High Country Sports

Author: David

  • Honor and Remember: a retired Major General serves in second professional career

    By David Rogers. CONCORD, N.C. — After more than a half century of military training and leadership in the field, some actions are instinctive.

    When U.S. Army Major General (Retired) Chuck Swannack observed a small platoon of some three dozen soldiers ambling by the front of the Media Center at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 26, he started barking out a drill sergeant-like cadence. It was a sweltering hot day but the unit was in full camouflage dress, complete with beret — and Swannack expected more, even if no longer an active U.S. Army officer.

    “I hate seeing that (casualness),” he said.

    In many respects, Swannack is a veteran’s veteran. Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry after graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1971, he served more than 30 years in command and staff positions at every level from platoon to the Department of the Army.  Prior to retirement in 2006, he commanded the 82nd Airborne Division, then subsequently the 18th Airborne Corps. and Fort Bragg (now Fort Liberty). As he rose through the ranks, he took on significant leadership roles around the world, including in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Panama, Haiti, Iraq and Afghanistan, among others. At one point in his career, he was Deputy Director for Strategy, Plans and Policy within the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans in the U.S. Army headquarters. He is a graduate of Capstone and the National War College, as well as holds a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech.

    It shows we love them, we salute them, we engage them and we enable them.

    After his 2006 retirement, Swannack served as a consultant to several defense-related companies before becoming CEO of U.S. Logistics, serving from 2010-2013, which he helped guide from early stage company to a $50 million veteran logistics services company.

    In early 2014, Swannack joined Speedway Motorsports as the executive director of Speedway Children’s Charities, a 501c(3) nonprofit with a mission of assisting underprivileged children become productive adults.

    “I have been with Speedway Motorsports for 10 years,” Swannack explained to Blowing Rock News before the running of the Coca-Cola 600, one of NASCAR’s premier Cup Series races. “The first five was as executive director of Speedway Children’s Charities. The last five have been as Vice President of Veterans Affairs. Now we are trying to not only help children but veterans and their families. I run a program called, ‘Welcome Home Patriots.’ It shows that we love them, we salute them, we engage them and we enable them.”

    Swannack is also involved with another nonprofit, the Patriot Military Family Foundation, which is focused on veterans health, their support and their families’ support.

    “We get service dogs for them. We get homes for them. And we get them treatment for PTSD,” Swannack said of his work with PMFF.

    For the Coca-Cola 600, Swannack procured a sponsor for 100 veterans and families, Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR), a defense contractor that provides base camp services all around the world. The participating veterans are from Fort Liberty, the Seymour Johnson Air Base, the North Carolina National Guard and U.S. Marine Corps recruiters in the area.

    “Today is all about honoring and remembering,” said Swannack. “We have 150 Gold Star families, whose loved ones gave their lives in service of this country. Hopefully, everyone will applaud that service and sacrifice in some way.”

    Swannack added his hope that the veterans and their families have a unique and special experience by attending this NASCAR event.

    “There are three things going on today (as part of the race),” he said. “One is recognizing the fallen with their names on the windshield of every driver. Second, the tires by Goodyear have an ‘honoring and remembering’ message on the sidewalls. And then, at the end of Stage 2, we are going to stop everything for one full minute of silence to honor and remember.”

     

     

  • Get up and Go-Go-Go-Go-Go!

    By David Rogers. CONCORD, N.C. — Thanks to a weather-shortened Coca-Cola 600 Cup Series race on May 26 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Christopher Bell was declared the winner after 249 of the 400 scheduled laps and a packed house of NASCAR fans didn’t get to see if a late-arriving Kyle Larson, Jr. could improve on the No. 13 position he inherited from early relief driver Justin Allgeier.

    BONUS PHOTOS at bottom of article. For best photography viewing on a desktop monitor or laptop, please click on any image for Slide Show mode.

    Larson, of course, had already been deprived of a full double-double day when weather delayed the start of the Indianapolis 500 for several hours. Once it got going, Larson, an Indy Car rookie, finished a respectable No. 18 in the 33-car field and crossed the finish line only nine seconds behind leader Josef Newgarden of Team Penske. Newgarden’s time was 2 hours, 58 minutes, 49.749 seconds vs. Larson’s 2:58:58.892 piloting the Arrow McLaren SP car, a partnership involving the California native’s NASCAR team owner, Hendrick Motorsports.

    The start of the 2024 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, May 26. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    Behind No. 1 Bell in the Coca-Cola 600 race were No. 2 Brad Keselowski, No. 3 William Byron, No. 4 Tyler Reddick and No. 5 Denny Hamlin to round out the top five finishers.

    After NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports officials decided to call the race because a restart was unlikely until far after midnight and an uncertain weather forecast even at that, Bell sounded almost apologetic in speaking with reporters.

    “It is a win for us but I wanted to race,” he said.

    Although they were unlikely to have gotten home until after 3:00 a.m. if the race had been restarted, a lot of fans were angry and felt cheated, booing as Bell took home the honors. They weren’t necessarily booing Bell, but the race-shortening circumstances.

    To his credit, Bell led a race-high 90 laps, won Stage 2, and was running in or near the top five throughout the race after starting No. 3, behind pole sitter Ty Gibbs and No. 2 starter Byron.

    In his media center comments, Bell noted that not only did he lead laps but was able to pass cars and get back into the lead after losing it. He took particular care to credit his pit crew for helping keep him among the leaders.

    “We had great pit stops,” he said.

    A moment of silence was observed between Stage 2 and Stage 3 to remember and honor the military veterans. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    Racing aside, the Coca-Cola 600 has evolved as an impressive celebration by the stock car racing community as it remembers and honors military veterans who have served and especially those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving their country, as well as the military families who have also been asked to sacrifice.

