SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? The Southern Conference announced today the Athletes of the Month for May. One athlete is chosen from each of the following sports: men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s golf, baseball and softball.
Men’s Tennis
Furman’s Andy Juc led the Paladins against No. 8 Tennessee in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Juc’s match against No. 35 Kaden Hensel of Tennessee, went unfinished with the first set going to Hensel, 6-3, and the second set was 2-1 in favor of Juc. Juc helped the Paladins to a final regional ranking of 15th by the ITA.
Women’s Tennis
Laura Gioia, a junior at Furman, led the Paladins into the NCAA Tournament against Michigan. Gioia faced Michigan’s Chisako Sugiyama at No.1 singles, Gioia won the first set 6-3 and was loosing the second set 3-4 before the match went unfinished. Gioia then participated in the NCAA Singles Championship where she faced Katrina Zheltova of Sacramento State. Gioia fell to Zheltova in three sets 1-6, 6-3and 6-4. Gioia finished the season ranked 99th and helped her team garner a regional ranking of 11th ahead of other Southern Conference rivals College of Charleston and Davidson.
Baseball
Baseball Pitcher
Elon’s Jesse Lewter went 2-0 with a 3.07 earned run average in four appearances. Lewter pitched 14.2 innings, giving up 15 hits and walking four while striking out 13. In the four appearances for Lewter, opponents had a batting average of .263.
Baseball Player
Jeremie Tice, a junior from College of Charleston, had 23 RBI, 28 hits and 25 runs. Tice batted .418 with 10 home runs and six doubles. He had a stretch where he had a home run in five straight games, including four games with multiple home runs. In four games against Western Carolina, Tice had seven home runs, 13 RBI, 11 hits and eight runs. Tice was named the National and Southern Conference player of the week for May 19 as well as being named the Southern Conference Player of the Year by the league’s coaches.
Softball
Softball Pitcher
Chattanooga’s Brooke Loudermilk pitched 41.2 innings allowing only 12 runs on 30 hits. She struck out 51 batters and walked just 10. Loudermilk’s earned run average was 2.38 in May. Loudermilk had six games with five or more strikeouts and four games with seven or more strikeouts. Loudermilk struck out 14 batters against Western Carolina on May 7 in a 3-1 victory. She struck out nine batters against UNC Greensboro in a 3-0 complete game shutout on May 10. Loudermilk was named the tournament’s most outstanding player as well as being named to the All-Tournament team.
Softball Player
Tara Tembey, a senior from Chattanooga, had five runs, 14 hits, three home runs and six RBI. Tembey had a .412 batting average, .412 on base percentage and a .676 slugging percentage. Tembey went three-for five against Appalachian State on May 9 with a home run and two RBI. Tembey had two hits, two runs and three RBI in a series-clinching game against Georgia Southern. Her two hits were home runs that led the Mocs to the NCAA Regional.
Men’s Golf
Jonathan Hodge of Chattanooga tied for 23rd of 139 at the NCAA East Regional. Hodge had three rounds of par or better (70-71-69) to fire a three-under 210 at Council Fire Golf Club. Hodge ended the season ranked No. 20 by Golfstat and No.26 by Golfweek.
Women’s Golf
Stefanie Kenoyer, a freshmen from Lighthouse Point, Fla., scored at four-over-par or better in six of her seven rounds and tallied Furman’s low score in each of the four rounds at the NCAA Finals. Kenoyer posted a stroke average of 75.29 over seven rounds to help Furman to an eighth place finish at the NCAA East Regional and a bid into the NCAA Championship. At the NCAA East Regional, hosted by University of Georgia, Kenoyer posted a 12-over-par 228 (75-78-75) to finish 36th. She had rounds of 76,74,75 and 74 to claim 28th place at the NCAA Championship in Albuquerque, N.M