SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced its October rifle athletes of the month Tuesday, highlighting excellence among student-athletes during the month. North Georgia’s Kimberlee Nettles won Smallbore Shooter of the Month, while The Citadel’s Charlotte Welsh won her first collegiate award as Air Rifle Shooter of the Month.  
 
SMALLBORE
Kimberlee Nettles, North Georgia, Sr.
North Georgia senior Kimberlee Nettles placed among the top 10 in each of the smallbore events that she competed in October. The Waycross, Georgia, native placed fifth in smallbore against No. 9 NC State on Oct. 11, with a season-best score of 573. Nettles went on to take home the smallbore title against VMI’s co-ed and women’s teams on Oct. 24, when she competed against 17 athletes and posted a score of 565 to win the match. Nettles’ performance helped the Nighthawks win the conference matchup against the Keydets, with a team aggregate score of 4564. Her average smallbore score of 569 over the two matches in October is tied for second in the conference. Nettles also leads the league with an average aggregate score of 1155. 
 
Others nominated: Amy Kohan (UAB), Cameron Bates (The Citadel) and Brianne Staton (Georgia Southern).
 
 
AIR RIFLE
Charlotte Welsh, The Citadel, Fr.
Charlotte Welsh opened the first month of her collegiate career as the conference’s top air rifle shooter through The Citadel’s first four matches of the 2020-21 season. The Simpsonville, South Carolina, native competed in three air rifle matches throughout October, averaging a score of 585.67 for the month. Welsh posted a conference-best air rifle score of 588 Oct. 3 against Georgia Southern and took home the first-place title. The freshman went on to earn her second first-place title Oct. 10 against The Citadel’s women’s squad and VMI’s co-ed and women’s teams with an air rifle score of 586. She closed the month against No. 16 Jacksonville State with a score of 583. She notched a total of two first-place finishes and holds the second-highest air rifle average score for the Southern Conference (584), as she helped the Bulldogs take home two team titles in October. 
 
Others nominated: Zoe Lum (UAB), Ashley Judson (Georgia Southern) and Morgan Frank (UNG).
 
 
Southern Conference October Rifle Shooters of the Month
Rifle – smallbore                       Kimberlee Nettles, North Georgia
Rifle – air rifle                            Charlotte Welsh, The Citadel