TROY ATHLETICS Y E A R
I N
R E V I E W
2 0 2 0 - 2 0 2 1
TROY UNIVERSITY
DEAR TROJANS:
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The 2020-21 year for Trojan Athletics saw operations altered due to the pandemic, resulting in a diminished experience for our fans and, in some cases our student-athletes. This did not keep several of our teams, most notably softball, women’s track & field, women’s basketball and men’s tennis, from having outstanding years. As we look ahead, our University-wide theme of “Have Fun in 21” extends to our Trojan Athletics. We are looking forward to playing our games with no restrictions on fan attendance, no restrictions on cheer/band participations, and most important, a reduced threat to our student-athletes. Kay Ivey
Governor of Alabama President, ex-officio
C. Gibson Vance
President pro tempore Area 4
Forrest Latta Area 1
John D. Harrison Area 2
This report outlines in detail the great work taking place in all aspects of Trojan Sports, from on-field performance to operations to outreach. I appreciate the leadership of Athletic Director Brent Jones and stand in support of his efforts to carry our program to the next level. Of special interest to all fans is news about two key head coaching hires. Forrest Schultz, our new leader for men’s golf, has coached seven conference champions in eight seasons as a head coach. Skyler Meade, our new baseball coach, has made the trip to Omaha and the College World Series as a player. We believe Coach Meade is the right leader to take our baseball program to new Division I heights. Our belief in him influenced our decision to invest $8 million to upgrade Riddle-Pace Field—which promises to put us on the road to Omaha.
Earl Johnson Area 2
Allen E. Owen III Area 3
Cam Ward Area 4
Gerald O. Dial Area 5
In closing, I recommend highly this report for your perusal and study. Great things are happening in Trojan Athletics and we want you to be part of the action through your attendance and your financial support. I appreciate your devotion to TROY and look forward to seeing you in the stands!
Year in Review
Go Trojans! Sincerely,
2020 - 2021
2
Karen Carter Area 6
Roy H. Drinkard Area 7
Edward F. Crowell At Large
C. Charles Nailen At Large
Jack Hawkins, Jr., Ph.D. Chancellor
TROJAN NATION:
The past year has presented us with many challenges, as one might expect, due to the global pandemic. As we navigated these unchartered waters, we kept one item in mind at all times – that we would do whatever it took to provide our student-athletes with the opportunity to compete and proudly represent Troy University on their respective playing field. I am proud of all our teams for the great success they accomplished in the midst of one of the most challenging years any of us have ever witnessed. All of this would not have been possible without the great leadership guiding our beloved University. Under the guidance of Chancellor Jack Hawkins, Jr., the University leadership provided us with every opportunity needed to ensure that our student-athletes were able to return to competition. And when our student-athletes were able to return to competition, you – the great members of Trojan Nation – were there to cheer them on to victory and show that our spirit never wavers. We are also incredibly fortunate to have one of the most renowned doctors in the country, Dr. Jeff Dugas, representing TROY at the highest levels of the NCAA’s medical team. Our entire medical team, including our amazing athletic training staff, worked tirelessly to ensure that our student-athletes were healthy and able to play while adhering to strict COVID-19 testing requirements. Because of all of the collective effort from these individuals and our Athletics Department staff, we celebrated another incredible year. We will raise another banner in Trojan Arena as Chanda Rigby’s women’s basketball team won the Sun Belt Tournament and captured the hearts of the nation in their NCAA Tournament battle against Texas A&M. Under the direction of head coach Beth Mullins, our softball program proudly returned to NCAA Regionals, our first such appearance in 25 years.
