GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — Tusculum outside hitter Deklan Wingo and golfer Reagan Padilla have been named the Zaxby’s Athletes of the Week.
Wingo, a senior from Chester, Virginia, averaged 5.78 kills per set and posted a .347 hitting percentage in his final two career home matches at Tusculum.
He established a new school record with 31 kills in Friday’s match against Catawba. He recorded his third double-double of the year as he contributed 10 digs to go along with two service aces and three blocks to finish with a season-high 35.0 points. In Saturday’s home finale against Thomas More, Wingo posted 21 kills and four service aces in a 3-1 victory. Wingo continues to lead nation with his 4.98 kills and 5.72 points per set average. His 10.04 attacks per set average is second nationally while his .344 hitting percentage is ranked 24th in the NCAA. His 0.38 service aces per set average is 34th nationally. Wingo has accumulated 1,214 career kills which are currently the 17th most by NCAA active players.
Padilla, a junior from Gallatin, Tennessee, finished fourth at the South Atlantic Conference Women’s Championship. She earned SAC All-Tournament honors for a second straight year as she posted a 36-hole total of 144 including a final round 71, which matched a career-best.
Padilla finished the year with a school record 75.25 stroke average, breaking the mark she set last season (75.40 in 2023-24). In her 28 career events, Padilla has finished in the top-five on 11 occasions which is the fourth-most in school history. Her performance at the SAC Championship was her 17th career top-10 finish tying her for fourth. She finished in the top-20 for a 20th consecutive tournament and 22nd of her career (T6th in TU history). She lowered her career scoring average to 76.40, which is the second-lowest by a Pioneer.
The Tusculum University Athlete of the Week Award is sponsored by Zaxby’s, located at 3280 Andrew Johnson Highway in Greeneville. The Zaxby’s Athlete of the Week Award honors one male and one female athlete each week from an in-season sport.
