Former Tullahoma standout Anastasia Wellington became the first women’s soccer player in Motlow State Community College history when she signed a National Letter of Intent with the school on Nov. 1. Joining Anastasia at the ceremony were, seated from left, her great-grandmother Louise Wellington, Anastasia, and her grandmother Regina Gray. Standing from left, Pat Lazarus, head coach of the Camp Forest Soccer Club, Jessica Souviney, mother, and Andy Lyon, Motlow head coach.

Former Tullahoma High School soccer star Anastasia Wellington made history when she became the first student-athlete to sign a National Letter of Intent with the new Motlow State Community College women’s soccer program.

The signing period for all National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) sports except football opened on Nov. 1, and Wellington and Lady Bucks Head Coach Andy Lyon wasted no time in making the Tullahoma native the first face of Motlow soccer.

“We are extremely proud to have Anastasia become the first student-athlete to sign a soccer National Letter of Intent with Motlow State,” said Lyon. “She will represent the program well on the field, in the classroom and in the community.”

Wellington had an outstanding career in her four years at Tullahoma, earning first team all-District 8-AAA honors after both her junior and senior seasons. She was named second team all-district after her sophomore season, and in her first campaign was named freshman of the year.

Outside of her high school career, Anastasia as a two-time state champion on the club level, playing for head coach Pat Lazarus and the Camp Forest Soccer Club.

“Anastasia is a potent attacking threat,” added Lyon. “She is indicative of the level of talent we are striving to bring to the Motlow soccer program as it begins. She was an outstanding player at Tullahoma and we are confident she will continue to excel here at Motlow. This is just the beginning for this new program, and Anastasia represents the type of high quality person and talent that will fill the Lady Bucks roster.”

The Lady Bucks will continue to recruit and sign players throughout the year, leading up to the official beginning of practice on Aug. 1, 2017. Motlow is expected to fill approximately 20 roster spots when the junior college soccer season opens during the final week of August.

Visit the official website of Motlow Athletics at MotlowSports.com for rosters, schedules, stats and more. Interact with Motlow athletics on social media at MotlowSports.

A Veterans Day recognition celebration and a tailgate party with free food and fun will lead into the basketball home opener for the Motlow State Bucks and Lady Bucks this Friday in front of Nisbett Center on Motlow’s Moore County campus. Activities are scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. and the public, alumni, students, faculty and staff are all invited.
The Moore County High School band will open the festivities with America the Beautiful, followed by the Tullahoma High School Junior ROTC Color Guard’s presentation of colors. The MCHS band will then perform our national anthem as the Tullahoma Fire Department raises the American flag.
Speakers will include Dr. Tony Kinkel, Motlow president and JuliAnna Dykes, Motlow Student Government Association president. The guest speaker will be Master Sgt. Terry Pyle, USAF. The Moore County band will add patriotic music as the activities transition from the Veterans Day ceremony to the tailgate party fun.
Visitors can enjoy free food and drinks from Wendy’s, Krystal and Papa John’s as long as supplies last. Motlow’s new cheer squad will perform to open the tailgate party at approximately 3 p.m., which includes a Veterans Day cake, obstacle course, volleyball and corn hole games, face painting, children’s games and more.
The fun continues into the evening with the Bucks and Lady Bucks hosting Tennessee Community College Athletic Association rival Columbia State in the basketball home opener. The men’s game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., with the women to follow. There is no admission charge for Motlow athletic events.
For further information regarding Friday’s events, contact Kirsten Moss, Motlow’s dean of students, at kmoss@mscc.edu or 931-393-1691.

The Motlow Bucks remained undefeated heading into conference play when they swept a pair of contests over the weekend at the Quality Inn Classic at Northwest Florida State College in Niceville, Fla.

Friday evening the Bucks shot 55 percent from the field and outscored their opponent by 14 points in the second half on their way to an 85-63 win over Lincoln Trail College. Saturday afternoon, Motlow exploded out of the gate to a 48-19 halftime advantage and beat Coahoma Community College 74-42.

The Bucks (3-0, 0-0) have won their three games by an average score of 82-50. However, the going gets much tougher this week as Motlow prepares to host Tennessee Community College Athletic Association (TCCAA) rival Columbia State Friday, Nov. 11, with tipoff scheduled for 5:30 p.m. The Bucks will turn around Saturday and welcome conference foe Jackson State to Copperweld Arena for a 2 p.m. tip.

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Motlow featured four double-figure scorers in Friday’s win over Lincoln Trail. Isaiah Hart led the way with 23 points and added five steals, four rebounds and two assists. Rashawn Fredrick had the first double-double of the season for Motlow with 21 points and 10 rebounds, plus a pair of steals.

Javel Gillespie came off the bench to score 13 points and add three rebounds, while starter Javion Hamlet scored 12 points with a team-high seven assists along with three rebounds and two steals. Aleksandar Zecevic scored eight points and had 10 rebounds; Dillon Smith added four points, two boards, two assists and two steals; and Kevonte Corley had seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and three blocked shots along with two points. Jalen Bell added two points as well for Motlow.

