Drew comes to Chattanooga State at mid-term after having spent a fall at Brewton Parker College. He is a switch-hitting middle infielder who possesses good speed and good hands in the infield. He plans on majoring in Education and hopes to coach someday.
High School: Drew played for Coach Todd Eubanks at Heard County HS in LaGrange Georgia. His teams played in the state tournament all 3 years and finished in the final four his junior year. He was named All-State his senior season.
Personal: He is the son of Derek and Carol Watson. Drew was born on 11/30/84 and lists hunting and fishing as hobbies. His favorite book is Huck Finn and his favorite athlete is Alex Rodriguez. He lists his Grandma and Father as most influential people.
Greg arrived at Chattanooga State this year from Hixson HS. He was part of Coach Plumlee’s district champion Hixson team. He is a solid utility type player who can play 2B or centerfield well. He runs very well and has shown glimpses of great arm strength. Coach Dennis had this to say about Greg: Greg has shown great improvement from this fall and should be a key player for us this spring. He is a “table setter” type of player and we hope he has success this spring.”
Personal: Greg was born on 2/26/83 and is the son of Howard and Sharon Hobart. His favorite movie is “The Natural” and he list prime rib as his favorite food. Derek Jeter is a favorite player of his and he lists his brother as the most influential person in his life.
Mahal is certainly one of the most personable players on this year’s team. He is a person who is going to be counted on for both strong offense and defense. A very good catcher, he possesses a strong arm and athletic make-up. At the plate is where Mahal really shines. He has both power and control at the plate and will hit a homerun and then follow it up with a drag bunt. He has also been named on the Dean’s List here at Chattanooga State.
2003 Season: Mahal shined for the Tigers last year hitting .312 with 7 HR’s and 33 RBI’s. He was the stalwart catcher for the better part of the season and assumed a much needed leadership role for the team
High School: He played for Coach Toby Black at McIntosh HS. He was voted MVP of his team. He was part of the Stan Musial National Championship team, Atlanta Yankees in summer ball.
Personal: Born on 12/11/83 and son of Arthur and Violet deCastro. He is originally from the British Virgin Islands. He lists Chicken and Rice as his favorite food and cooking and dancing as favorite hobbies. Mahal’s favorite athlete is Pudge Rodriguez and lists his parents and God as having the most influence on him personally.
Another mid-term transfer, Ashley comes in to
Chattanooga State with a strong left arm and good athleticism. He prepped at
Valdosta HS where he played for Coach Bart Shuman. As a Wildcat, Ashley played
both centerfield and pitched. He was voted his team’s Best Hitter and Best
Pitcher his senior season.
Personal: Born 9/1/84, he is the son of Andy and Bobbie Bonner. He lists hunting and fishing as hobbies and says that Pasta is his favorite dish. Saltwater Sportsman is his favorite book and "Gone with the Wind" is his favorite movie.
Chad red-shirted last year and is going to be counted on to be a strong contributor to this year’s addition of the Tigers. A good left-handed hitting outfielder, Chad has great presence at the plate. He is able to hit well to all fields and runs better than average. He is a leader both on and off of the field.
High School: Chad graduated from Madison County HS where he played for Coach Charlie Griffith. He was voted team MVP for the Red Raiders and was also awarded the Coach’s Award.
Personal: Born on 4/10/83 and the son of Mike and Kris Youngblood, Chad lists golf and water sports as hobbies. He enjoys the movie “Top Gun” and the book Old Yeller. The Yukon Z71 is his favorite car and he lists his parents as being the most influential people in his life.
Antoine saw limited duty last year for the Tigers and is going to be called on for more and more playing time this spring. An accounting major who has done an outstanding job in the classroom during his stay at Chattanooga State, he is looking to build on his .291 average from last year and 2 HR’s. He is as hard a working young man as has ever stepped on the field at Chattanooga State.
High School: Having prepped at local CSAS HS where he was a leader day-in and day-out for the Patriots in a wide range of sports. He does site the 2nd place finish in district as a high point for his high school career.
Personal: Born 10/10/82 and the son of Andrew and Sherryl Ragland, Antoine lists pizza as his favorite food and Sammy Sosa as his favorite athlete. He loves to play basketball in his spare time.
Tony is an incoming freshman left handed pitcher who is going to be counted on for immediate success. He is a competitive pitcher who throws 3 pitches for a strike and can keep a hitter off-stride using a wide-variety of speeds and pitches.
