ATLANTA - This weekend, the Southern Athletic Association will crown eight tournament champions, while two sports start postseason play, and the University of the South are right in the thick of it. It all starts on Friday.
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SAA Baseball Tournament: Opening Round
THE BASICS
(7) Sewanee (19-20-1, 7-14) vs. (2) Centre (26-14, 13-8) | Gary Wright Field at Fishman Park
Game 1: Friday, April 28, 6 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. CT
Game 2: Saturday, April 29, 1 p.m. ET / noon CT
Game 3 (If Necessary: Saturday, April 29, 40 minutes after conclusion of game 2
2023 Regular Season Matchup: Centre defeated Sewanee, 2-1, in three games on April 7-8 in Danville, Ky.
Game 1 Final Score: Centre 3, Sewanee 1 (April 7)
Game 2 Final Score: Sewanee 6, Centre 5 (April 8)
Game 3 Final Score: Centre 4, Sewanee 0 (April 8)
All-Time Series Record: Centre leads Sewanee, 93-57 (151st meeting on Friday)
Sewanee's SAA Tournament Record: 2-16
All-Time Postseason Record vs. Centre: Sewanee leads, 12-10
Last Meeting: 2018 SAA Tournament (Centre def. Sewanee in elimination game, 5-2, from Memphis, Tenn.)
The Sewanee baseball team has rallied from a five-win season in 2022 to 19 in 2023. Finishing as the seven-seed in the upcoming SAA Tournament, the first weekend will feature a best-of-three series at the highest four seeds.
Centre College finished as the No. 2 seed in this weekend's opening round after finishing 13-8 in league play. The Colonels took two out of three games with the Tigers in Danville, Ky. over Easter Weekend on April 7-8.
Freshmen Charlie Teel (.372) and Hunter Herndon (.326) are leading the offense for the Purple and White. Teel has driven in 19 runs, while Herndon has launched three home runs thanks to an .891 OPS and has added a team-high 29 RBI.
Junior transfer Blake Pou has six home runs coming into the postseason with a 1.000 OPS and has 23 RBI.
On the mound, Matt Munn and Aidan Lenzen have each punched out 53 batters this season and are expected to toe the rubber this weekend.
The winner of this series will play a double-elimination championship series next weekend, May 6-7, at the highest remaining seed.
SAA Softball Tournament: Berry Pod
THE BASICS
Game 1: (5) Sewanee (12-25, 7-11) vs. (4) Millsaps (7-11, 13-21) | Friday, April 28, 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT
Game 2: Winner of Game 1 vs. (1) Berry (32-4, 17-0) | Friday, April 28, 4 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. CT
Game 3: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 | Saturday, April 29, 12 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. CT
Sewanee softball is coming off its best season for the first time in nearly two decades with a 12-win regular season. Sewanee's last time in double digits came in 2005 with a 15-17 record. Additionally, the Tigers seven wins in SAA play is the most since the Tigers were charter members in 2013 and is tied for the third-most in school history, joining the 2000 program.
The Purple and White are in the Berry College pod, as the Vikings earned the No. 1 seed en route to the program's eighth regular season championship. Joining the Tigers and the Vikings are the Majors of Millsaps College, who enter the tournament as the No. 4 seed.
At the plate,
Alice Charboneau enters the tournament with a .357 average and a 1.036 OPS in conference play with three homers and 11 RBI.
Zoe Crockett, who became the first player to swipe 20 bases in a season in program history, has 11 of those in conference play and 23 overall.
Michaela Walker (8-16) has stuckout 60 batters in 126.2 innings in the circle.
Sewanee, Millsaps and Berry will play a double elimination pod, with the winner advancing to the SAA Championship series against the winner of the Birmingham-Southern Pod.
SAA Golf Championships
Hosted by the University of the South
THE BASICS
Round 1: Friday, April 28 | GreyStone Golf Club | Dickson, Tenn.
Women's Tee Time: Beginning at 8:50 a.m.
Men's Tee Time: Beginning at 9:10 a.m.
SAA Women's Golf Championships: 1 (2017)
Best Team Championship Score: 920 (2016)
Best Individual Championship Score: 221 (Emily Javadi, 2016)
SAA Men's Golf Championships: 1 (2021)
Best Team Championship Score: 891 (2019)
Best Individual Championship Score: 218 (Grayson Maddox, 2021)
The Sewanee golf teams will look to get back on top for the 2023 SAA Championships, starting on Friday morning from the GreyStone Golf Club. The event, hosted by the University of the South, returns to GreyStone for the first since since the course hosted back-to-back championships in 2018 and 2019.
Both teams are nationally ranked. As of the date of this release (Thursday, April 27), the men's team is ranked 17th in the Bushnell/Golfweek Coaches Poll and 16th in the GolfStat rankings. On the women's side, the Tigers are 19th in the Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) poll and 18th in the GolfStat rankings.
On the men's side, Sewanee finished in fourth place (921) at last year's event, and the Tigers are looking for a strong showing this season as they are seeking their third straight NCAA Championship appearance as a team.
Pearse Lucas is ranked 13th in the individual rankings, as he leads the team with a 73.10 stroke average.
For the women, they are coming off a second place result (955) at the event from Chateau Elan in Georgia. The Tigers had a third place finish at the prestigious Jekyll Island Collegiate back in March.
Merrick Semans (77.81) and
E.C. Niebauer (78.36) are listed 60th and 62nd, respectively, to lead the Purple and White in the GolfStat rankings.
