SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced its December athletes of the month for men’s and women’s basketball and wrestling Monday, highlighting excellence among student-athletes during the month.


MEN’S BASKETBALL
Josh Sharkey, Samford, Sr., G
Samford guard Josh Sharkey averaged 21.6 points, 10.2 assists and 4.6 steals per game in December, all league bests. The senior from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, opened his month with a season-high 27 points, nine assists and a season-best seven steals in a 97-64 win over Auburn-Montgomery and followed that up with his first double-double of the season, scoring 18 points and dishing off a season-high 15 assists, adding five steals, in a 113-90 win at Houston Baptist. After scoring 21 points with six steals at Hawaii, Sharkey turned in another 18-point, 15-assist double-double at Alabama before closing his month with 24 points and seven assists at Georgetown. Sharkey, who leads NCAA Division I with seasonal averages of 9.2 assists and 3.46 steals per game, also pulled down 4.0 rebounds per contest in December.

Others nominated: Kaelon Harris (The Citadel), Jeromy Rodriguez (ETSU), Noah Gurley (Furman), Isaiah Miller (UNCG), Ramon Vila (Chattanooga), Travis Evee (VMI), Mason Faulkner (Western Carolina) and Storm Murphy (Wofford).


WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Tierra Hodges, Furman R-Jr., G/F
Furman guard/forward Tierra Hodges averaged a double-double with 14.8 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in December as Furman finished the month 4-2. Hodges, who scored in double figures in all six games, tallied three double-doubles. She began the month with a career-high 21 points, finishing 9-for-12 from the floor and adding eight rebounds in a home win over Georgia State on Dec. 5. Three days later, the redshirt junior netted a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds in a win at Richmond and was named SoCon Player of the Week on Dec. 10 for her play in the two contests. In the FAU Holiday Classic, she scored 10 points and pulled down a game-high eight rebounds against host Florida Atlantic before erupting for 18 points and a game-high 13 rebounds against Saint Joseph’s a day later as Furman won the tournament title and Hodges was named to the all-tournament team. She concluded the month with 14 points and 14 rebounds against Elon on Dec. 30.
 
Others nominated: Micah Scheetz (ETSU), Shannon Titus (Mercer), Nadine Soliman (UNCG), Sarah Myers (Samford), Eboni Williams (Chattanooga), Jewel Smalls (Western Carolina) and Chloe Wanink (Wofford).


WRESTLING
Josh Heil, Campbell, R-Jr., 141 pounds
Campbell’s Josh Heil continued his impressive start to the season, posting a 11-1 overall record and adding his third tournament title. The redshirt junior from Brunswick, Ohio, opened the month by taking the individual title at the Reno Tournament of Champions on Dec. 15. Heil went a perfect 6-0 during the event, which included a technical fall win over Adrian Zubin of Texas Wesleyan and a pin of Trent Dooley from Arkansas Little Rock. He sealed the tournament win with a 7-1 decision over Jack Brown of Army. Heil continued his dominance at the Midlands Championships in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, as he notched another podium finish. He defeated eighth-ranked Tristan Moran of Wisconsin in the semifinals for his 16th straight victory and fifth win against a ranked opponent before falling to seventh-ranked Max Murin of Iowa 5-3 in the final.

Others nominated: Roderick Davis (Gardner-Webb), Zachary Phillips (Presbyterian) and Fabian Gutierrez (Chattanooga).


Southern Conference December Athletes of the Month
Men’s basketball    Josh Sharkey, Samford
Women’s basketball    Tierra Hodges, Furman
Wrestling    Josh Heil, Campbell