Year in Review
The TROY brand received great exposure this past football season due in large part to our determination to find a way to play the season from the outset. Our commitment to playing in a safe environment allowed for TROY to be featured nationally on ESPN in our first two games of the season and four overall national broadcasts on the ESPN Family of Networks. Additionally, the season produced one of the highest watched games on ESPN+ this season. A new year is upon us, and we look forward to rising to the top of the Sun Belt Conference together as One TROY! Sincerely,
2020 - 2021
4
Brent Jones Director of Athletics
CONTENTS Board of Trustees 2 Letter from the Chancellor
3
Letter from the Director of Athletics
5
Head Coaches
8-9
New Head Coaches
10-11
Women’s Basketball
12-13
Soccer
14-15
Football
16-17
Men’s and Women’s Tennis
18-19
Men’s & Women’s Golf
20-21
Baseball
22-23
Volleyball
24-25
Softball
26-27
Track & Field / Cross Country
28-29
Men’s Basketball
30-31
Individual Accolades
32-33
All-Conference
34-35
Troy C.A.R.E.S
36-37
Facility Improvements
38-39
DeMarcus Ware Day
40-41
FoodRaiser
42
T-Roy’s Parade
43
TROY ATHLETICS
TROY ATHLETICS
Marc Davis
Scott Cross
Nic Laracuente
Josh Lauer Volleyball
Women’s Golf
Chanda Rigby
Women’s Basketball
Chip Lindsey
Skylar Meade
Beth Mullins
Forrest Schultz
Rolando Vargas
Nicole Waters
Football
Men’s Golf
Baseball
Men’s Tennis
Softball
Soccer (Interim)
8
9 2020 - 2021
Cheer
Randy Keck
Women’s Tennis
2020 - 2021
Year in Review
Rawia Elsisi
Track & Field
Men’s Basketball
HEAD COACHES
Year in Review
HEAD COACHES
SKYLAR MEADE
BASEBALL COACH One of the most respected and renowned assistant coaches in the country, Skylar Meade begins his first season as Troy’s baseball head coach following four seasons as the pitching coach at South Carolina. A 14-year coaching veteran, Meade has previous stops at Michigan State, Middle Tennessee and Eastern Illinois following a standout playing career at Louisville, where he pitched in the College World Series. Meade has coached 28 players who have been selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft, with 12 of those players taken within the first 10 rounds.
After winning seven conference championships and reaching a combined 14 NCAA Regionals in eight seasons, Forrest Schultz has been named Troy University’s new men’s golf coach. Schultz comes to Troy following eight successful seasons coaching both the men’s and women’s programs at Henderson State, where he served as the Director of Golf. His teams advanced to NCAA Regional competition in each of the seven years it was held during his tenure, and the women’s team advanced to the 2017 NCAA Division II National Championship. Schultz guided Henderson State’s men’s program to five straight Great America Conference titles from 2014 to 2018, while the women’s program won Great America championships in 2014 and 2021. The titles in 2014 marked the first in program history for Henderson State’s women and the first in the NCAA era of the men’s program.“I am beyond excited to be selected as the next head coach to lead the historic men’s golf program at Troy,” Schultz said. “It was clear to me from the beginning that there is a deep passion for golf at Troy University. The resources and facilities put together for the golf programs will allow us to compete at the highest level. I want to personally thank Brent Jones and Chancellor Hawkins for believing in my vision for Troy Men’s Golf. The support for this program is unlike any I have experienced, and I cannot wait to lead these young men to new heights. My wife, Holly, and I cannot wait to raise our family in this amazing community. One Troy!”
Year in Review
His teams have won a combined 25 regular season titles during his tenure, while Henderson State golfers took home 14 individual medalist honors. His players earned All-Great America Conference honors 42 times in seven years (were not awarded in 2020). Schultz earned his bachelor’s degree in recreation from Henderson State in 2010 and followed with his master’s degree in sports administration in 2012. A three-year letterman at Henderson State, Schultz was a three-time Academic All-Gulf South Conference honor roll selection.
2020 - 2021
10
In 2012, Schultz won the Arkansas PGA Assistants Championship and was runner-up at the Arkansas PGA Chapter Championship. He holds Class “A” PGA status and has served as vice president of the Arkansas Chapter PGA Assistants Association.
Meade is coming off a season in which six South Carolina pitchers were selected in the MLB Draft earlier this week, which was tied with Arkansas for the most pitchers selected from any one school. Brett Kerry earned D1 Baseball and NCBWA All-America honors while Will Sanders was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team, was a Freshman All-American selection by two organizations and was recently selected as a member of USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. Additionally, Jack Mahoney earned Freshman All-America honors from Perfect Game. The Gamecocks posted the fourth-best ERA in the SEC in 2021, while South Carolina’s staff totaled 624 strikeouts in just 507 innings pitched. South Carolina hosted an NCAA Regional and picked up an in-season sweep of No. 5 Florida. Meade joined the South Carolina staff before the 2018 season and during his four seasons 14 Gamecock pitchers were selected in the MLB Draft. Seven of those picks came in the top 10 rounds, including Carmen Mlodzinski, who was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the 31st overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. He made an immediate impact in his first season with the Gamecocks as they held opponents to a .243 batting average and posted 542 strikeouts in 553.1 innings of work. In the shortened 2020 season, South Carolina pitchers combined for a 2.81 ERA with 184 strikeouts in just 144 innings pitched. Meade joined the South Carolina staff following three seasons as the pitching coach at Michigan State. Under his watch, a Spartan pitcher led the Big Ten in ERA in each of his last two seasons on staff (Walter Borkovich in 2017; Dakota Mekkes in 2016). Additionally, the Spartans posted their top three strikeout totals in school history his final three seasons with 409 strikeouts in 2015, 466 in 2016 and 420 in 2017.
