The Southern Conference announced today the Athletes of the Month for December. One athlete is chosen from each in-season sport: football (offensive and defensive), men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s indoor track and field and wrestling.

Appalachian State’s Richie Williams amassed over 600 yards of total offense in three playoff games in the month of December and was one of the key cogs in Appalachian’s run to its first ever NCAA I-AA national championship. In the Mountaineers’ quarterfinal victory over Southern Illinois, Williams completed 20-of-38 passes for an ASU postseason-high 367 passing yards and finished with a cummulative 403 yards of total offense in the Apps’ 38-24 win. In the I-AA championship on Dec. 16, Williams, despite an ankle injury, played the entire second half, throwing for 129 yards.

Appalachian State’s Jason Hunter was named the I-AA playoffs Most Valuable Player by both The Sports Network and I-AA.org after garnering 31 total tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss in the month. Hunter also matriculated four sacks during the three playoff games. Hunter’s numbers, though, will forever be dwarfed by two plays in the month. The first play occured in the Apps’ semifinal victory over Furman when he forced a fumble by Paladin quarterback Ingle Martin. Just six days later in Appalachian’s national championship win, Hunter scooped up a fumble forced by teammate Marques Murrell and scampered for the eventual game-winning touchdown.

Men’s Basketball

Davidson’s Ian Johnson led the Wildcats to a 5-2 record during their seven games over the course of the month, scoring 20 or more points in four of the contests, including 23 points in the Wildcats’ 82-73 win over Big 12 foe Missouri. The Ruckersville, VA, native avergaged 19.4 ppg and 6.7 rpg. The senior forward shot 61.8% (55-for-89) from the field in the seven games. Normally an inside threat, Johnson was 10-of-17 from beyond the three-point arc in the month for Davidson.

Chattanooga’s Alex Anderson earned SoCon Player of the Week accolades twice over the course of the month of December. Anderson, who tallied three double-doubles in the month, averaged 13.4 ppg and 9.8 rpg in December and recorded five blocks in the month. The five blocks moved Anderson to third place all-time in the Chattanooga annals in the department. She ended the month with 59.

Appalachian sophomore Mark Sturgis broke his own Holmes Center record in the month of December in the triple jump,with a mark of 49-9.25 at the Appalachian Open, besting his old mark of 47-10.50. Sturgis added a fourth-place finish in the 200-meter dash in the Apps’ lone event on the month.

Women’s Indoor Track and Field

Elon’s Dominique Price set the new school record with her second-place time of 8.36 seconds in the 55-meter hurdles. The Burlington, NC, native broke Jessica Burgeson’s previous school record of 8.54 seconds. Price also finished well in the 55-meter dash, concluding her efforts ninth out of 29 sprinters, tying the Phoenix record of 7.43 seconds in the event.

Chattanooga’s Matt Keller placed in three national tournaments in the month of December in the 133-pound weight class. Keller won first place at the Brute Reno Tournament of Champions, while also placing fourth at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and fifth at the 2005 Southern Scuffle. For the month, Keller obtained a 12-4 tournament record, with three pins.