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Saturday’s win over Coahoma saw the Bucks start strong with their 29-point lead at the intermission. Motlow connected on 11-26 three point shots, with nine different players hitting at least one. The Bucks had 22 assists on their 30 made field goals and pulled down 50 rebounds.

Hamlet led the scoring with 16 points, hitting 7-11 shots from the field, and added five rebounds, five assists and two steals. Zecevic scored 15 points with seven boards, two assists and three steals. Corley led all rebounders with 11 and added three blocked shots and two steals along with three points.

Hart hit a pair of threes and finished with 10 points and a team-high six assists along with five rebounds and four steals. Gillespie scored six and had five rebounds and Chad Emmons had six points and three boards, while Smith, Fredrick and Ross Plunkett each added five points, with Plunkett dishing out four assists and Fredrick pulling down seven rebounds. Bell hit a three pointer.

Through the first three games, four Bucks are averaging double figures in scoring with Hart at 14.3, Hamlet and Fredrick at 12.3, and Zecevic at 10.3. Fredrick and Zecevic average 8.7 rebounds each while Corley averages eight. Hamlet has dished our five assists per game and Hart averages 3.7 assists and leads the team with 4.7 steals per contest.

The Bucks and Chargers from Columbia State have been bitter rivals since they began playing basketball against each other in 1969. In recent years the intensity has increased, with the two meeting in the semifinals of the conference tournament four consecutive years. Each school has won two of those meetings, with the Bucks eliminating the Chargers last season 96-85.

Friday’s home opener against Columbia State will be preceded by a Veterans Day celebration and a tailgate party in front of Nisbett Center on Motlow’s Moore County campus. Festivities are scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. Admission is free to Motlow athletic events and the public, alumni, students, faculty and staff are invited.

Visit the official website of Motlow Athletics at MotlowSports.com for rosters, schedules, stats and more. Interact with Motlow Athletics on social media at MotlowSports.

Trailing after three quarters, the Motlow State Lady Bucks outscored the nation’s 12th-ranked team 21-11 in the final stanza and upset Northwest Florida State College 59-52 Friday night on the opponent’s home court in Niceville, Fla.

The Lady Bucks (2-1, 0-0), participating in the Quality Inn Classic, played again on Saturday and dropped an 87-71 decision to Pensacola State College. Motlow will host Tennessee Community College Athletic Association (TCCAA) rival Columbia State on Friday, Nov. 11, with tipoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The next day, conference opponent Jackson State visits Copperweld Arena for a 4 p.m. tip.

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Northwest Florida, where Lady Bucks Head Coach Bart Walker coached from 2008-2010, took the early lead 17-12 after one quarter and led 30-22 at halftime. Motlow crept closer though and only trailed 41-38 after three quarters. Motlow extended its lead to 11 points, 52-41, with six minutes remaining, but the home team fought back and closed the gap to four with under one minute to play.

In a game highlighted by stellar defense, the Lady Bucks shot 42 percent from the field but held the home team to 35 percent shooting. Motlow connected on 13-22 free throws and hit 4-10 from beyond the three-point line.

Sara Vujacic paced the Lady Bucks with 15 points, seven rebounds and a pair of steals, including hitting 5-6 free throws. After the first week of the regular season, Vujacic is Motlow’s leading scorer with an average of 17.7 points per game.

Sydney Floyd added 13 points, six rebounds and four steals, and is averaging 14 points and a team-high three steals through the first three games. Aja Robertson also scored in double figures with 10 points, three rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Kienya Jones scored eight points with four rebounds, and Tybriann Jones had six points, three blocked shots, and led the Lady Bucks with nine rebounds. Tamiah Stanford scored five points with four assists and three steals.

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Foul trouble and turnovers were the story for Motlow in Saturday’s loss. Trailing 45-29 at intermission, the Lady Bucks fought hard to get back in it and played Pensacola even during the second half. However, the deficit was just too much to overcome as Motlow had two players foul out and three more end the game with four fouls. The Lady Bucks committed 36 turnovers and had only two steals.

Floyd led the scoring Saturday with 20 points on 7-12 shooting, including 5-8 three pointers, and added seven rebounds. Vujacic was right behind her with 19 points, four rebounds and five assists.

Ty Jones was once again Motlow’s top force on the boards, pulling down 14 rebounds and blocking three shots to go along with seven points. Robertson again scored 10 and had a pair of rebounds and two assists. Stanford had nine points with three assists, and Kienya Jones added four points and three rebounds.

Friday’s home opener against Columbia State will be preceded by a Veterans Day celebration and a tailgate party in front of Nisbett Center on Motlow’s Moore County campus. Festivities are scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. Admission is free to Motlow athletic events and the public, alumni, students, faculty and staff are invited.

Visit the official website of Motlow Athletics at MotlowSports.com for rosters, schedules, stats and more. Interact with Motlow Athletics on social media at MotlowSports.