By Thomas Corhern, Herald-Citizen
Contributions from Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Marynell Meadors scanned across the gathered crowd at the Hooper Eblen Center on Tuesday night.
It wasn't the first time.
After all, she was there when the building opened.
She was there when Tennessee Tech started its women's basketball program.
She was there when the Golden Eaglettes started building their traditions.
The banners that were hanging in the rafters of the Eblen Center were proof of that.
Her first words to the audience: "It's good to be home."
Meadors was the keynote speaker on Tuesday for the Hometown Champions Night, held by the Cookeville-Putnam County Sports Council, and was also one of the honorees as she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award as well as a key to the city from Cookeville mayor Ricky Shelton.
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Brock McCoin The second-year player made an instant impact as a receiver for the Golden Eagle football team, setting a receiving record for an opponent against Houston with 264 yards on nine receptions in the team's season opener. He also tallied two touchdowns. For the year he posted 61 receptions for 747 yards and four scores before transitioning to quarterback for the final three games of the year. He racked up 458 yards and four touchdowns through the air as well as 271 rushing yards. Adam Liberatore The former Golden Eagle southpaw made his Major League debut in 2015, earning a call up with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the middle of the season. In 39 appearances, Liberatore earned a 2-2 record with a 4.25 ERA as a reliever, tossing 29 and two thirds innings with 29 strikeouts and just nine walks. After starting the 2016 season in Triple-A, he earned another promotion after just three minor league appearances. In 10 games this season, he has yet to surrender a run in seven innings of work, notching six punch-outs and three walks. Roger Ealey |
"It seems like it's been since yesterday that I was here," Meadors said on being back at the Eblen Center. "I've been on a great journey throughout my career, but to start here is the perfect setting. I think everyone has done a terrific job of carrying on. Bill Worrell came in after me and did a super job. I know they've got some work to do right now with recruiting and all that, but I really think it's going to come back and be a competitor again."
From starting the Golden Eaglettes program, restarting the Florida State program to several stops in the Women's National Basketball Association to coaching the U.S. National Team, Meadors has seen and done it all in the sport.
"I have been blessed with a lot of great situations," Meadors said. "Tech was the first one. It was absolutely the best and it set me on the right path. From there, it was Florida State, then moving on to the pros, which was great. Then, the Olympics. That was kind of the end of everything, but it was kind of an awesome experience to finish your career in the Olympics."
As a pioneer in the sport and to see how the sport of women's basketball has developed over time is a humbling experience for Meadors.
"It seems like, at the time, that it went really slow trying to get everybody together on the same page," Meadors said. "When it caught on, it caught on. It's something that's really special now. You look at the games and the stands are full. People are supporting it tremendously. I just think that if I had to do the same thing all over again, I'd do it the same way."
And women's basketball seemed to hold on to the focus Tuesday night as the majority of the awards went to athletes, coaches, broadcasters and fans who are helping carry on Meadors' torch.
Tennessee Tech and Livingston Academy broadcaster Roger Ealey was presented with the Bobby Nichols Sportsmanship Award.
Among the other awards, Los Angeles Dodgers and former Tennessee Tech pitcher Adam Liberatore was named the Bobby Greenwood Professional Athlete of the Year, Tennessee Tech quarterback and wide receiver Brock McCoin was named the Jim Ragland Male Athlete of the Year, and Viola Greenwood was named...
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Photo by Thomas Corhern, Herald-Citizen