SAA Men's Lacrosse Tournament
Hosted by Centre College
THE BASICS
(3) Rhodes (12-5, 4-2) vs. (2) Sewanee (10-4, 5-1)
Friday, April 28 | Andy Frye Stadium, Danville, Ky. (Centre)
2023 Regular Season Matchup: Sewanee def. Rhodes 9-8 (OT)
All-Time Series Record: Sewanee leads, 9-5 (15th meeting)
Sewanee's SAA Tournament Record: 16-3
Sewanee's SAA Tournament Championships: 5 (2013-15-16-17-22)
All-Time Postseason Record vs. Rhodes: 2-2 (5th Meeting)
Last Meeting: May 1, 2022 (Sewanee def. Rhodes, 10-9, in Championship Game from Danville, Ky.)
Coming off a share of the regular season championship with Centre College, the Tigers are back where they were a year ago when they picked up their fifth SAA Tournament Championship, defeating the Lynx, 10-9. Now in 2023, the two teams will have a "feline frenzy" in the semifinals on Friday night.
Sewanee and Rhodes will play for the fifth time in postseason play, and it is just the second time the teams will meet in the semifinals (2019). Despite the loss in 2022, Rhodes has won two of the last three matchups, including the 2018 SAA Tournament Championship Game.
Ranked sixth in the NCAA Regional Rankings, the Tigers' offense has seen a balanced scoring effort so far this season, with four players with 20 goals or more and five with 20 points or more.
Luke Valentine leads the team with 25 goals, followed by
Phelps Thomas (23),
Ashton Anton (22) and
Davis Gillenwater (20).
Drew Perun has stepped up in his last two games at the face off, winning 35-of-56 (62.5%) attempts. Against Centre on April 15, the junior posted 21 wins at midfield.
SAA Track & Field Championships
Hosted by Centre College
THE BASICS
Friday, April 28 - Saturday, April 29
Andy Frye Stadium at Joe McDaniel Field, Danville, Ky.
Running Events begin at 7:45 a.m. CT
- 10,000 Meters (Final)
- Women's 100 Hurdles (Prelims)
- Men's 110 Hurdles (Prelims)
- 400 Meters (Prelims)
- 100 Meters (Prelims)
- 400 Hurdles (Prelims)
- 200 Meters (Prelims)
- 3,000-Meter Steeplechase (Final)
Field Events begin at 8 a.m. CT
- Pole Vault (Finals)
- Long Jump (Finals)
- Hammer Throw (Finals)
- Shot Put (Finals)
Men's Best Team Finish: 5th (2013)
Women's Best Team Finish: 6th (2015)
Sewanee makes the trek to Danville, Ky. for the SAA Track and Field Championships, starting on Friday.
On the women's side, the following are scheduled to compete:
The men's team will have the following athletes participating:
SAA Men's Tennis Tournament
Hosted by Millsaps College
THE BASICS
(8) Hendrix (7-14, 0-7) vs. (1) Sewanee (17-4, 7-0)
Friday, April 28, 12 p.m. CT | Guerry Indoor Courts, Sewanee, Tenn.
2023 Regular Season Matchup: Sewanee def. Hendrix, 9-0, on April 2
Sewanee's SAA Tournament Championships: 8 (2013-14-15-16-17-18-19-22)
Sewanee's SAA Tournament Record: 24-0
All-Time Postseason Record vs. Hendrix: Sewanee leads, 10-0
Last Meeting: April 29, 2022 in SAA Quarterfinals (Sewanee def. Hendrix, 5-0)
After locking up the SAA Regular Season Championship for the ninth time in as many seasons eligible, the Tigers are looking to make it nine tournament titles this weekend in Chattanooga. Playing at the Champions Club, this was the site for the 2017 and 2021 NCAA Championships and it will also return to the Scenic City in 2026.
The Tigers are ranked 12th in the country (as of this release date, April 27), and are listed second in both the NCAA Region Rankings and the Atlantic South Rankings administered by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
The Purple and White will look to transfer
Jordan Theron, who is the top player in the Atlantic South region with a 17-4 record and a 12-2 mark in spring matches. He, along with doubles partner
Quinn Wicklund, are ranked second in the region with a 16-3 mark and 13-2 this spring.
SAA Women's Tennis Tournament
Hosted by Millsaps College
THE BASICS
(8) Hendrix (6-12, 1-6) vs. (1) Sewanee (14-5, 7-0)
Friday, April 28, 9 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. CT | Champions Club, Chattanooga, Tenn.
2023 Regular Season Matchup: Sewanee def. Hendrix, 8-1, on April 2
All-Time Series Record: Sewanee leads, 25-0 (26th meeting)
Sewanee's SAA Tournament Championships: 8 (2013-14-15-16-17-18-19-22)
Sewanee's SAA Tournament Record: 24-0
All-Time Postseason Record vs. Hendrix: Sewanee leads, 10-0
Last Meeting: April 29, 2022 in SAA Quarterfinals (Sewanee def. Hendrix, 7-0)
Coming off a ninth regular season championship last weekend, the top-seeded Tigers will begin their quest for a ninth tournament title this weekend from Chattanooga. Playing at the Champions Club, this was the site for the 2017 and 2021 NCAA Championships and it will also return to the Scenic City in 2026.
The Tigers are ranked 12th in the country (as of this release date, April 27), and are listed second in both the NCAA Region Rankings and the Atlantic South Rankings administered by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
Sewanee has gotten out to strong starts in doubles, going 20-1 in league play and 45-12 in spring matches. Leading the way are
Brooke Despriet/
Katherine Petty and
Nicole Nowak/
Emma Smith both at 15-4.
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