    Speedway Motorsports, Charlotte Motor Speedway, and NASCAR pulled out all the stops for the 2024 pre-race and in-race ceremonies to honor and remember. Each driver had the name of a fallen military veteran on his windshield. Goodyear had an “honoring and remembering” note on the sidewalls of its tires. At the end of Stage 2, the cars all lined up on pit road, turned off their engines, and the entire racetrack recognized a minute of silence to remember those who gave their lives. In pre-race ceremonies, military choral groups sang, helicopters flew over the infield turf in front of the grandstand to deploy and later pick up soldiers. In addition, just as the singing of the Star Spangled Banner was reaching its climax, a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber passed overhead.

    A B-2 Spirit stealth bomber passed over the start-finish line at the climactic moment of the National Anthem. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    Fans may well have been disappointed by the racing’s end but there was no denying the fan enthusiasm for the race organizers’ planning and logistics for honoring and remembering military veterans.

    BONUS PHOTOS

  • Mountaineers edged out by Southern Miss, 7-5

    By Matt Present. MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A record-breaking season for App State Baseball concluded with a remarkable run at the Sun Belt Championship tournament, as the Mountaineers posted back-to-back victories against NCAA bubble teams before falling, 7-5, against nationally ranked No. 25 Southern Miss in Saturday’s semifinal round.

    With several team and individual milestones achieved along the way, App State became the only Sun Belt team to prevail at least once in each of the last four tournaments. It finished the season 33-21-1 while repeating as a semifinalist in one of the nation’s toughest Division I conferences.

    Banks tolley’s 26th home run of the season — a 3-run shot — gave app state a 5-2 lead in the second inning.

    Eerily similar to last year’s performance in the double-elimination event, the Mountaineers bounced back from a heartbreaking loss on Day 1 (Troy pulled out a 6-5 victory) to beat a rival in dramatic fashion (Drew Holderbach hit a three-run homer to break a late tie in a 6-3 win against Coastal Carolina) and then set up a first matchup of the season against Southern Miss by eliminating Troy on the strength of an explosive, chaotic inning (App State won 10-6 after breaking a 3-3 tie with a seven-run seventh that included six hits and four Trojan errors).

    App State needed to beat Southern Miss two times Saturday to advance to Sunday’s championship round, but the Eagles (40-18) moved on by producing a crooked number in a fifth-inning rally that occurred between a pair of lengthy weather delays.

    Banks Tolley’s 26th homer of the season, a three-run shot in the bottom of the second inning, gave App State a 5-2 lead. After a delay of nearly three hours with play stopped in the top of the third inning, and right before another interruption in the bottom of the fifth inning halted play for more than five hours, Southern Miss jumped ahead for good with a five-run top of the fifth.

    A game that had begun at 9 a.m. CT time resumed at 7:35 p.m. CT with App State behind 7-5, and reliever Jake Beaty kept the Mountaineers within striking distance by retiring nine of the 10 batters he faced over three near-perfect innings. The first two Southern Miss batters in the top of the ninth reached against Zach Lewis, but he got a double-play ball to short and then stranded a runner at third with a strikeout.

    CJ Boyd reached on a throwing error from third to open the bottom of the ninth, and he moved to second on a one-out single from Xavier Moronta on a 1-2 count. With two away and runners at the corners, including pinch-runner Grey LaSpaluto at first, Hunter Wilder drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases, but a strikeout from closer Colby Allen ended the game.

    Weather delays for lightning and rain made for a 12-hour day.

    Tolley finished the game with four RBIs, while Austin St. Laurent went 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored. Moronta and Holderbach (two runs scored) both reached base four times while going 2-for-3 at the plate.

    App State starter Bradley Wilson used a double play and strikeout to work around two singles in a scoreless first, and the Mountaineers quickly jumped ahead 2-0 in their half. Holderbach followed St. Laurent’s leadoff single with a double, and Tolley delivered an RBI groundout before Holderbach scored on Boyd’s double to the right-field corner.

    Trey Tujetsch took over on the mound with the bases loaded and nobody out in the second inning. After a wild pitch and walk meant the bases were still loaded with nobody out in a 2-1 game, he limited the damage to two total runs by inducing a 4-6-3 double play and ending the frame with a groundout.

    Southern Miss retired the first two App State batters in the bottom of the second, but St. Laurent’s double and Holderbach’s walk set the stage for Tolley, who crushed a 1-2 pitch for a no-doubt homer down the left-field line. App State’s single-season record holder for homers, Tolley ended his lone year as a Mountaineer with the eighth-most homers in the country and the fifth-most in a season by a Sun Belt hitter.

    Ranking 11th on App State’s career homers list in just one season, Tolley contributed to a school-record 94 homers in 2024 from the Mountaineers, with Boyd adding 18 as part of a school-record 35 in his career and St. Laurent hitting 14.

    Following the first long delay, Tujetsch pitched a scoreless third and put up another zero in the fourth. Three straight singles in the fifth loaded the bases for Southern Miss, triggering a move to Everette Harris.

    A two-run double and RBI groundout tied the game before Nick Monistere gave the Eagles a 7-5 lead with a two-run homer to center. Moronta drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the fifth before play was halted by a second weather delay.

    In four tournament games, Tolley reached base seven times and totaled six RBIs en route to finishing the season with a .379 average and a school-record 77 RBIs. Moronta went 6-for-14 and reached base eight times in four tournament games.

  • App State leaps past Troy, 10-6, capitalizing on Trojan miscues to advance in SBC tourney

    By Matt Present. MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A seven-run seventh inning, coupled with a gutsy effort from the Mountaineers’ bullpen helped No. 6-seeded App State push past No. 3-seeded Troy in an elimination game on May 24, to advance to the Sun Belt semifinal round for the second consecutive year.

    The script was eerily similar to a season ago when the Mountaineers scored 10 runs with two outs in the sixth inning to knock the Trojans out of the tournament.

