freshmen who led her team in points and steals.

Moreover, Davis was named the 2018-19 AAC Co-Male Championships of Character. The award is given every year to a female and male student-athlete who demonstrate the NAIA Champions of Character core values on and off the campus.

SPRING

TMU’s 2019 spring semester was amongst one of the most successful semesters in the all of school history. At one point, three TMU teams were ranked in the NAIA national top 25; softball, men’s golf and baseball. The highest ranking held by any TMU athletic team ever was softball at No. 11. Men’s golf was ranked as high as No. 14 and baseball was ranked as high as No. 18.

Softball clinched their second consecutive AAC regular season title which punched their ticket to the NAIA national tournament. The Lady Bears also posted their second straight 40-win season (42-11, 24-2 AAC). Sophomore Karley Hobbs was named a two-time AAC Pitcher of the Year while Briley Lawson was named AAC Freshman of the Year and head coach Jenni Shepard was named AAC Coach of the Year. Junior Jaden Morrisonalso claimed a spot on the All-AAC second team.

Most notable, Hobbs went on to become the program’s first ever NAIA All-American, and TMU’s first female All-American. The standout pitcher was named to the second team leading the country in wins in the regular season (28) and finished perfect from the mound throughout all regular season outings (28-0) with an ERA of 1.21 (.80 AAC). Additionally, Hobbs and Lawson were named to the NFCA All-Region first team.

Baseball on the other hand also had a historical campaign. The Bears were ranked in the national top 25 for the first time in program history and led in the AAC regular season standings all season until the final two AAC series of the year. In a conference that is known to send 3-4 teams to the NAIA baseball national championships every year, TMU posted an overall record of 30-19, 18-9 AAC and went 12-8 against nationally-ranked opponents. The Bears knocked off No. 2-seeded Bryan College to advance to the semi-finals in the AAC tournament but fell Union College who ended up placing runner-up. Though TMU did not receive an at-large bid to the NAIA national tournament, the Bears collected strong AAC postseason awards. John Michael McRae was named Freshman of the Year while head coach Mike Croley was named Coach of the Year. Josh Johnston claimed his spot on the All-AAC first team while seniors Austin Bishop and Gregory Elder Jr. earned spots on the All-AAC second team.

Johnston, however, went on to become the program’s first ever NAIA All-American as he earned a spot on the honorable mention team. Johnston led the Bears offensively with an overall batting average of .422 and AAC batting average of .435. The junior shortstop recorded 59 runs scored with 81 hits, 10 doubles, four triples, nine home runs and 46 RBI’s.

Men’s golf, however, also had an individual claim NAIA All-America status for the first time in program history; Matt Smith. The junior standout led the Bears to a record-breaking season earning an at-large bid to the NAIA national championships for the first time in school history. Smith, in fact, went head-to-head in the final regular season tournament of the season for the AAC player of the year but fell short by just a few strokes. The team, however, also finished runner-up in the AAC regular season and won two tournaments throughout the 2018-19 campaign; the Reinhardt Fall Invitational and the AAC Spring Championship. The Bears also had three All-AAC first teamers; Smith, Dawson Day and Luke Peavy. Alongside the NAIA No. 14 ranking, the Bears were ranked as high as No. 11 in the Bushnell/Golfweek Coaches Poll.

The team finished the first two rounds at the NAIA national championships tied in 20th which did now allow them to advance, however, Smith advanced individually to the finals and finished 16th out of 156 golfers.

On the women’s side, the Lady Bears set new one day and two day school records for the program. Hannah Wall, Teagen Lovingood, Faith ReddickKiley Blackburn and Ava Rokosz shot a 320 through day one and a 324 through day two (644) at the 2019 Skyhawk Spring Invitational.

The women’s lacrosse team wrapped up their 2019 campaign with a huge AAC win over Brenau University (12-6). The Lady Bears also defeated another AAC foe, Montreat College, earlier in the year.

The men’s and women’s track & field teams had the most competitive AAC championships in school history with both teams placing sixth. Individually on the women’s side, Dasia Stennett was crowned AAC champion in the 400m dash with a time of 57.78. The women’s 4x400m relay set a new school record at the conference championships with a time of 4:03.95, which featured Esther NakanwagiHaley ThompsonAmaya Elliott and Stennett. Freshman Jasmyne Fry also recorded a top three finish in the women’s discus throw. The men’s 4x400m relay also came in second (Keishon FranklinDonald BonnerDonald SwinsonHoy Thurman IV).

The men’s 4x100m relay were also crowned AAC champions with a stellar time of 41.23 seconds. The squad featured Amir Hightower, Franklin, Thurman and Keontrae Clayton. Franklin (men’s 400m) and Bonner (men’s triple jump) both claimed runner-up individual titles while Sharod Cobb (men’s 400m hurdles) and Simeon Lipsey(men’s javelin) earned third place. Furthermore, the men sent eight Bears to the NAIA national championships, which is the most ever in program history.

Bonner took his second straight trip to nationals in the men’s triple jump while Franklin qualified in two different events individually. In the men’s 400m, Franklin ran to a fifth-place finish to become track & field’s first ever NAIA All-American. Cobb qualified for nationals in the men’s 400m hurdles, Jose Santana qualified for the men’s marathon and both the 4x100m and 4x400m relays punched their trips to nationals.

TMU ATHLETICS AWARDS

The following recipients were recognized for these awards at TMU’s annual athletic award ceremony.

HIGHEST TEAM CUMULATIVE GPA | Women’s soccer (3.58 fall, 3.60 spring)

FEMALE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARD | Megan McCallwomen’s soccer

MALE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARD | Austin Bishop, baseball

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR | Megan McCallwomen’s soccer

MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR | Christian Davismen’s basketball

COACH OF THE YEAR | Mike Croleybaseball