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2008 Tiger Baseball News & Notes

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Bren Schuehler opts to sign with University of Central Arkansas

Sophomore Transfer, Bren Schuehler, has decided to continue his playing career at the University of Central Arkansas.  "I can't wait to get the chance to play there and be a part of a strong, building Div I program" says pitcher-designated hitter Schuehler.  "Bren has done a great job for us so far and we are certainly expecting him to continue doing well the rest of this spring as he prepares for his next jump to the Division I level" says CSTCC Coach Greg Dennis. 

3rd Annual Exhibition game vs. the Lookouts slated for April 1st

The 3rd annual exhibition game vs. the Chattanooga Lookouts ( Reds AA affiliate ) is slated to be played at AT&T Field in downtown Chattanooga.  "I can't begin to tell you how excited we are to get the opportunity to continue this event" says head coach Greg Dennis of the Chatt State Tigers.  "We just would love to thank the Reds organization and Frank Burke ( Lookouts Owner ) for this opportunity again for these young men in our program.  People just don't realize how much this means for us in national recognition and recruiting" says 5th year coach Dennis.  The previous 2 games ended in Lookouts wins of 8-0 and 20-0.  The ticket sales from these previous two games have been graciously donated to the Chatt State baseball fund by Mr. Burke.  "It is a huge fund-raiser for us as well as a night to remember for the players and families" says Dennis, "We just hope to continue this for our program and school."  Tickets can be purchased through Coach Dennis by calling 423/697-2418 or coming by his office in the Physical Education building on the Amnicola Campus.

Early Signings "Dot" Chattanooga State Spring

The 2008 season is underway and the 2009 season is already being built on right now.  Head Coach Greg Dennis and Assistant Coach Robert Long have already been very busy inking signatures for next years Tiger baseball team.  While there is much "local" flavor as usual, there is also the regional and national flavor added in.  The prospects are still there also for international flavor and stay in touch to follow these opportunities.  Some of the players committed already are as follows:

Zack DeBord - OF/P - Gordon Lee HS - Zack is an outstandingly talented young man with a "plus" arm from the outfield and on the mound and superb ability at the plate.  He leads the Gordon Lee HS team this spring into the season as their #1 pitcher and looks to keep them at the top of the North Georgia rankings for this spring.

Adam Whitlock - 1B/OF - Lovett School - Adam is an outstanding hitting left-hander that looks to step right in and continue the trends established by previous first basemen ( Kendal Wells, Coty Green, AJ Morris and Aaron Simmons ) of solid hitting and fielding.

Cooper Chambers - 3B - Allen HS ( Allen, Tx ) - Cooper is another North Texas product brought in by Head Coach Greg Dennis and Tim Peters.  Cooper leads the always formidable Eagles of Allen HS at 3B and follows former Eagle and Current Tiger Bren Schuehler here to Chattanooga.  He is an outstanding defensive player with a solid bat.

Tanner Miller - C / OF - Sanger HS ( Sanger, Tx ) - Tanner is an athletic catcher with a plus arm and great speed.  He is very similar to Beau Geren in that he can do a number of things well behind the plate and in the field.  He swings the bat with power also.

Tyler Burstrom - P / 3B - William Blount HS - Tyler follows his brother Trey to CSTCC and hopes to enjoy the same success' that older brother had here.  He is an outstanding pitcher who has been a solid part of William Blount's success' the last couple of years.  He is cut from the mold of current Tiger pitcher Lee Henry.

Andy Marinelli - 3B / C - Etowah HS - Another Atlanta-area product who looks to come in right away and compete at a couple of spots for the Tigers next year.  He is a quality defensive player at 2 positions who swings the bat extremely well from the right side.

Brandon Bean / Will Phillips - P - Polk County HS - Both these guys are studs for Bill Triplett's Polk County team.  They are the #1 and #2 for them and both have plus arms and stuff.  They are only going to get better as the level of competition continues to go up against them.  Outstanding young men.

Brandon O'Dell - P / Inf - Lookout Valley HS - Another local product from David Dinger's talent-laden team that went to state last year.  Brandon has been a mainstay on their staff the past couple of years and looks to be one of the headliners for this area this year.  A very good fastball goes with a knee-buckling curveball to make him someone to keep an eye on in the future.

Jaron Hollifield - P / Inf - NW Whitfield HS - North Georgia product from Todd Middleton's NW Whitfield team that looks to step in next year and compete on the mound for sure.  Another from the Lee Henry mold, he just competes coming at you with good stuff.  Jaron has a chance to be a serious part of next years success'.

Jacob Price - Infielder - North Mesquite HS ( Mesquite, Tx ) - Solid middle infielder from Mesquite Texas who should come in right away and compete for playing time up the middle.  He has a very good bat and equally good glove with a strong desire to be the best at whatever he does.  Should fit in nicely here for '08-'09.

Beau Geren named Varsity Team Sports Player of the Week

Sophomore Catcher, Beau Geren, was named the Varsity Team Sports Player of the Week after the first series of the season in conference.  Beau had a phenomenal weekend and was a catalyst in all 3 wins.  He was 5-10 overall with 8 RBI's and 6 Runs scored while hitting 2 doubles and a grand slam HR.  He also stole 2 bases and drew a game-winning balk in game #3.  Geren will receive one of the coveted Varsity Team Sports t-shirts.  Varsity Team Sports is a proud sponsor of Chattanooga State baseball and we ask all of our fans to frequent their store with their baseball and athletic needs.

Geren and Henry win TBCA Player / Pitcher of the Week in Week #1

Sophomores Beau Geren and Lee Henry picked up right were they left off last season as both of them were named Player and Pitcher of the Week for Week #1 in the TJCCAA.  Geren had a superb offensive and defensive weekend vs. Volunteer State as he went 5-10 for the weekend with 8 RBI's and 6 Runs Scored.  He walked twice and doubled twice while hitting a critical Grand Slam Home Run to finish up game #2.  He also had two stolen bases and drew a balk to win game #3.  The sophomore from Red Bank High School also caught all 3 games and did a superb job.  Henry finished off all 3 ball games and continued the conference mastery that he had last season.  He got a win and a save and allowed only 2 hits in 3 innings work while striking out 3.  The sophomore from Knoxville Karns High School led the team in saves last year with 7. 