TROY ATHLETICS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
For the second-consecutive season, and the fourth time in program history, the Troy women’s basketball program was the champion of the Sun Belt Conference. Following its East Division crown, Troy marched through the conference tournament, defeating Louisiana, 73-65, in the Sun Belt Tournament Championship Game. The Trojans posted a 22-6 overall record, tied for the third-best record in program history despite playing fewer games due to COVID-19. Troy went 15-2 in conference play, tied for the second-best conference record in program history, and earned the top seed from the East Division. Troy’s 15 wins were the most by any Sun Belt team this past season. Head coach Chanda Rigby earned her 150th career victory at Troy on Dec. 20, 2020, when her team defeated Martin Methodist 90-71. By the end of the campaign, Rigby had earned 168 career victories, the second-most in program history behind Joyce Sorrell’s 274. Rigby owns the best winning percentage in program history at .648. After winning their third Sun Belt Conference Tournament, the Trojans earned their third berth in the NCAA under Chanda Rigby, fourth time in program history, as the 15 seed. The Trojans drew No. 2 seed Texas A&M in the Mercado Region and played their game at the University of Texas. Head coach Chanda Rigby was named the Sun Belt’s Coach of the Year while Alexus Dye was named the conference’s Player of the Year. Felmas Koranga was also honored by the league’s head coaches as she was named the Newcomer of the Year. Troy’s offense was one of the best in program history and in the country. For the ninth straight season, Troy led the Sun Belt in scoring offense at 86.0 points per game while ranking third nationally. The Trojans’ 86 points per game was the best scoring average in Chanda Rigby’s career and the second-best average in school history. The Trojans led the NCAA in rebounds per game (52.1) and defensive boards per game (32.8) while ranking second nationally in total rebounds (1,458) and offensive boards (19.3) while ranking ninth in rebounding margin (+11.0). On Dec. 7, 2020, the Trojans set a program record for points scored in a game with 131 against LaGrange. Their dominant offensive performance broke the previous high set back in 2017 by one point. Jasmine Robinson became the 25th member of the 1,000-point club on Feb. 20 against Coastal Carolina. She ended the season with 1,088 career points and will be able to add to that total during the 2021-22 season. Troy set a program record for player of the week honors in a season with five. Alexus Dye was named the Sun Belt Player of the Week three times while Tiyah Johnson and Jasmine Robinson each earned the honor once.
TROY ATHLETICS SOCCER
During an unprecedented season that split the sport between the fall and spring, Troy was able to navigate the season that seemed to change weekly due to COVID-19. The Trojans posted a 4-10-1 overall record, included a 2-1 mark in the spring. Troy defeated Texas State in the first round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament with an impressive 1-0 overtime thriller. Freshman Erin Bloomfield scored the game’s only goal, and the first of her career, while fellow freshman Lindsey LaRoche earned the shutout with eight saves. The victory was Troy’s first in the Sun Belt Tournament since 2015. Troy made history on Senior Day with its 1-0 shutout over Coastal Carolina, which had won four of, its last five matches. Troy became the first team to shutout the Chanticleers and earned the programs first-ever win against Coastal. The lone goal in the contest came from freshman Sydney Babineaux in the 16th minute: was Babineaux’s first career goal. The Trojans found a rhythm in during the Spring portion of their season where they were able to pick up road wins over Alabama State and Mercer. Troy’s win over Mercer was a 1-0 overtime shutout, its third shutout victory of the season. Troy was led offensively last season by junior Kate Eubanks and sophomore Melissa Kuya-Strobel, who each tied for the team lead with three goals scored. The pair also earned the most points, seven, as they both added one assist to their totals. In the net, Lindsey LaRoche posted a great freshman campaign with 66 saves in 11 starts. Nicole Waters begins her first season as the interim soccer coach for the 2021 season.
