By Thomas Corhern, Herald-Citizen Sports
COOKEVILLE — Balancing academics, community service and
athletics is a tremendous task.
As shown last week as Kellie Cook was announced as the winner of
the Tennessee Tech Woman of the Year award, it takes an exceptional
committment to the ideals of the university and the overarching
goal of a diploma in one hand and a championship ring on the
other.
It is by no means an easy one.
But nothing worthwhile is.
Among the nine student-athletes nominated for the Man of the Year
award are champions on the court, scholars in the classroom and
beacons in the community.
Every one of the nominated student-athletes were worthy of the
award, whether it was reigning Male Athlete of the Year Syrym
Abdukhalikov from tennis, basketball’s Terrell Barnes,
Cookeville native Taylor Hennigan from football, golfer Greg Kitts,
football’s Tre Lamb, Adam McLeod from cross country, or
baseball’s Austin Wulf and Nick Price.
But through the committee’s deliberation, the choice was a
well-deserved one for Tech senior pitcher Tristan Archer.
“I’m honored,” Archer said. “This is a
great group of student-athletes and it’s just amazing to be
recognized among these guys.”
The selection was not a surprise to his former coach.
“Man, there’s just so many ways you can describe
Tristan,” said Tech baseball coach Matt Bragga. “On the
mound, he’s just a warrior. He just goes about his business.
He’s a very level-headed guy, but the part of his demeanor
that a lot of people can’t see is that he is a warrior. From
the outside, you’d never know how fierce of a competitor this
guy is, but off the field, the best way to describe him is a
gentleman to the fullest.
“He’s just a neat young man. He never gets flustered
with anything. He always stays level-headed. He was a great leader,
was one of our captains this year and you don’t get that
without good leadership skills because our guys vote on that. That
says volumes on what they think of him.”
A four-year starter for the Golden Eagle baseball team, Archer
spent the season rewriting the Tech record books, claiming the top
spots in wins (23), starts (55) and innings pitched (323 2/3).
He ranks second in career strikeouts with 273.
This season, Archer recorded nine wins in his fifteen starts, with
two complete games to his credit. He struck out 97 batters this
season and had a 3.34 earned run average.
A member of the Ohio Valley Conference’s all-Freshman team in
2010, Archer lived up to his promise through the course of his
career.
Archer is also one of the few players who have been able to come
through the Tech program with two championship rings, winning both
the 2010 and 2013 regular-season championships.
“When he was leaving, he looked at me and said, ‘Coach,
there aren’t many people at many schools who got to have two
rings,’” Bragga said. “I’m like
that’s a great point. To win two championships in his four
years here, that doesn’t happen often. He was an integral
part of that process to get this program where it’s at
today.”
Archer added, “I came in as a freshman and won a
championship, had two years in the middle that were a little rough,
then this past year with another championship and a record-setting
year with 40 wins, that’s just awesome.”
At the conclusion of the season, Archer was drafted by the
Milwaukee Brewers in the Major League Baseball entry draft and
currently plays with the Helena Brewers in the minor league
ranks.
“He’s a great player,” Bragga said. “I know
he’s not off to a great start in the minors, but he’s
not off to a bad start either. To me, he’s a guy that I
really believe that can pitch in the big leagues. He’s that
good. He’s not the hardest thrower we’ve ever had and
may not have the best breaking ball, but he’s got a really
good fastball, plus breaking ball, plus change-up and the demeanor
that fits it all.”