Chatt State's Fall ends with Great Success

The 2007 fall ended much the same way as the 2007 spring ended for the Chatt State Tigers baseball program,  SUCCESSFULLY!!

  The Tigers experienced much success on the field as they brought in a new class of freshmen to go along with, arguably, the most talented group of sophomores to ever bless the Chatt State hallways.  The goal of learning a lot and evaluating options was achieved and under Coach Greg Dennis and Robert Long's watchful eyes, the Tigers saw the benefits of long hours of work on the field.  Many "old" faces showed well as well as "new" faces also.  Of particular note were Beau Geren, Kendal Wells, Lee Henry and Coty Green from the sophomore class.  Freshman that did well were Edwin Borbon, Garret Burgess, Corey Davidson, Zach Driggers and Blake Hixson.

During the off-season, the Tigers also shined.  The rigorous weight workout took it's usual toll on the players but with solid sophomore guidance, the guys did well and got stronger.  After each workout, the players then ran for recorded time and order of finish and this too challenges them to compete on many levels.  Wes Alsup successfully defended his Superstars title, a feat that has never been accomplished before.  "Wes has shown himself to be a formidable opponent in the weight room and if he takes just a tenth of that attitude to the mound with his ability, he can be an All American type pitcher" says Coach Greg Dennis.  The player will be going home over Christmas and then back early in January to get the 2008 season underway.

Chattanooga State Fall nets early signees

Chattanooga State's nationally ranked baseball program has already sent two of its current sophomores out for 2008-09.  Coty Green and Heath Cheverton have each signed letters of intent for Division I programs for the next season.  Green has signed at University of Tennessee at Martin while Cheverton inked with Tennessee Tech University.  Both of these young men garnered All Conference attention last year as freshmen and are main cogs in the Tigers upcoming spring season.  Green went 7-5 overall last year while netting Conference Pitcher of the Week honors an unprecedented 3 times.  He also played first base and hit over .300 for the season.  "Coty was and is one of our most counted on players."  says Head Coach Greg Dennis, " We will be looking for him to be an everyday guy for us on the mound and in the field".  Cheverton was an All Conference shortstop last season while hitting well over .300 and spearheading the Tiger offense.  "Heath is a leader on the field and a wonderful representation of what a student-athlete is all about" says Coach Dennis.  "We count ourselves fortunate to have Heath here another year and are looking forward to great things from him come this spring."

Chattanooga State Garners #1 Ranking in First NJCAA Poll

Chattanooga State's baseball team received some unusually good news from the NJCAA when they were awarded the #1 spot in the first national poll put out by the national governing body for junior colleges.  The Tigers were listed first in the nation followed by Cochise Community College ( AZ ) and then Palm Beach Community College ( FL ).  This comes in just the 4th year of Head Coach Greg Dennis and 2nd year of Assistant Coach Robert Long.  "We are excited and honored to be recognized as the best team in the nation" says Coach Dennis.  "You just have no idea how gratifying it is and how much this lends credibility to what we are doing here as a program.  In recruiting, field upgrades and general community awareness, this is going to be HUGE for us!!" says Dennis.  The Tigers were as highly ranked as #6 last year but no one predicted this type of jump with this year's group.  "We really felt like last year we had the chance because of the group of Sophomores that we had returning, but this year's team is made up of SO many young guys ( freshmen and first-year players ) that we just hoped to be competitive" says Dennis.  The development of Thomas Gray, Drew Bowlin, Coty Green and the rest of the pitchers is one reason for the success.  Another is the timely hitting of Nate Rochester and Trey Burstrom.  "I just can't believe how far we have come" says Dennis " and we are still working to move even further along as a program."

Coty Green named Pitcher of the Week for 2nd time

Freshman right-hander, Coty Green, has been named the TBCA conference Pitcher of the Week for the 2nd time this spring.  He was awarded the honor after his exemplary work against a hot-hitting Columbia State team this past Saturday.  He threw a complete game and struck out 6 while allowing 0 earned runs.  The Tigers won 7-3 behind Green and pushed his record up to 3-1 overall.  "Coty has just been outstanding so far this spring and is such a pleasure to watch pitch.  He competes in the zone and is fearless when it comes to throwing tough pitches in tough counts."  said Head Coach Greg Dennis.  "I haven't seen any pitcher garner this honor twice in a season and certainly not in this short of a time-span" says Dennis.  Congratulations Coty and continued Good Luck!!!

                                                      Pitchers named Pitcher of the Week by TBCA

Thomas Gray and Coty Green have both already been named by TBCA as the Conference "Pitcher of the Week" in the past few weeks.  Green was named this after his dominating performance against a very good hitting Cleveland State team and Gray was after he pitched well against Roane State in very adverse conditions.  Both of these pitchers have already put up some outstanding numbers and are only freshmen.  Green hails from The Baylor School where he was named All State and was part of 2 Tennessee State Champion teams and Gray was a stalwart hurler for Ringgold High School where he was named the North Georgia Player of the Year by the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

 2nd Lookout game is set for April 3rd date

The Second Annual exhibition game against the Chattanooga Lookouts has been set up for April 3rd at BellSouth Park.  Game time will be 7:15 pm and this will mark the second time that the Chatt State Tigers have been invited to play against one of the Southern League stalwart organizations, Chattanooga Lookouts.  "We feel so fortunate to be able to enjoy this event again and I can't thank Mr. Burke ( owner ) and the entire Lookouts and Cincinnati Reds organization enough for allowing us the opportunity to do this again.  Last year was one of the greatest nights of our lives ( as a program ) and just can't wait to do it again.  The whole school was out for this, as well as the community, and it was great to see it" said 4th year Head Coach Greg Dennis.  Once, again, BIG thanks go out to current ( 2nd year ) CSTCC Assistant Coach Robert Long and Jamie Dimuke for all of the work they do in making this happen.  Tickets will go on sale soon and we would strongly encourage you to get your tickets soon as they will be a part of the season ticket packages this year and that will make them even tougher to get.  We would love to see a capacity crowd there for the game!!

Applebee's breakfast a HUGE success!!

