Thirteen Student-Athletes Honored for Excellence in Competition
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Southern Conference announced its February athletes of the month today, highlighting excellence among student-athletes during the month. The athletes of the month are nominated by each member institution and selected by the conference office.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Donald Sims, Appalachian State, Sr., G
Sims led the Mountaineers to a 7-1 record in February and reached a pair of milestones along the way. The senior guard scored 23 points with six rebounds and five assists in 43 minutes in ASU's overtime win at UNCG to open the month, before scoring his 2,000th career point at Elon in the following game. He posted his second 30-point performance of the season with 30 points on 9-of-15 shooting against Western Carolina. Sims then sank 7-of-10 shots with six treys for 28 points in ASU's BracketBuster win at High Point. The sharp-shooter then scored 32 points on 11-of-16 shooting with five rebounds and six assists against College of Charleston. The senior became the fourth player in program history to score 500 points in back-to-back seasons.
Other Nominees: Andrew Goudelock (College of Charleston), Mike Groselle (The Citadel), Nik Cochran (Davidson), Chris Long (Elon), Mike Williams (Western Carolina) and Noah Dahlman (Wofford).
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Emily London, Samford, Sr., G
London, a senior from Lexington, Ky., led the Bulldogs to a 6-1 record in the month of February. She scored in double figures in all seven contests for the month, and scored at least 20 points three times and registered a season-high 33 points in a win over Elon. London made 55.4 percent (41-for-74) of her shots and 55.6 percent (25-for-45) of her three point attempts. She averaged 19.4 points per game for the month.
Other Nominees: Anna Freeman (Appalachian State), Sophia Aleksandravicius (Davidson), Meredyth Frye (Georgia Southern), Monique Floyd (UNCG) and Whitney Hood (Chattanooga).
WRESTLING
Cody Cleveland, Chattanooga, Sr., 141 pounds
The three-time SoCon champion Cleveland was 4-0 in the month of February, all in SoCon action. Two of Cleveland's victories came via technical fall while a third was a major decision. The senior, who was recently named All-SoCon at 141 pounds for the third time, capped his UTC career with a 21-1 mark in Southern Conference duals. His victories in the month of February enabled Chattanooga to wrap up its seventh consecutive regular season title while extending its conference win streak to 35 matches.
Other Nominees: Kyle Blevins (Appalachian State), Justin Sparrow (The Citadel) and Alex Radsky (Davidson).
MEN'S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK
Chris Moen, Appalachian State, Jr.
Moen, a distance runner from Rockville, Md., won the 3000m race and finished second in the mile event at the SoCon Indoor Championship. In the 3000m, Moen posted a time of 8:24.88. In the mile, Moen ran a time 4:12.48, finishing behind teammate Alex Taylor.
FIELD
Malcolm Styers, Appalachian State, Sr.
Styers, a Newton, N.C., native, claimed his third consecutive weight throw title with a distance of 18.96m (62'2.5"). In a weight throw event that saw the previous conference record mark broken twice, Styers set the new standard with his championship throw.
WOMEN'S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK
Dena O'Brien, College of Charleston, Fr.
O'Brien, a freshman from Pelham, Ala., began the month by setting a personal-best in the 5000m at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational with a time of 17:13.11. The next week at the Dick Taylor Invitational at North Carolina, O'Brien ran personal-records in the mile (4:59.28) and the 3000m (9:46.83). The Cougar freshmen really shined at the SoCon Indoor Championship in Clemson, S.C., as she shattered a 22-year-old 5000m record with a time of 16:46.59, nearly 30 seconds faster than her previous personal best. O'Brien also took second place in the 3000m at the conference championship.
Other Nominees: Breanna Alston (Appalachian State), Ashley Schnell (UNCG) and Hillary Neal (Samford).
FIELD
Lynndsey Hyter, Georgia Southern, Sr.
Hyter, a senior from Dallas, Texas, was named the Most Outstanding Athlete and Most Outstanding Field Performer at the SoCon Indoor Track and Field Championship. Hyter began the championship by winning the pentathlon with a total of 3,578. Immediately after running the 800m run in the pentathlon, Hyter turned around and qualified for the 60m hurdle finals, where she took sixth place. Hyter claimed first place in the long jump at the championship with a leap of 6.06m and finished second in the triple jump with a distance of 12.20m.
Other Nominees: Cassie Crawford (Appalachian State), Bianca Harvey (Appalachian State) and Veronica Day (Elon).
BASEBALL
PLAYER
Matt Leeds, College of Charleston, Jr., 3B
Leeds batted .417 with a pair of home runs and 16 RBIs as the nationally-ranked Cougars started the season with a perfect 7-0 record in February. The reigning SoCon Player of the Year led Charleston to an 11-6, season-opening win against Kentucky with six RBIs, including a three-run home run in the third inning. He followed that performance with four more runs driven in during a win over Miami (Ohio) the following afternoon. Leeds recorded a hit in all but one contest while reaching base at a .568 clip and slugging .708.
