Hayden Olsen

• Article
• April 11, 2021

MARTIN, Tenn. -- With the spring season in the books, it?s almost like summer vacation for the Tennessee Tech football team. With just a couple of months to rest, relax and recuperate, the Golden Eagles will be right back at it in just a couple short months. While Sunday's game wasn?t the result the Golden Eagles wanted to end the 2020-21 campaign with, a 40-7 loss to UT Martin, there?s still certainly plenty to hang their hats on as they prepare for the next season. First, the Golden Eagles do possess the Sergeant York Trophy, winning the round-robin between the Ohio Valley Conference?s Tennessee members. Tech tied UTM with a 2-1 mark in the series this season, but claim the league?s tiebreaker as the team that has gone the longest without possessing the bronze bust of the World War I hero from Pall Mall.

• Article
• April 09, 2021

MARTIN, Tenn. – It’s almost surprising how quickly the eight weeks for the 2020-21 Ohio Valley Conference football season have passed by. From ice and snow on the Tucker Stadium turf on the first week to spring weather on the final week, it’s been an interesting ride. Even as soon as this spring slate wraps up, it won’t be long before the Tennessee Tech football team gets back out on the field and gets ready for the next season. But before it gets to that point, the Golden Eagles have one last order of business before a well-deserved break – beat UT Martin.

• Article
• April 03, 2021

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech head coach Dewayne Alexander's had quite a few big wins in his career. His 50th however may mean a lot more to him. As the Golden Eagles recognized their seven 2020-21 seniors before Saturday's game against Tennessee State, Tech built on that momentum, surging to a 14-0 lead and never looking back as the Golden Eagles topped the visiting Tigers 24-10. "Our guys have fought hard this season, they've been resilient," Alexander said. "We knew if we could pull together four quarters and play Golden Eagle football, we can certainly play with anybody. We've shown that. We had some tough games this season and I'm really proud of the way our team has responded."

• Article
• March 28, 2021

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri scored 21 points on its first three drives of the game, taking up only 5:20 of the opening quarter. Tennessee Tech could have thrown in the towel there, but the Golden Eagles surged back, clawing within three points with 3:20 left in the game. However, the home Redhawks were able to take a page out of the Golden Eagles’ playbook and eat up the remaining time on the clock to eke out a 24-21 win over Tech. The Golden Eagles fall to 1-4 on the season with two games remaining in the 2020-21 spring campaign and will have a short week as Tech hosts Tennessee State at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday for the final home game of the season.

• Article
• March 27, 2021

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – As Tennessee Tech heads into its fifth contest of the 2020-21 spring football season, there’s still plenty to play for entering the final three games of the season. First, the Golden Eagles can secure a winning campaign by taking the last three games. Secondly, with victories over Tennessee State and UT Martin, Tech can claim the Sergeant York Trophy for the 2020-21 campaign. Third, the Golden Eagles can continue the progress it has shown over the course of the season. Tech continues the season on Sunday as the Golden Eagles take on Southeast Missouri on Sunday, starting at 2 p.m. Dylan Vazzano will provide the broadcast on 98.5 KISS FM, while the game will also be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required).

• Article
• March 21, 2021

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois took its beating at the hands of the Tennessee Tech football team in 2019 personally. From the onset of the game, the Panthers put pressure on the Golden Eagles as EIU was ready to shed its winless label. The energy on their sideline, the chanting at the Tech players – they remembered. Oh, how they remembered. Before half of the opening quarter had worn away, Eastern Illinois was up by two scores. It then became a mission for the Golden Eagles to chip away. Tech did, climbing back within four points before halftime. But it wasn’t enough as EIU climbed back out by 18 in the third quarter.

• Article
• March 19, 2021

CHARLESTON, Ill. – As the first three weeks of spring football for the Ohio Valley Conference have progressed, Eastern Illinois keeps climbing closer, but the Panthers haven’t quite hit paydirt yet. EIU (0-3) saw Southeast Missouri hang 47 points on them in the season opener in Charleston, but in the last two weeks on the road, the Panthers have made huge strides, falling by a pair of touchdowns at UT Martin two weeks ago, then Tennessee State knocked off EIU on a last-second field goal for a 21-20 defeat. Now the Panthers will try their luck against the Golden Eagles as Tennessee Tech heads up north to take on Eastern Illinois on Sunday. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. Dylan Vazzano will provide the broadcast on 98.5 KISS FM, while Mike Bradd and Jack Ashmore will handle the broadcast duties on ESPN+ (subscription required). As the Golden Eagles (1-2) enter the program’s 984th contest and 13th at O’Brien Field, the trips to Charleston have not been kind to Tech. EIU is 9-4 against the Golden Eagles on its home turf, with only three of those wins coming in Ohio Valley play – 1999, 2011 and 2019. But, to be fair, Tech only has five wins over EIU in the OVC era for the Panthers, adding an overtime win in 2004 and a 2010 win at Tucker Stadium into the mix.

