Tennessee State basketball's Marcus Fitzgerald Jr. on preseason All-OVC team
Former Pearl-Cohn basketball standout Marcus Fitzgerald Jr., now a senior at Tennessee State, was named to the 2023-24 preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference basketball team Tuesday at the league's media day in Evansville, Indiana.
Fitzgerald, a 6-foot-2 guard, is TSU's leading returning scorer (13.6 ppg). He also averaged 3.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists while helping the Tigers post an 18-14 record and finish tied for third in the conference in 2022-23.
Fitzgerald, who played his first three seasons in high school at Brentwood Academy, has started in 70 games at TSU. He heads into his final season with 968 career points.
Fitzgerald is the grandson of legendary local high school football and basketball coach Maurice Fitzgerald.
He was joined on the preseason all-conference team by TSU senior guard Kinyon Hodges, a transfer from Eastern Illinois who led the Panthers in scoring (14.4 points) in 2022-23. Hodges made the All-OVC Newcomer team after transferring form Three Rivers College.
Tennessee Tech junior guard Jayvis Harvey, who played at James Madison and Georgia Highlands College, also made the team. He averaged 12.0 points and 3.6 rebounds in his first season with the Golden Eagles in 2022-23.
Morehead State's Mark Freeman was the preseason player of the year.
TSU was picked third in the preseason poll after receiving two first-place votes. Tech was sixth. Morehead State was picked first for the second consecutive season.
The Tennessee Tech women, who made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2023, were picked first and had two players make the Preseason All-OVC teams − Maaliya Owens and Anna Walker. Owens was also the preseason player of the year.
TSU was picked eighth in the women's poll.
Belmont picked 5th in Missouri Valley Conference
Belmont, headed into its second season in the Missouri Valley Conference, was picked fifth Tuesday at the league's media day in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Bruins finished third in the MVC in 2022-23 with a 21-11 record.
Belmont 6-7 sophomore guard/forward Cade Tyson made the All-MVC preseason team. Tyson was the MVC freshman of the year in 2022-23 after averaging 13.6 points and 4.6 recounds.
For the third consecutive season Drake was picked to win the MVC and Bulldogs junior Tucker DeVries was the preseason player of the year.
The women's media day is Oct. 24 in Moline, Illinois.
Lipscomb picked third, Austin Peay 11th in A-Sun media poll
The Lipscomb men’s basketball team was picked third and Austin Peay was 11th in the media poll at the Atlantic Sun Conference media day at Austin Peay’s F&M Bank Arena. Lipscomb was fifth in the coaches poll and Austin Peay was eighth. Eastern Kentucky was first in both polls.
Lipscomb finished fourth in the A-Sun and advanced to the semifinals of the conference tournament last season. Austin Peay was 12th in the Governors’ first year in the conference.
The Bisons 6-8 junior forward Jacob Ognacevic made the preseason all-conference team. He made the all-conference team in 2022-23 and was the Bisons' leading scorer (17.7 ppg).
Austin Peay graduate student DeMarcus Sharp, who played previously at Northwestern State, also made the preseason team.
The Lipscomb women were picked second in the coaches and media polls while Austin Peay was picked fourth in the coaches poll and third in the media poll. Florida Gulf Coast was first in both polls.
Former Riverdale standout Jalyn Holcomb, now a graduate student at Lipscomb, former Coffee County star Bella Vinson and the Bisons 6-2 junior Aleah Sorrentino made the preseason all-conference team.
Austin Peay graduate student Shamarre Hale also made the preseason all-conference team.
Hillsboro's Hessey gym to include Jackie Turner's name
The Hillsboro gymnasium will be renamed to include Jackie Turner's name on Nov. 16.
The gym was built in 1954 and named in honor of longtime Hillsboro coach and teacher Ed Hessey. It underwent a $5 million-plus renovation in 1995. The new name will be the Ed Hessey/Jackie Turner Gymnasium.
Ed Hessey's son Jabbo Hessey provided written approval on behalf of the Hessey family for the new name.
Turner was a basketball star at Hillsboro (1944-48). She then served as the school's girls basketball coach from 1956-80.
Turner led Hillsboro to six state tournament appearances, six Nashville Interscholastic League championships, 10 district championships and five regional championships. She won 450 games in her career.
Turner also coached tennis, track and volleyball during her tenure.
A scholarship has also been established in Turner's name. It will be awarded annually to a Hillsboro female athlete who excels in academics, athletics and leadership skills.
Joe Theismann speaking at FCA banquet
Super Bowl champion quarterback Joe Theismann will be the featured speaker at the Greater Nashville Fellowship of Christian Athletes 2023 Fundraising banquet on Nov. 14 at Marriott Cool Springs.
Theismann had a prolific career at Notre Dame, which includes the "Theismann for Heisman" campaign when he finished second in the balloting to Stanford's Jim Plunkett.
Theismann then led Washington to its first Super Bowl title in 1983 and was the NFL MVP.
His NFL career ended when he suffered a leg injury after being tackled by New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor. Theismann served as an NFL broadcaster for 20 years after his playing career ended.
For tickets, table sponsorship or more information call 615-889-8808, email fca@fcanashville.org or visit fcanashville.org.
If you have an item for Midstate Chatter contact Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TSU basketball: Marcus Fitzgerald Jr. on preseason All-OVC team