     

    Xavier Moronta clubbed a ‘monster’ HR on May 24 vs. Troy in the Sun Belt Tournament. Photo courtesy of App State Athletics

     

     

    App State (33-20-1) will face No. 2-seeded Southern Miss at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday, needing to beat the Golden Eagles twice to advance to a winner-take-all championship on Sunday.

    Despite falling behind 2-0 in the first inning, the Mountaineers showed tremendous resolve throughout the ballgame. Max Tramontana came out of the bullpen to limit the first-inning damage, tossing 2.1 innings in relief and striking out three to allow the offense to get back into the game.

    After manufacturing a run in the third to slice the deficit in half, App State grabbed the lead for the first time in the fourth inning. Braxton Church was hit by a pitch with two outs, and Xavier Moronta followed with a mammoth, two-run home run over the right field fence to give the Mountaineers a 3-2 lead.

    After throwing two innings in relief a day earlier, Grey LaSpaluto worked a valiant 2.2 innings against Troy, striking out four, helping the Mountaineers get through the middle innings. While LaSpaluto allowed Troy to score the tying run in the sixth, Ryan Sleeper came out of the Mountaineer bullpen to minimize the damage and keep the game tied at 3-3.

    App State then exploded at the plate in the seventh while capitalizing on Trojan miscues and mental errors. Church led off the inning with a single and after Moronta walked, Adam Quintero sacrificed the pair into scoring position. Hunter Wilder then came through with a go-ahead single to right to give the Mountaineers a 4-3 lead.

    Austin St. Laurent (7) applies the tag out of a Troy runner on May 24. Photo courtesy of App State Athletics

    After Troy walked Joseph Zamora intentionally to load the bases, Austin St. Laurent rapped an RBI single to extend the lead to 5-3. Then with Drew Holderbach batting, Troy’s pitcher, Noah Manning, uncorked a wild pitch and the Trojans threw the ball away trying for an out at the plate, allowing both Wilder and Zamora to score.

    Banks Tolley then reached on a throwing error allowing St. Laurent to come across to score, and CJ Boyd and Church continued the rally with back-to-back RBI singles to push the lead to 10-3. App State tallied six hits in the inning and also took advantage of four Trojan errors in the frame.

    Sleeper retired the first seven men he faced in relief, and tossed 3.2 scoreless innings, before a two-out rally in the ninth allowed Troy to bring the game to a 10-6 final.

    App State pitching combined to hold the Trojans to just two hits prior to the ninth inning, and finished the game with 10 strikeouts. The Mountaineers stranded 11 Troy runners on base and held the Trojans to just 2-for-22 hitting with runners on base for the game.

  • Clutch pitching and hitting propel Mountaineers past Chanticleers, 6-3, to advance

    By Matt Present. MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Cody Little escaped a bases-loaded jam in the top of the seventh inning and Drew Holderbach followed with a go-ahead three-run homer in the bottom half of the frame, lifting sixth-seeded App State to a 6-3 win over seventh-seeded Coastal Carolina at Riverwalk Stadium.

    The Mountaineers (32-20-1) stave off elimination by beating the Chanticleers (34-23) for the third time in four games this season, and will advance to face the loser of second-seeded Southern Miss and third-seeded Troy on Friday at 4 p.m. ET.

    Hunter Wilder laces one down the first base line. Photo courtesy of App State Athletics

    With the score tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh, Hunter Wilder hit a ball back to the mound and sprinted down the first base line forcing an errant throw, reaching safely to begin the inning. Two batters later, Austin St. Laurent was hit by a pitch, setting up Holderbach who delivered a missile over the left field fence to push the Mountaineers in front, 6-3. The home run was Holdebach’s ninth of the season and it gave the Mountaineers their largest lead of the game.

    Despite loading the bases with nobody out in the ninth inning, Zach Lewis bounced back to pick up a strikeout and a game-ending double play ball to seal the win.

    App State’s pitching was strong throughout. Jackson Steensma struck out five in two scoreless innings before departing with an injury in the third. After Grey LaSpaluto came out of the bullpen to work two innings in relief, Little followed with three innings, earning his second win of the season.

    Photo courtesy of App State Athletics

    Little allowed just one run on two hits, striking out three, and despite loading the bases, with the tying run 90 feet away in the top of the seventh, picked up a strikeout to keep the score tied at 3-3. App State pitching fanned 12 batters in the ballgame and stranded 13 Coastal base runners.

    After falling behind 2-0, App State took its first lead of the ballgame with a three-run fifth inning. Wilder was hit by a pitch with one out and advanced to second on an errant pickoff throw and to third on a passed ball. After Joseph Zamora was also hit by a pitch, St. Laurent put the Mountaineers on the board with a sac fly to left field.

    With two in scoring position after a wild pitch, Banks Tolley drilled a go-ahead two-run single off the left field fence to put the Mountaineers in front, 3-2.

    The Chanticleers tied the score on a solo home run from Jake Books in the sixth.

    The win marks the Mountaineers fourth win in two seasons when facing elimination and comes in the first ever meeting with the Chanticleers at the Sun Belt tournament.

  • CASE STUDY: South Shore Golf Course evaluated by NCAA Division I collegians

    By David Rogers. NARRAGANSETT, R.I. — On May 16, we ran a story about our recent trip to South Kingstown, R.I., where we got a firsthand look at Blowing Rock-based Ron Cutlip’s latest golf course design: South Shore Golf Club. During our visit, we ran across the men’s golf team from the University of Rhode Island, who have adopted the 9-hole course in the middle of a residential development as one of their primary practice venues.

    Communicating with them through community developer Larry LeBlanc and Cutlip, the head coach, Gregg Burke, and a few of the players from the team offered their insights about the course and its features, including hole-by-hole characteristics.