The Second Annual Breakfast with the Players at Applebee's Restaurant was a HUGE success this past Saturday.  There were more than 150 people served and the net amount made through their donations was substantial.  "We were ecstatic to do this again and it was even MORE of a success than last years was.  I didn't really think we could do better than the first one but we did.  This sets the bar pretty high for next year's one" said Head Coach Greg Dennis.  "The guys did a wonderful job selling and serving and it is just so neat to have people from all over the community come in and take part in this fund-raiser.  We had people from everywhere take part" said Coach Dennis.  Such notable dignitaries as Dr. Jim Cantazaro, CSTCC President and Eric Beagles, Ringgold baseball coach were seen eating at the event.  Thanks to ALL of those that came and took part and we look forward to seeing you at a game or two this spring!!

Tigers announce 2nd group of signees for 2007-08

Head Coach Greg Dennis has announced the next "batch" of signees for the 2007-08 baseball campaign and he is excited about the various abilities each one brings.  Previous commitments by Jarrod Parrott and Corey Davidson are followed by Notre Dame HS catcher Tyler Cooper, Northwest Whitfield shortstop Garrett Burgess, Gordon Lee Pitcher Dane Anderson and a pair of stellar performers from Ooltewah HS in Ryan Williams and Ryan Coburn.  Notre Dame's Cooper brings a wealth of experience from last year's state tournament run by the Irish and is a proven leader.  Burgess is widely considered one of the area's best athletes and has been a star at NW Whitfield in both baseball and football.  Anderson has been a somewhat unsung hero on a state contending Gordon Lee team and both Williams and Coburn were big parts of the Owls run to the state tournament last year.  "We are pleased to be adding these young men to a group that is growing and turning into a premiere recruiting class.  We are not done by a long shot but very pleased with where we are right now" says Coach Dennis.  Chattanooga State was rained out in their season opener against Piedmont and now will look to open on the road at Gadsden State on Tuesday the 6th of February.

  Tigers announce 1st signees for 2007-08

Head Coach Greg Dennis has announced the first two signees for next years team.  Jarrod Parrot from Keene New Hampshire and Corey Davidson from Bradley Central High School are committed to coming and playing for Chattanooga State next season.  Jarrod comes down after having enjoyed great athletic success at Keene HS in Keene, New Hampshire.  He is a middle infielder who has outstanding range and a solid arm.  He is a "heady gamer" type of player and looks to make an impact right away.  Corey Davidson is another local product who has enjoyed enormous success in high school and summer ball.  Corey is one of the elite pitchers in the area and a very successful second baseman.  His pitching and hitting prowess makes him a player to keep an eye out for in the future.  "We are excited to have both these guys head our early list and look forward to more guys in the near future" said Greg Dennis. 

Breakfast at Applebee's is set for the 27th

The Chattanooga State baseball team is hosting it's 2nd Annual Breakfast with the Baseball Team on January 27th at Applebee's Restaurant on Brainerd Road.  It is set to begin at 8 am and go till 10 am.  Head Coach Greg Dennis notes the success of last year's and looks forward to this year's event.  "This really kick-started us last year and we are excited about doing it again.  It was wonderful to see so many family, friends, teachers, supporters and area players come in and enjoy breakfast with us.  To meet and talk with these people was a real treat" says Coach Dennis.  The cost of the breakfast is a minimum $5 donation and walk ups are welcome.  Come out and enjoy a breakfast with us!!

Fall Champions announced

The 2006 Fall Season is over and the Chattanooga State Tigers are announcing their Post-Fall Awards.  Sophomore Catcher, Nathan Rochester finished the fall ranked as the #1 player for his work on and off of the field.  "Nate has had an outstanding on-field fall and an even better off-field season.  His work in the weight room was superb and he even finished 5th overall in the running ranking" says Head Coach Greg Dennis.  Sophomore transfer, Wes Alsup, won the prestigious Super Stars championship.  He follows AJ Renfrow, Chad Cunningham and Greg Hobart as champion.  "Wes follows a fine line of champions and is a worth addition to that list.  All 3 of those guys were HUGE parts of successful seasons here and we fully expect Wes to be there also this spring" said Coach Dennis.  Lastly, Freshman pitcher, Lee Henry, won the overall Running Ranking.  This means he had the best average finish in the challenging distance runs this fall.  "Lee came in as a very well in shape young man and has built on that.  He is going to be a strong part of our staff this spring" says Coach Dennis.  The Tigers are done for this semester and are planning on starting back up in early January for their spring schedule.

1st Recruit Workout Day announced

Head Baseball Coach, Greg Dennis, has announced CSTCC's first recruit workout day for this fall.  Sunday, October 15th at 1 pm will be the first official workout day to see 2007-08 recruits for next year.  " We are busy looking at guys and hoping to see some guys that we just can't do without.  I have already contacted a number of guys and we like to have them in before it gets too busy in the spring and do some early recruiting." says Coach Dennis.  The workout will last approximately an hour to an hour and a half and then the prospects and parents will be invited into the HPE building to hear about the program and have questions answered for them.  Please contact Coach Dennis if interested in attending.

2006-07 Recruiting Class complete

CSTCC Head Coach, Greg Dennis, is happy to announce the 2006-07 Tiger baseball recruiting class.  "We feel like this is another outstanding class of young men and we are excited about seeing them come in here and compete with the returning sophomores we have.  We have a mix of youth and experience coming in as well as a wealth of speed, power and defensive prowess.  Coach Robert Long played quite an important part of obtaining these guys as well as Tim Peters in Texas." says Coach Dennis.  Many of the incoming guys have been recognized as All District and All State or Region.  Thomas Gray was named the Chattanooga Times Free Press Player of the Year in North Georgia while Gordy ( Gay ), Guest and Rangel were also named on the squad.  Beau Geren, Coty Green, Clay Hindman, Pat Jones, Bradden Scott and Tyler Stokes were all named to the Times Free Press "Best of Preps" for Chattanooga.  Kendall Wells was named his regions " Most Outstanding Hitter " in a region with state-champion Farragut HS.  Lee Henry beat Farragut HS in a post-season tournament game and Coty Green beat NATIONALLY ranked Christian Brothers HS in a State Tournament game on the way to a state tournament championship.  This was the 2nd of Green's stay at Baylor School.  We have two brothers coming in as Lee Henry joins current Tiger Alex Henry on this year's squad and Wes Alsup is transferring in and following his brother, Lance, here at CSTCC.

