SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced its September 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
Tyrie Adams, Western Carolina, R-Fr., QB
Quarterback Tyrie Adams made an immediate impression for Western Carolina in September as the redshirt freshman signal caller finished the month with 937 passing yards and seven touchdowns for the Catamounts. Adams completed 69.8 percent of his passes during September and accounted for a school-record 510 yards of total offense in a win over Gardner-Webb. Adams, a St. Petersburg, Florida, native, also rushed 35 times for 171 yards in three games. He led the league in passing yards (312.3 ypg) and total offense (369.3 ypg) in the month.
Others nominated: Tyler Renew (The Citadel), John Russ (Mercer), Devlin Hodges (Samford), Derrick Craine (Chattanooga) and Lorenzo Long (Wofford).
DEFENSE
Kailik Williams, The Citadel, Jr., DB
Citadel defensive back Kailik Williams finished September with a team-high 32 tackles, including a career-high 14 stops at Gardner-Webb, as the Bulldogs went 3-0 in September. Williams added 1.5 tackles for loss and was credited with a half sack. In The Citadel’s opening game of the season, Williams came up with an interception on Mercer’s final drive to preserve a 24-23 win. The junior from Ormond Beach, Florida, was credited with three pass break-ups during the month and his 10.7 tackles per game in September were the most among defensive backs in the league.
Others nominated: Tyler Ward (Mercer), Keionta Davis (Chattanooga), Shaheed Salmon (Samford), Fred Payne (Western Carolina) and JoJo Tillery (Wofford).
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Frank Lara, Furman, Jr.
Furman junior Frank Lara began his September by winning back-to-back individual and team titles for the Paladins at the Eye Opener Invitational in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and at the Furman XC Classic in Greenville, South Carolina. The Houston, Texas, native was the first competitor to cross the finish line in both races, completing the 8K courses in 25:16 at the Eye Opener Invitational and in 24:27 at the Furman XC Classic. Among one of the most competitive fields in the nation, Lara placed 32nd out of 263 finishers to lead the Paladins to a 14th-place team finish at the Roy Griak Invitational in Minneapolis, Minn. For the month of September, Lara was the first Paladin to cross the finish line in all three races.
Others nominated: Michael Lantz (The Citadel), Simeon Roberts (ETSU), Ahmed Jama (Mercer), Paul Stuart (Chattanooga) and Jay Broom (VMI).
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Savannah Carnahan, Furman, Fr.
Furman cross country runner Savannah Carnahan had an impressive September after claiming back-to-back individual and team titles in Furman’s first two meets of the 2016 season. Carnahan, a freshman, was the first to cross the finish line at the Eye Opener Invitational on the 5K course in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on Sept. 2. The Atlanta, Georgia, native finished in 17:25 to lead Furman to a first-place team finish. The very next week, Carnahan was back at it again, capturing the individual title at the Furman XC Classic. She finished the 6K race in 20:37 to, once again lead the Paladins to a first-place team finish. Against highly ranked competition at the Roy Griak Invitational in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Carnahan placed 27th on the 6K course, crossing the finish line in 22:25. Carnahan was named the Southern Conference women’s runner of the week on three separate occasions during the month of September.
Others nominated: Caillian Colquitt (The Citadel), Victoria Hutchens (ETSU), Maddison Melchionna (Chattanooga), Logan Luckett (VMI) and Kaitlyn Lingard (Western Carolina).
MEN’S SOCCER
Jonny Sutherland, ETSU, So., GK
ETSU goalkeeper Jonny Sutherland posted four shutouts in six September contests, helping the Bucs to a 3-2-1 record, a win over No. 1 North Carolina and a draw with No. 25 Furman. The sophomore from Chester, United Kingdom, allowed just two goals in the month to post a goals against average of 0.31 and a save percentage of .920. He totaled 23 saves and played 587 minutes, 28 seconds in the net. Working with virtually no margin for error, Sutherland posted shutouts over Appalachian State (1-0), North Carolina (1-0), UNC Asheville (1-0) and Furman (0-0) and did not allow a goal in regulation in the month, only surrendering overtime goals in 1-0 losses to No. 22 West Virginia and Kentucky, which was been in and out of the rankings this season.
Other nominees: Lewis Hawke (Furman), Will Bagrou (Mercer), Damieon Thomas (UNCG) and Matthew Aurednik (Wofford).
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Jermaine Seoposenwe, Samford, Sr., F
Samford forward Jermaine Seoposenwe scored 14 points in six September contests, leading the Bulldogs to a 5-1-1 mark and a 2-1-0 start to league play. The senior from Cape Town, South Africa, scored five goals, three of which were game-winners, and recorded four assists, accounting for at least one point in five matches on the month. Seoposenwe, who played for her native country in the Rio Olympics this summer, opened her month with a goal and two assists in a 3-3 draw with Rice. She scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Alabama before scoring twice in a win over Wofford. She assisted on a goal in a 3-2 loss to Furman and had a goal and an assist in a 2-0 win over Mercer. The SoCon Player of the Week on Sept. 6, Seoposenwe shares the league leads with nine goals and five assists and holds the outright scoring lead with 23 points this season.
Other nominees: Samara Nche (The Citadel), Eleonora Goldoni (ETSU), Molly Dwyer (Furman), Maddie Clark (Mercer), Katie Emig (Chattanooga) and Hannah Washko (Wofford).
VOLLEYBALL
OFFENSE
AJ Lux, ETSU, So., OH
ETSU’s AJ Lux averaged 3.38 kills per set while hitting .322 in 12 matches played during the month of September. The Shelbyville, Indiana, native recorded four straight matches with at least 16 kills, including a 20-kill performance against Furman on Sept. 23. Against Hampton on Sept. 2, Lux achieved a hitting percentage .684 on 19 attempts, the highest attack percentage for any ETSU player since 2012 with a minimum of 12 kills. Overall, the sophomore outside hitter currently ranks second in the conference in hitting percentage (.322) and eighth in kills (179).
Others nominated: Moriah Smith (The Citadel), Annie Bierman (Furman), Morgan MacGilvary (Mercer), Ashley Muench (UNCG), Kristy Wieser (Chattanooga) and Catie Cronister (Wofford).
DEFENSE
Christina Gregory, So., L/DS
UNCG libero Christina Gregory totaled 253 digs in 12 matches during the month of September, averaging 5.27 per set. The Louisville, Kentucky, native has earned double-digit digs in every match this season, including a career-best 36 against Elon on Sept. 3. Gregory’s 253 digs in the month of September surpassed her 2015 digs total of 247. She also tallied 20-plus digs in eight matches. Gregory also earned a .965 reception percentage on 226 total receives.
Others nominated: Sarah Dobrich (The Citadel), Kaela Massey (ETSU), Jordan McNeill (Furman), Tori Penrod (Mercer), Rachel Petkosh (Chattanooga), Meagan Sanchez (Western Carolina) and Colleen Reilly (Wofford).
Southern Conference September Athletes of the Month
Football – offense Tyrie Adams, Western Carolina
Football – defense Kailik Williams, The Citadel
Men’s cross country Frank Lara, Furman
Women’s cross country Savannah Carnahan, Furman
Men’s soccer Jonny Sutherland, ETSU
Women’s soccer Jermaine Seoposenwe, Samford
Volleyball – offense AJ Lux, ETSU
Volleyball – defense Christina Gregory, UNCG
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