Athletics - July 13, 2004
MT Media Relations
LEE COMPETING FOR STARTING TIME: Former Blue Raider standout ReShard Lee is back at nearly 100 percent following a knee injury and is ready to compete for a starting job. The versatile Lee joined the Cowboys as a free agent in 2003 and quickly became a surprise during training camp before his injury set him back. Now 14 pounds lighter, wearing jersey number 32 and his famous dreadlocks gone, Lee is competing for the top spot with Avon Cason, Julius Jones, and Ricky Anderson. In a recent article in The Brunswick News, Lee told writer Murray Poole "I really think Ricky Anderson is my top competition. He's a veteran back who's ben in the league for about 12 years but I think he's more of a fullback. I really think I have a good chance to be the starter."
RAIDER ROUNDUP: The Blue Raider Athletic Association's annual Raider Roundup is scheduled for July 30 at 6 PM. This year's event, which will be catered by Southern Delights, will take place at the MTSU Foundation House. To make your reservations, please call the BRAA office at 615-898-2210.
FOOTBALL FAN DAY IS SET: The annual Football Fan Day has been set for Friday evening August 20 at Floyd Stadium. The event, which is free to the general public, runs from 5 PM to 7:30 PM. Fans will have the chance to meet this year's players and coaches, get photos and autographs from the players, pick up free schedule cards and posters, and eat free hot dogs and drink free cokes (while they last). There will also be inflatables and facepainters for the kids. This is also a great opportunity to buy season tickets, join the BRAA, purchase your 2004 media guide or buy some gear from Lightning's Locker Room.
NELMS, BAILES TO TEE UP AT THE SOUTHERN AMATEUR: Middle Tennessee golfers Josh Nelms and Nick Bailes will compete in the prestigious Southern Amateur Championship at the Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn. The event gets underway Wednesday morning with Josh Nelms teeing off at 7:30 AM and Nick Bailes getting started at 9:40 AM. Nelms qualified by finishing second at the Southern Amateur Qualifier at the Golf Club of Tennessee, while Bailes won the qualifier when he shot a 67.
KLEMETZ CONTINUES CLIMB IN WORLD RANKINGS: Middle Tennessee head coach Dale Short just returned from a two-week trip to Sweden, catching up with several current and former players as well as making contacts for the future. Two-time All-American Daniel Klemetz won a Futures Tournament in Denmark during Short's stay and has moved into the Top 400 in the world with the victory. Short also spent time with former Blue Raider Robert Gustafsson, who is playing in many of the same tournaments as Klemetz, and current player Andreas Siljestrom, who recently picked up his first career ATP points. Short also made time for recent signee Jakob Klaeson, the current Swedish national junior champion who is scheduled to enroll in January 2005.
OTHER TENNIS UPDATES: Other current Blue Raiders Rishan Kuruppu and Kai Schledorn have been playing many tournaments in Germany and have posted several positive results. Brandon Allan and Greg Pollack recently worked in the MT Tennis camps and are now training for some of the ITA summer circuit events ... Signee Marco Born, who inked a scholarship letter last week, comes from Tennessee Tech where he played No. 1 as a freshman. Born has been playing well of late, having posted some very positive results in several European events ... Former players Trevor Short and Kirk Jackson along with current player Anant Sitaram are working this summer in the New York area as teaching pros. Trevor Short has been playing in a open league and some professional tournaments where he has been undefeated thus far. Jackson is working for former Blue Raider great Peter Heffernan in Fire Island, N.Y., where he has had a couple of tough months with knee injuries. However, Sitaram is working hard on his house painting skills ... Finally, former All-American Fred Niemeyer just got back from Wimbledon and is currently playing an ATP event in Los Angeles.
PRO-AM DATES SET: The 18th Annual Middle Tennessee Pro-Am has been set for Friday and Saturday, September 10-11, at the Buck Bouldin Tennis Center. As always, an exhibition and dinner will take place on Friday with the doubles tournament Saturday morning. Contact Dale Short at 615/898-2957 for more information.
COACH PETE BECOMES A GRANDFATHER: Head baseball coach Steve Peterson became a grandfather for the first time on Monday when oldest daughter, Jill, gave birth to a nine-pound, eight-ounce baby boy named John Hayden Wright at MTMC in Murfreesboro. Mother and child are doing fine and should be going home to Franklin Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning.
<a href='http://www.goblueraiders.com/?go=story&doc=3133' target='_blank'>LINK</a>