Simmons Named Academic All America

Sophomore shortstop, Steve Simmons Jr, was named Academic All America by the NJCAA.  Steve carried a 3.75 cumulative GPA during his stay here at CSTCC and graduated with HONORS from the CSTCC Honors Program.  " Steve is as fine a young man as I have ever coached and was truly a role-model for what all of these guys should be both in and out of the classroom." said Head Coach Greg Dennis.  Steve has signed to continue his baseball and academic career at Flagler University in Florida and enjoyed two years of great success here at CSTCC.  The two years he was here the Tigers went 78-38 overall and finished 2nd in the conference and ranked nationally his sophomore season.

11 players named to Academic All Conference team

CSTCC baseball coach, Greg Dennis, is happy to announce that a record-setting 11 players were named to the Academic All Conference baseball team.  Trey Burstrom ( Fr. 2B ), Landon Chester ( RS, P ), Oscar Cuevas ( Fr. 3B ), Alex Henry ( Fr. OF ), Myron Jensen ( So. P ), AJ Morris ( So. 1B ), AJ Renfrow ( So. OF ), Steve Simmons ( So. SS ), Andy Simunic ( So. 3B ), Lance Alsup ( So. P ) and Adam Knight ( So. P ) all made the illustrious squad.  " We couldn't be prouder of these guys and after having only a few make it my first year, we have grown in number each year.  These young men represent exactly what we are about here.....success in the classroom and on the ball field." says head coach Dennis.

More Signees come in for CSTCC

Chattanooga State's baseball team is announcing more signees for the upcoming season.  Pitchers Charles Fowlkes from Boyd Buchanan HS, Bradden Scott from Chattanooga Christian HS and Thomas Gray from Ringgold HS have all committed for next season.  Also, Michael Rangel from SW Whitfield HS and Skylar Dean from Dalton HS have also decided to jump on the Tiger bandwagon for next season.  Scott was one of the areas strongest pitchers and had a solid 8-0 record while Gray led the Tigers to the playoffs and garnered both a win and a save in the first series played.  Fowlkes was the mainstay of the Bucs staff this season. 

CSTCC places 5 on All Conference Teams

Coming off the most prolific season in Chattanooga State baseball history, the Tigers placed 5 players on the Region 7 All Conference teams for the 2006 season.  Third baseman, Andy Simunic, was named 1st team All Conference and voted the 5th best player in the Region and centerfielder AJ Renfrow was also named 1st team All Conference and 8th highest in the Region.  Cole McKellar was voted to the 2nd team All Conference squad as a starting pitcher and AJ Morris was voted 3rd team All Conference first baseman and Mickey Campeanu was voted 3rd team All Conference starting pitcher.  All of these players, with the exception of Campeanu, are sophomore starters for the Tigers.  "It is a real testimony to these guys' abilities as to how well they did in the voting.  Simunic beat out some outstanding players from other teams at third base and to be in the starting outfield is a high honor for Renfrow.  Both those guys had super seasons and really do deserve it.  I was hoping that Coleman would garner 1st team also as he has been so good for us for two years but it is a tough conference to break into the 1st team in and especially at pitcher" says head coach Greg Dennis.  The Tigers finished their season at a gaudy 42-17 mark and set numerous team records both offensively and on the mound.

3 players named TBCA All Conference

3 Chattanooga State baseball players were named to the TBCA.com ( www.tbca.com ) All Conference team for 2006.  Andy Simunic was named 2nd team All Conference third baseman for the fine work he has done this year at the "hot corner".  Andy has the 5th highest batting average in the conference and is leading the conference in stolen bases.  Trey Burstrom was voted 2nd team All Conference second baseman.  He is hitting over .350 with 70 hits and has been a steadying influence in the middle infield.  He is also a freshman.  Coleman McKellar was voted as one of the 2nd team All Conference starting pitchers for his 8-2 record and solid 3.44 ERA.  He was voted All Conference last year also.  Even though the Tigers finished 2nd overall in the conference standings not one of their players was voted to first team status.  Conference champion Walters State had 9 first teamers and 4th place finishing Dyersburg State had 4 first teamers.  The conference tournament begins Friday, May 5th with the play in games.  Chattanooga State plays Saturday at 1 pm vs. the winner of Cleveland State and Columbia State.

CSTCC finishes up in final NJCAA National Rankings

For the first time in school history, the CSTCC baseball program has finished in the final NJCAA national rankings ending a year of being in the poll consistently.  The Tigers broke into the first poll of the regular season at #6 and then fell to #12 and have ended at #21 for the final poll.  These were the first rankings ever for the Tigers and Head Coach Greg Dennis said "We are honored to be included in the final polls of the year and think that it shows our development as a program.  To be looked at as one of the top 25 JUCO teams in the nation this year is both flattering and daunting.  This program has come from relative obscurity to somewhat national prominence in a short time and that can create some growing pains.  The guys have a responsibility to maintain the expectation level both for the remainder of this season and seasons beyond."  The Tigers finished the regular season at 41-15 and were 2nd in the conference behind #3 ranked Walters State CC. 

CSTCC finishes up regular season stats near top

For the third straight season, CSTCC's baseball team has finished statistically near the top in many categories.  Overall, the team finished a record-setting 2nd place in the conference and won over 40 games for the first time in school history.  Statistically, the team finished in 3rd place in team batting average (.352) and in team ERA (4.47) while finishing second overall in team fielding percentage (.964).  "These are things that we are certainly very pleased about and feel help represent the work that we are doing here to develop a quality program.  You measure your success in many different ways and this is definitely one of those ways." says head coach Greg Dennis ( 3rd year ).  Individually, Andy Simunic finished 5th in the conference in batting average and first in the conference in stolen bases.  His stolen base total is near the top nationally.  AJ Renfrow is nearly tops in the conference in runs scored and AJ Morris is the same in doubles.  Coleman McKellar has won 8 games overall and is near the top in that category.  "We are proud of all of our guys and the season that they have had.  We have enjoyed much success and these young men have paid a high price to garner the success and attention that they are getting.  This is what it is all about as a program" again said Coach Dennis.

