SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced its September athletes of the month Friday, highlighting excellence among 13 student-athletes across eight sports during the month.
 
 
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Daniel Bernal, Furman, Sr., El Paso, Texas

• SoCon Runner of the Week after leading Furman with an eighth-place finish at the Florida State XC Open on Sept. 17 with an 8K time of 24:02.2
• Helped the Paladins to a runner-up finish in the 26-team field, head of host and de facto No. 33 Florida State and 25^th-ranked Southern Utah
• Took an eighth-place finish at the Furman Invitational on Sept. 11, turning in a 5K time of 14:21.65
• Has helped Furman to a No. 19 ranking in the USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Men's Cross Country National Coaches' Poll

 
Others nominated: Sam Sharnas (The Citadel), Matt Scarr (ETSU) and Cameron Ponder (Furman).
 
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Bethany Graham, Furman, So., Aldie, Va.

• Took SoCon Runner of the Week honors after both of her September races
• Posted a 5K time of 16:41.88 to win her first college collegiate cross country race and lead her teammates to a 1-8 sweep at the Furman Invitational
• Turned in a personal-best 6K time of 20:56.4 to take seventh at the Florida State XC Open and help Furman to a third-place team finish, ahead of third-ranked Stanford
• Has led Furman to a No. 29 ranking in the USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Women's Cross Country National Coaches' Poll

 
Others nominated: Heidi Fortin (The Citadel) and Lindsey Stallworth (ETSU).
 
FOOTBALL
Offense
Liam Welch, Samford, Gr., QB, Augusta, Ga.

• Went 138-for-203 for 1,521 yards (380.5 per game) and nine touchdowns as Samford went 2-2 in the month, with one loss coming to No. 15 ETSU in overtime
• Opened the month by going 33-for-44 for 370 passing yards and four TDs in a win over Tennessee Tech
• Had 217 passing yards and a TD at UT Martin
• Threw for 352 yards and a TD and ran for 19 yards and a score in a win at Western Carolina
• Set SoCon and school records for completions (56), pass attempts (73), passing yards (582) and total offense (655) in the loss to ETSU, earning Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week and SoCon Offensive Player of the Week presented by GEICO honors

 
Others nominated: Jacob Saylors (ETSU), Fred Payton (Mercer), Ailym Ford (Chattanooga), Korey Bridy (VMI), Rogan Wells (Western Carolina) and Irvin Mulligan (Wofford).
 
Defense
Ty Boeck, Chattanooga, Jr., LB, Soddy Daisy, Tenn.

• Recorded 28 tackles (9.3 per game), a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry in the month as Chattanooga went 1-2 with losses to No. 20 Austin Peay and SEC East leader Kentucky
• Had 4.0 tackles for loss for 17 yards, including 2.0 sacks for 14 yards, in September
• SoCon Defensive Player of the Week presented by GEICO on Sept. 20 after posting 13 tackles (nine solo) including a sack and a forced fumble against Kentucky, helping hold the Wildcats 12 points, 104.5 rushing yards and 45 passing yards below their season averages
• Had eight tackles, including 2.0 for loss and 1.0 sack in a win at North Alabama, helping hold UNA to just 90 yards of total offense, the fewest the Mocs had given up to a Division I opponent since 1987
• Opened the season with seven tackles (five solo) and a QB hurry against Austin Peay

 
Others nominated: Donovan Manuel (ETSU), Travis Blackshear (Furman), Danijah Gammage (Mercer), Nathan East (Samford), Stone Snyder (VMI), Kareem Taylor (Western Carolina) and Micheal Mason (Wofford).
 
MEN’S GOLF
Jake Peacock, Western Carolina, Fr., Milton, Ga.