    Spring had not quite arrived in mid-April, but the course was already beginning to “green,” if not yet fully.

    Photographic image by David Rogers

    Those Teaching Moments

    “From the time you drive into the beautiful homes within the complex, with the golf course just ahead, you know you are in for a very special playing experience,” said Coach Burke in his review. “The layout is so well designed that it is a challenge for a high handicapper as well as to the Division I golfer and top amateur.

    “The two hallmarks of the course,” added Burke, “are the challenge of the tight fairways’ tee shots, with challenging bunkering to access the green — and the incredible green complexes themselves. The size of the greens and the devilish slopes and tucked areas allow for more pin placements than virtually any course around.

    “This is not a golf course where you look at the yardages and think birdies,” Burke concluded. It is one where you look at the holes and think respect. Along with Whitinsville Golf Club, the Par Three Course at Shelter Harbor, South Shore is a ‘top three’ nine-hole layout in New England.”

    Ron Cutlip, left, greets University of Rhode Island senior Geronimo Narrizano. Photographic image by David Rogers

    Geronimo Narizzano, a senior from Buenos Aires, Argentina: “The best quality of the golf course is the multiple tee areas and the incredible number of pin placement options. You can play this course over and over and it will feel different every time.”

    Seb Carlsson, a freshman from Narragansett: :The best part of the golf course is the green structures. So many options and so many tricky putts out there.”

    Aidan O’Donovan, a sophomore from Somerville, Mass.: “Overall, the course is very fair. It has a tough par 5 and a (reachable) par 4, which I think every course should have. The greens are tricky with false fronts and tiers but they are also very fair. It is just flat out a great golf course, tee to green.”

    Brandon Gillis, Assistant Coach who played for Wake Forest and Rhode Island: “This (course) is both fun and challenging. From the start, you see it is a beautiful layout with great bunkering. The greens complexes make the course great. There are so many tee shot and pin options. You could make this as easy or as hard as you want and it would be a fun round either way.”

    Photographic image by David Rogers

    HOLE BY HOLE COMMENTS

    No. 1:

      • Terrific opener made tougher by the false front and the traps to the right.
      • Bunkers and trees make this a tough tee shot unless you decide to lay up.
      • The smart way to play it is mid-iron/wedge but the temptation to go for it makes it great.

    No. 2:

      • Visually a great golf hole with both easy and difficult pin options.
      • The different tee block options can change this hole dramatically as can the pin options. Maybe the toughest tee shot on the course.
      • If the pin is below the ridge you just hit a shot that finds the fairway and then use the slope. Otherwise, you probably want a little more out of the tee shot.

    No. 3:

      • Wow. Just a great green and the best par three on the course.
      • The giant dip in front of the green makes this a tougher hole, visually.
      • The green is tough and a four-putt is not out of the question.
      • So many options for distance make this a different hole every time.
      • One of the best par threes in RI.

    No. 4:

      • Bunkering left and tree line right make this a decision hole. You can bust a drive and have little in but you bring risk into the equation.
      • Great green!
      • You cannot see the hole from the tee so with well-placed bunkers in the fairway, this is a really tough hole.
      • Loved this hole. Fun tee shot and better green.
    The backdrop to No. 5 includes an historic rock wall dating back to the 1600s. Photographic image by David Rogers

    No. 5:

      • Another risk/reward tee shot. Super wide fairway that can lull you into being lazy off the tee.
      • The easiest green on the golf course but you still need to get it close to make birdie.
        Only easy hole out there.

    No. 6:

      • Best hole on the golf course. Layup off the tee almost guarantees par but if you risk the bunker and the trees right, you can get home in two.
      • Green is long and thin which makes for great pin options.
      • The landing area looks wider than it is.
      • The best part of the hole is the green, which slopes front to back – very rare in golf.
      • Reachable par 5 with a narrow second shot into the green.
      • Two good shots and you can make 3 or 4 but a bad tee ball or (poor) second shot and double bogey comes into play pretty quickly.
      • Easy hole until you hit a bad tee shot and then you are punching out and hoping for par.
      • Best hole for sure. Depending on where you are with your score or in your match will decide how you play this.

    No. 7:

      • Most severe slope on the golf course. Pin back left makes it crazy tough.
      • Like No. 3, the pin placement makes the hole. It can be a easy birdie to a scramble bogey!
      • Everything about this hole says ‘stay right’ — but if you are too far right and the pin is near the edge of the slope you could see a very big number.
      • Another hole that looks easy from the tee box but can be tough if pin is near slope.

    No. 8:

      • Fun hole because you can reach it with a hybrid but going over turns a birdie into a par or worse.
      • Visually challenging and one would think to go for it every time because the layup is not easy.
      • Still can’t decide if this is a really easy hole or a tough hole.
      • Hate to say it but the only hole I didn’t love. Looking forward to seeing what they do with the giant waste area to the left.
      • Green needs to grow in a but more.
    No. 9 will have a fountain — a water hazard? –when fully operational. Photographic image by David Rogers

    No. 9:

      • Could be the prettiest hole on the course with the creek just in front.
      • Terrific finishing hole.
      • Water is in play on tee shot and second shot.
      • The trees blocking the approach if you are on the wrong side is challenging.
      • Funky angle off the tee box and don’t go right.
      • A good tee ball and can be set up nicely in the fairway for birdie.
      • Great golf hole! Not sure where the clubhouse will be but this would be a great one to see from a deck of some kind.

  • Kerns, App State add 10 to MBB roster

    By Jacob Plecker. BOONE, N.C. — App State Men’s Basketball coach Dustin Kerns announced the addition of 10 players to the 2024-25 roster Wednesday.