Simunic commits to Volunteers for 2007

Sophomore Andy Simunic has committed to the University of Tennessee's baseball team for next year.  Andy has enjoyed a superb sophomore season in which he was thrust into playing third base and has done some admirably.  He ended the regular season with a team leading .431 batting average.  This was 5th best in the conference.  He also led the conference with 49 stolen bases and also had a .545 on base percentage.  He has scored 56 runs and had 42 runs batted in.  "Andy has been everything we could have asked for and even more for this entire season.  He started it off in the fall when he hit well over .400 and just carried it into the spring.  Between he and AJ Renfrow there just isn't much more I could have asked for." said Head Coach Greg Dennis.  Andy chose UT over some outstanding DI, DII and NAIA offers.  He is also an outstanding student that will graduate with over a 3.0 GPA.

Renfrow and McKellar named April Applebee's Players of the Month

Two stalwarts from the first recruiting class of head coach Greg Dennis have played well when it counted the most.  AJ Renfrow and Coleman McKellar have been named the Applebee's Players of the Month for April due to their superb months.  AJ hit .435 for the month going 30 for 69 with 6 doubles and 11 RBI's.  He scored just over 20 runs for the month and is in line to break numerous school records for this season.  "He has been nothing but consistent for his two years here.  I can't think of a more deserving player and while this month has had it's ups and downs, he has been right there every day doing whatever we needed to stay the course." says head coach Greg Dennis.  McKellar is another example of that type of month as he has gone 3-1 over the month and pitched beautifully.  Included in this are road wins at Dyersburg ( conference's leading hitting team ) and Volunteer State.  He threw a wonderful game against a very hot hitting Motlow team and won and lost a heartbreaker vs. Walters State 3-2 where he threw masterfully.  "Cole is one of the best big game pitchers I have ever had and he is a pleasure not just to watch pitch but to watch prepare for each start.  He leaves nothing to risk and is as mentally prepared as anyone I have ever coached." says coach Greg Dennis.

Renfrow and Knight commit for next season

                  AJ Renfrow at the plate                                                   Adam Knight

Some of the most important reasons for the Chattanooga State baseball team's success are already beginning to make plans for future success elsewhere.  Centerfielder AJ Renfrow and right-handed pitcher Adam Knight have both already committed to play next year at West Georgia University ( Gulf South Conference ) in Carrollton, Georgia.  Renfrow, who prepped at Carrollton HS, has been one of the real "spark-plugs" for the Tigers the last 2 seasons.  While hitting right at .300 last year, Renfrow has ripped the ball to the tune of over .400 this year while scoring over 50 runs and stealing 25 bases.  "He has been even better than I could have ever figured this season" says Head Coach Greg Dennis. "AJ is the consummate table-setter at the plate and is such a quality young man on and off of the field, we are truly going to miss him a bunch next year."  Adam Knight was a 2nd team All Conference pitcher last year who has followed it up with another solid year.  He is currently 4-1 overall and has begun to really throw the ball like he did last year.  "He is a solid right-hander that when he is on can be VERY good.  He has huge potential and is just beginning to really see that" says Coach Dennis. 

These guys add to the growing list of signees from this year's squad.  AJ Morris has already signed with Covenant College and Coleman McKellar has committed to Francis Marion University. 

McKellar signs with nationally-ranked Francis Marion for '07

Chattanooga State right-handed pitching ace, Coleman McKellar, has decided to further his pitching career at Division II nationally-ranked, Francis Marion University.  McKellar, who was 8-3 last season and 3rd team All Conference, is currently 7-1 overall and has been the pitching stalwart for the Tigers these last two years.  "It is amazing to me to see how well Coleman has done for us after having signed him so late in the process 2 summer's ago.  We just kinda fluked into him and he has turned out to be such a blessing for me and the program.  What a quality young man with great work habits and a real desire to be the best he can be at whatever he does.  FMU has gotten a great pitcher and an even better young man" says CSTCC Head Coach Greg Dennis.  Coleman caught a lot of recruiter's eyes last summer when he pitched for the Edenton Steamers in the Coastal Plain League and helped guide them to the league championship.  He led the entire league in wins and didn't start up there until after the season was underway.  He pitched for one of Coach Dennis' former players at Collin County CC ( Plano, TX ) David Scoggin. 

Tigers sign Walker Valley's Tanner Shamblin

Chattanooga State head coach Greg Dennis is happy to announce another in the long list of local recruits deciding to come to Chattanooga State for next season.  Walker Valley's standout infielder / pitcher, Tanner Shamblin, has decided to attend CSTCC next year.  Coach Dennis said, "We are very happy to see Tanner decide on attending CSTCC and becoming a part of our program.  He is an incredible athlete who does a number of things very well.  His hitting is certainly his strength but he has tremendous athleticism and speed and that should be a very positive contributor to what we are doing here."  Tanner's resume includes a .430 sophomore batting average and second team Best of Preps.  His Junior season, which was at Riverside Academy, he hit over .380 and was selected All Region and All State.  He was also voted to the inaugural All Tournament team in the Border Wars Games. 

Tigers get commitment from Red Bank's Geren

Red Bank's outstanding senior catcher, Beau Geren, has committed to Chattanooga State for the upcoming season.  The Tigers out-dualed conference foe, Walters State, amongst others to gain the highly coveted Geren's services.  "Beau reminds me so much of a catcher we had at Collin County CC ( JR Towles ) that came in with high laurels and worked even harder to get better.  He is now in the Astros organization and I feel that in a lot of ways Beau reminds me of JR."  Geren has been named All City numerous times and has started for the Lions since his freshman season.  Highly regarded for both his bat and glove, Geren has been a top player locally both in spring and summer seasons.  "Hopefully, there are more to come as we are really beginning to get out and draw some attention from the local guys here in Chattanooga and North Georgia" says Coach Dennis.

Chattanooga State falls to 12th in the latest NJCAA poll

The Tigers of Chattanooga State fell from 6th to 12th in the latest NJCAA poll released on Wednesday, April 12th.  Head Coach Greg Dennis was somewhat saddened by the drop but didn't feel it was unexpected.  "We were very excited to jump into the poll a couple of weeks ago and have had some success since being in there but we are starting to show a few of the signs of a team that needs to get back to it's strengths.  We are still playing well but maybe not at QUITE the level we were a couple of weeks ago."  Coach Dennis did say that he was extremely pleased at how much visibility the program has attained through the rankings and how much it has paid off in recruiting and other areas. 