High School: Tony graduated from Soddy Daisy HS where he played for Steve Garland. He was considered one of the Trojans top pitchers his last 2 years there and won many crucial district games.
Personal: He was born on 9/3/85 and is the son of Danielle and Michelle Warren. He lists seafood as his favorite food and the move “Lord of the Rings” as his favorite. He is a fan of Anna Kournikova and enjoys going camping during his time off.
Bryan comes to Chattanooga State as a “salty”
right hander who has good movement and an assortment of pitches. He was a staff
ace for Stephenson HS where he played for Coach Smith. He was voted All County
and led the Jaguars in wins his junior and senior seasons.
Personal: Born 1/4/85 and the son of Alan and Terry New, Bryan lists fried chicken as his favorite food and the movie “The Last Samurai” as his favorite. He enjoys playing video games and loves following quarterback Brett Favre and the Packers.
Chad brings a “hard nose” quality to the Tigers and is a gritty, solid middle infielder who hits well from the left-side. A “never say die” type of player he is going to be asked to be a top of the order hitter and table setter for the Tigers. Chad played at William Blount HS under Charlie Puleo. While part of the Governor’s highly respected program, he was part of a strong winning tradition.
Personal: Born 8/12/85 and the son of Edward and Melissa Cunningham, Chad lists the movie “Gladiator” as his favorite and loves to eat chicken wings. He is a fan of the late basketball star Pete Maravich and lists his dad as having the most influence on his life so far.
10 Cortez Percy
After having a highly successful local high school career, Cortez decided to stay around this area at least for a year or two longer. He is a good defensive outfielder who runs extremely well. While still developing at the plate, he forces defenses to make adjustments to keep him off of the bases. It is the bases where Cortez really shined in high school. While at Hixson HS playing under Coach Brian Bray, Cortez stole an amazing 48 bases. He was also part of the 2002 district champion Wildcat squad.
Personal: Born 10/3/83 and the son of James and Cindy Sandridge, Cortez lists chicken as a favorite food and the BMW as his favorite car. He likes Alex Rodriguez as a favorite player and lists his mom and dad as the most influential people in his life.
Jeremy is one of the few returning players with
significant experience from last year. A conference starter last year, Jeremy
will be counted on to build on his experiences from last season. He possesses a
live arm that can throw the ball up there at a mid to upper 80 level, he has
also worked at developing a stronger assortment of pitches.
Personal: Born on 8/9/84 and the son of Debbie McBrayer, Jeremy lists hunting and fishing as favorite hobbies and Japanese as his favorite food. He has great respect for Cal Ripken Jr and counts his grandmother as having the greatest influence on his life.
12 Chris Combs
Another former Soddy Daisy HS Trojan, Chris comes
in with a very good resume of work in the past few years. A crafty lefthander
who has good size and a loose arm, Chris can be tough on righties and very tough
on lefties. He has 3 pitches that he will throw at any time and has confidence
in his ability to work the hitter with different pitches in different counts.
Having prepped under Coach Steve Garland at Soddy, Chris was voted All District
and was awarded the Best of Preps John Franklin Academic Award.
Personal: Born 10/21/84 and the son of Bruce and Darlene Combs, Chris lists pizza as his favorite food and comedies as his favorite movie genre. He still collects baseball cards and is a fan of Alex Rodriguez and Cal Ripken Jr.
Andrew, who is the twin of brother Antoine, also
spent some playing time on the field for the Tigers last spring. While
splitting time between the outfield and infield, he also found the time to bat
.302 and contribute 3 triples to the offense. Hoping to be counted on more this
spring, Andrew is a solid player on the field and a very solid student in the
classroom. He has made Dean’s List while here at Chattanooga State.
High School: Along with his brother, Andrew starred at CSAS here in Chattanooga
and was instrumental in much of their success in all sports. He, too, says
their 2nd place finish in district was a high point, along with a
near-victory over rival Hixson HS in baseball.
Personal: Born 10/10/82 and the son of Andrew and Sherryl Ragland, Andrew lists chicken and basketball as favorites. He also loves to read To Kill a Mockingbird and says his parents are his most inspirational people.
Daniel comes to Chattanooga State as a potential 2-way player. He is going to be asked to log innings on the mound while also chipping in playing time as a backup catcher. He is a strong armed pitcher who has a chance to be very competitive on the hill vs. anyone. He is still developing his second and third pitches to complement his fastball and once he has done that….watch out!!