    “We are fired up about this group of signees,” Kerns said. “They are all really good players, but most importantly, they are really good people who align with our values at App State. They have all been a part of winning at various levels, and we cannot wait to get them to campus. Additionally, they all come from quality families and parents who are excited about App State. Please help us welcome all of them and their families to the Boone community.”

    Jason Clarke | 6-0 | G | Silver Spring, Md. | Miller School

    Clarke was a state champion in 2024 at Miller School in Virginia, scoring 18 points a game. Clarke rarely turns the ball over, as he posted 139 assists compared to just 32 turnovers last season, good for an astounding 4.34 assist/turnover ratio. A VISAA Division II Player of the Year, Clarke has extensive experience on the AAU circuit playing for coach Boo Williams on the Boo Williams EYBL team, leading that squad to the Peach Jam last season. His accomplishments at the prep level included a first-team All-Central selection, a first-team All-BRAC honor and being named the Charlottesville Athlete of the Week. Academically, Clarke was on the honor roll every year he was at Miller School.

    Why Clarke chose App State: “I chose App State because of the great coaching staff. From the moment I stepped on campus, they made me feel like family. Along with great academics, App State feels like the place for me.”

    Jamil Muttilib | 6-6 | G | Houston, Texas | Cypress Ridge | Kilgore College

    A junior college product, Muttilib is a prolific scorer at the guard position, as he averaged 19.2 points a game at Kilgore College last season while shooting 39 percent from behind the 3-point line. Muttilib scored at least 20 points in 16 games last year, including a 42-point outburst against Trinity Valley Community College on Jan. 31. His 6-foot-6 frame not only helps him produce on the offensive end, but also defensively, as he tallied three or more steals in nine games at Kilgore. Muttilib was a first-team all-conference and all-region selection in 2024 while also being named to the all-tournament team for his performance at the Region XIV Tournament. In the classroom, Muttilib was an honor roll student in 2022 and was named to the State All-Academic Team.

    Why Muttilib chose App State: “I chose App State because of the winning culture and the amazing support.”

    Jackson Threadgill | 6-6 | G | Concord, N.C. | Davidson Day | Charlotte

    Threadgill, who won a 2A state championship in 2020 at Davidson Day, brings a combination of veteran presence and efficient 3-point shooting to the High Country. He made 73 career starts at Charlotte over the past four years, sinking 91 3-pointers at a 33-percent clip. Threadgill shined on the defensive end of the floor for the 49ers, regularly accepting the task of guarding the opposing team’s best scorer — in his first four years, he tallied 52 steals and blocked 19 shots. He was a part of 67 wins with Charlotte. Threadgill also thrives academically, as he is a two-time member of the CSC All-District team and represented Charlotte at the 2023 NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum in Baltimore.

    Why Threadgill chose App State: “I chose App State because of the relationship I had already built with Coach Kerns and his staff and for the community and college-town feel. I’m also thrilled to play with one of my former high school teammates and best friends, CJ Huntley.”

    Jalil Beaubrun | 6-9 | F | Miami, Fla. | Montverde | Stephen F. Austin

    Another Division I transfer, Beaubrun will provide a big presence both in the paint and on the glass for the Mountaineers. In two years at Stephen F. Austin, Beaubrun played in 50 games and averaged 6.2 points a game. With a 6-foot-9 frame, Beaubrun is athletic and has the ability to stretch the floor at an efficient rate. For his career, he has nailed 42 3-pointers at a 40-percent clip while also shooting over 50 percent from the floor. Last season, Beaubrun took on a larger role with the Lumberjacks and thrived as he recorded 12 double-digit point outings, which included a 14-point night against NCAA Tournament participant Drake. In addition to his offensive prowess, Beaubrun is a tremendous rebounder, as he led the Lumberjacks in both rebounding average (4.8) and offensive rebounds (69) last season.

    Why Beaubrun chose App State: “I’m so excited to join the App State family. The community, staff and players felt like a family from the moment I stepped on campus. Coach Kerns has a vision for me and the program that I’m very excited to be a part of.”

    Alonzo Dodd | 6-1 | G | St. Paul, Minn. | South St. Paul | Texas A&M-Commerce

    Dodd comes to App State from Texas A&M-Commerce, where he started 46 games in his first two years and appeared in 66 games. He is a willing passer at the guard position, dishing out a team-leading 99 assists in 2023-24, good for a 3.0 average that was the ninth-best mark in the Southland Conference. Dodd is an efficient scorer, shooting 41 percent from the field in his career, and his ability to get into the lane helps him find open shooters along the perimeter. The St. Paul, Minn., native averaged seven points a game last season. Defensively, Dodd is a pest in the passing lanes, compiling the third-most steals for Texas A&M-Commerce a season ago while also blocking 12 shots. The lefty is South St. Paul’s all-time leading scorer, and he helped lead it to a 49-3 record over his final two seasons on the prep circuit.

    Why Dodd chose App State: “App State has a real family-oriented community, and I thought it would be a great environment to put myself into. That’s why I chose App State.”

    Dior Conners | 6-3 | G | Pickerington, Ohio | Pickerington North | Triton College

    Making the transition from junior college to the Division I level, Conners comes to App State after helping lead Triton College to a 34-3 record last season and an NJCAA national runner-up finish. Conners was vital to the Trojans’ success, as he averaged 13.9 points a game while also being an efficient shooter, shooting 39 percent from behind the 3-point line. His sweet stroke helped him nail at least three treys in 14 games last season, including an eight 3-pointer barrage against Harper College en route to a season-best 28 points. For his career, Conners has recorded eight 20-point contests, which included a 24-point outing against Barton Community College in the NJCAA National Championship game to lead the Trojans. Conners has nailed 137 career 3s at a 41-percent rate. He has also shown the ability to wreak havoc on the defensive end, as he tallied at least one steal in all but four games last season, good for an average 1.7 steals a game.

