A pair of Greeneville football players are going to have a chance to extend their athletic careers after signing letters of intent on Wednesday afternoon.
Jaxson Nichols signed to continue his playing days at McPherson College in Kansas while Thomas Lollar will be heading the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Kentucky.
“A lot of athletes don’t get this chance, and it means a lot to me to be able to play college football. Growing up this is something I always wanted to do, and having that chance to play at another level is really exciting,” Lollar said.
“This is something I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid,” Nichols said. “Now that I have this chance I’m not going to let it slip away.”
Nichols, who moved to Greeneville from Florida prior to the start of his senior year and will be making another big move by heading to Central Kansas. The more Nichols talked to the coaching staff during the recruiting process the more he became comfortable with the school and he is now excited to join the program.
“Their coach reached out to me one day and liked what he saw on film, so I started researching the school and what stood out is that they have really good academic programs,” Nichols said. “I’ve moved around a lot, and this will be another one, but I’m not worried about that. I’ve talked to their coach almost every day, and knowing that he really cares made comfortable with making this decision.”
McPherson is an NAIA school that competes in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference and is coming off its best season since 2010 with an 8-3 record that included a win over the No.16 ranked team in the country.
“What I think is really exciting is that the program is already on the upswing. I was talking to some programs that are trying to rebuild, but this is a chance for me to jump in and maybe make them even better,” Nichols said.
Lollar will be staying closer to home with just a two-hour trip across the state line to Williamsburg, Kentucky. When talking to college programs the University of the Cumberlands’ coaches made Lollar the most comfortable, and that has him excited to get his collegiate career started.
“When I went on my visit and met all the coaches it felt like home. I immediately felt part of the family. I looked at colleges all over the country, but I think being just two hours away from home will be pretty good for me,” Lollar said.
The University of the Cumberlands is an NAIA school that competes in the Mid-South Conference. The Patriots are coming off a 5-5 record in 2024.
Lollar has been a lock-down cornerback for the Greene Devils, and this year he controlled one side of the field, making it nearly impossible for opponents to complete passes. That is a role he relishes and is excited to take on against bigger and faster opponents in college.
“I like the idea of taking a receiver out the game. I want them to feel like football isn’t their sport,” Lollar said. “I love being on that island. I just want to go out there and shut down that guy across from me. I only gave up 40 yards this year.”
Nichols will start his career at middle linebacker, a role he learned when he joined the Greene Devils. During his senior campaign he had 52 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one defensive touchdown.
Nichols is looking to major in business and wants to start his own business one day.
Lollar is also planning on earning a business degree and wants to go into real estate when he graduates.
Photo by Johnny Painter
