Former UT Vols AD Mike Hamilton to area's ADs: 'Let's do lunch'

Former Tennessee athletics director Mike Hamilton knew the area's college athletics directors have a big appetite when it comes to learning about one another's issues.

So he invited them to lunch. The group put it all out on the table. They chewed on the hot topics they were dealing with individually, compared notes and offered advice when they could.

It was informal and informative.

More:Vols coach Jeremy Pruitt has to earn this Nick Saban impersonation

It went so well that Hamilton, who now lives in Nashville, decided to gather the gang on a regular basis. The ADs meet for their dutch treat meal once each quarter with their next meeting, which will be their third, coming up on May 14.

"I have a number of individual friendships among the athletics directors that are in the Middle Tennessee area and was always having a cheeseburger here or a cup of coffee there with them," Hamilton said. "One day I was like, 'You know, these guys need community among peers and I'm going to see if they want me to help put something like that together.'"

Hamilton reached out to Vanderbilt athletics director David Williams, MTSU's Chris Massaro, Belmont's Scott Corley, Lipscomb's Philip Hutcheson, Tennessee State's Teresa Phillips, Tennessee Tech's Mark Wilson, Austin Peay's Ryan Ivey, Cumberland's Ron Pavan, Trevecca's Mark Elliott, Fisk's Larry Glover, Sewanee's Mark Webb and Martin Methodist's Jeff Bain.

The group is growing. Western Kentucky's Todd Stewart was at the last meeting, and Chattanooga's Mark Wharton will be at the next. 

"Even though we're going from NAIA Division III to NCAA Division I to Power Five and everything in between, there's some common themes obviously that matter in athletics regardless of level," Hamilton said. "There's dialogue that develops both in the meetings with each other, but also outside of that meeting with each other. It's nice to have the knowledge of somebody else who understands a little bit about what you do."

For Hamilton, who resigned at UT in 2011, the meetings are a way to stay engaged in college athletics. He is now executive director of Show Hope, an orphan care and adoption ministry, which was started by Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth.

For the rest of the group, it's a great networking forum.

"I was a little bit surprised that a lot of the folks just didn't know each other," Hamilton said. "They're somewhat in the same line of work, and it's been fun to watch that beginning to develop."

Hamilton is considering expanding the group to include athletics directors at the area's junior colleges including Volunteer State, Motlow State and Columbia State. 

"It's good to see everybody in an informal environment because we have a lot more in common that we can talk about," Massaro said. "Trevecca's got some of the same issues that we do, and we've got some of the same issues that Vanderbilt has. We're all a little bit different institutions, but when you get down to the student-athlete and 18- to 22-year-old problems, we all have them. So how we all deal with them in our own way, it's a pretty helpful discussion."

Lipscomb's Armstrong turns pro, will play in Nashville Open

Dawson Armstrong, Lipscomb's most accomplished golfer in history, has decided to forgo the remainder of his senior season in order to begin his pro career.

The Brentwood resident, who owns nearly every school record, will not compete in the NCAA tournament after already being selected to play in the Raleigh, N.C. regional as an individual.

“This is a very bittersweet decision as I cannot be more proud of the accomplishments and memories at Lipscomb,” Armstrong said. “For this I will forever be thankful. I hope to make Lipscomb proud as I begin my pro golf career.”

Armstrong is now eligible to play in the Web.com Tour’s Nashville Golf Open benefiting the Snedeker Foundation on May 24-27 at Nashville Golf & Athletic Club.

It will be a familiar setting for Armstrong. Nashville Golf & Athletic is Lipscomb’s home course.

Titans GM Robinson to receive Martin Methodist award

Titans general manager Jon Robinson will receive the third annual Martin Methodist S.O.A.R (Success Over and Above the Rest) award on June 8.

The award goes to an individual in Tennessee who has demonstrated persistence in his or her profession, pursuits of ideal and passion for excellence.

More:Titans GM Jon Robinson adds selectively to a roster he clearly likes

The previous recipients were former major league umpire Chuck Meriwether and country music star Darryl Worley.

The ceremony will be at BBQ Hill in Lynchburg.

Cheek leaves Vandy for Clemson 

Joy Cheek, who spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Vanderbilt, has joined coach Amanda Butler’s new staff at Clemson.

► More:Wilson Central girls basketball star Kendall Spray leaving UT Martin for Clemson

Cheek, 29, who played at Duke and in the WNBA, came to Vanderbilt on coach Stephanie White's staff. 

Butler, a former Mt. Juliet standout, was hired at Clemson in April. 

Sports Writers name coaches, players of the year

Tennessee men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes, Belmont women’s coach Bart Brooks, MTSU senior Nick King and Belmont senior Kylee Smith received the top Tennessee Sports Writers Association awards.