    Why Conners chose App State: “I chose App State because it provides me an amazing opportunity to be successful.”

    Jerquarius Stanback | 6-7 | F | Asheboro, N.C. | Asheboro

    Stanback comes to App State after a successful career at Asheboro High School, where he averaged 25 points a game while grabbing 11 rebounds per contest in his senior year. Stanback provides length on defense and can block shots at a high rate, as he swatted 99 shots in 23 games last season while also averaging 2.7 steals a game. He was crucial to guiding Asheboro to its conference championship game a season ago, racking up six games scoring at least 30 points, which led to him being named District Eight Player of the Year and receiving first-team all-conference honors. Stanback scored over 1,000 career points at Asheboro, including 566 last year. A willing passer, Stanback boasted a 3.28 assist/turnover ratio as he dished out 95 assists.

    Why Stanback chose App State: “App State has an incredible coaching staff and an incredible campus. I can’t wait to get up there.”

    Jonah Long | 6-4 | G | Hickory, N.C. | Saint Stephens

    Long comes to App State from Saint Stephens High School, where he was a captain of his team for each of the past three years. He averaged 9.8 points a game his senior year. A multi-sport standout, Long led the Western Foothills Conference in scoring, rebounding and double-doubles as a junior. His sophomore year saw him tally a 51-point game. He was named his team’s MVP both his sophomore and junior years while also being named all-conference. Academically, Long was invited to the National Youth Leadership Forum and was selected for membership in the National Society of High School Scholars.

    Why Long chose App State: “I chose App State because I was given the opportunity to play the game that I love at a high level while also being able to play in front of my family members in Boone.”

    Will Coble | 6-4 | G | Charlotte, N.C. | Davidson Day | Randolph-Macon

    One of two Davidson Day products in this class, Coble joins the Mountaineers as a graduate transfer from Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Va. Coble made 53 starts for the Yellow Jackets across his four years while appearing in 97 games. He has poured in 571 career points at an efficient clip, as he shot 42 percent from the field and 41 percent from 3-point range. His Yellow Jacket career was highlighted by a stellar junior year in which he scored 216 points and drilled a career-high 61 3s. He led the team in 3-point percentage in 2022-23 and was second on the team in 2023-24 to help lead Randolph-Macon to a 25-5 record. Coble was a part of the 2020 Davidson Day team that won the 2A state championship. He was also a two-time all-conference player and an N.C. All-Star.

    Why Coble chose App State: “I came from a small college, and I wanted to step out and experience a larger school and environment. Plus, I wanted to be a part of a winning program and a great culture.”

    Cameron O’Kelley | 6-3 | G | Seneca, S.C. | Seneca

    O’Kelley comes to App State after a solid career at Seneca High School, where he played in 89 games. He was a three-time all-region player and a two-time all-state selection in South Carolina. He averaged over 16 points a game in both his junior and senior seasons while also scoring over 1,000 points in his prep career. His last season saw him pour in an impressive 457 points on 40-percent shooting. His length along the perimeter helped make him a plus defender on the prep circuit, as he tallied 121 steals and 26 blocks. O’Kelley is a solid rebounder at the guard position, as he pulled in 295 rebounds for his career, including 119 his senior year. O’Kelley helped lead Seneca to a top-60 ranking last year and a 23-5 overall record.

    Why O’Kelley chose App State: “App State has a tremendous culture and a platform for me to build a successful future. I’m excited to get started.”

    The Mountaineers are excited to welcome these 10 players to the mountain. Fans can support the program and secure their seats for next season by putting down a deposit on 2024-25 season tickets. If you decide you don’t want season tickets your deposit will be used as a credit toward Men’s Basketball’s single-game tickets this winter.

  • App State tabs Whitney Jones as softball coach

    By Jacob Plecker. BOONE, N.C. — Whitney Jones, who has competed in the Women’s College World Series as both a student-athlete and a coach, has been named the sixth head coach in App State softball history, Director of Athletics Doug Gillin announced Wednesday.

    App State will hold a press conference on Tuesday, May 28 on the fifth floor of the Mark E. Ricks Athletics Complex to introduce Jones. The press conference is scheduled for 11 a.m., and the event is open to members of the public who would like to attend, with lunch provided afterward.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Whitney to the App State family,” Gillin said. “Whitney has been a consistent winner throughout her coaching and playing career. She is a great fit to lead our softball program. Her vision aligns with our core values of academic integrity, competitive excellence, social responsibility and a world-class experience. We are very excited for the future of App State Softball.”

    Whitney Jones has competed in the College World Series as a student athlete and as a coach.

    Jones spent the last two years at Ohio State University where she was promoted to associate head coach this past season. In her first year with the Buckeyes in 2023, Jones helped guide Ohio State to stellar offensive numbers, including top three rankings in the Big Ten in batting average (third), slugging percentage (third), on-base percentage (third) and runs scored (third). In 2024, the Buckeyes hit 65 homers, the second-most in the league as of May 21, and posted a .497 slugging percentage.

    “First and foremost, I’d like to give all the glory to God,” Jones said. “I am honored to have this opportunity to lead App State Softball alongside the amazing leaders and coaches at this university. I would like to give a special thank you to Chancellor Heather Norris, Doug Gillin and Sarah Strickland for entrusting me with the vision and future of the softball program.

    “As head coach of App State Softball, I look forward to continue bringing in and developing exceptional young women to compete for championships on the field, while also developing them to be champions in life. I am excited to get to work, connect with alumni and meet the people that make Boone the special place that it is.”

    Jones has had assistant coaching stints at Washington, Central Florida, and Ohio State.

    Before Ohio State, Jones was an instrumental member of a UCF staff that was heralded by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) as the Mideast Region’s Coaching Staff of the Year in 2022. Her work with the offense helped the Knights post a 49-14 record, which garnered the No. 16 national seed in the NCAA Tournament, leading to UCF’s first-ever Super Regional appearance.

