Twelve 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
Daniel Kassouf, Appalachian State, Sr., 1B
Kassouf batted .458 (38-for-83) for the month of March while recording two or more hits 11 times in 19 games. The slugger powered eight home runs and seven doubles to record an .831 slugging percentage to go along with a .500 on-base percentage. Hitting cleanup for the Mountaineers, Kassouf scored 25 times while driving in another 26 runs as ASU notched a 16-3 overall record and a 7-2 mark in SoCon play during the month. Kassouf's top performances included a two-home run effort against The Citadel in Boone on March 17 followed by a 5-for-5 outing with a home run, a double, and three RBI on March 23 at Elon.
Other Nominees: Marty Gantt (College of Charleston), Alex Swim (Elon), Eric Phillips (Georgia Southern), Thomas Troelstrup (UNCG), Phillip Ervin (Samford), Cody Jones (Western Carolina) and Mac Doyle (Wofford).
BASEBALL PITCHER
Seth Grant, Appalachian State, Sr., RHP
Grant won all five of his starts in the month of March, including three SoCon Saturday contests, while fashioning a 2.18 ERA and striking out 20. In his final two starts of the month, Grant held his opponents scoreless, tossing a five-hit, complete game shutout against Elon on March 24 and following that with five scoreless frames against Oakland on March 31. In total, Grant did not allow a run over his last 14.1 innings in March.
Other Nominees: Christian Powell (College of Charleston), Dylan Clark (Elon), Chris Beck (Georgia Southern), Josh Martin (Samford), Preston Hatcher (Western Carolina) and Brandon Yarusi (Wofford).
MEN'S GOLF
Stephan Jaeger, Chattanooga, Sr.
The 2010 and 2011 SoCon Golfer of the Year turned in a strong month against top-ranked competition, highlighted by a third-place finish at the Linger Longer Invitational in Greensboro, Ga. In that event, Jaeger fired four-under par 68s in both the first and third round to place third at 210 (-6) in a field that included nine players ranked in the top 100 nationally. The senior began the month with a 21st-place finish at the Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate in Aiken, S.C. He was instrumental in Chattanooga's success at the Collegiate Match Play presented by Callaway as he defeated 10th-ranked Max Homa of California 2 and 1 and halved the match with No. 11 Talor Gooch which clinched UTC's win over the 22nd-ranked Oklahoma State.
Other Nominees: Josh Nichols (Appalachian State), Richard Fountain (Davidson), Alex Ehlert (UNCG), Casey O'Toole (Samford), and J.T. Poston (Western Carolina).
WOMEN'S GOLF
Yue Xu, Appalachian State, Jr.
Xu was a consistent performer throughout March, finishing sixth or better in three separate events. Xu matched a career-best and the program-low 18-hole score with a 69 in the Morehead State Ocala Spring Invitational, while placing fifth for the event. The Beijing native tied for third and led ASU to a second straight team title at the Low Country Intercollegiate in Hilton Head Island, S.C. The junior also finished sixth at the Spider at St. James.
Other Nominees: Erica Pellegrini (The Citadel), Martyna Mierzwa (Elon), Laura Wearn (Furman), Fanny Cnops (UNCG), and Anna Heim (Samford).
SOFTBALL PLAYER
Marie Fogle, Georgia Southern, Sr., OF
Georgia Southern's Marie Fogle hit .554 during the Eagles' 18 games in March with a .603 on base percentage and a .929 slugging percentage. The senior outfielder hit three home runs last month as Georgia Southern finished March 13-5 overall and 7-1 in league play. She had six doubles, three triples, earned seven walks, recorded 12 RBI and successfully stole eight bases. Fogle, who added 98 points to her batting average, leads the SoCon with a .464 batting average.
Other Nominees: Allie Cashion (Appalachian State), Mackenzie Maples (College of Charleston), Danielle Lafferty (Elon), Katelyn Bedwell (UNCG), Madison Dickey (Samford), Kasey Tydingco (Chattanooga), and Erin Foster (Western Carolina).
SOFTBALL PITCHER
Sarah Purvis, Georgia Southern, So., RHP
Georgia Southern's Sarah Purvis finished the month with a 7-3 record and 1.81 ERA. In 62 innings of work in the circle, she allowed 38 hits and nine walks. The sophomore opened the month of March pitching a no-hitter in a 6-0 win over La Salle. She stuck out 16 batters, which was just one shy of tying the school record for strikeouts in a game. She struck out 90 batters overall last month. The right hander allowed three runs or less in all but one game and tossed three shutouts, including a shutout win over conference foe Chattanooga to close out March.
