November 3, 2005

Contact: Brian Hand, Public Affairs Assistant (864-591-5100)

Appalachian State's Richie Williams was named the Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Week three times during the month of October. The Walter Payton award candidate completed 72-percent of his passes on the month, averaging 322 total yards of offense per game during the month. Williams accounted for eight touchdowns in all (five passing, three rushing) in a month that the Mountaineers went 3-1, and earned as high as a No. 7 ranking in the national I-AA polls. Williams also became Appalachian's all-time leader in passing yards (6,725) and total offense (8,028) in October, and second all-time in the SoCon annals for career total offense.

Elon junior inside linebacker Chad Nkang racked up 75 total tackles in fives games, including a career-high 25 versus Chattanooga. Included amongst those 75 tackles were 44 solo stops and 8.5 tackles for loss. His efforts during the month were lauded by the national media, as he was named the NCAA-IAA Defensive Player of the Week once by both The Sports Network and the Football Gazette. The Buck Buchanan Watch List player became the nation's leader in October in both total tackles and tackles per game.

UNC Greensboro's Jay Benfield allowed just one goal between the pipes in the month of October. In 676 total minutes of action over the course of the month, Benfield held a 0.13 goals against average and a save percentage of .964. The only goal that Benfield allowed in the month came in a 1-0 loss to nationally-ranked Wake Forest, leaving the goalkeeper with a record of 7-0-1 in the month of October, with four of those wins earning Benfield a clean sheet.

Davidson's Kara Koehrn led the Wildcats to an October record of 8-0-1, accumulating 14 goals (five game-winners) and two assists in the process. Koehrn's exploits also included two hat tricks. Koehrn ended the month of October with one national nod after earning the program's first-ever selection to the Soccer Buzz Elite Feet National Team of the Week.

Appalachian State senior Stephanie Panzer led the Mountaineers to a 10-1 record in the month of October. Panzer compiled 104 kills with a .436 hitting percentage and a team-leading 54 blocks in 29 games. Her efforts earned the Mt. Gilead, NC, native two Southern Conference Player of the Week honors and left her as the Mountaineers' all-time career block assist leader, with 389 career block assists.

UNC Greensboro's Nathan Stamey averaged a cumulative score average of 71.83 over the course of six rounds in October. Stamey produced three rounds of even par or below par in October, including a 67 at the Coca-Cola Duke Golf Classic in Durham, NC. The second-round 67 helped propel Stamey to an 11th-place finish in the event.

Western Carolina's Ashley Hovda carded the best two-round score in WCU history with a 134 during the month of October. The two rounds helped Hovda acquire the Wachovia-Great Smokies Intercollegiate. Her 10-under par score gave Hovda the win by five strokes and marked her second straight individual medalist honor. Dating back to the Catamounts final tourney in September, Hovda has picked up three straight top three finishes.