Men's Cross Country Southern Conference

SoCon Names October Athletes of the Month

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced its October athletes of the month for football, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball Wednesday, highlighting excellence among student-athletes during the month.

FOOTBALL

OFFENSE
Andy Summerlin, Samford, Sr., QB
Samford quarterback Andy Summerlin took his second straight monthly honor, completing 69 of his 108 pass attempts for 1,019 yards and six touchdowns in just three October games. The Apopka, Fla., sixth-year senior set a school record with 495 passing yards in the Bulldogs’ 44-34 win over then-No. 16 Georgia Southern on Oct. 5, adding three touchdowns and no interceptions. Summerlin threw for 265 yards and a touchdown in a 34-10 win over Appalachian State on Oct. 12 and 259 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-27 win over then-No. 12 Wofford on Oct. 26 Samford was 3-0 in the month and moved into the national rankings for the first time this season.

Other nominees: Kameron Bryant (Appalachian State), Ben Dupree (The Citadel), Mike Quinn (Elon), Jerick McKinnon (Georgia Southern), Keon Williams (Chattanooga), Karnorris Benson (Western Carolina) and Donovan Johnson (Wofford).

DEFENSE
Davis Tull, Chattanooga, Jr., DE
Chattanooga defensive end Davis Tull had 15 tackles, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery to earn defensive honors for October. Tull had 4.5 sacks for 24 yards in the month, setting the Mocs’ career sacks record (24.0) with one at Elon on Oct. 19. He also forced a fumble in that contest, a 20-9 UTC win. Tull’s best game of the month came in a 31-9 win over Furman on Oct. 12, when he had 3.5 sacks for 21 yards, forced two fumbles and recovered one en route to SoCon Defensive Player of the Week honors. Tull also had five tackles in a 28-24, come-from-behind win over The Citadel on Oct. 26 as the Mocs capped a 4-0 month.

Other nominees: Karl Anderson (Appalachian State), Justin Oxendine (The Citadel), Alexander Dawson (Elon), Kyle Oehlbeck (Georgia Southern), Justin Shade (Samford), Courtland Carson (Western Carolina) and Alvin Scioneaux (Wofford).

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Luis Vargas, Elon, Jr.
Elon junior Luis Vargas earned his second straight monthly honor after posting top-10 finishes in a pair of prestigious national meets. At the Greater Louisville Classic on Oct. 5, Vargas finished sixth out of 269 competitors, finishing the 8k course in 24:38.44 and earning SoCon Runner of the Week honors for the second time this season for his efforts. Two weeks later, at NCAA Pre-Nationals, the Angier, N.C., native was runner-up in the 8k white race, turning in a time of 24:30.11.

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Danielle McKee, The Citadel, Sr.
Citadel senior Danielle McKee earned the first monthly honor in Bulldog cross country history – men’s or women’s – with a pair of strong showings in October. The Fayetteville, N.C., senior turned in a season-best time of 18:47 to finish 10th out of 200 competitors in the women’s 5k race at the Disney Classic in Orlando, Fla., on Oct. 12. McKee followed that up with a win at the Chucktown Throwdown, a head-to-head meet with crosstown rival Charleston Southern, winning the event in 19:09.97. She is a two-time SoCon Runner of the Week this season, taking the honor on Oct. 2 and Oct. 16.

MEN’S SOCCER
Sven Lissek, Furman, So., GK
Furman goalkeeper Sven Lissek won his second straight monthly award after posting a 3-1-1 record with three shutouts and a 0.66 goals against average in October. The sophomore from Sewau, Germany, opened the month with three saves in a scoreless draw at UNCG on Oct. 8 then notched his second straight shutout with a pair of saves in Furman’s 2-0 win at Davidson four days later. Lissek picked up five saves in Furman’s road win over No. 9 Clemson on Oct. 15 and added a season-high eight in a 1-0 win over No. 25 Elon on Oct. 19 to help the Paladins rise to No. 11 in the national rankings. For the month, Lissek allowed just four goals in six contests and made 25 saves as he increased his SoCon-leading total to eight shutouts on the season.

