Athletes Beyond Bartow: Local standouts make their mark across college, pro sports

October 26, 2026

Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com

From the golf course to the football field, cross country trails and beyond, athletes with ties to Bartow County continue to make their mark at the collegiate and professional levels. This week’s Athletes Beyond Bartow capsules highlight their latest performances, upcoming competitions, and achievements across a wide range of sports, including professional golf, college football, college golf, cross country, volleyball, rifle, equestrian, and soccer.

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

BOO WEEKLEY — 29th-year professional; 53; Cartersville Country Club member; Jay, Florida resident — shot 72-68-64 (9-under par) this past weekend and tied for sixth at the Stifel Charity Classic, played at Norwood Hills Country Club in St. Louis. The tournament was the first event in the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs. Weekley’s final round moved him up 19 spots on the leaderboard. He continues to hold a top ten spot in the playoffs. The Champions Tour playoffs, with only the top 54 players, move to Little Rock this week for the Simmons Bank Championship at Norwood Hills Country Club. The top 36 players will advance to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix, Arizona, November 12-15.

KORN FERRY TOUR QUALIFYING

BUCK BRUMLOW — 2nd-year pro; 24; University of Georgia; Cartersville HS — will participate in the Korn Ferry Tour’s First Stage Qualifier at Lake Caroline Golf Club in Madison, Mississippi on November 3-6. Brumlow, who played on the PGA Americas Tour last year, was exempt from the Pre-Qualifying Stage.

CHANC WILLIS — Age 24; Reinhardt University; Cartersville HS — will participate in the Korn Ferry Tour’s First Stage Qualifier at Sand Creek Station Golf Club in Newton, Kansas on October 27-30. Competing as an amateur, Willis advanced to the First Stage with a T11 finish (69-69-68) at the Pre-Qualifying Stage earlier this year at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club in Valdosta.

FOOTBALL

JOHN ABERNATHY — Centre College (Fr., Cass HS) … saw his first collegiate action on the Colonels’ offensive line this past Saturday during a 69-30 home victory over Sewanee-University of the South (TN). Centre (3-4, 2-2 Southern Athletic Association) plays at 19th-ranked Berry College on Saturday afternoon.

J.D. DeROCHE — University of the Cumberlands (So., Cass HS) … made three tackles, including one tackle for loss, at inside linebacker last Saturday in a 48-21 home loss to Cumberland University (TN). UC (5-3, 1-2 Mid-South Conference) visits 22nd-ranked Georgetown College (KY) on Saturday.

KADEN ELLIS — Appalachian State University (So., Cass HS) … the defensive lineman made one tackle last Thursday in the Mountaineers’ 34-31 overtime win over visiting James Madison University. App State (5-2, 2-1 Sun Belt Conference) visits Georgia Southern University on Saturday night.

BARRETT FULLER — Centre College (Fr., Adairsville HS) … saw his first collegiate playing time this past Saturday in the Colonels’ 69-30 home win over Sewanee-University of the South. Centre (3-4, 2-2 Southern Athletic Association) visits 19th-ranked Berry College on Saturday.

TOKYO GORDON — Sam Houston State University (Sr., Adairsville HS) … made three tackles, including one tackle for a 3-yard loss October 21 in the Bearkats’ 30-24 home loss to New Mexico State. SHSU (1-6, 0-3 Conference USA) visits Missouri State on Tuesday night.

DEVIN HENDERSON — Appalachian State University (Jr., Cass HS) … made six tackles (four solo) last Thursday as the Mountaineers beat visiting James Madison University in overtime, 34-31. App State (5-2, 2-1 Sun Belt Conference) travels to Statesboro to play Georgia Southern University on Saturday night.

KEVIN HENDERSON — Appalachian State University (Jr., Cass HS) … saw action at linebacker, but did not have a stat line in the Mountaineers’ overtime win last Thursday night over James Madison University. App State (5-2, 2-1 Sun Belt Conference) travels to Statesboro to play Georgia Southern University on Saturday night.

BRAYLON HILL — Kentucky Wesleyan College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … had one carry for eight yards and caught one pass for 10 yards last Saturday in the Panthers’ 56-0 loss at Ashland University (OH).  KWC (0-8, 0-6 Great Midwest Conference) welcomes Hillsdale College (MI) to Steele Stadium on Saturday.

SHADRE HURST — University of Houston (Fifth Yr., Cartersville HS) … a regular starter on the 18th-ranked Cougars’ offensive line that helped produce 368 total yards, but lost last Saturday night at 10th-ranked Utah, 21-13. Houston (6-2, 3-2 Big 12 Conference) has a bye week before hosting the University of Cincinnati on November 7.

BRAXTON KITCHENS — Georgia State University (So., Cartersville HS) … a long snapper for the Panthers last Saturday in a 38-32 loss at Arkansas State. Georgia State (4-3, 1-2 Sun Belt Conference) hosts Coastal Carolina in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon.