    At UCF, Jones guided the team to top-50 national marks in batting average, runs per game, doubles and on-base percentage. She was also key in the development of Jada Cody, who became one of the best hitters in the country in 2022 when she posted a .361 batting average and drove in 75 runs, the fourth-most in the nation.

    Jones got her coaching career started at her alma mater, Washington, serving as a volunteer assistant coach for four years. She worked primarily with the outfielders during her stint with the Huskies, which had four all-region selections and five All-Pac-12 honorees in her tenure.

    Her proclivity as a hitting coach served her well at Washington as the Husky outfielders hit over .300 every year she was in Seattle. Her teams made the Super Regionals three times and the Women’s College World Series twice.

    She has been a part of 285 wins in her coaching career, including back-to-back 50-win campaigns in her first two years at Washington.

    While this will be Jones’ first collegiate head-coaching gig, she enjoyed a successful season as Garfield High School’s head coach in 2017 when her squad posted a 19-8 record and made the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association state championship game. Jones was named the 3A Metro Coach of the Year.

    Jones was a four-year letterwinner at Washington from 2011-14 and was a two-time Pac-12 All-Academic performer, while also being named All-Pac-12 honorable mention in 2014. Jones’ teams made a Super Regional appearance every year and made the Women’s College World Series in 2013. Her playing career was highlighted by her 2014 season in which she posted a .341 batting average and slugged five homers.

    A 2014 graduate of the University of Washington, Jones has two siblings, Justin and Morgan, and is the daughter of Lorraine and Carl Jones. Her father, Carl, played professional baseball from 1986-88 in the Atlanta Braves organization, reaching as far as AAA Richmond.

    Jones earned a master’s degree at Tulsa in 2016 as well as her CSCS certification. While at Tulsa, she was a graduate assistant in the athletic performance department and worked with the football, softball, men’s tennis and women’s golf programs.

    She is from Upland, Calif., where she helped lead her high school team to a pair of league championships and was a three-time all-league selection.

    What they’re saying about Whitney Jones

    HEATHER TARR
    University of Washington softball head coach

    “Coach Whit is one of Husky Softball’s brightest coaching stars. What she brings tactically as a coach will immediately help App State softball, but what she brings as far as human development will last forever. We are proud to see one of our own leading a program as a head coach. She is more than ready for this opportunity, and the community and student-athletes will love her.”

    JT D’AMICO
    University of Georgia softball assistant coach

    “Whitney has shown a very strong and consistent work ethic over all the years I’ve known and worked with her. She has worked her way up and is more than ready to lead a program. I’m so happy for her and the App State program.”

  • Mountaineers strand 11, lose to Troy, 6-5, in Sun Belt opener

    By Matt Present. MONTGOMERY, Ala. — CJ Boyd set the App State career home runs record as a part of a two-homer ballgame, but the No. 6-seeded Mountaineers were unable to overcome one bad inning in a 6-5 loss to No. 3 Troy in the Sun Belt Conference tournament on May 22, at Riverwalk Stadium.

    Boyd hit his 34th and 35th career home runs, breaking a tie with Andre Crawford for most all-time at 33.

    Photo courtesy of App State Athletics

    Boyd’s first blast came just four batters into the contest. Banks Tolley worked a two-out walk and Boyd followed with a line drive shot over the left field fence to give App State (31-20-1) a 2-0 lead.

    His second home run came in nearly identical fashion. With two outs in the third, Tolley was hit by a pitch, setting the stage for a majestic blast to left from Boyd that sailed out of the stadium.

    Early on the mound, Dante Chirico was equally impressive. The righty delivered four perfect innings to begin his outing, striking out seven of the first 12 batters he faced.

    Photo courtesy of App State Athletics

    Troy (37-20) scored all six of their runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, sending 11 men to the plate in the frame. The rally began with a solo home run from Books Bryan to begin the fifth inning; the first batter that reached base in the game against Chirico.

    Each of the first five reached in the frame with Shane Lewis drawing a bases loaded walk to cut the lead in half. Later in the inning, Kole Myers ripped a game-tying two-run double to center field and Ethan Kavanaugh followed with a go-ahead single to left.

    Still trailing 6-4 in the eighth, App State mounted a one-out rally. Adam Quintero singled to right and after a walk to Hunter Wilder, Joseph Zamora ripped an RBI single through the right side. A dropped fly ball, on a collision in center field, off the bat of Austin St. Laurent loaded the bases, but the Mountaineers were unable to do any further damage, stranding the tying and go-ahead runners in scoring position.

    Photo courtesy of App State Athletics

    Collin Welch kept the Mountaineers in the ballgame with 3.2 scoreless innings in relief, striking out four, while allowing just one hit.

    App State finished the game going just 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position, stranding 11 men on base.

    The Mountaineers will look to stave off elimination on Thursday, when they face the loser of No. 2 Southern Miss and No. 7 Coastal Carolina at 10 a.m. ET.

  • Tolley, St. Laurent earn postseason Sun Belt honors

    By Matt Present. NEW ORLEANS, La. — App State senior outfielder Banks Tolley has been named the Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year, while Tolley and infielder Austin St. Laurent have earned first-team all-conference honors, the league announced Monday.

    Tolley has enjoyed one of the most impressive seasons of any player in college baseball in 2024. Entering the Sun Belt tournament, Tolley is one of just six players nationally to boast at least 25 home runs with a batting average of at least .385, along with Georgia’s Charlie Condon, Florida’s Jac Caglianone, Oregon State’s Travis Bazzana, Tennessee’s Christian Moore and Austin Peay’s Lyle Miller-Green.