High School: Daniel prepped at Ringgold HS where he played under Eric Beagles for a fine Tiger team. He was voted to the Georgia All Star team and was awarded his teams Big Stick Award.
Personal: Born 10/28/85 and the son of Chuck and Evonne Hackett, Daniel lists rice as a favorite dish and the Jeep Wrangler as a favorite vehicle. He also likes Greg Maddox and enjoys spending time on his computer.
15 Will Spann
Will comes in for his freshman season with a wealth of talent and a need for more experience. Blessed with a good, strong body and a very live arm, Will just needs to get as much work in as possible on the mound and believe in his stuff. He has a good college fastball and a potentially devastating slider.
High School: He played under Joe Wingate at highly regarded Ooltewah HS where he was part of a couple teams that challenged for championships. He was also a member of the Beta Club while in high school.
Personal: Born 11/20/84 and the son of Ken and Libby Spann, Will says that his highlight was hitting a 2 run HR in the Region Championship. He also says that Lord of the Rings is his favorite book and golfing is what he enjoys doing the most.
17 Adam Cross
Adam is another potential 2-way player having done so also in high school at Gordon Lee HS. He played there for highly respected Coach Greg Payne. While at Gordon Lee he was awarded the Most Valuable Pitcher Award and was also named Most Valuable Hitter. He was a member of the North Ga. All Star Team his senior year. He has good speed for a big guy and a very good arm. While his bat is still progressing he has shown glimpses of having a very good hitting stroke. He is going to see time both in the outfield and on the mound this spring.
Personal: Born 6/28/85 and son of Greg Cross and Becky Anderson, Adam lists the Jeep Wrangler as his favorite vehicle and fishing and hiking as things he enjoys doing in his spare time. The Hatchet is his favorite book and Johnny Damon is a player that he most identifies with.
18 Derek Brewer
Derek red-shirted last season for the Tigers and is ready to assume a much more active part of the spring this year. A young man who has really turned around his success both in the classroom and on the field, Derek has the type of tools any coach is looking for. He possesses a “plus” arm that generates both good velocity and command around the plate. He also is a very athletic pitcher who does a great job in all of the other areas you must do to be successful.
High School: Derek played for Gilmer County HS under Joey Sullivan. He lists throwing a no-hitter vs. North Forsyth HS as a career highlight.
Personal: Born 1/9/84 and son of Herman and Stella Brewer, Derek lists Chinese food as his favorite and "Bull Durham" as his pick for movie. He enjoys outdoor activities in his free time and looks up to Nolan Ryan as a role model on and off of the field.
Jeffrey comes to Chattanooga State after a decorated career at Lookout Valley HS where he played for David Dinger. Having led the Yellow Jackets to a couple of district championships and being named All District twice and All Region twice, Jeffrey has known success. He brings a “heady” approach to the mound and a 3 pitch approach. He will be counted on for both starting and relief outings.
Personal: Born 12/31/84 and son of Jeffrey and Gina Stoker, Jeff lists the double cheeseburger as his favorite meal followed by watching any of the 3 "Lord of the Rings" movies. He loves watching Michael Vick play and still enjoys collecting baseball cards.
Aaron is another mid-term transfer having arrived after red-shirting at Motlow State CC this past year. He is a decorated area high school player when he prepped at Sequatchie County HS. He played under Coach Greg Bartley and was a huge part of the district and regional championships they won there during his tenure. He set records for the highest batting average and the most RBI’s while playing for the Indians. He is a solid defensive 1B who will also see some time on the mound. He has a very good track record at the plate and the Tigers hope he continues his success here for a couple more years.
Personal: Born 12/12/83 and son of Al and Joy Simmons, Aaron lists “Scarface” as his favorite flick and Pasta as his pick for food. He loves the outdoors and the Silverado.
After having spent much time throwing last season, Keith spent the entire fall on the shelf with elbow problems. He has bounced back and is going to be looked at as a solid contributing sophomore with a sinking fastball, biting slider and particularly tough split-finger. He is a strong competitor and will bring great intensity to the mound with each outing.
High School: Keith played at East Ridge HS under Coach Lee Coffman. He helped lead the Pioneers to high district finishes while citing 3 No Hitters and hitting 2 HR’s in one game as highlights his senior season. Also, a 1-hitter spun vs. district rival Hixson was a particular high point.
