Awful news I had hoped wasn’t true.
I met Wes in a ladybug-infested radio box at Lindsey Nelson Stadium when I was in my first year with the Beacon. He offered to help with anything I ever needed and even to read my stories. I took him up on that a lot, and he answered every time.
When I became sports editor, one of the first things I found was a style guide Wes had made for the Beacon sports section. We followed it to a ’T,’ quickly learning his favorite writing lesson that Tennessee plays in Knoxville and not “on Rocky Top.”
Wes went out of his way to help us when we founded our APSE Chapter at UT. He took pride in giving back to students and never turned down the opportunity to lend a helping hand.
That’s just who Wes was. I will forever be grateful for him going out of his way to help me and so many others. He will be missed.
Please pray for his family.
🏃♂️ The Panthers were prowling, and Tony Ortega led the hunt. Absolutely no mercy on the course🐾🔥
Ortega never looked back for the @PSCCPanthers in the Walters State Half Marathon and is your DII Men's Cross Country #NJCAAPOTW#NJCAAXC
Congratulations to the @TCCAAsports / Region 7 Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week, Pellissippi St's Tony Ortega! This Panther claimed medalist honors at the Walters St Half Marathon finishing the 13.1 miles in 1:18:28 @psccxc@PSCCPanthers
Congratulations to the @TCCAAsports / Region 7 Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week, Pellissippi St's Eva Vandenhurk! This Lady Panther completed the 13.1 mile course in 1:41:02 to claim medalist honors at the Walters State Half Marathon. @PSCCPanthers@psccxc
Here is the Week 1 edition of the @NCAADII Women's Cross Country National Coaches' Poll for the 2025 season, which is presented by @AthleticdotNet!
https://t.co/NrPuYh88w2
Congratulations to the @TCCAAsports / Region 7 Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week. Pellissippi State's Tony Ortega! This Panther burned his way to an 8k time of 27:10 at the Southern Showcase in Huntsville, AL @psccxc@PSCCPanthers
As the world's highest IQ record holder, I believe the Bible is the perfect, eternal, and final Word of God. Therefore, the Bible doesn’t need to be updated. The world needs to catch up.
The boys bopped until they dropped
What a year and what a group of dudes.
First year program, head coach didn’t get the job until April, no real crazy facilities besides beautiful Ridley-Helton(shoutout @CityKnoxvilleTN )
3rd in conference, 2nd in tournament.
We’re coming.