About Willie Phaler

Hailing from Deer Lodge, TN, a small town over an hour west of Knoxville, Willie grew up with a love for sports that was ingrained in him by family members. This love of sports led to him pursuing a degree in sports media journalism at Middle Tennessee State University, where he is currently enrolled as a junior. While at MTSU, Willie has become a member of the student-run newspaper, Sidelines, where he has had sports articles published. Willie aspires to have a career in Sports Media, hoping to primarily cover baseball.

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Prior to studying at MTSU, Willie attended Sunbright High School and Roane State Community College, graduating from both institutions in the spring of 2024. Willie was the Sunbright class Valedictorian, and graduated magna cum laude from RSCC with an AS in General Studies.