Chattanooga State gathers more local recruits signatures

Chattanooga State baseball coach Greg Dennis is riding high on the success of this year's team and using that momentum to gather more local signatures for NEXT year's squad.  Recent commitments have come from such local stalwarts as Ridgeland's Michael Gay ( RHP / OF ) and Chattanooga Christians' Clay Hindman ( 3B / RHP ) are two of the newest signees and more are to come assures Coach Dennis.  "We are extremely excited and proud of our accomplishments this spring and even more so about the prospects of bringing in these local guys that previously we were losing to other JUCO's around this and other states.  We are not going to stop until we have really established ourselves out in THIS community as a program on the rise and one to really consider."  Coach Dennis noted that they were right on the verge of receiving some commitments from other local players from State-ranked Ooltewah, Red Bank, Chattanooga Christian, Baylor and Ringgold HS.  More on this to come soon!!

CSTCC Ranked #6 in nation

The Chattanooga State baseball team achieved a new "high" of sorts......it's first NATIONAL ranking in baseball.  Currently 29-6 overall, the NJCAA saw fit to reward the Tigers baseball team with a lofty #6 ranking in it's first national poll of the year.  3rd year coach Greg Dennis was stunned and pleased.  "We have been working hard to increase our visibility both locally and nationally and felt that we needed to do some things to achieve this and being ranked was certainly one of our main goals but to jump into the poll at #6 was above and beyond our possible expectations.  Our guys have worked tremendously hard all year and have paid their dues and to see them rewarded this way is super.  We are going to try and continue to work to justify this honor and build even more on it" says Dennis who has previously coached a #1 ranked team at McLennan Community College in Waco Texas.  New Mexico JC ( currently the NJCAA National Champion ) is ranked #1 and conference foe, Walters State, is ranked #12, while Dennis' old stomping grounds, McLennan CC, is ranked #20. 

Simunic and Campeanu named March "Applebee's Players of the Month"

                              Mickey Campeanu delivers a pitch              Sophomore Andy Simunic

Sophomore Andy Simunic and Freshman Mickey Campeanu have been named the Applebee's Players of the Month for the month of March.  Both players have had outstanding months and have helped lead the Tigers on their remarkable 29-6 current record and lead in the region VII race.  For the month the Tigers were 19-3 and Simunic and Campeanu played a HUGE part of that.  Andy ( 3B ) hit .466 for the month of March with 16 RBI's, 26 runs scored and an incredible 20-22 stolen bases.  He is currently leading the team in numerous offensive categories while also performing superbly at 3B, a position he was thrust into in January.  Mickey Campeanu ( RHP ) performed just as well during the month of March going 4-0 for the month while beating Roane State, Columbia State, Gadsden State and Hiwassee College.  In these games he allowed a total of 5 earned runs and won all 3 conference games.  His game against Columbia State was particularly satisfying as he won it on the road with the wind blowing out at about 15-20 miles per hour.  He held them to 2 earned runs and pitched a complete game.  Other players nominated were:  AJ Morris ( Soph., 1B ) who hit .416 with 11 doubles and 26 RBI's, AJ Renfrow ( Soph, CF ) who hit .417 with 5 RBI's and 13 stolen bases and Cole McKellar ( Soph, RHP ) who was also 4-0 for the month pitching.  Congratulations to ALL of these guys and go enjoy some Applebee's on us!!

Rochester named TBCA Player of the Week

The awards just keep coming in for Chattanooga State freshman catcher Nathan Rochester.  Coming off of his third solid week of Region VII play, he was named the conference Player of the Week by the TBCA conference web site.  Nate's weekend vs. Roane was one of legendary proportions.  He was 8-11 for the series with a double, triple and monsterous home run as well as 4 runs scored and 9 RBI's tallied for the weekend.  He also caught 3 superb games and was his usual steady self with the pitchers.  The freshman from Lakeview Ft. Oglethorpe HS was recently named the Applebee's February Player of the Month for the Tigers and is currently hitting a robust .509 with a .662 Quality At Bat rating and a team-high 22 RBI's.  Congratulations Nathan!!

Rochester named February "Applebee's Player of the Month"

Chattanooga State baseball is happy to announce that Nathan Rochester ( Fr. from Lakeview Ft. Oglethorpe HS ) has been named the February Applebee's Player of the Month.  Nate hit .457 for the month with 21 hits overall.  Nate had a .635 Quality At Bat Rating for the month and drove in 13 runs while scoring 10.  He also caught 10 games during the month and did an outstanding job behind the dish.  The CSTCC coaching staff graded him out at a 91.5 performance grade for the month.  Other players nominated where Brandon Stewart ( Fr. RHP, East Ridge HS ) who was 2-1 with 2 saves in the month, Andy Simunic ( So. 3B, Collierville HS ) who has hit .395 with numerous clutch hits and Chris Glass ( So. OF, Ripley HS ) who hit .414 for the month.  Rochester will be given a coupon to Applebees Restaurant, a proud sponsor of Chattanooga State Baseball.  Congrats Nate!!!

Simunic selected Conference "Player of the Week" for first weeks work

Andy Simunic was selected as the Region VII "Player of the Week" for his work this past week against conference rival, Cleveland State.  Andy went 4-9 at the plate driving in 3 runs and scoring 5 runs while stealing 3 bases.  He also walked 3 times in the series.  His defense was outstanding as he made numerous diving plays to help slow down the hard hitting Cougars.  "Andy has done such a great job since he has been here and he deserves this recognition from the conference.  He was awarded this last year for his work behind the plate against Hiwassee and now he gets it for his work at 3B and neither of these positions are his PRIMARY position.  This speaks volumes about Andy and his commitment to our program.  AJ Morris was nominated for it and was certainly deserving also for the fine series he had and I am sorry to see that he wasn't recognized also."  said CSTCC Head Coach Greg Dennis.