    Tolley finished the regular season as the Sun Belt leader in home runs (25), slugging (.798), OPS (1.288) and batting average (.385) while ranking among the league leaders in RBIs (71 – 2nd), total bases (166 – 2nd), runs scored (66 – 4th), on-base (.490 – 4th) and hits (80 – T-5th). Tolley set the App State single-season home run record this season and became the second player in program history to enjoy a three-homer game, including blasting a walk-off against Georgia Southern on May 16.

    The Madison, Miss., native who transferred from Ole Miss prior to this season finished the regular season with 25 multi-hit games and five multi-home run games, registering hits in 43 of 51 outings on the year, highlighted by an 11-game hitting streak. Eighteen of his 25 home runs came in conference play where he posted marks of .875 slugging and 1.358 OPS against Sun Belt foes.

    Tolley also stole six bases and committed just three errors defensively, while starting every game in center field. He was ranked as the No. 14 outfielder in the nation in D1Baseball’s Week 12 positional rankings.

    He is the first player in program history to earn Newcomer of the Year honors.

    St. Laurent showcased his ability to hit to all fields in a career year at the plate. He ranked among league leaders in triples (4 – T-1st), hits (85 – 2nd), runs scored (74 – 3rd), batting average (.371 – T-6th), OPS (1.061 – 10th) and RBIs (57 – 10th), while splitting time between third base (33 games) and shortstop (18 games). He also paced the conference in hits and runs scored during league play.

    Austin St. Laurent slides home for App State in 19-2 win over Marshall on March 30.Photographic image by David Rogers

    The redshirt junior from Elon, N.C., started every game for the Mountaineers, hitting safely in 41 of 51 games including 28 of his final 31 contests. St. Laurent tallied 28 multi-hit efforts, led by a career-high five hits against Coastal Carolina on March 24, helping the Mountaineers take two of three from the No. 13 Chanticleers.

    St. Laurent’s 14 home runs on the season ranked tied for 11th in the conference and more than doubled his home run production (6) from his first two years combined. He compiled an 11-game hitting streak midway through the season and reached base safely in each of his final 17 regular-season games. St. Laurent was ranked as the 28th-best third baseman in the nation in D1Baseball’s Week 12 positional rankings.

    The duo led App State to 31 wins this season, marking the most victories since joining the Sun Belt Conference and most overall since the record-setting 2012 squad won 41 games.

    The sixth-seeded Mountaineers have earned a bye into the double-elimination portion of the 2024 Guardian Credit Union Sun Belt Conference Baseball Championship presented by Troy University, where they will open play on Wednesday against third-seeded Troy at 10 a.m. ET in Montgomery, Ala.

    2024 Sun Belt Postseason Honors

    Player of the Year: Kyle DeBarge, Louisiana (Jr., SS – Kinder, La.)

    Pitcher of the Year: LP Langevin, Louisiana (Jr., RHP – Quebec City, Quebec, Canada)

    Newcomer of the Year: Banks Tolley, App State (Sr., OF – Madison, Miss.)

    Freshman of the Year: Chase Morgan, Louisiana (Fr., LHP – Cypress, Texas)

    Tony Robichaux Leadership Award: Sam Blancato, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., OF – Marietta, Ga.)

    Ron Maestri Coach of the Year: Matt Deggs, Louisiana

    All-Sun Belt First Team

    • P Chase Morgan, Louisiana (Fr., LHP – Cypress, Texas)
    • P Bryce Blevins, Marshall (So., LHP – Louisa, Ky.)
    • P Billy Oldham, Southern Miss (Sr., RHP – Brookfield, Conn.)
    • RP LP Langevin, Louisiana (Jr., RHP – Quebec City, Quebec, Canada)
    • C Brooks Bryan, Troy (So., C – Opelika, Ala.)
    • 1B Trey LaFleur, Louisiana (Sr., 1B – Pensacola, Fla.)
    • 2B Blake Barthol, Coastal Carolina (So., 2B – Allentown, Pa.)
    • SS Kyle DeBarge, Louisiana (Jr., SS – Kinder, La.)
    • 3B Sam Antonacci, Coastal Carolina (Jr., 3B – Springfield, Ill.)
    • OF Banks Tolley, App State (Sr., OF – Madison, Miss.)
    • OF Graham Brown, Coastal Carolina (Super Sr., OF – Middletown, Md.)
    • OF Fenwick Trimble, James Madison (Jr., OF – Virginia Beach, Va.)
    • DH Slade Wilks, Southern Miss (Sr., DH – Columbia, Miss.)
    • UT Austin St. Laurent, App State (RS Jr., UT – Elon, N.C.)

    All-Sun Belt Second Team

    • P Andrew Hermann, Louisiana (Jr., LHP – Kennesaw, Ga.)
    • P Niko Mazza, Southern Miss (Jr., RHP – Madison, Miss.)
    • P Luke Lyon, Troy (Jr., RHP – Hattiesburg, Miss.)
    • RP Grant Wood, South Alabama (RS Jr., RHP – Georgetown, Texas)
    • C Caden Bodine, Coastal Carolina (So., C – Haddon Heights, N.J.)
    • 1B Will Butcher, Troy (Sr., 1B – Arden, N.C.)
    • 2B Ethan Kavanagh, Troy (Sr., 2B – Cincinnati, Ohio)
    • SS Ozzie Pratt, Southern Miss (Jr., SS – Oxford, Miss.)
    • 3B Will Mize, Georgia State (Sr., 3B – Snellville, Ga.)
    • OF Luke Waters, Old Dominion (Jr., OF – Laurel, Del.)
    • OF Dalton McIntyre, Southern Miss (Jr., OF – Jackson, Tenn.)
    • OF Kole Myers, Troy (Sr., OF – Lafayette, La.)
    • DH Kyle Mock, Troy (Sr., DH – Orlando, Fla.)
    • UT Josh Tate, Georgia Southern (So., UT – Peachtree City, Ga.)