The return to classes in the spring semester at Middle Tennessee State University marks a milestone in the collegiate sports calendar. The basketball teams get into the full swing of Conference USA play, tennis begins yet another quest for history while both baseball and softball are preparing for a turnaround.
With so much going on in spring sports, here are some storylines to keep an eye out for as classes get rolling
Milestone watch
While Lady Raider basketball might be experiencing what some see as a down year sitting at 10-8 (5-1 CUSA) after a tough non-conference schedule, Middle Tennessee has begun to turn things around while chasing a milestone win.
MTSU has started to iron out some of its kinks as CUSA play has started, putting head coach Rick Insell one win away from his 500th career win with the Lady Raiders.
Insell, who was inducted into the Conference USA Hall of Fame in 2025, could pick up his 500th win as early as Jan. 22 inside the Murphy Center against the University of Delaware.
The Lady Raiders are aiming to return to the NCAA tournament after falling to Liberty University in the CUSA Tournament Championship game last season.
Shooting the lights out
After head coach Nick McDevitt signed a three-year contract extension this past offseason, he had to rebuild the roster after four of the Blue Raiders’ typical starters either graduated or entered the portal.
Bringing in players such as Jahvin Carter and Sean Smith have helped stabilize MTSU’s rotation, but the emergence of Alec Oglesby and Torey Alston paired with a healthy Kamari Lands have given the Blue Raiders one of the most dangerous perimeter offenses in CUSA.
This was on full display in a home win against Louisiana Tech at the beginning of the new year, as the Blue Raiders set the program’s single-game record for made three-pointers.
Overall, Middle Tennessee is shooting 35.6% from behind the arc on a league-leading 500 attempts. While the Blue Raiders have scuffled at times with shooting slumps, this team shows the ability to get hot just in time for March Madness.
Lucky number seven
Middle Tennessee has transformed into a men’s tennis school under head coach Jimmy Borendame, who has led the Blue Raiders to a whopping six straight conference championships.
Coming off the sixth championship, Borendame had to rebuild the roster with only two returners from last season.
The two returners, seniors Karim Al-Amin and Ondrej Horak make up one of the top doubles pairing in mid-major tennis. Last fall, the duo upset No. 7 University of California, Berkeley, in the NCAA doubles tournament.
Through two matches, Horak and Al-Amin have made up the top two singles courts as well. The seniors look to lead an MTSU squad that has four freshman and four transfers to a seventh consecutive conference championship, and another trip to the NCAA tournament.
Consistency carries over
(Ephraim Rodenbach)
After a season at the plate where the Blue Raiders hit for a .282 average on the baseball diamond, MTSU is bringing back all but two of its usual starting lineup from last season.
This leaves Middle Tennessee with an Eston Snider sized hole in center field while the first base combination of Trace Phillips and Hayden Miller have moved on. Phillips signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, while Miller transferred to Bradley University.
The Blue Raiders also return two members of its weekend rotation, with former All-CUSA selections Drew Horn and Chandler Alderman. The bullpen projects to contain a new cast of characters, with ten new pitchers on the roster.
Head coach Jerry Meyers will look to guide MTSU back to the conference tournament, after missing out on the playoffs last season.
Can they pitch it?
One of the biggest questions for Blue Raider softball in this upcoming season surrounds the production in the pitching circle.
The team’s top pitcher last season is no longer with the team, as CUSA all-freshman selection Leila Ammon transferred to Mississippi State University.
Seniors Tori Coffman and Mary Martinez return for MTSU as options for head coach Jeff Breeden on the rubber. Coffman compiled a 4.10 ERA over 99.0 innings pitched last season, including seven complete games. Martinez held hitters to a 3.30 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 65.2 innings.
The Blue Raiders return a strong array of bats, including senior catcher Ansley Blevins and the 2025 CUSA Freshman of the Year Jana Want. The entire starting outfield trio of Lexie Medlock, Addy Edgmon and Macie Harter should also reprise their role for MTSU.
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