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.
BASEBALL PLAYER
Saxon Butler, Samford, Sr., 1B
Butler hit .500 (17-for-34) for Samford in nine games in the month of February. The senior produced multiple hits in six of the team's nine games in the month, including a 4-for-4 performance in the season-opener against Radford. Butler also had three doubles, two home runs and 12 RBIs in the month. The first baseman had a slugging percentage of .765 while reaching base at a .581 clip. Butler crossed the plate 11 times in nine games as Samford fashioned a 6-3 record to begin the season.
Other Nominees: Daniel Kassouf (Appalachian State), Marty Gantt (College of Charleston), Tyler Griffin (The Citadel), Drew Gadaire (Davidson), Sebastian Gomez (Elon), Eric Phillips (Georgia Southern), Jacob Hoyle (Western Carolina) and Mac Doyle (Wofford).
BASEBALL PITCHER
Rob Marcello, Appalachian State, Jr., LHP
Marcello was nearly flawless in first two starts as a Mountaineer, notching a 2-0 record while surrendering one earned run in 13.1 innings on the mound. The junior allowed just two hits while walking none and striking out five in five scoreless innings to lead ASU to 4-1 win over Akron on Feb. 18. Marcello followed that by holding No. 7 LSU scoreless for eight full innings in an 11-1 win on Feb. 26. He was removed from game after issuing a one-out walk in the bottom of the ninth inning and the run came around to score after he left the ballgame. In all, Marcello was charged with one run on three hits over 8.1 scoreless innings versus the seventh-ranked Tigers.
Other Nominees: Christian Powell (College of Charleston), James Reeves (The Citadel), Brian Russell (Davidson), Dylan Clark (Elon), Chris Beck (Georgia Southern), Josh Martin (Samford), Preston Hatcher (Western Carolina) and Eric Eck (Wofford).
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Jack Isenbarger, Elon, So., G
Isenbarger scored in double figures in eight of Elon's nine games, averaging 19.3 points per game in the month of February. The guard netted a career-high 34 points on 11-of-16 shooting while also collecting five rebounds and dishing five assists in Elon's win over The Citadel. He filled in for ill Austin Hamilton in the point guard role for much of the month, opening with 25 points, six assists and six rebounds in the Phoenix's double overtime win against College of Charleston. Isenbarger had another huge night in the regular-season finale, scoring 24 points on 6-of-9 from three to help Elon sweep the season series against North Division champion UNCG.
Other Nominees: Andrew Lawrence (College of Charleston), Mike Groselle (The Citadel), De'Mon Brooks (Davidson), Ben Drayton III (Georgia Southern), Drew Windler (Samford), Jahmal Burroughs (Chattanooga), Keaton Cole (Western Carolina) and Brad Loesing (Wofford).
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Anna Freeman, Appalachian State, Jr., F\
Freeman scored 10 or more points in eight of Appalachian State's nine games in February, while recording five or more steals in four games. In the Mountaineers final regular season game at Chattanooga, the junior forward put up 22 points. She also set Appalachian State's career block record in that game (196). The Thomasville, N.C., native posted a pair of double-doubles last month against College of Charleston (19 points and 13 rebounds) and UNCG (18 points and 10 rebounds).
Other Nominees: Sophia Aleksandravicius (Davidson), Ali Ford (Elon), Meredyth Frye (Georgia Southern), Breonna Patterson (UNCG), Taylor Hall (Chattanooga), Kaila'Shea Menendez (Western Carolina) and Morgan Wrightson (Wofford).
MEN'S GOLF
Richard Fountain, Davidson, So.
The 2011 Southern Conference champion started the 2012 spring season with a pair of top-five finishes at the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate on Hilton Head Island, S.C., and the Seahawk Intercollegiate in Wilmington, N.C. In Hilton Head, Fountain shot a three-round 222 (+6) to tie Furman's Matt Broome as the top SoCon finisher in the event. The following week, he placed fourth at the Seahawk Intercollegiate at three-under par (213). Fountain was the top SoCon finisher in the tournament which featured 6 top-100 ranked teams.
Other Nominees: Lance Wheeler (Appalachian State), Casey O'Toole (Samford), Stephan Jaeger (Chattanooga) and Chandler Brazeal (Wofford).
WOMEN'S GOLF
Fanny Cnops, UNCG, Fr.
Cnops fired a final round 71 on her way to a one-stroke victory in the Edwin Watts/Kiawah Island Intercollegiate at Oak Point. Cnops' effort helped the Spartans finish second in the 33-team tournament. Cnops finished her three rounds of play at 2-under par 214 (72-71-71), edging Augusta State's Christine Duschek-Hansen by one stroke. It was the second career victory for Cnops, and her second straight win dating back to the fall season. Cnops also won the Palmetto Intercollegiate, which was also played at Oak Point, last October.
Other Nominees: Sarah Butts (Samford) and Alex Hendricks (Wofford).
SOFTBALL PLAYER
Michelle Fuzzard, Chattanooga, Sr., P/DP
Fuzzard compiled a .563 batting average, posted a 1.031 slugging percentage and a .660 on-base percentage for the month. Fuzzard recorded 17 RBIs in 13 games, including a four RBI performance against Bethune-Cookman. The senior from Huntington Beach, Calif., had three home runs and six doubles in February. She also set a new career-high, scoring four times against Dayton to close out the month.
