Alford, Burrowes tabbed Applebee's Student-Athletes of the Month for November

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum University cornerback Dee Alford and outside hitter Emiah Burrowes have been named the Applebee's Student-Athletes of the Month for November.

Alford, a senior from Griffin, Georgia, helped the Pioneer football team to a 2-1 record during the month including home victories over Catawba and Mars Hill.  Alford recorded three interceptions and six pass break-ups and garnered South Atlantic Conference and Tennessee Sportswriters Association Defensive Player of the Week accolades.  In his home finale against Mars Hill, established school single-game records in interceptions (2) and passes defended (7).

The 2019 All-SAC first team honoree finished fourth on the team with his 45 tackles, including three for loss and forced a fumble. He was also Tusculum's punt returner and averaged 14.22 yards per return, which is second in the conference and 11th in the country. His 27 punt returns and 384 punt return yards were the second most in school history, while his punt return average was fifth-best by a Pioneer. His 40 career passes defended are a new Tusculum record, while his 195 career interception return yards also a new TU-best.  His 10 career interceptions are third in the school record book while his 50 career punt returns and 547 punt return yards are both the third-most in school history. Alford finished his career with a 10.94 punt return average, which is the fourth-best in TU history.

Burrowes, a native of Wesley Chapel, North Carolina, averaged 4.00 kills, 2.28 digs and 0.40 blocks per set in leading the TU women's volleyball team to three leagues wins during the month as the Pioneers finished the year with a 15-14 record, a nine-win improvement from a season before.

Burrowes, who was tabbed the South Atlantic Conference Freshman of the Year, accounted for double-digit kills in eight of her nine matches including 22 kills to open the month against Lincoln Memorial.  She also tallied 19 kills in a road victory at Coker and 15 against Newberry in TU's regular-season finale as the Pioneers won three of its last four contests to end the year.

Burrowes also earned spots on the All-SAC second team and the SAC All-Freshman squad. She led TU with 332 total kills while averaging 3.53 per set.  She finished the year with five double-doubles, 20 double-digit kill outings and seven matches with double-figure digs.

The Tusculum Student-Athlete of the Month Award is sponsored by Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar of Greeneville.  The Applebee's Student-Athlete of the Month Award honors one male and one female student-athlete each month from an in-season sport during the 2019-2020 academic year, recognizing their hard work, effort and performance.

2019-2020 Applebee's Student-Athletes of the Month