Other Nominees: Erin O'Shea (Elon), Corey Mattson (UNCG) and Taylor Deason (Chattanooga).
MEN'S TENNIS
Manuel Barroetavena, Chattanooga, Jr.
Barroetavena produced a perfect 9-0 singles record during the month of March while climbing from the No. 4 position all the way up to the No. 2 spot for UTC. The junior began March with three straight-sets victories at the No. 4 position, including SoCon wins over Elon and UNCG. After defeating Georgia Southern's Albert Codina Sala 6-1, 6-3 at No. 3 to clinch the match, he returned to the fourth spot to down Furman's Jacob Behal, 7-5, 6-2. The Buenos Aires, Argentina native concluded March with four wins at the No. 2 spot, including SoCon wins against The Citadel, College of Charleston, and Wofford. In all, Barroetavena dropped only one set nine singles matches. In doubles play, Barroetavena was 6-3 overall and 4-3 in league matches.
Other Nominees: Alain Humblet (Appalachian State), Mickael Trintignac (College of Charleston), David Orces (The Citadel), Connor Evins (Davidson), Cameron Silverman (Elon), Tyler Droll (Furman), Andrew Domsky (Georgia Southern), Ahmet Sarioglu (UNCG) and Carson Kadi (Samford).
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Niltooli Wilkins, UNCG, Jr.
Wilkins earned player of the month honors for the second month in a row as she was a combined 16-2 in March, including a perfect 9-0 singles mark at No. 1. Wilkins won six of her nine matches in straight sets, including a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Charleston Southern's Olga Makhova, the two-time Big South Conference Player of the Year. Wilkins was a perfect 6-0 in SoCon play in March, dropping just one set in the month to league opponents. In doubles play, she and partner Lucy Dougherty reappeared in the national rankings, jumping back in at No. 66 for two weeks. UNCG's No. 1 duo was 7-2 in the month with a 5-1 SoCon record.
Other Nominees: Gabby Gabriel (Appalachian State), Christin Newman (College of Charleston), Jordan Johnston (Elon), Katherine Oudin (Furman), Paola Garrido (Georgia Southern), and Alexa Flynn (Chattanooga).
MEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK
AJ Dohanic, Appalachian State, Sr.
Appalachian State's AJ Dohanic finished fourth in the 110m hurdles with a time of 14.24 at the South Carolina Weems-Baskin meet in Columbia, S.C. With his time, the senior now leads the SoCon in the event. Dohanic was also a member of the 4x100m relay team that took first place at the Mountain vs. Beach Invitational with a time of 40.82.
MEN'S OUTDOOR FIELD
Darius Purcell, Appalachian State, Sr.
Appalachian State's Darius Purcell finished second in the high jump at the Wake Forest Open with a mark of 2.22m (7'3.25"). With his performance the senior broke the ASU school record and is ranked first in the East Region and leads the conference. Purcell won the high jump title at the Mountain vs. Beach Invitational with a jump of 2.13 (7'0.25").
WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK
Amy Salek, Elon, Sr.
Elon's Amy Salek claimed two titles for the Phoenix at the Coastal Carolina Invitational to open the outdoor season. She ran the anchor leg of the 4x400m relay to win in a time of 3:50.49. She also won the 400m dash by posting a time of 55.71. Salek then finished fourth in the 400m dash with a time of 54.70 at the Raleigh Relays, which ranks second in the conference. To close out the month, Salek was a member of the 4x100m and 4x200m relay teams which set new school records at the Raleigh Relays.
WOMEN'S OUTDOOR FIELD
Meghan Morton, Western Carolina, So.
Western Carolina's Meghan Morton opened her outdoors season winning the javelin title at the 49er Classic. She recorded a personal best throw of 44.78m (146'11"). The sophomore also won the javelin event with a throw of 42.69m (140'0.7") at the Mountains vs. Beach Invitational to close out March. Morton currently leads the conference in the event.
Southern Conference March Athletes of the Month
Baseball Player Daniel Kassouf, Appalachian State
Baseball Pitcher Seth Grant, Appalachian State
Men's Golf Stephan Jaeger, Chattanooga
Women's Golf Yue Xu, Appalachian State
Softball Player Marie Fogle, Georgia Southern
Softball Pitcher Sarah Purvis, Georgia Southern
Men's Tennis Manuel Barroetavena, Chattanooga
Women's Tennis Niltooli Wilkins, UNCG
Men's Outdoor Track AJ Dohanic, Appalachian State
Men's Outdoor Field Darius Purcell, Appalachian State
Women's Outdoor Track Amy Salek, Elon
Women's Outdoor Field Meghan Morton, Western Carolina