TSU football seniors along with Head Coach Rod Reed
November 1, marked a turning point in the careers of a few dozen of Tennessee State University’s finest students. After four years of playing football or instruments, the Senior Class of 2015 had its Senior Day at Nashville’s LP Field.
The football Tigers close out their season on the road against Austin Peay State University at 4 pm on November 8 and against Murray State University at 1 pm on November 22.
The Aristocrat of Bands closes out their marching season with two road trips. First up are two exhibition performances in Indianapolis, Indiana at Music for All’s Bands of America Grand National Championships in Lucas Oil Stadium. The first is on Wednesday evening, November 12, following the Indianapolis high school marching band championship. The second is at midday for those attending the preliminary competitions on Thursday, November 13.
The TSU band returns to the Honda Invitational Showcase in Atlanta on January 24, 2015 for the 13th annual Battle of the Band showcase in the Georgia Dome. This will be the third trip in four years for the TSU band seniors, and the sixth overall appearance for the Aristocrat of Bands at the Honda Battle of the Bands, having performed in 2003, 2004, 2011, and 2012 and 2014.
This year’s Tiger football senior class has been one of the ‘winningest’ in recent memory, posting 27 victories in the past 3.5 years. Should the Tigers win their final two contests, they will finish with three straight non-losing seasons, becoming the first group since 1984-86 to accomplish the feat.
The class features some of the most prolific players to wear a Tiger uniform, like Nick Thrasher who is second all-time in tackles and Mike German who is in the top-five of every passing category. Saturday marked their, and the 20 other graduating Tigers,’ last game in front of their home fans.
Last season, the 10-4 Tigers went two rounds deep into the NCAA playoffs, winning in Indianapolis against Butler University before succumbing to Eastern Illinois in Charleston. The 2012 squad went 8-3 but was not selected to the playoff field.
Band seniors
(student/instrument/city and state/major)
Brian Baptist, trombone, Cordova, Tenn., Criminal Justice
Tiffany Core, baritone, Covington, Ga., Biology
Marilyn Diggs, trombone, Stone Mountain, Ga., Business Information Systems
Bria Freeman, dancer, Riverdale, Ga., Cardio Respiratory Care
Derrick Greene, drum major, Chattanooga, Tenn., Music Education
Malcolm Jackson, percussion, Houston, Texas, Psychology/Music Education
Carey Johnson, saxophone, Decatur, Ga., Biology
Elyse Johnson, trombone, Stone Mountain, Ga., English
Terence Kelley, baritone, Chattanooga, Tenn./English
Nicole Madden/trombone, Stone Mountain, Ga., Dental Hygiene
Melvin Mason, percussion, LaVergne, Tenn., Aeronautical and Industrial Technology
Robert Patterson, baritone, Fayetteville, Ga., Music Education
Joshua Smith, saxophone, Memphis, Tenn., Music Education
Roger Smith, saxophone, Memphis, Tenn., Commercial Music
Jordan Southern, saxophone, Saginaw, Mich., Music Education
Lacey Steward, trumpet, Birmingham, Ala., Psychology
Garrison Warren, trombone, Morrow, Ga., Agricultural Science
Darion Woods, trombone, Memphis, Tenn., Commercial Music
Football seniors
(student-athletes/major/projected graduation/parents and family members)
Anthony Bass, Criminal Justice, May 2015, Anthony and Cassandra Bass
Daniel Easterly, Public Administration, graduate
SamQuan Evans, Liberal Arts, May 2015, Bessie Toliver-Evans, Sykonza Toliver and Sammy Toliver
Daniel Fitzpatrick, Communications, Dec. 2014, Carol Fitzpatrick and Reuben Lawrence
Weldon Garlington, HPSS, Aug. 2015, Leon, Laurissa and Kenyon Garlington
Michael German, HPSS, Dec. 2014, Kenny German, Robin Bauer and Joya Wynn
Darion Hall, Liberal Arts, Dec. 2014, Della Laureville and Joyce Hall
Stephen Hopkins, HPSS, graduate, Jeremy ‘JT’ Taylor
Leon Holderhead, Liberal Arts, May 2015, Maria Donahue
Ryan Mitchell, HPSS, May 2015, Robert Zina Mitchell and Cori Butler
Anthony Morris, Criminal Justice, Dec. 2015, Donald and Madonna Morris
Robert Myers, Liberal Arts, Dec. 2014
Deante Saunders, Liberal Arts, Dec. 2015, Taren and Daphne Saunders, Jameil and Shemia Patrick
JeMarc Sears, Criminal Justice, graduate, Jeanna Spellers and Dorthy Spellers and Geraldine Murrell
Deterrious Shipley, Liberal Arts, May 2015
Derek Sibley, Criminal Justice, May 2015, Derek and Leshel Sibley
Martine Stevenson, HPSS, May 2015, Japan Stevenson and Zhaquay Caldwell
Nicholas Thrasher, Liberal Arts, Dec. 2014, Anthony and Robin Thrasher, Ann Chandler and Tatiyanna Bonds
