Toccoa Falls College Men's Basketball players discuss mental health in the sports industry, misconceptions, and what people can do to support them.

In early April, Katie Skeen was announced as Toccoa Falls College’s new Head Coach for women’s volleyball. Skeen is the current Resident Director of Fant and LeTourneau halls, which house primarily freshman and sophomore women on lower campus.

TFC’s Men’s and Women’s basketball teams broke records during the 2022-2023 season and had the opportunity to play at the NCCAA DII National Championship last month!

Toccoa Falls College’s women’s soccer team dominated the fall season, winning the Regional Tournament and advancing to the national competition in Florida. The past few seasons have been rocky for the team as they have adjusted to new coaching placements, but this season the team hit their stride.

Toccoa Falls College’s Coach Joshua Taylor and his Screaming Eagles have hope for their 2023 baseball season after a massive victory over BCA Post Grad following a preseason doubleheader Friday, Jan. 27. The Screaming Eagles led BCA Post Grad 17-2 and 8-5.

Cleto Lerma has been a smiling, friendly face on campus since his freshman year in 2020. In addition to being one of the captains on the Toccoa Falls College men’s soccer team, Lerma helps lead two B-groups and does his best to stay connected with the campus community.

Madison Lamontagne is a junior biology major who proudly wears the #10 jersey at the libero position for the Toccoa Falls College volleyball team. A native of Kathleen, GA, Lamontagne was introduced to the sport while in the sixth grade.

This season, Coach Josh Taylor debuts as the new head coach of the baseball program. He is hopeful about the development of the team and the program’s future growth.

Keep reading to learn more about how Coach Taylor hopes to develop the team, including insight from the players themselves!

Elasha “E” Farmer has played a crucial role in Toccoa Falls College Athletics, specifically women’s soccer, since her freshman year in 2018. After coming to campus for a tour, Farmer said that she fell in love with the community and knew right away that she wanted to pursue her academic and athletic goals at TFC. “It felt like home when I stepped on campus,” she said. Farmer loved the idea of a smaller school where she could cultivate her love of soccer while also playing a large role in the community.

At the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester, Men’s Head Soccer Coach Shetzi “Ste” Heu challenged his players and the TFC community with a single question: “What is your routine?”

Angel “AJ” Dixon is no stranger to the old adage “hard work is the key to success.” The 22-year-old guard for Toccoa Falls College’s Varsity Women’s Basketball team transferred to TFC in January 2019 from Augusta University after realizing that she wanted to play basketball and study in an environment focused more on Biblical ethics and character.

“I guess it’s genetic. Growing up, my mom played basketball and my dad was an athlete. I always had a ball in my hand,” said Khashahmi “Mimi” Smith, a 21-year-old point guard for the Toccoa Falls College Screaming Eagles Varsity Women’s Basketball team.

“I don’t really know what got me into it… I just picked up a basketball and never looked back.” Cedric “CJ” Mitchell found a love for the game of basketball almost 15 years ago.

"I know that they see me as tough sometimes as far as the standard that I hold them to, but my ultimate desire is that they leave this place – they leave this program – a better man, a better father and husband one day, and a more committed follower of Christ. And I firmly believe in the power that sports has in that development - the tough times, the turmoils, the struggles, the failures,” he shared.

The Toccoa Falls Screaming Eagles women’s volleyball team finished 2019 regionals with a 2-3 loss to Pensacola Christian College in the second round of the NCCAA Division II Tournament.

18-year-old, Hudson Allen, began playing as a shooting guard for the men’s basketball team since he arrived at Toccoa Falls College in Fall of 2017. When asked what his favorite part of playing basketball at TFC is, he said “definitely the competition.”

Toccoa Falls College Freshman Michaela Priatko has been playing center back for the women’s soccer team since the Fall of 2017. Michaela started playing soccer with Upwards at the age of four, and she has been playing for various teams and organizations ever since.

Toccoa Falls senior Austin Shea, #23, has been a pitcher on the Screaming Eagles baseball team since 2014.