Other Nominees: Trey Holmes (Appalachian State), Matt Simonelli (The Citadel), Forrest Brandt (Davidson), Alex Swim (Elon), Steve Cochrane (Georgia Southern), Chris Barker (UNCG), Ross Heffley (Western Carolina) and Konstantine Diamaduros (Wofford.
PITCHER
Austin Pritcher, The Citadel, So., RHP
Pritcher started the 2011 season off in impressive fashion for The Citadel as he set career highs in both innings pitched and in strikeouts in his first two starts. He posted a 2-0 record and an ERA of 1.29 ERA in the month. The sophomore right-hander went 7.0 innings in both starts against Towson and Old Dominion. In February, he allowed just two earned runs, eight total hits and struck out 15.
Other Nominees: Lawrence Pardo (Appalachian State), Josh Renfro (College of Charleston), Mike Frongello (Davidson), Thomas Girdwood (Elon), Josh Adams (Georgia Southern), Colby Hyatt (UNCG), Jordan Smith (Western Carolina) and Cash Collins (Wofford).
SOFTBALL
PLAYER
Michelle Fuzzard, Chattanooga, Sr., DP
Fuzzard, a Huntington Beach, Calif., native, compiled a .419 batting average and drove in 20 runs on four home runs, four doubles and three sacrifice flies. The Lady Mocs junior also scored nine runs and obtained a slugging percentage of .791. From Feb. 20 to Feb. 26, Fuzzard had 11 consecutive hits, three of which were homers. She had a career-high five RBI against Toledo and currently leads in the conference in the category.
Other Nominees: Meghan Smith (Appalachian State), Emerald Graham (Elon), Marie Fogle (Georgia Southern), Kaitlin Merkt (UNCG), Alex Adams (Samford) and Erin Foster (Western Carolina).
PITCHER
Kandice Irwin, Chattanooga, Sr., P
Irwin, a senior from Knoxville, Tenn., posted a 1.42 ERA with a 4-1 record and four saves in 13 appearances for the month. In her 34.1 innings of pitching, Irwin struck out 24 while only giving up seven runs. She tied a career-high with nine strikeouts in only 3.2 innings pitched against Evansville. Irwin's four saves currently leads the SoCon.
Other Nominees: Lauren Taylor (Elon), Nicole Bobrowski (Samford) and Amber Steinhardt (Western Carolina).
MEN'S TENNIS
Zac Dunkle, Samford, So.
Dunkle recently completed a near-perfect month of February as he compiled a 5-1 record in singles play and an unblemished 6-0 mark in doubles play. The Bulldogs' native of Atlanta, Ga., extended his singles winning streak to four-consecutive matches and improved his doubles winning streak to six straight matches. The Bulldogs picked up a 7-0 non-conference win over Belmont on Feb. 19. Dunkle earned a straight-set victory over Belmont's Rafael Matos at the No. 2 position, 6-0, 6-4. He teamed with fellow sophomore Alexander Sajonz at the No. 2 doubles competition and came away with an 8-6 victory over the Bruins' Bruno Silva and Jonathan Murrell. In doubles play, he has paired with Sajonz in all six wins this season.
Other Nominees: David Orces (The Citadel), Chris Mark (Davidson), Juan Melian Puigventos (Georgia Southern), Ahmet Sarioglu (UNCG) and Jackson Tresnan (Chattanooga).
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Nitooli Wilkins, UNCG, So.
Wilkins has started her UNCG career with a perfect 5-0 record, all at No. 1 singles, to open the spring season. The transfer from the University of Minnesota went 4-0 during the month of February in singles and a matching 4-0 mark in doubles play with teammate Lucy Dougherty. Her success also pushed UNCG to a 4-0 mark in the month, with a 2-0 mark in Southern Conference matches, including a win over No. 74 Samford. Wilkins has been equally impressive in doubles with Dougherty. The two have won all four of their doubles matches in the month.
Other Nominees: Bryn Khoury (Elon), Monica Arguello (Furman), Alessandra Dzuba (Georgia Southern), Madelie Janse Van Rensberg (Samford) and Sarah Evans (Wofford).
Southern Conference February Athletes of the Month
Men's Basketball Donald Sims, Appalachian State
Women's Basketball Emily London, Samford
Wrestling Cody Cleveland, Chattanooga
Men's Indoor Track Chris Moen, Appalachian State
Men's Indoor Field Malcolm Styers, Appalachian State
Women's Indoor Track Dena O'Brien, College of Charleston
Women's Indoor Field Lynndsey Hyter, Georgia Southern
Baseball Player Matt Leeds, College of Charleston
Baseball Pitcher Austin Pritcher, The Citadel
Softball Player Michelle Fuzzard, Chattanooga
Softball Pitcher Kandice Irwin, Chattanooga
Men's Tennis Zac Dunkle, Samford
Women's Tennis Nitooli Wilkins, UNCG