CCS D-I Signees (l-r) Lake Johnson (UTC), Scott Stevens (South Carolina), Jaquie Tun (West Virginia), Nicolette Gordon (Kentucky)
photo by Anna Steere
A very good fall sports season at Chattanooga Christian moved to impressive Wednesday as four Charger student-athletes signed NCAA D-I scholarship papers.
The girls soccer team reached the state semifinals the football team qualified for playoffs for the first time ever and the boys cross country team ran to a sixth place in the state meet.
But Wednesday, a school record four Chargers – Jaquie Tun, Nicolette Gordon, Lake Johnson and Scott Stevens – all signed with NCAA Division I schools.
Tun, a national champion on the uneven bars, signed a full scholarship with West Virginia, Gordon, the A-AA state champion in the pole vault, is headed to Kentucky, while golfers Lake Johnson and Scott Stevens hope to hit the golf ball straight and long for UTC and South Carolina, respectively.
Prior to Wednesday, CCS had never had a D-I signee in gymnastics or track and field and only one
other golfer competed at the D-I level.
Jaquie Tun (pronounced Jackie Ton) Gymnastics (West Virginia) … I committed to West Virginia two years ago and look forward to competing at the NCAA D-I level next year for the Mountaineers,” said Tun who plans to major in graphic design.
Tun who competes out of the Gymnastics Center of Chattanooga in Ooltewah, is a two time state champion and won her Level 10 (highest level) national title on the uneven bars in 2013.
Nicolette Gordon – Pole Vault (Kentucky) … Ironically, Gordon was a competitive gymnast until a series of injuries including a pair of knee surgeries ended that career, but opened the door for the pole vault.
“Kentucky is a good fit for me academically and athletically, as I plan to major in physical therapy,” said Gordon who is in the top five in the senior class and has a 4.0+ grade point average.
Gordon did not pole vault until the fall of 2013 and won the TSSAA A-AA state title in the spring with a vault of 12 feet and now holds the school and state records.
"The Kentucky coaches are great and I have lots of room to improve."
Lake Johnson – Golf (UTC) … has a 5th (2013) and 6th (2014) state place finishes and won the City Prep individual title the past two years and holds school record (31) for nine holes.
Scott Stevens – Golf (South Carolina) … was Tennessee Junior Golfer of the Year in 2013 and will take his talents to the SEC … tied for third at the state meet as a junior and earned 12 medalist honors as a sophomore.
contact B.B.
Branton at william.branton@comcast.net