TROY ATHLETICS FOOTBALL
Troy was 1-of-11 schools to play 11 regular season games. Carlton Martial led the country with 113 tackles from his middle linebacker position and was named a semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is presented annually to the nation’s top player who began their career as a walk-on. Thirteen Trojans were named to the All-Sun Belt Team including first team selections Carlton Martial, Austin Stidham and Jack Martin. Austin Stidham ranked fourth nationally among offensive tackles with a 98.6 pass efficiency blocking ratings – allowed just two sacks in 451 pass blocking situations. The Trojans played four nationally televised games including a pair of games on ESPN – at Middle Tennessee & at BYU – which were Troy’s first games on the flagship network during the regular season. Troy won its third straight game over in-state rival South Alabama in the annual “Battle for the Belt” with a 29-0 victory. It was the largest margin of victory in the series by either side and marked the fourth time that the Trojans have knocked off the Jaguars by at least 21 points. Troy’s offensive line ranked second nationally per Pro Football Focus with a 93.0 pass blocking efficiency rating (teams with at least 300 pass attempts). Troy’s defense finished the season 15th nationally with an 88.5 overall grade per Pro Football Focus; the Trojans were one of the most improved teams in the country defensively as Troy jumped 73 spots in the national rankings in scoring defense, 38 spots in total defense and 72 spots in third-down defense. Kimani Vidal became the first Troy true freshman running back since 2009 to top the 100-yard mark in a game after rushing for 106 yards against Texas State. K.J. Robertson only missed two tackles all season from his outside linebacker position which was the fewest in the country by any linebacker with at least 350 snaps played. Khalil McClain signed an NFL free agent deal with the Chicago Bears following the NFL Draft. Troy alum Steve McLendon became the ninth former Trojan to win a Super Bowl when his Tampa Bay Buccaneers claimed the NFL title this past season.
TROY ATHLETICS
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS
Men’s Tennis The Trojans posted a 20-4 overall record, the best record in the Sun Belt by five matches, and earned their first 20-win season since 2015. Troy won 16 of its first 17 matches of the 2021 season and earned a season-best 10-match winning streak from Feb. 14 through March 20, the longest winning streak for Troy since the 2019 season. The Trojans earned a dramatic victory in the first round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament with their 4-3 come-from-behind victory over UT Arlington. Troy, who was the No. 2 seed, won four of the six singles matches to earn the match win. The Trojans’ great season was a continuation from the previous two under the direction of third-year head coach Rolando Vargas. Under Vargas’ direction, Troy has improved each year leading to the teams 48-16 record since he took over the program. Freshman Carles Anton found himself ranked 20th in the ITA Southern Region Rankings after going 16-3 on the year. Women’s Tennis Despite dealing with an ever-changing schedule due to COVID-19, the Trojans posted an 8-11 overall record highlighted by its strong play at home where they went 5-3 on the year. Troy’s lone senior, Matea Mihaljevic, ended her great career in style earning Second Team All-Sun Belt Singles honors. It was Mihaljevic’s second career All-Sun Belt singles honor after also winning the award back in 2019. She earned her second team honor after going 7-9 between the fall and spring seasons and 5-8 in dual matches. She played all 13 of the matches on the top court. Troy earned a first round victory in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament with its 4-0 shutout of Arkansas State. The win advanced the Trojans to the quarterfinals. Anastasiia Khrustaleva led the Trojans in singles wins with 10, eight of which came in dual match play. On court six, Khrustaleva went 6-3 to tie for the most wins on the court in the Sun Belt. The top doubles team for the Trojans in 2021 was the duo of Shevita Aulana and Matea Mihaljevic. The pair teamed up to post a 10-6 overall record and an 8-5 dual match record with all eight wins coming on court three. They ended the year on a six-match winning streak.