• Article
• March 14, 2021

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – It came down to the wire on Sunday as Tennessee Tech and Murray State faced off at Tucker Stadium. While the Golden Eagles’ offense missed several notable pieces in the skill positions and in the trenches, the Tech attackers still put up impressive numbers, especially with Willie Miller and Kurt Taylor Jr. putting together breakout games. However, the Racers were able to capitalize on turnovers. Murray State picked off two passes for touchdowns and forced four turnovers. The final interception on a driving Golden Eagle team in position to win the game turned out to seal the deal though as the Racers took a 36-31 victory on Sunday afternoon.

• Article
• February 28, 2021

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Defensive players got the spotlight on Sunday as Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State combined for five turnovers in their final Ohio Valley Conference matchup from Burgess-Snow Field at JSU Stadium. The Golden Eagles had five turnovers, the Gamecocks three as both teams were able to convert into 13 points. However, the JSU defense was able to stall the Golden Eagles on the scoreboard as well, taking a 24-10 victory. Tech falls to 1-1 in the spring OVC schedule and will have an open date next Sunday, scheduled for the OVC Basketball Tournament in Evansville, Ind. JSU (4-1, 1-0 OVC) will make up its postponed game at Tennessee State next Sunday.

• Article
• February 26, 2021

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – The last time Tennessee Tech entered a football game ranked in one of the FCS Top 25 polls was November 26, 2011. The game was the Golden Eagles’ first trip to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs facing Central Arkansas. Ten years later, the Golden Eagles are ranked again, earning the No. 23 spot in the latest Stats Perform FCS Top 25. Another interesting thing happened in 2011 – Tech toppled Jacksonville State on the road 21-14, the Golden Eagles’ only victory on the road in the Ohio Valley Conference series between the two teams since the Gamecocks joined the league in 2003. It was just days over 10 years since Tech had last won in Jacksonville when Grant Swallows helped lead the Golden Eagles to a 35-27 victory in 2001. 2001. 2011. 2021? Could it be fate? Coincidence? Who knows?

• Article
• February 23, 2021

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – With a big win over Austin Peay on Sunday to open the 2020-21 football season, the Tennessee Tech football team took away three Ohio Valley Conference honors when the league announced its awards on Tuesday. Junior running back David Gist was named the Offensive Player of the Week, junior linebacker Seth Carlisle was named the Defensive Player of the Week and freshman kicker/punter Hayden Olsen was the Specialist of the Week as the Golden Eagles took three of the four weekly awards, as voted on by the conference’s sports information contacts.

• Article
• February 21, 2021

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Sunday was certainly worth the wait for the Tennessee Tech football team. It had been nearly 15 months since the last time the Golden Eagles took to the field, and while it took a little time to get the offense going in the 2020-21 season opener against Austin Peay, Tech certainly finished with a flourish. Trailing 14-3 midway through the third quarter, the Golden Eagles rifled off 24 straight points, then held on in a wild finish, knocking off defending Ohio Valley Conference champion Austin Peay 27-21 at Tucker Stadium on Sunday.

• Article
• February 18, 2021

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – It’s been a long wait for football season to arrive. Heck, the last game was in the previous decade. But on Sunday, football is back at Tucker Stadium, ending a nearly 15-month drought of gridiron action, as Tennessee Tech plays host to Austin Peay. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Roger Ealey will provide the radio call for 98.5 KISS FM, while Dylan Vazzano and Sam Brooks handle broadcast duties for ESPN+ (subscription required).

• Article
• October 31, 2020

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – It certainly hasn’t been the traditional football season for Tennessee Tech. If the original schedule were in place, the Golden Eagles would be enjoying their bye week before prepping for a contest against UT Martin. Instead, Tech’s dance card has remained empty in the fall – thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic – and the season has been shifted to the spring, set to begin on February 21 against Austin Peay. But while Tucker Stadium isn’t the stage for a game yet, there’s still plenty of work going on in the facility as the Golden Eagles strapped on the pads for the first time in fall ball practice.