Other Nominees: Kelsey Hodgson (College of Charleston), Tomeka Watson (Elon), Marie Fogle (Georgia Southern), Eileen Horsmon (UNCG)), Rachel Bickert (Samford) and Erin Foster (Western Carolina).
SOFTBALL PITCHER
Stephanie Saylors, College of Charleston, Jr., P
Saylors posted a 5-1 record with 0.86 ERA in her 40.2 innings of work. She recorded 53 strikeouts and allowed just 21 hits, four walks and five earned runs in the month of Februrary. The junior recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts against Charleston Southern. The Easley, S.C. native pitched a perfect game on February 26 against Wagner.
Other Nominees: Erin O'Shea (Elon), Brooke Red (Georgia Southern) and Taylor Deason (Chattanooga).
MEN'S TENNIS
Jackson Tresnan, Chattanooga, Jr.
Tresnan began the spring season by winning all five of his singles matches during the month of February while tallying a 3-1 ledger in doubles play. The junior, playing mainly at the number five spot for the Mocs, earned straight-sets victories over Belmont's Fernando Mussolini, Gardner-Webb's Joao Poli, and North Alabama's Alexey Kavalenka. Tresnan also picked up three-set wins against Miguel Cortez of Lipscomb (7-5, 1-6, 1-0 (10-3)) and Gokalp Ozdemir of Kennesaw State (6-3, 6-7 (9-11), 7-6 (10-6)). In doubles, Tresnan teamed with Pavels Grigorjevs at the number three slot to go 3-1 during the month.
Other Nominees: Alain Humblet (Appalachian State), Mickael Trintignac (College of Charleston), Elliott Sperr (The Citadel), Nicky Kunz (Davidson), Stefan Fortmann (Elon), Andrew Mellow (Furman), Andrew Domsky (Georgia Southern), Orcun Seyrek (UNCG) and Fernando Costa (Samford).
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Niltooli Wilkins, UNCG, Jr.
Wilkins was a perfect 8-0 in the month of February, going 4-0 in singles and 4-0 in doubles, all at No. 1. She did not drop a set in singles play on the month, losing just 15 games in eight sets in the month, an average of less than two per set. Wilkins and Alex Whitehead clinched the doubles point against UNC Asheville on Feb. 4, while she and Lucy Dougherty clinched the point against Gardner-Webb on Feb. 21.
Other Nominees: Ellie Linsell (Appalachian State), Christin Newman (College of Charleston), Brites Moniz-Soares (Davidson), Jordan Johnston (Elon), Margaret Boyette (Furman), Paola Garrido (Georgia Southern), Madelie Janse Van Rensburg (Samford) and Jenna Nurik (Chattanooga).
MEN'S INDOOR TRACK
Michael Seaman, Samford, Sr.
Seaman won the men's pole vault title at the SoCon Indoor Championship for the third straight year. He posted a new conference record mark of 5.45m (17'10.5"), breaking his own record of 5.07m (16'7.5") which he set in 2010.
WOMEN'S INDOOR TRACK
Dena O'Brien, College of Charleston, So.
O'Brien won the women's 5000m for the second consecutive year at the Indoor Championships with a time of 16:39.47. She broke her own league record of 16:46.59 that she set at last year's championship. The sophomore from Pelham, Ala. was named the Most Outstanding Athlete and the Most Outstanding Track Performer at the conference championship last month.
WRESTLING
Kyle Blevins, Appalachian State, Sr., 165 pounds
Blevins was 5-0 on the mat during the month of February, including a 3-0 mark in Southern Conference dual matches. Blevins began the month with a 6-3 decision over UTC's Brandon Wright in the final bout of Appalachian's 21-17 victory over the seven-time defending SoCon Champion Mocs. The next weekend, Blevins won his dual with VMI's Jonathan Jones, posting a 15-2 major decision over the Keydet. The Sapulpa, Okla., native tacked on a 4-0 shutout over No. 16 Nick Sulzer of Virginia, his fourth win over a ranked opponent this season. One week later, Blevins downed Duke's Ryan Harding by an 8-2 margin before concluding his SoCon slate with a 23-8 technical fall against Davidson's Tyler Mullen, securing a perfect 6-0 league dual record. The SoCon Wrestler of the Year concluded the regular season with a 16-1 mark in dual competitions and a 33-5 record overall.
Other Nominees: Odie Delaney (The Citadel) and Dan Waddell (Chattanooga)
Southern Conference February Athletes of the Month
Baseball Player Saxon Butler, Samford
Baseball Pitcher Rob Marcello, Appalachian State
Men's Basketball Jack Isenbarger, Elon
Women's Basketball Anna Freeman, Appalachian State
Men's Golf Richard Fountain, Davidson
Women's Golf Fanny Cnops, UNCG
Softball Player Michelle Fuzzard, Chattanooga
Softball Pitcher Stephanie Saylors, College of Charleston
Men's Tennis Jackson Tresnan, Chattanooga
Women's Tennis Niltooli Wilkins, UNCG
Men's Indoor Track Michael Seaman, Samford
Women's Indoor Track Dena O'Brien, College of Charleston
Wrestling Kyle Blevins, Appalachian State