► More:Middle Tennessee forward Nick King breaks program record for most points in single season

Barnes, who led the Vols to the SEC regular season championship and 26-9 record, was the men’s coach of the year.

Brooks led Belmont to the OVC regular season and tournament championships and a 31-4 record and was women’s coach of the year.

King averaged 21.0 points and 8.4 rebounds and was the men’s player of the year while Smith, who averaged 18.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists, was the top women’s player.

Columbia State's Crawley signs with Georgia Southern

Columbia State basketball standout Isaiah Crawley signed with Georgia Southern.

The 6-foot-7 guard/forward from Ripley, Tenn., is ranked 49th nationally by JucoRecruiting.com.

He averaged 17.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.

Hillwood principal, TSSAA board member Chauncy retiring

Hillwood principal Steve Chauncy, a longtime member of the TSSAA Board of Control, is retiring after 40 years as a Metro educator.

Chauncy, a 1969 East High graduate and two-sport star, represents the fifth athletic district, which encompasses all Midstate schools.

In 2014, Chauncy was named the Metro Nashville Public Schools High School Principal of the Year. 

Chauncy replaced Mike Tribue on the TSSAA Board of Control in 2009.

Earlier in his career he coached at Maplewood, was a high school and college basketball referee, served on the Middle Tennessee Basketball Officials Association board, and was an assistant principal at Antioch.

Pair of holes-in-one made at Hermitage in charity event

Assistant Hermitage Golf Course professional Janell Joslin made it tough, or impossible, for amateurs in the Beat the Pro competition, a charity sponsored by Big Rigs for Little Kids.

The goal was for amateurs to land a shot closer to the pin than the pro. Joslin, however, made a hole-in-one on the 153-yard, No. 12 hole using a 7-iron.

That, of course, couldn’t be beaten against anyone competing in that group.

However, in another group one of the contestants, Matt Coles, also aced the hole after assistant pro Greg Tubbesing had hit to within four feet.

Sugg is West Coast Conference Player of the Week again

For the second time this season, former Franklin standout Libby Sugg, now a junior at BYU, was named the West Coast Conference Softball Player of the Week.

Sugg, a catcher, batted .733 with six runs on 11 hits in a total of five games. She also had a home run and seven RBIs. Sugg also received the honor on April 9.

Keeping dates straight

Longtime Nashville Banner city editor Charlie Appleton pointed out that time elements in this column such as "this week," "next week" and "last week" can be confusing.

I agree, especially since the column is posted online before it appears in print. Going forward, thanks to Appleton, I will be more conscious and careful when referring to dates.

Constructive criticism from loyal readers is always appreciated. 

Former Ryan, Vandy star Guepe Jr. dies

Former Father Ryan and Vanderbilt football standout Arthur Guepe Jr. died May 4. He was 76.

Guepe was the son of Vanderbilt and Virginia football coach Art Guepe Sr.

Arthur Guepe Jr. was The Tennessean Nashville Interscholastic League Football Player of the Year in 1959 as a halfback and the 1960 Athlete of the Year.

Guepe Jr. led Father Ryan to the 1959 NIL championship after rushing for 1,020 yards.

He went on to play at Vanderbilt, where he was a three-year starter.

Goodlettsville Golf Tourney coming up

The fourth annual Goodlettsville High School Alumni Golf Classic is May 19 at Twelve Stones Course.

Goodlettsville High alumni, family and friends are invited to play. To register call David Darnell at 615-424-5833 or visit GHSAA.com.

Ex-Lipscomb runner wins first 10k

Former Lipscomb cross country and track standout Barbara Ball, 24, ran her first 10k race in Mississippi on May 5 and won.

She claimed the Corinth Coca-Cola women’s title in 36:30. Ball was eighth overall in a field of 960 finishers. It also was her first visit to Corinth.

“I tried to look around the town while I was running,” Ball told the Daily Journal. “It’s a beautiful place, and I certainly plan on coming back.”

Ball is a graduate student at Vanderbilt.

Sports on Nashville TV

The top five local ratings for sporting events from April 30-May 6:
1. Stanley Cup playoffs: Predators-Jets (Game 5), 10.1
2. Horse racing: Kentucky Derby, 10.0
3. Stanley Cup playoffs: Predators-Jets (Game 4), 9.4 
4. Stanley Cup playoffs: Predators-Jets (Game 3), 9.1 
5. PGA: Wells Fargo (final round), 4.7 
Each rating point is equal to 10,307 Nashville homes.
Source: Mark Binda, WTVF-5 senior programming director

If you have an item for Midstate Chatter, contact Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.