Thirteen Student-Athletes Honored for Excellence in Competition
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Southern Conference announced its March 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.
BASEBALL
PLAYER
Eric Phillips, Georgia Southern, Jr., SS
Phillips hit safely in 17-of-18 games during the month of March, recording multiple hits eight times, including a season-best
4-for-4 performance against Furman on March 12. The junior had six extra-base hits while driving in 13 runs and scoring 14. Serving as a catalyst for the Eagles' offense, Phillips drew 13 bases on balls and swiped seven bases, recording a .433 batting average and .542 on-base percentage in 84 plate appearances.
Other Nominees: Tyler Zupcic (Appalachian State), Daniel Aldrich (College of Charleston), William Ladd (The Citadel), Kelly Myers (Davidson), Neal Pritchard (Elon), Brandon Miller (Samford), Matt Johns (Western Carolina) and James Foster (Wofford).
PITCHER
Lex Rutledge, Samford, So., LHP
Rutledge posted a record of 4-0 and an ERA of 0.63 in four appearances during the month of March. Opponents hit just .120 against the left-hander during the month. He started March by pitching 6.0 no-hit innings against Toledo. He then tossed 8.2 innings and allowed just one unearned run at The Citadel in a key, 2-1 SoCon win. Rutledge also hurled 7.0 innings, giving up just two runs against Georgia Southern, and he pitched 7.0 shutout innings, struck out a career-high 13 batters as the Bulldogs won at Elon. The sophomore surrendered just two earned runs in 28.2 innings while fanning 37.
Other Nominees: TJ Clarkson (The Citadel), Chris Lamb (Davidson), John Brebbia (Elon), Matt Murray (Georgia Southern), Matt Benedict (Western Carolina) and Cash Collins (Wofford).
SOFTBALL
PLAYER
Marie Fogle, Georgia Southern, Jr., OF
Fogle, a Rincon, Ga., native, hit for an average of .441 in the month of March with seven home runs, six doubles and a triple. Fogle slugged .868 and logged 30 hits in 68 plate appearances. The Eagles' outfielder also scored 21 runs while knocking in 16 runs on her own.
Other Nominees: Katie Boyd (Appalachian State), Katie Forbes (College of Charleston), Carleigh Nester (Elon), Morgan Hughey (Furman), Alex Emeterio (UNCG), Robyn Harmon (Samford), Lyndsey Stiles (Chattanooga) and Jordan Fulton (Western Carolina).
PITCHER
Alexa Datko, College of Charleston, Sr., P
Datko, a senior from San Diego, Calif., posted a 7-2 record in 12 appearances. She recorded two no-hitters in the month, logged 60.1 innings in the circle while recording a 1.16 ERA. Opponents struck out 58 times against the Cougar pitcher while only hitting .180 against her.
Other Nominees: Louise Gibson (Appalachian State), Erin O'Shea (Elon), Kayla Suskauer (Furman), Kayla Burris (Samford) and Kandice Irwin (Chattanooga).
MEN'S TENNIS
Juan Melian Puigventos, Georgia Southern, So.
Melian Puigventos was a perfect 7-0 in singles play during the month of March, including a 4-0 tally in SoCon matches. His seven victories all came at the number-one position. An undefeated March in singles play helped Melian Puigventos get to 17 wins, the most wins in the SoCon. The sophomore dropped just one set during the month, rebounding to defeat The Citadel's David Orces, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. He also earned three doubles victories in conference play, teaming with Matthijs Verdam.
Other Nominees: Philip Klock (Appalachian State), Mickael Trintignac (College of Charleston), David Orces (The Citadel), Alberto Rojas (Elon), Andrew Mellow (Furman), Orcun Seyrek (UNCG), Oliver Reynolds (Samford) and Alan Donald (Wofford).
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Niltooli Wilkins, UNCG, So.
Wilkins continued her impressive spring season with a combined 14-2 record over the month of March to earn her second consecutive player of the month honor. She was 7-1 in singles play during the calendar month, including a 2-0 league mark, with her only blemish coming against No. 14-ranked Zoe De Bruycker of North Carolina. Wilkins was also impressive in doubles as she was nearly perfect with teammate Lucy Dougherty. The duo went 7-1 over the month of March. They started off with an 8-6 win over Bruycker and Jennifer Stone from No. 5 North Carolina. Since their loss on March 16, Wilkins and Dougherty have gone a perfect 5-0 with no opponent winning more than two games.
Other Nominees: Caroline Newman (College of Charleston), Monica Arguello (Furman), Ali Beavers (Georgia Southern), Taylor Morgan (Samford), Carolina Lainez (Western Carolina) and Sarah Evans (Wofford).
MEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK
Cordell Livingston, Western Carolina, So.