Baseball garners another commitment for next year

Head baseball coach, Greg Dennis, announced another local commitment for the upcoming spring.  Pat Jones, standout outfielder for Notre Dame HS and the Chattanooga Cyclones fall / summer team has committed to playing for Chattanooga State next year.  "Pat is an outstanding local player that has had a long history of success.  The thing I most like about him is how much better he has gotten in the past couple of years.  He is just beginning to really develop into the player that he can become and a lot of that has to do with the work of NDHS coach George Olesik and Cyclone coach George Koontz.  We are pleased to add Pat to our recruiting class and just feel that he is going to be another piece of the puzzle for next year." said Coach Dennis.  The baseball team is currently 6-1 overall and 3-0 in conference following a big 3-game sweep of Cleveland State this past week.  The team will play at Tennessee Wesleyan on Wednesday the 22nd and then travel to conference champion Jackson State for the weekend series.

CSTCC announces another commitment for '06-'07

Chattanooga State is excited to announce the commitment of All North Georgia shortstop, Scott Guest, for next years team.  Guest is currently an award winning player for Brent Tucker ( former CSTCC baseball player ) at Ridgeland HS in Georgia.  He has been a highly decorated middle infielder for the better part of 3 years for Ridgeland and Coach Tucker and the Tigers are excited to be naming him as part of next year's squad.  "Scott brings super athleticism along with a motor that just never stops running.  He eats, drinks and sleeps baseball and is just a super young man to be around.  Coach Tucker just couldn't tell me enough good things about Guest and it didn't take much to sell me on this young man and his abilities." said Tiger head coach Greg Dennis.  "Hopefully, Scott is just another in a LONG line of local guys that are choosing to stay around here and play for us.  I think he and Coty Green ( an earlier commitment from Baylor ) are going to pied-piper in some local guys that are seeing the same thing that they are here at CSTCC....a program that is committed to being the best it can be and preparing guys for the future."

Tigers to play exhibition game vs. Chattanooga Lookouts at BellSouth Park

CSTCC is excited to announce that the baseball team will be playing an exhibition game vs. the Chattanooga Lookouts ( Cincinnati Reds AA team ) on April 4th at 7:15 at Bell South Park in downtown Chattanooga.  Assistant Coach Robert Long was instrumental in getting this game set up and scheduled and Head Coach Greg Dennis is excited over the prospects of playing the Double A local team.  Coach Dennis said "I can't begin to tell you how excited we are to be part of something that can be considered locally historic.  Getting these two teams together is something special and I can only hope that it could become a regular event.  Mr. (Frank) Burke, Jamie Dismuke and Robert Long were so instrumental in this happening and we can't thank them enough for giving us this opportunity.  I think it speaks volumes about how far we have come as a program that we could even begin to try something of this magnitude.  There aren't many schools in the country that get opportunities like this.  Division 1 on down.  We are just really hoping to have a huge crowd out to the game to celebrate this event and hopefully, raise some funds for our program." 

Further information is forthcoming on this game and ticket sales.  Please contact Greg Dennis if interested in purchasing tickets.  A percentage of the gate will go directly to CSTCC baseball.

Tigers announce Fundraiser Breakfast at Applebee's ( updated 1/17 )  

Chatt. State baseball has announced it's first annual Applebee's Breakfast / Meet the Team.  They will be serving breakfast at the Applebee's Restaurant on Shallowford Village from 8-10 am on Saturday, January 28th.  The price will be $5 per person and tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door.  The goal is to try and sell 350 tickets at least.  The money raised will go directly into the program and facility.  The field is needing many repairs and upgrades and the hitting/pitching barn behind right-center field is nearly complete and only needing a little more to finish it out. 

The Tigers regular season will begin with a trip to Gadsden State on February 2nd and the home opener is the following week on February 8th vs. Tennessee Wesleyan JV.

AJ Morris commits to Covenant College for '06-07 ( updated 1/17 )

Sophomore 1B, AJ Morris, has announced his signing a scholarship agreement with Covenant College for the 2006-07 season.  Covenant, which just brought back their baseball program, is under the leadership of Head Coach Doug Simons. Covenant participates in NAIA Region XII and is excited about the prospects for their program.  AJ is a transfer to Chattanooga State having played last year at Montevallo University in Alabama.  He spent the summer playing for the Athletes in Action team in the New York Collegiate Wood Bat League where he hit over .300, leading his team.  He is expected to start at first base for the Tigers this spring and be a solid middle of the order hitter.  Coach Greg Dennis said "I am happy to see AJ sign with a program that he feels so committed to and I feel this will be a wonderful fit for a fine young man.  I think Coach Simons is going to be very happy with both the player and the student in AJ". 

Chattanooga State's spring season begins the 2nd of February with a trip to Gadsden State Community College.

Chattanooga State claims 3rd recruit for '06-'07 ( updated 1/15 )

New Tiger signee, Coty Green                  Coty Green signs along with father, Bill, and Baylor Coach Gene Etter

CSTCC baseball coach Greg Dennis has formally announced the Tigers 3rd addition to a growing class for 2007, local product Coty Green from the Baylor School.  Coty is a 3 year starter and pitched on their State Championship team his Freshman season.  He was 7-2 that year followed by a 7-2 sophomre season and last year was 6-2 with 1 save.  His ERA for his Junior year was a paltry 1.81 and he merely walked 8 batters in 54 innings pitched while striking out 53.  Coach Dennis hardly could contain his excitement about bringing this local product to the Tiger family.  "We are just so excited about having Coty come in here and I am absolutely positive he is going to contribute right away.  He is just such a quality young man and so committed to his academics as well as his athletics.  I am sure he is going to have a bright future here". 

Chattanooga State announces commitment #2 for 2006

CSTCC baseball announces their second commitment of the year coming from Drew Carnes, catcher, from Cartersville HS ( GA. ).  Drew is a 6'0" 200 pound catcher/first baseman who has starred for the Purple Hurricanes of Cartersville HS.  His junior year he hit a robust .409 with a slugging percentage of .612.  He was last year's winner of the Jim Locke Award for Champions.  His sophomore year he hit .417 and was the team offensive MVP.  He was also part of the East Cobb team that went to the Dominican Republic and won the World Series.  Cartersville HS Head Coach, Stuart Chester, had this to say about Drew:  "He is an impact player at the plate whose aggressiveness and mental toughness allows him to be a tough out.  He hits for power to all fields and has a great eye at the plate.  He also receives behind the plate wonderfully and manages the game very well."  Chattanooga State's 2006 season begins in Gadsden, Alabama on February 2nd vs. Gadsden State CC.  The first home game is February 8th vs. Tennessee Wesleyan JV.