TROY ATHLETICS
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S GOLF
Men’s Golf Finished third in a field of 13 teams at The National Intercollegiate at The National Course at Reynolds Lake Oconee behind an individual victory by Brent Hamm. Troy golfers accounted for 21 rounds under par on the year with seven rounds in the 60s paced by nine under-par rounds by Brent Hamm and eight rounds under par from Will McFadden. Brent Hamm shot a school record 8-under 64 in the third round of the Bash at the Boro hosted by Georgia Southern. The Trojans shot a 1-under 287 in the opening round of the Graeme McDowell Intercollegiate. Will McFadden led the Trojans with six top-25 finishes on the year which represented 60 percent of Troy’s tournaments on the year. Forrest Schultz was named Troy’s new head coach in June 2021. Women’s Golf Nicole Lorup was named to the All-Sun Belt Second Team after she led Troy with a 73.39 stroke average, five rounds under par and a 2.14 score vs. par. The Trojans turned in a trio of top three finishes on the year including a second-place performance in the 12-team field at the First Coast Classic during the spring season. Nicole Lorup led Troy with five top 10 finishes over the course of Troy’s 10 tournaments while Anna Claire Little and ShaeLee Scarberry each had two. Scarberry and Lorup tied for the team lead with seven top 25 finishes. Trojan golfers combined for 12 rounds under par with Nicole Lorup leading the way with five and ShaeLee Scarberry close behind with four. Scarberry led the Trojans with a pair of rounds in the 60s. Troy shot a 2-under 286 as a team in the second round of the First Coast Classic. The Trojans finished the season with a 61-51 overall record.
TROY ATHLETICS BASEBALL
Troy tied for third place overall in the Sun Belt Conference and placed third in the Sun Belt East Division. Right-handed pitcher Garrett Gainous was named the league’s Freshman of the Year after he led all freshmen pitchers nationally in wins. Logan Cerny and Drew Frederic were both selected to the All-Sun Belt Conference Team. Cerny led the league in slugging percentage and triples while ranking in the top 10 in on-base percentage, home runs, hits, runs scored, RBIs, doubles, total bases and home runs. Frederic finished his career as Troy’s all-time leader in hits, runs scored, doubles and games played and ranked in the top 10 in the Sun Belt in hits, runs scored, home runs and stolen bases. Logan Cerny was selected by the Philadelphia in the 10th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. The Trojans led the Sun Belt and ranked 38th nationally averaging 2.0 doubles per game and ranked second in the league batting at a .274 clip. Logan Cerny ranked 26th nationally with a .694 slugging percentage on the year, while Garrett Gainous checked in 22nd nationally with nine wins. Troy won 11 of its final 16 games overall to end the regular season and finished the year by winning nine of its last 12 Sun Belt games, including sweeps of Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina. Troy knocked off No. 20 Florida State, 3-0, in the middle game of a three-game set in Tallahassee. The Trojans’ two losses in the series came by a combined three runs. Drew Frederic was named one of 30 candidates for the Senior CLASS Award – An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student- athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. Logan Cerny was named the Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week after hitting three home runs and two doubles with seven RBIs and 16 total bases in the final two games of the season-opening series. One of the most respected and renowned assistant coaches in the country, Skylar Meade begins his first season as Troy’s baseball head coach following four seasons as the pitching coach at South Carolina.
TROY ATHLETICS VOLLEYBALL
For the second consecutive season, Amara Anderson and Cheyenne Hayes earned All-Sun Belt honors. To go along with her second team All-Sun Belt selection, Cheyenne Hayes was also tabbed to the All-Sun Belt Tournament team. Amara Anderson became the sixth Trojan in school history to reach 3,000 career assists when Troy defeated Appalachian State, 3-1. Lacey Jeffcoat posted 24 digs against Coastal Carolina as she became the 11th Trojan in school history to record 1,000 career digs. The Trojans advanced to their second consecutive Sun Belt Tournament semifinals marking the first time Troy has made back-to-back semi-final appearances since 2012-13. After losing just one home match during the 2019 season, the squad was a perfect 8-0 inside Trojan Arena. The Trojans finished the regular season second in the league, tied for the highest Sun Belt finish since Troy joined the league in 2005. Troy finished the year with 10 league wins, tied for the most conference wins in program history. The Trojans have garnered 20 conference wins over the last two seasons, the most in a two-year span in program history.
25 2020 - 2021
The Trojans were also named to the Team Academic Honor Roll for the third-straight season, which signifies the top 20 percent of team GPAs from each division and is the highest scholarly achievement in volleyball.
Year in Review
For the eighth time in program history, Troy volleyball has been named as a United States Marine Corps (USMC) and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award honoree.
