8/18/99

Pioneers Hold Football Media Day

Sports anchor Kenny Hawkins of WJHL-11 with Andy Smith, TC quarterback

Tusculum College held its annual Football Media Day on the Greeneville campus on the afternoon of August 16, where over 25 members of the local and area media and TC staff were in attendance.

Practice began for the 1999 edition of the Pioneers last week with over 104 players on campus, preparing for their first season of eligibility in the NCAA Division II's South Atlantic Conference.

The Pioneers return 32 lettermen from last year's 5-6 team that established school records in passing yards, completions, total plays and first downs, while the defense recorded a single-season best in tackles and allowed 17 fewer points per game (22.2 ppg) than in 1997.

The 1999 squad is highlighted by Pre-Season All-South Atlantic Conference selections: First team - DB Brett Hlista (Jr., Newport Harbor, Calif.);

Second Team - LB Buck Starnes (Sr., Atlanta, Ga.), DL Tracy Branner (Jr., Knoxville, Tenn.) and WR Nikia Hooper (Sr., Jacksonville, Fla.). Greeneville senior QB Andy Smith is the front-runner to retain the signal-calling duties. Smith threw his way into the TC record book with a pair of school passing marks.

TC will open their season on Thursday, Sept. 2 when they host two-time CIAA champion Livingstone College (7-4 in 1998) for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff at Pioneer Field.