CSTCC announces Rawlings Sponsorship 

Head Coach Greg Dennis happily announced that Rawlings Baseball has again agreed to make Chattanooga State one of it's "sponsored" programs for 2005-06.  "We are pleased and excited to be part of the Rawlings family and feel that it is a statement about how far this program has come that a company with the proud history of Rawlings would consider us to be a part of their elite college baseball family" says Dennis.  Along with the name recognition comes many "perks" of being with Rawlings.  Coach Dennis says to be on the lookout for many of the Rawlings products that the Tigers will be using both in games, practices and camps.

Chattanooga State announces the first commitment for 2006

Head Coach Greg Dennis is happy to announce the first commitment to his 2006-07 baseball class for CSTCC.  Matt Byrd from Knoxville West HS has committed to play for the Tigers in the coming year and Coach Dennis and the program are very excited about this.  Last year Byrd hit .425 as a junior following a .350 average as a sophomore.  He is playing shortstop but has seen time at third, second and the outfield.  He had an On Base Percentage of over .600 last year and was named All District.  He is the son of Charlie and Lisa Byrd and has a younger brother on the West team, Jonathan.  Coach Dennis said "We are extremely happy to be adding Matt to our program and what a way to start off this year's class.  He comes from a great family environment where baseball has been a central focus.  His high school career has been outstanding and he is very solid in the classroom having already been named to the Who's Who of High School Students.  Matt should be a very important part of our success' in the future years."

CSTCC Baseball announces 2005 All Academic Achievement Awards

Chattanooga State baseball is happy to announce the 2004-05 All Academic Achievement awards for Region VII.  6 players represented the Tigers in the awards and coach Greg Dennis was happy to see these young men perform well both on and off of the field of play.  Chris Combs was the only sophomore award winner and was a 2 year fixture on this list.  Chad Cunningham, Matt Glass, Dustin Millaway, A.J. Renfrow and Steven Simmons Jr were all freshmen named to the illustrious list.  Steven Simmons attained this while working in the CSTCC Honors Program.  "We are extremely happy and proud of these guys' accomplishments and look forward to seeing some of them back and achieving even more next year."

Strickland and McKellar win Coastal Plains Championship

Cole McKellar and Bucky Strickland helped lead the Edenton Steamers to the league championship of the Coastal Plains League.  McKellar ended the season with a 8-2 record to lead the league and won the semi-final game for the Steamers going 7 1/3 innings and allowing only 2 runs.  Strickland hit over .300 for the season while splitting time between catching and designated hitting, also chipped in 2 hits in the final game and scored 3 runs while driving in 1.  Congrats to both of these Chattanooga State Tigers!!!

'05 Chattanooga State Players Move On to 4-year level

The Chattanooga State baseball team is happy to announce the transferring of a number of it's players from the 2004-05 season to 4 year schools.  Adam Cross, who was a 2004 All Conference selection, has committed to Kennesaw State University.  Cross looks to continue playing outfield and pitching at the Atlanta-based D1 school.  2 year starter at first base, Aaron Simmons, has committed to continue playing at Lee University in Cleveland Tennessee.  1 year starter, Matt Glass, will continue his playing at Georgia State University and Bucky Strickland, who garnered All Conference honors behind the plate this year, will be attending Division II power Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas.  Bryan Tapley has committed to going to NAIA power, Oklahoma Baptist University, where many of Coach Dennis' former players have attended.  Assistant coach Chris Klimas is a former Dennis' protege.  Local product, Daniel Hackett from Ringgold, Georgia, has signed to play at Southern Poly University in Atlanta, Georgia.  Congratulations to ALL of these young men on their furthering their academic and athletic careers!!

Dennis Announces his 2005-06 baseball recruiting class

3rd year head baseball coach, Greg Dennis, is happy to announce his 2nd recruiting class to Chattanooga State Technical Community College.  Coach Dennis feels that this is a solid group of young men who should further the baseball program on at Chattanooga State.  Here is a listing of players and information:

2 Chattanooga State players star in the Coastal Plains League

  Cole McKellar       Bucky Strickland

Bucky Strickland and Coleman McKellar have had stellar summer seasons for the Edenton Steamers of the Coastal Plains League.  Both guys have enjoyed playing for Coach David Scoggin, who himself is a former player for CSTCC Head Coach Greg Dennis.  "David called me and asked if we had a catcher and pitcher who may be interested in playing some summer ball.  I highly recommended both Strickland and McKellar and having played for me at Collin County CC in Texas, David knew I would not mislead him about them.  They have had a wonderful summer experience and have helped the Steamers some too."  McKellar is leading the league in Wins with a 7-2 record and Strickland has split time catching while hitting right at a .300 clip for the summer.  While Strickland is going to continue his playing at Angelo State University in San Angelo Texas, McKellar will be returning to CSTCC to follow up his All Conference season from 2005.

 Two other CSTCC players have also had solid summer experiences.  Incoming sophomore 1B AJ Morris enjoyed a very successful summer season in the NYCBL wood bat league, playing for the Alfred (N.Y.) A's team.  Returning sophomore Andy Simunic played international ball for the Athletes in Action team which went abroad to play baseball and spread the gospel. 

 CSTCC Baseball Community Service

The Chattanooga State Baseball team has made a firm commitment to going out in the community and serving. We find it very important to find ways to better show our caring and concern for what is going on in our area. We have a number of different elementary schools that we are attending and mentoring students at. Currently we are at Harrison Elementary, Hillcrest Elementary, Dupont Elementary and Battlefield Elementary. We are also going to try and serve in other areas of the community.
If you have any ideas and/or suggestions about ways to serve, please feel free to contact us at greg.dennis@chattanoogastate.edu and send your thoughts.



Westview Elemetary Fall Festival on 10/29/04. Participating from left to right are:
Asst. Coach Jeff Steele, Steven Simmons, A.J. Renfrow, Will Spann, Ryan Headden, Tyler Champion. Missing from the picture are Bryan Tapley, Bucky Strickland, and Matt Powell