TROY ATHLETICS SOFTBALL
The 2021 Trojans became the first team in program history to earn an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Regional berth was Troy’s second Regional in program history. Troy notched 37 wins during the 2021 campaign, matching its best win total since 2009. Troy finished the regular season 36-15 overall and tied for second in the Sun Belt Conference, which received four overall selections into the NCAA Tournament. Kelly Horne was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team. Horne was Troy’s first CoSIDA Academic All-District selection since Becca Hartley in 2017. Kelly Horne, Leanna Johnson and Jade Sinness were tabbed as NFCA All-South Region selections. Leanna Johnson, Jade Sinness, Katie Lively, Katie Webb and Kelly Horne were all dubbed members of the All-Sun Belt squad. Troy led the league with four first team selections. Kelly Horne was also tabbed an All-Sun Belt Tournament team member. For the first time since 2005, the Trojans swept five conference series. The Trojans swept the opening three conference series downing UT Arlington, Georgia State and Georgia Southern. With the sweep over Georgia Southern, Troy shutout an opponent in each game of a three-game conference series for the first time in program history. Troy defeated three power five opponents (Ole Miss, North Carolina and Georgia Tech), the most since 2012.
In her storied sophomore season, Kelly Horne set Troy’s single-season slugging percentage record (.495). The Trojans set new program records with just three road losses and an .800 road win percentage.
27 2020 - 2021
Leanna Johnson topped the 500 career strikeout mark against UT Arlington becoming just the second Trojan to do so.
Year in Review
Head coach Beth Mullins earned her 200th career win in game three against ULM.
TROY ATHLETICS
TRACK & FIELD / CROSS COUNTRY
Gemma Finch punched her ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 800m after breaking her own record at the NCAA East Preliminaries with a time of 2:02.81. The squad placed 16 Trojans on the outdoor track and field All-Sun Belt Team with seven punching their ticket to NCAA Preliminaries. At the Sun Belt Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the Trojans turned in 12 podium performances, including five gold medal finishes. The Trojans placed nine athletes on the Indoor Track and Field All-Sun Belt Team, highlighted by six first team selections. Troy set a new program record at the 2021 Sun Belt Indoor Championships with a 90-point output at the meet. The Trojans finished in third place at the championships as a team. Freshman Gracie Booher shined during both cross country and track season. Booher broke the school record in the 10,000m with a time of 35:43.63. Michael Alvernaz continued to show his dominance as a thrower, setting the school record in the hammer throw with a toss of 66.13. Troy’s women’s cross country team earned three All-Sun Belt honors in Macki Walsh, Cadi Rowe and Gracie Booher. Gracie Booher was also dubbed the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year, becoming the first Trojan to earn a postseason honor in Troy’s DI history.
29 2020 - 2021
The women’s squad also took home first place in two meets (Azalea City Classic and UAB Blazer Invite) to mark the first time in Troy’s Sun Belt history that the team has won a pair of meets in the same season.
Year in Review
The women’s cross country squad placed fourth in the Sun Belt Championships, the highest conference meet finish since 1998 Atlantic Sun Championships.
TROY ATHLETICS MEN’S BASKETBALL
Troy downed UT Arlington in the opening round of the Sun Belt Conference tournament, marking its first tournament win since the 2017-18 season. The squad saw an improvement in both home wins and overall wins adding a pair of notches to the win column from the 2019-20 season. Troy put on a show in front of Trojan nation, stringing together four consecutive wins inside of Trojan Arena (January 29- February 5). Troy downed Appalachian State (twice), Spring Hill and Georgia Southern. The squad earned recognition off the court as forward Nick Stampley received the Lamar P. Higgins Award. Stampley received the award for his display of excellent leadership on campus. Nick Stampley also excelled on the court leading the young squad averaging 12.6 points per game. Zay Williams entered Troy’s DI career rebounding list at No. 10 with 386 rebounds over his three seasons with the Trojans. Zay Williams also entered at No. 10 in Troy’s DI career blocks list with 64. Khalyl Waters joined a shortlist of just 15 Trojans all-time to make at least 13 free throws in a single game in Troy’s matchup with Samford. Scott Cross will be primed to notch 250 career wins this upcoming season. The Trojans saw a glimpse into a promising future in the final stretch of the season. Freshman point guard Duke Miles scored in double figures in eight of Troy’s final 10 games.