Other nominees: Danny Free (Appalachian State), Matt Wescoe (Elon) and Connor Davis (Wofford).

WOMEN’S SOCCER
Carlie Couch, Furman, Fr., F
Furman forward Carlie Couch scored a league-best 23 points on nine goals and five assists in October. The freshman from Tifton, Ga., scored at least one goal in seven of the Paladins’ nine contests in the month and notched at least one point in eight of the nine. Three of her goals were match-winners, as she had the decisive scores against Western Carolina, Georgia Southern and Wofford. Couch’s nine goals came on just 16 shots. The rookie helped Furman to a 7-1-1 mark in the month as the Paladins locked up their first regular-season SoCon title since 2003. She was named the Disney Soccer/NSCAA National Player of the Week on Oct. 29 after a seven-point week that included wins over GSU and Davidson. For the season, Couch has 27 points on 11 goals and five assists and was named the SoCon Freshman of the Year on Tuesday.

Other nominees: Samantha Childress (Appalachian State), Lea Raedle (The Citadel), Sarah Tuggle (Davidson), Nicole Dennion (Elon), Malcanisha Kelley (Samford), Kelly Pannell (Western Carolina) and Kimberly Cohn (Wofford).

VOLLEYBALL

OFFENSE
Katie Murphy, Samford, Sr., MB
Samford middle blocker Katie Murphy averaged 3.77 kills and 1.10 blocks per set in October, helping the Bulldogs to a 5-3 mark, all in league play. The Sterling Heights, Mich., senior reached double-digit kills in seven of her eight matches in the month, highlighted by a season-high 20 against Western Carolina on Oct. 4. Murphy hit at least .400 in six matches in October, peaking at a season-high .733 (12 kills, one error) in a sweep of Elon on Oct. 18. She also had at least one block in each of her eight matches, setting a season high with seven in a 3-1 win over Davidson on Oct. 12 and matching that against Georgia Southern on Oct. 26. For the month, Murphy totaled 113 kills and 33 blocks and hit .398. She is Samford’s career leader in hitting percentage with a .378 mark through October.

Other nominees: Emily Corrigan (Appalachian State), Ise D’angelo (The Citadel), Caroline Brown (Davidson), Megan Gravley (Elon), Christina Dorismond (Furman), Jamie DeRatt (Georgia Southern), Jordan Timmermann (Western Carolina) and Taylor Baird (Wofford).

DEFENSE
Elle Ross, Furman, Sr., L/DS
Furman libero/defensive specialist Elle Ross averaged 5.69 digs per set in October to lead the Paladins to a 5-3 record, all in SoCon play. Ross, a senior from Eagle, Neb., posted double-digit digs in seven of Furman’s eight matches in the month, highlighted by a career-high 36 in a 3-2 win over Wofford on Oct. 2. She followed that up with 29 in the Paladins’ 3-2 win over Georgia Southern two days later and had 24 in a 3-1 win over Western Carolina on Oct. 13. Ross had consecutive outings of 18 digs in wins over Wofford and Davidson in the middle of the month and closed the month with 27 against Elon on Oct. 25 and 22 against UNCG the next day. Ross was the SoCon Defensive Player of the week twice in the month, taking the honor on Oct. 7 and Oct. 21.

Other nominees: Meghan Mahoney (Appalachian State), Erin Bucherl (The Citadel), Anastasia Owen (Davidson), Ally Karle (Elon), Alexandra Beecher (Georgia Southern) Chelsi Carter (Samford), Morgan Cochran (Western Carolina) and Jessica Graham (Wofford).

Southern Conference October Athletes of the Month
Football – Offense    Andy Summerlin, Samford
Football – Defense    Davis Tull, Chattanooga
Men’s Cross Country    Luis Vargas, Elon
Women’s Cross Country    Danielle McKee, The Citadel
Men’s Soccer    Sven Lissek, Furman
Women’s Soccer    Carlie Couch, Furman
Volleyball – Offense    Katie Murphy, Samford
Volleyball – Defense    Elle Ross, Furman

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