Wendy's SportsBytes on WKDZ

Bradley Sutherland named conference player of the year

Transylvania golfer Bradley Sutherland has been named Heartland Conference Golfer of the Year after the junior won the conference tournament last week by 10 shots.

The Trigg County High graduate shot a 297 to help his team win the conference title and qualify for the NCAA Division III Championships next week in Atlanta.

Transy head coach Brian Lane was also named the conference coach of the year.

"Bradley has certainly been our most consistent player. His play in this year’s conference tournament, with the very windy conditions, was exceptional," Lane said.  "He was the only player in the field to break the 300 stroke mark.  We are extremely proud of Bradley and his accomplishments this year. He has shown that he can compete against the best golfers in the country in the NCAA Division I, II and III."

Click HERE to listen to more comments from Lane on Sutherland

It was the second straight conference title for the Pioneers, who now qualify for the D-3 championships next week which will be hosted by Emory College.  The tournament will be held May 13-16 at the Chateau Elan Resort near Atlanta. The nation's top 35 teams and five individuals will compete in the event.

Last year, Sutherland finished 11th in the national championships and earned second-team All-American honors.

The complete interview with Lane can be heard on the Saturday Morning Sports Report this week at 8:10am on WKDZ-FM.

Western Kentucky creates scholarship in recognition of Ty Rogers

Western Kentucky has created a new scholarship to be presented annually to a Lyon County High School senior.  And they have Ty Rogers to thank for it.

WKU President Gary Ransdell made the annoucement this week at the school's annual postseason awards banquet at E.A. Diddle Arena.

The scholarship is made possible because of Rogers' buzzer-beating shot to beat Drake in the first round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament.  His shot was voted the Pontiac Game Changing Play of the Tournament by viewers nationwide.  As a result, WKU was given $100,000 for its general scholarship fund.

“It’s very emotional.  It’s hard for me to believe that something like that is even happening. It’s overwhelming," Rogers told the Bowling Green Daily News.

WKU Photo by Glenn Eisert

Former Hopkinsville player arrested in drug find at APSU

Those pesky room checks.

Former Hopkinsville and current Austin Peay State University football player Chris Thomas was arrested last month on campus after $20,000 worth of marijuana, a loaded pistol, ammunition, and $924 were found in his dorm room March 17.

According to the All State, the Austin Peay school newspaper, resident assistants found the stash during a routine health and safety check of the dorm rooms.  Campus police charged Thomas, the room's lone resident, with possession of marijuana with intent to sell; carrying a weapon on school property; and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The assistant chief of the campus police called the bust the biggest "on campus bust" he had seen at APSU.

Thomas was lodged on a $50,500 bond.

He signed a national letter of intent to play football at Austin Peay last May after throwing for over 800 yards and running for 700 more at Hopkinsville during the 2006 season.

There was no immediate word on Thomas' status with the Governors' football team.

Tommy Wade is the new coach at Oklahoma City University

Hopkinsville native Tommy Wade has been named the new head basketball coach at Oklahoma City University, his first head coaching job at the college level.

Tommy Wade named interim coach at Oklahoma City

Ray Harper has resigned as head coach of Oklahoma City University after leading the team to consecutive NAIA national titles.

Hopkinsville native Tommy Wade has been named interim head coach, with Harper recommending Wade for the permanent job.

Wade has never held a college head coaching job, but has served as an assistant coach at Murray State, St. Catharine College, Missouri State, South Alabama, and Kentucky Wesleyan.

Harper, a native of Muhlenberg County, is expected to take an assistant coaching job on new Western Kentucky coach Ken McDonald's staff.  He's also a finalist for the head coaching job at Western Illinois.

For more on Harper's decision to step down as OCU coach, CLICK HERE

Scotty Hopson picks Tennessee

I guess you can call it an April Fool's Joke on Kentucky, but University Heights All-American Scotty Hopson has committed to the University of Tennessee.

Keep in mind, Hopson committed to Mississippi State last year but took it back before the start of his senior season.

Hopson had said last week that he had narrowed his choices to Kentucky, Tennessee, and Cincinnati.

And the people are talking.

• Hopson told the Kentucky New Era that it was Tennessee's tradition that led him to Knoxville
• Hopson told GoVolsxtra.com that UT felt like the right fit, and that he projects to start next year.
• He told the Clarion Ledger that he doesn't commit to a school without signing, even though that's what he did to Mississippi State

Former 'Cat, Card Marvin Stone collapses and dies

Former Kentucky and Louisville basketball player Marvin Stone collapsed and died of an apparent heart attack Tuesday during a game in Saudi Arabia.

Stone was 26 years old.

CLICK HERE for the story

Darrin Horn takes the South Carolina job

A week after guiding Western Kentucky to the Sweet 16, Darrin Horn has been named the new head basketball coach at South Carolina.

Horn was 111-48 in five seasons at WKU and replaces Dave Odom, who stepped down after seven seasons  as head coach of the Gamecocks.

The announcement is expected to be made official Tuesday

CLICK HERE to read more on Darrin Horn taking the South Carolina job.

Bracket update

That crash you heard was my NCAA bracket.

I was in position to get all four Final Four teams right, but UCLA is the only team I got right.  I picked the Bruins to win it all.

It looks like my 20-year drought of not winning an NCAA Pool will continue.  Thanks a lot Wisconsin, Texas, and Louisville.

Ty Rogers in the national spotlight

As Western Kentucky gets ready to face top seed UCLA tonight in the NCAA Basketball Tournament, a lot of the spotlight has been focused on Hilltopper guard Ty Rogers who hit the game-winning shot to beat Drake in the first round of the tourney.

Here is what the national media is saying about the former Lyon County standout:

• The Los Angeles Times says Rogers has had to upgrade his cell phone plan because of the text messages received after the Drake win
• Yahoo! Sports talks about who all saw the winning shot in Eddyville
• USA Today talks about how Rogers has put the team before himself while at Western Kentucky