31 2020 - 2021
The Trojans knocked off a trio of in-state foes in North Alabama, Spring Hill College, and Samford.
Year in Review
Desmond Williams proved to be Troy’s sharp shooter from behind the arc leading the team in 3 pointers.
TROY ATHLETICS
TROY ATHLETICS
Year in Review
INDIVIDUAL ACCOLADES
2020 - 2021
32
INDIVIDUAL ACCOLADES
Carles Anton Men’s Tennis Freshman of the Year
Gracie Booher Cross Country Women’s Freshman of the Year
Logan Cerny 10th Round MLB Draft by Phillies
Garrett Ganious Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-America Team
Kelly Horne No. 9 Nationally in Doubles
Felmas Koranga Sun Belt WBB Newcomer of the Year 7th Nationally in Offensive Rebounds
Will Choloh 5th in the country in blocked kicks
Alexus Dye Sun Belt WBB Player of the Year All-America Honorable Mention Selection 1st Nationally in Double-Doubles
Gemma Finch NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships Qualifier
Carlton Martial Burlsworth Trophy Semifinalist Preseason Walter Camp All-America First Team / Led Country in Tackles
Chanda Rigby SBC WBB Coach of the Year 150th Career win at Troy
Edita Sklenska Three Sun Belt Gold Medals
TROY ATHLETICS
TROY ATHLETICS
ALL-SUN BELT CONFERENCE SELECTIONS
ALL-SUN BELT CONFERENCE SELECTIONS
Alex Robinson
Alexus Dye
Michael Alvernaz
Amara Anderson
Carles Anton
Pelayo Antuna
Quinest Bishop
Lauren Locke
Logan Cerny
Nicole Lorup
Maja Kuessner
Carlton Martial
Jack Martin
Matt Likely
Grace Booher
Dylan Bradshaw
Bruno Boysen
Will Choloh
Coleman Stewart
Donisha Jeanty
Drew Fredric
Maya Kelly
Jordan McCleskey
Dell Pettus
KJ Robertson
Cadi Rowe
Smara Nelson
Jade Sinness
Terence Dunlap
Edita Sklenska
Felmas Koranga
Kaylon Geiger
Gemma Finch
Cheyenne Hayes
Kelly Horne
Javon Solomon
Austin Stidham
Tanner Guest
Titus Sizemore
Tiyah Johnson
Reggie Todd
Vennessa Frank
Jaleel Gilbert
Jasmine Robinson
Richard Jibunor
Leanna Johnson
Kasia Cooper
Maya Kelly
Katie Lively
Track & Field
Cross Country
Football
Track & Field
Basketball
Football
Track & Field
Basketball
Track & Field
Track & Field
Basketball
Football
Volleyball
Football
Football
Softball
Tennis
Track & Field
Track & Field
Track & Field
Tennis
Track & Field
Volleyball
Cross Country
Track & Field
Baseball
Softball
Softball
Cross Country
Baseball
Track & Field
Football
Cross Country
Kimani Vidal Football
Football
Golf
Track & Field
Football
Track & Field
Macki Walsh Cross Country
Football
Football
Track & Field
Katie Webb Softball
Cross Country
Basketball
Amer Bedwan Men’s Tennis
Football
Track & Field
Football
Christopher Tasker Men’s Tennis
Track & Field
Softball
Track & Field
Nicolas Simkin Men’s Tennis
TROY C.A.R.E.S.
Troy student-athletes continued to serve the local community through various community service efforts. Led by the Troy Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Trojans from all sports interacted with members of the community from young to old.
TROY ATHLETICS
Year in Review
FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS
2020 - 2021
38
2021
DeMarcus Ware Day
Troy University, Troy Athletics and Troy legend DeMarcus Ware have teamed up for a dynamic partnership that will provide Troy University students, fans, employees and alumni with free access to Ware’s D2W fitness app and put officially licensed Troy jerseys with Ware’s name and iconic No. 94 in the Troy Bookstore and online store. The official announcement came at a press conference in April at Troy’s state-of-the-art Trojan Fitness and Wellness Center on the sixth anniversary of DeMarcus Ware Day in the state of Alabama. “DeMarcus Ware left TROY as a student-athlete and returns home as a hall-of-famer and an entrepreneur,” said Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., Chancellor. “We are proud of DeMarcus’ on-field success, but we are even more proud that he is putting his TROY degree in computer science to good use by developing this new app. And, we are proud to enter into this partnership that will help so many reach their fitness goals.”
