SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced its January athletes of the month for men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s indoor track and field, and wrestling on Friday, highlighting excellence among student-athletes during the month.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Spencer Collins, Wofford, Sr., G
Wofford’s Spencer Collins was named the league’s men’s basketball player of the month for January after averaging 19.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 10 games as the Terriers went 7-3 during the month. Collins scored 20 points in five different games and produced three games of at least 25 points, including a 30-point effort in an overtime loss at Mercer. Collins connected on 44 percent of his field goal attempts and was 40-of-72 (.556) from 3-point range. The senior from Easley, S.C., shot 86 percent from the free-throw line and averaged 31.2 minutes per game for the month.
Others nominated: Ge’Lawn Guyn (ETSU), Stephen Croone (Furman), Jestin Lewis (Mercer), Francis Alonso (UNCG), Darius Jones-Gibson (Samford), Tre’McLean (Chattanooga) and Mike Brown (Western Carolina).
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Jasmine Joyner, Chattanooga, Jr., F
Chattanooga junior Jasmine Joyner had a strong January for the Mocs, averaging a double-double with 13.6 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game. Joyner’s month was highlighted by a stat-sheet-stuffing performance in a 56-50 win at Furman on Jan. 9. The Southaven, Miss., native recorded 21 points, 20 rebounds and six blocks against the Paladins, marking the only 20-rebound effort by a SoCon player this season. On Jan. 13, she tied a school record with eight blocked shots in a 77-59 home triumph over Western Carolina. Joyner also led the Mocs to a 72-61 home win over UNCG on Jan. 16 with 18 points, 14 rebounds and four assists. The junior forward closed out the month with 19 points and six blocks in a 65-57 victory at ETSU, moving into second all-time in the SoCon with 271 career rejections and giving UTC a 6-2 mark for January. Joyner currently ranks first in the nation with 4.0 blocks per game and is averaging a league-best 9.4 rebounds per contest. She was named the Innovative Office Solutions SoCon Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for games the final week of the month.
Others nominated: Tianna Tarter (ETSU), Kahlia Lawrence (Mercer), Lucy Mason (UNCG), Taylor Reece (Samford), Ace Easter (Western Carolina) and Kentra Washington (Wofford).
MEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
Track
Brandon Hazouri, Samford, Sr.
Samford senior Brandon Hazouri turned in a pair of impressive performances for the Bulldogs in January. At the UAB Blazer Invitational, held Jan. 15-16, Hazouri won the mile run with a time of 4:07.56, breaking a Samford program record and the UAB Blazer Invite meet record. The Birmingham, Ala., native achieved a negative split during the record-breaking run. He proceeded to best his own mark at the Vanderbilt Indoor Invitational on Jan. 30, clocking a SoCon-best 4:01.10 in the mile to earn a runner-up finish. That time currently ranks in the top 10 in the country. Hazouri earned SoCon indoor track athlete of the week honors on Jan. 20 and Feb. 3 for his efforts.
Field
Jamie Brown, Western Carolina, Fr.
Freshman Jamie Brown was a solid performer for the Catamounts in January. At the David E. Walker Classic on Jan. 9, Brown recorded two SoCon-leading marks, tying for first in the high jump with a leap of 2.05 meters and registering a second-place finish in the long jump with a leap of 7.67 meters. The Knightdale, N.C., product added a third-place finish in the triple jump at the ETSU Invitational a week later, stopping the tape at 14.60 meters. He also came in fourth in the high jump with a 2.00m leap at the Thundering Herd Invitational to close out the month. Brown earned SoCon field athlete of the week recognition on Jan. 20.
WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
Track
Tayla Carter, Western Carolina, Sr.
Western Carolina senior Tayla Carter assembled an impressive month for the Catamounts, recording five first-place finishes across three different meets. The Marietta, Ga., native was a member of WCU’s 4x400 relay team that clocked a SoCon-best 3:52.03 mark at the ETSU Track and Field Invitational. Carter also boasts SoCon-leading marks in the 60-meter and 200-meter dash, registering times of 7.43 seconds and 24.50 seconds, respectively, at the Thundering Herd Invitational. Both performances earned her first-place finishes. Carter’s 60-meter time broke a meet and track record and tied her own school record that she set back in 2013. Her 24.70-second performance in the 200 meter set a meet record. Carter garnered SoCon women’s track athlete of the week on Jan. 20.
Field
Hailey Cook, Western Carolina, Jr.
Western Carolina junior Hailey Cook notched SoCon-best marks in the shot put and weight throw in January en route to women’s field athlete of the month. At the ETSU Invitational, held Jan. 15-16, Cook tossed her way to first-place finishes in the shot put and weight throw, and her shot put toss of 14.93 meters at the meet still stands as a league best. The Hendersonville, N.C., product closed out the month on a high note at the Thundering Herd Invitational by recording a conference-best 17.16m toss in the weight throw. Cook grabbed SoCon women’s field athlete of the week distinction on Jan. 20.
WRESTLING
Nathan Kraisser, Campbell, R-Jr., 133 pounds
Campbell’s Nathan Kraisser went 8-0 at 133 pounds, all in dual action, for an unbeaten January. The redshirt junior from Ellicott City, Md., earned bonus points in all but one match, notching four falls, two technical falls and a major decision. Kraisser opened his month with an 18-0 tech fall of Appalachian State’s Jacob Grigg before picking up his first fall of January over Alex Dalusio of Arizona State at the Virginia Duals. Also at the Virginia Duals, Kraisser posted a major decision against eighth-ranked Emilio Saavedra of Old Dominion (13-5) and picked up a win and another fall en route to earning Arby’s SoCon Wrestler of the Week distinction. Kraisser sandwiched pins over VMI’s Bennie Pachello and Gardner-Webb’s Tyler Ziegler around a 21-4 tech fall over The Citadel’s Caleb Smith to finish out his dominant month. Kraisser is now 28-7 on the season, including a 13-1 dual mark and a 5-0 SoCon record.
Others nominated: Denzel Dejournette (Appalachian State), Aaron Walker (The Citadel), Hunter Gamble (Gardner-Webb), Derek Nagel (SIUE), Jared Johnson (Chattanooga) and Dalton Henderson (VMI).
Southern Conference January Athletes of the Month
Men’s basketball Spencer Collins, Wofford
Women’s basketball Jasmine Joyner, Chattanooga
Men’s indoor track & field – track Brandon Hazouri, Samford
Men’s indoor track & field – field Jamie Brown, Western Carolina
Women’s indoor track & field – track Tayla Carter, Western Carolina
Women’s indoor track & field – field Hailey Cook, Western Carolina
Wrestling Nathan Kraisser, Campbell
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