JAKE PARKER — Cumberland University (R-Sr., Cartersville HS) … completed 10 of 12 passes for 126 yards, and rushed for 64 yards and three touchdowns on 10 attempts last Saturday in a 48-21 win at 24th-ranked University of the Cumberlands (KY). Up next for the Phoenix (5-3, 1-2 Mid-South Conference) is 16th-ranked Lindsey Wilson University (KY) on Saturday afternoon.

CHRIS ROPER — Dartmouth College (Sr., Adairsville HS) … rushed for eight yards on two attempts and had one tackle on special teams this past Saturday during a 38-13 win at Columbia University (NY). The Big Green (3-3, 2-1 Ivy League) host 18th-ranked Harvard on Friday night.

BRAXTON RYAN — Kentucky Wesleyan College (So., Adairsville HS) … started on the Panthers’ offensive line in a 56-0 loss at Ashland University (OH). Wesleyan had 144 yards of total offense. KWC (0-8, 0-6 Great Midwest Conference) hosts Hillsdale College (MI) on Saturday.

COLTON SANFORD — Centre College (Fr., Adairsville HS) … made three tackles this past Saturday in the Colonels’ 69-30 home win over Sewanee-University of the South. Centre (3-4, 2-2 Southern Athletic Association) visits 19th-ranked Berry College on Saturday.

DAVIS WADDELL — Western Carolina University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … was a participant but did not produce a stat line in the Catamounts’ 41-18 home loss last Saturday to the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. WCU (3-5, 1-3 Southern Conference) visits Furman University on Saturday.

GOLF

CARSON STANFIELD — USC Upstate (Fr., Cartersville HS) … shot 77-75-73 (12-over par) and tied for 41st individually at the 11-team Fripp Island Intercollegiate this past Friday through Sunday at Fripp Island Resort in Saint Helena Island, South Carolina. He played on the Spartans B team that tied for 10th.

BRODY TIDWELL — Appalachian State University (Sr., Cartersville HS) … tied for 11th individually as the Mountaineers finished ninth of 11 teams at the Qubein Cup hosted by High Point University in Greensboro, North Carolina, on October 19-20. Tidwell shot 74-68-73 (5-over par) on the 6,953-yard par-70 layout at Sedgefield Country Club. App State takes a winter break and will return to action on March 1-2 at the Sam Ryder Intercollegiate in Daytona Beach, Florida.

CROSS COUNTRY

DANIELLE THAYER — Augusta University (Sr., Woodland HS) … finished 136th (23:06, personal best) last Saturday at the Alabama-Huntsville XC Invitational.  The Jaguars finished 10th out of 38 teams at the John Hunt Cross Country Park.

VOLLEYBALL

AILEE ENGLAND — Berry College (Jr., Cartersville HS) … had five kills and two digs last Saturday in a 3-0 win over Maryville College (TN), played at Sewanee-University of the South. She also played in all three sets Sunday as the Vikings won 3-1 over Sewanee. Berry (19-4, 12-2 Southern Athletic Association) plays Millsaps College (MS) and Rhodes College (TN) on Saturday and Sunday in Memphis.

RIFLE

LUCY EVANS — Morehead State University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … finished third overall, with fourth in smallbore and third in air rifle, as the Eagles beat visiting UT Martin on Friday, 4672 to 4582. On Saturday, she was fourth overall in a 4681-4591 win over UT Martin.  Morehead State hosts Jacksonville State on Saturday.

EQUESTRIAN

ARIANA WELCH — Berry College (So., Cass HS) … helped Berry earn Reserve High Point Team honors in the morning and afternoon IHSA Western shows this past Saturday at Berry’s Gunby Equine Center. She placed sixth in Level I Horsemanship in both shows. Berry will next compete in IHSA Western competition at Auburn on November 15.

SOCCER

BRIONNA CARVER — Johnson University (Fr., Woodland HS) … logged 41 minutes as an outside back in the Royals’ 2-1 win at Columbia College (SC) this past Saturday. Johnson (4-11-1, 1-8-1 Appalachian Athletic Conference) visits Truett McConnell on Wednesday and hosts Montreat College (NC) on Saturday.

ELIZABETH MORGAN — Thomas University (So., Woodland HS) … played 47 minutes off the NightHawks’ bench this past Saturday in a 12-0 win. Thomas (9-4-3, 7-3-2 Southern States Athletic Conference) plays at Xavier University (LA) on Tuesday afternoon, and the SSAC playoffs begin this weekend.

MALLORY NICKLAS — Northeastern State University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … The midfielder saw limited minutes in two home wins last week — 2-1 over the University of Nebraska-Kearney on Friday and 2-0 over Fort Hays State (KS) on Sunday — and recorded one shot on goal in Sunday’s game. The Riverhawks (8-6-3, 4-5-2 Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association) host Central Oklahoma on Wednesday night.