Year in Review
All Troy University students, faculty, staff, alumni and season ticket holders will receive a special discounted rate for Ware’s D2W (Driven to Win) app and a portion of the proceeds from the app will go back to Troy Athletics. The app is much more than just a bunch of workout videos like other apps, D2W combines technology, fitness science and pro-level progression techniques and leverage machine learning, 3D models and augmented reality to give you an experience video can’t touch.
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“I built a room with more than 300 cameras to film myself doing more than 700 exercises for the app,” Ware said. “D2W can create different warmups, activations, and a recovery program that is specifically for the user. The app uses artificial intelligence, so the more you use it, the smarter it gets, and the more advanced it grows with you as go along the process. It’s like having a real male or female trainer in your hand.”
The partnership between Troy and D2W has a wide scope that will place Ware’s brand into Troy’s athletic venues while bringing Ware-specific Troy merchandise into the marketplace for Troy fans. Additionally, Troy will receive a percentage of revenue from D2W over the length of the partnership. In addition to announcing the partnership with his alma mater, Ware visited with the Troy football team Monday morning and is scheduled to speak with Troy’s student-athletes, coaches and student body Monday afternoon. Ware was instrumental in Troy’s transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2001 and finished his Trojan career as the program’s all-time leader in tackles for loss with 55.5 in addition to totaling 27 sacks for a loss of 198 yards to rank among the all-time greats in Troy history. A member of the Sun Belt Conference All-Decade Team, Ware was a finalist for the 2004 Hendricks Award which is presented annually to the nation’s top defensive end. Ware was selected by the Dallas Cowboys with the 11th overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft and was the first-ever first round pick from Troy or the Sun Belt. He would go on to become one of the most successful players in NFL history. “I am extremely excited for this unique, dynamic and cutting -edge partnership between DeMarcus Ware, D2W and Troy University,” Troy Director of Athletics Brent Jones said. “DeMarcus has been a great ambassador for Troy University and is known as a successful businessman and a pioneer in the digital fitness space. We are excited to work directly with him and his team to allow our faculty, staff, students, alumni and season ticket holders to utilize his fitness platform focused on improving one’s overall health and wellbeing.” A Super Bowl 50 Champion with the Denver Broncos, Ware played in nine Pro Bowls, was named All-Pro seven times, tied the NFL record by leading the league in sacks twice and was a two-time Butkus Award winner. He finished his 12-year NFL career with 654 tackles, 138.5 sacks and 35 forced fumbles. A member of the Troy University Sports Hall of Fame, Ware will be inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in May and will appear on the NFL Hall of Fame ballot for the first time in 2022.
FOODRaiser
Teaming up with Hook’s BBQ, Troy Athletics offered fans a family meal pack that featured pulled pork, sides and desert. In addition to meals that were purchased for fans to enjoy with their families, nearly 100 family packs were purchased by fans to be donated across the Troy community. Those meals were distributed to front-line workers at Troy Regional Medical Center plus the Christian Love Center organized for meals to go to various families as part of their Day of Giving including those with disabilities, the elderly and families in need.
T-Roy’s Parade
Following the rousing success of last year’s inaugural T-Roy Parades throughout the Wiregrass, Troy’s beloved mascot returned to the streets of Troy, Montgomery, Pike Road, Dothan, Enterprise, Ozark, Luverne and Brundidge in the back of a vechile provided by Premier Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Troy this summer. “We started the T-Roy parades last summer as a way to engage with our fans in the middle of the COVID shutdown and the response from our fans was amazing,” Athletics Director Brent Jones said. “Due to the overwhelming turnouts last year, we not only decided to continue the parades this summer, but we also added more towns to the docket for this summer.” The first T-Roy Parade took place in Montgomery and Pike Road, ahead of the Sun Belt Conference Baseball Tournament at Riverwalk Stadium. T-Roy then headed to Dothan, Ozark, Troy and Enterprise on Saturday, July 10, before visiting Luverne and Brundidge on Sunday, July 17.
ONE TROY TROY ATHLETICS
Year in Review
5000 VETERANS STADIUM DRIVE TROY, AL 36082
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