Personal: Born 5/15/83 and son of Ron and Kathy Edgemon, Keith lists spaghetti as his favorite dish and “Radio” as his favorite movie. He enjoys playing video games and spending time with his family. He credits his parents with having the most influence on him and his life.
22 Adam Kuhr
Adam is a 6’10” pitcher with a ton of ability. Coming to Tennessee from Ohio, Adam has a chance to do great things. He red-shirted last year for NJCAA D2 National Champion Grand Rapids CC. He played high school ball for Mason High School under Coach Ken Grey. He helped lead the Comets to numerous success’s and district championships.
Personal: Born 7/3/84 and son of John and Pam Kuhr, Adam lists skiing as his favorite activity and the book Jurassic Park as his literary pick. He likes to eat steak and is particularly impressed with the success of Randy Johnson when watching baseball.
Michael enjoyed limited success last season and is hoping to build on that with more this spring. A solid defensive left fielder who has shown glimpses of offensive abilities, Michael brings a solid, heady game to the field. He prepped at McMinn Central HS under Coach Joe Shamblin. He helped lead them to 3 District and 2 Regionals and 2 Sub-States and 2 Final Four appearances and was voted the District and Region MVP.
Personal: Born 12/31/83 and son of Ronnie and Sharon Carter, Michael lists outdoor activities as things he enjoys and prime rib as his pick for food. He loves the movie “Tombstone” and has always identified with Pete Rose as a role model ON the field.
25 Billy Carter
Billy has a chance to put together two fine years at Chattanooga State and is also coming off of a potentially damaging injury from the summer. He sat out the entire fall but has come back and is making up for lost time by doing a great job at 3B and hitting like a bandit. He has great power and knowledge at the plate. In the field he is blessed with good hands and a consistent arm and should bring much intensity to the diamond on a daily basis.
High School: Billy played for Coach Wendell Clowers at Lakeview Ft. Oglethorpe HS. He helped lead the Warriors to Region finishes in his freshman and senior seasons.
Personal: Born 10/27/83 and son of Steve and Tammie Carter, Billy likes the idea of fishing all day and eating macaroni and cheese. He lists “Remember the Titans” as his favorite movie pick and the book Animal Farm as his favorite read.
Kenneth arrived in Chattanooga at mid-term also toting a very good left-handed
bat and a frame that as he gets stronger will develop into something special.
He played high school ball at Armuchee HS under Coach Morgan and helped lead the
Indians to solid seasons his last couple of years. A 1B who has good hands and
swings the bat extremely well, Kenneth will be counted on to play and DH quite a
bit.
Personal: Born on 5/7/84 and son of Pat and Debbie Rayburn, Kenneth lists Mexican as his favorite food and riding motor cycles as his favorite activity. He is particularly fond of Chipper Jones as a player to root for.
30 Tres Avans
Tres comes in as one of the most touted high school players to arrive on the Chattanooga State campus. Having played at Dade County HS under Coach Tony Ellis, Tres was voted the MVP, Best Batter, Best Defensive player and All Around Best Athlete at Dade County. He was a stalwart defensive shortstop for the Wolverines and was a fixture in their lineup since he was a freshman. He also notes a high point of his high school career as winning the prestigious Wildcat Classic his senior year. He will be counted on to be a top of the order hitter for the Tigers and a very solid middle infielder for the spring.
Personal: Born 6/20/85 and the son of Terry & Trish Avans, Tres lists 4 wheeling and hunting as favorite activities and the movie “The Natural” as a favorite also. He is particularly fond of mashed potatoes and also lists his mom, Trish, as the person he most looks up to.
34 Nate Durham
Nate comes back to Chattanooga State after having hit .330 last year for the Tigers. A very solid hitter with a sound approach, Nate brings a good arm and good speed to the outfield. He is blessed with the ability to play a number of positions and will be asked to fill many roles for this years Tigers.
High School: Nate played at Red Bank HS under Bumper Reese where he helped them win the Red Bank Invitational. He lists numerous big district wins as highlights.
Personal: Born 5/18/83 and son of William and Donna Durham, Nate lists Chinese as his favorite food and reading and sleeping as hobbies. He has enjoyed all 3 of the "Lord of the Rings" movies and is a particular fan of Nolan Ryan. Most people don’t know that he is also an accomplished cliff diver.