Livingston, a sprinter from High Point, N.C., began the month at the UNCC 49er Classic by winning the 400m hurdles with a mark of 52.58. Livingston then ended the month at the Tiger Track Classic hosted by Auburn University with a personal-best in the 400m hurdles with a time of 52.18, earning him second place. At the same meet, Livingston also ran a season-best in the 110m hurdles with a time of 14.66, placing him fourth overall in the event.
FIELD
Michael Seaman, Samford, Sr.
Seaman, a Bardstown, Ky., native, won the pole vault event in the first meet of the month at the ‘Southern Invitational hosted by Birmingham-Southern College. At the ‘Southern, Seaman set the meet record with a height of 16'10.75." The Bulldog junior proceeded to improve on his conference leading mark in the pole vault at the Tiger Track Classic in Auburn, Ala. Seaman claimed second place with a height of 17'00.75" at Auburn.
WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK
Dena O'Brien, College of Charleston, Fr.
O'Brien, a freshman from Pelham, Ala., set a College of Charleston school record in the 5000m at the Raleigh Relays with a time of 16:21.35. The mark set a personal record for O'Brien by 25 seconds and moved her up to sixth in the East Region and 12th nationally.
Ashley Schnell, UNCG, Jr.
Schnell, a distance runner from Lincoln, Neb., set two UNCG school records in the month of March. Over the weekend of March 11-12, Schnell won the 800m at the UNC Wilmington Seahawk Invitational with a time of 2:12.69. The mark set the UNCG record by five seconds. The next weekend at the Wake Forest Open, Schnell was the first collegiate finisher in the 1500m run with a time of 4:30.10, which shattered the Spartans' record by over 14 seconds.
Other Nominees: Chenel McFadden (Appalachian State), Amy Salek (Elon), Ebony Carter (Georgia Southern), Kwajelin Holsendolph (Georgia Southern) Lauren D'Alessio (Samford), Felisha Garren (Western Carolina), Nicole Okolo (Western Carolina) and Katie Kessler (Wofford).
FIELD
Veronica Day, Elon, Sr.
Day, a senior from Vienna, Va., started the month by winning the long jump and triple jump events at the UNC Wilmington Seahawk Invitational. Two weeks later, Day set conference-leading marks in both the events at the Raleigh Relays. Her long jump distance of 19'2.75" placed her third in the event at the meet while Day's mark of 40'4.25" in the triple jump placed her second. Day's triple jump mark at the Raleigh Relays also set an Elon school record.
Other Nominees: Cassie Crawford (Appalachian State), Shelby Builta (Samford), Megan Morton (Western Carolina), Zakiyyah Stewart (Western Carolina) and Kaitlin Brown (Wofford).
MEN'S GOLF
Stephan Jaeger, Jr., Chattanooga
Jaeger posted one top 5 and another top 10 in three events during the month of March, shooting three-over par for his 162 March holes with five par or better rounds. Following a tie for 21st at the Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate, Jaeger tied for 10th at the Furman Intercollegiate with 215 (-1). The Munich, Germany, native closed out the month by finishing tied for fourth at the Linger Longer Invitational. There he shot back-to-back 69s (-3) in the first two rounds and completed the event at five-under par.
Other Nominees: Josh Nichols (Appalachian State), Greg Carrier (Furman) and Jack Walsh (Western Carolina).
WOMEN'S GOLF
Emma de Groot, Sr., Chattanooga
de Groot, a senior from Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia, finished no worse than fourth in three events during the month of March, improving on her position at each subsequent event. Following a fourth-place finish at the Kinderlou Forest Challenge, de Groot tied for third at the SunTrust Gator Women's Golf Invitational. At the JMU/Eagle Landing Invitational, the senior concluded the 54-hole event with a career-best five-under par 67 to grab second place. With de Groot leading the charge, Chattanooga picked up team victories at both the Kinderlou Forest Challenge and the JMU/Eagle Landing Invitational.
Other Nominees: Yue Xu (Appalachian State), Virginia Mayer (Elon), Anna Heim (Samford) and Josefine Sundh (Western Carolina).
Southern Conference March Athletes of the Month
Baseball Player Eric Phillips, Georgia Southern
Baseball Pitcher Lex Rutledge, Samford
Softball Player Marie Fogle, Georgia Southern
Softball Pitcher Alexa Datko, College of Charleston
Men's Tennis Juan Melian Puigventos, Georgia Southern
Women's Tennis Niltooli Wilkins, UNCG
Men's Outdoor Track Cordell Livingston, Western Carolina
Men's Outdoor Field Michael Seaman, Samford
Women's Outdoor Track Dena O'Brien, College of Charleston and Ashley Schnell, UNCG
Women's Outdoor Field Veronica Day, Elon
Men's Golf Stephan Jaeger, Chattanooga
Women's Golf Emma de Groot, Chattanooga