• Recorded a pair of top-five finishes in his first two career tournaments, including a win at the EKU Intercollegiate on Sept. 3-4 with a 10-under-par 200 in his collegiate debut
• First Catamount to place first since Jackson Bishop and Dylan MacQueen finished tied for first at the Manor Intercollegiate in March 2018 and first WCU medalist since MacQueen took the honors at the Phoenix Intercollegiate in October 2017
• Posted a career-low round of 66 in the final round of the EKU Intercollegiate, matching it in the first round of the J.T. Poston Invitational on Sept. 27
• Tied for fourth at the J.T. Poston Invitational at 7-under 206
• Averaged 67.67 strokes per round in six rounds played in September

 
Others nominated: Mats Ege (ETSU), Ross Funderburke (Furman), Braedon Wear (Chattanooga) and Harry Jones (Wofford).
 
 
WOMEN’S GOLF
Anna Morgan, Furman, Jr., Spartanburg, S.C.

• Claimed the first individual medalist honors of her career at the Lady Paladin Invitational (Sept. 24-26) with a 13-under-par-203 to set the tournament's 54-hole low record
• Scored a hole-in-one in the opening round on No. 16
• Helped lead the Paladins to the team title and a 54-hole tournament record of 23-under-par 841
• Tied for 10th in a field of 93 golfers at the Cougar Classic
• Totaled 212 (-4) strokes between Furman's two September tournaments, averaging 70.67 strokes per round

 
Others nominated: Tereza Melecka (ETSU), Bailey Dunstan (Samford), Esme Hamilton (Chattanooga), Elizabeth Lohbauer (Western Carolina) and Maggie Jackson (Wofford).
 
 
MEN’S SOCCER
Offense
Theo Collomb, UNCG, So., F, Clermont, France

• In his eight appearances for UNCG in September, recorded 10 goals and three assists for 23 points
• Leads the nation in points per game (2.78), goals (11), and points (25) and ranks second in goals per game (1.38), fifth in the NCAA in game-winning goals (3) and ninth in shots per game (3.89)
• Earned three different national honors following his pair of solid performances against then-No. 2 Clemson and VMI, including United Soccer Coaches National Player of the Week, College Soccer News National Player of the Week, and TopDrawer Soccer National Player of the Week
• Also named Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Week that week after scoring five goals and adding two assists in the wins
• Has registered 19 career goals during his time as a Spartan

 
Others nominated: Niccolo Dagnoni (Belmont), Tarik Pannholzer (ETSU), Jake Raine (Furman), Kadeem Agard (Mercer) and Brandon Oddy (Wofford).
 
Defense
Drew Romig, Belmont, Sr., GK, Midlothian, Va.

• Led the Bruins to four shutouts in the month of September, with four 1-0 victories over UNC Asheville, SIUE, ETSU and Bellarmine
• Secured the game-winning save on a penalty kick in the closing minutes of Belmont's match against Bellarmine on Sept. 29
• Ranked 16th in the nation in shutouts (4) and 29th in minutes played on the season (664:58)
• Among the top 50 goalies in the nation in both save percentage (0.784) and goals against average (0.85)
• Tallied 23 saves in the month of September, including a career-high tying seven saves in the Bruins' conference opening victory over the Buccaneers

 
Others nominated: Ben Roberts (Furman), Trevor McMullen (Mercer), Joey Skinner (UNCG) and Joshua Old (Wofford).
 
 
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Offense
Suzuka Yosue, The Citadel, Jr., F, Osaka, Japan

• Netted five goals and dished out six assists, tallying 16 points (2.67 per game), as The Citadel went 4-2 overall and 1-1 in SoCon play
• Had at least one goal and one assist in three contests and netted two goals in two contests
• Recorded seven points in an 8-0 rout of Johnson (Tenn.), tallying two goals and three assists to be a part of five of the eight goals and became the school's all-time career assists leader in the win
• Against ETSU in the SoCon opener, netted a goal and her eighth assist of the season, which made her the program’s single-season assist record holder, just 10 games into the 2021 campaign

 
Others nominated: Nieva Gaither (Furman), Ally Fordham (Mercer), Alyssa Frazier (Samford), Maggie Shaw (Chattanooga), Valentine Pursey (Western Carolina) and Rachel Rasins (Wofford).
 
Defense
Morgan McAslan, Samford, Sr., GK, Waterdown, Ontario, Canada

• Led Samford to a 4-1-1 overall record and 2-0 mark in SoCon play in September
• Tallied four shutouts and allowed just three goals, two in a 2-1 overtime loss at Texas and one in a 1-1 draw at Ole Miss
• Finished with a 0.47 goals against average and a .850 save percentage.
• Opened the month with seven saves in a 1-0 win at Alabama
• Named SoCon Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 7 for her efforts against Alabama and Ole Miss, allowing just one goal in 200 minutes against the SEC opponents

 
Others nominated: Jess Newton (The Citadel), Shu Ohba (ETSU), Addison Corn (Furman), Jordyn Ebert (Mercer), Aiyanah Tyler-Cooper (UNCG), Abbey Saddler (Chattanooga), Melody Mezzina (Western Carolina) and Maria Mon (Wofford).
 
 
VOLLEYBALL
Offense
Kayla White, UNCG, Gr., OH, Montgomery, Ala.

• Tallied double-digit kills in 11 of 12 matches and 15-plus kills in five matches as UNCG went 11-1 overall and 2-0 in SoCon play in the month of September
• Recorded seven double-doubles on the month and set a career high with 28 digs in a win over North Carolina Central on Sept. 7
• Averaged 3.88 kills and 3.72 digs per set
• Led the Spartans in kills in 10 of 12 matches and led all players or tied for the match high in nine matches
• Named SoCon Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 20 and Sept. 27

 
Others nominated: Sharlissa De Jesus (The Citadel), Josannah Vazquez (ETSU), Bella Tolone (Furman), Kenya McQuirter (Samford), Maia Rackel (Chattanooga), Merry Gebel (Western Carolina) and Sarah Barham (Wofford).
 
Defense
Destinee Dorsey, Western Carolina, So., LIB, Mobile, Ala.

• Recorded double-digit digs in 10 of 11 matches and 20-plus digs in five matches, including the last four in September as Western Carolina went 6-5 overall and 2-0 in SoCon play in the month
• Averaged 4.88 digs and 1.0 assists per set
• Led the Catamounts in digs in each of the 11 matches and led all players or tied for the match high in five
• Named the SoCon Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 13 and Sept. 27

 
Others nominated: Kenzie Kellerman (The Citadel), Taylor Roberts (ETSU), Andrea Aceveda (Furman), Jenna Wiggs (UNCG), Kate Morgan (Samford), Paige Gallentine (Chattanooga) and Addison Foote (Wofford).
 
Setter
Gabriela McHugh, UNCG, Jr., Ashley, Ind.

• Paced the Spartans’ offense with 11.21 assists per set as UNCG went 11-1
• Recorded at least 35 assists in nine of 12 contests and 40-plus in seven matches
• Tallied a season-high 52 assists in the September finale, a 3-1 win at ETSU
• Amassed seven double-doubles and averaged 3.12 digs per set
• Led all players in assists in each of the Spartans 12 matches on the month
• Named the SoCon Setter of the Week on Sept. 6 and Sept. 13

 
Others nominated: Belle Hogan (The Citadel), Caroline Dykes (ETSU), Sarah Turner (Furman), Kayla Keshock (Samford), Sydney Carlson (Western Carolina) and Emily Hodsdon (Wofford).

 
Southern Conference September Athletes of the Month
Football – offense                                   Liam Welch, Samford
Football – defense                                  Ty Boeck, Chattanooga
Men’s golf                                              Jake Peacock, Western Carolina
Women’s golf                                         Anna Morgan, Furman
Men’s cross country                                Daniel Bernal, Furman
Women’s cross country                           Bethany Graham, Furman
Men’s soccer – offense                           Theo Collomb, UNCG
Men’s soccer – defense                          Drew Romig, Belmont
Women’s soccer – offense                      Suzuka Yosue, The Citadel
Women’s soccer – defense                     Morgan McAslan, Samford
Volleyball – offense                                Kayla White, UNCG
Volleyball – defense                                Destinee Dorsey, Western Carolina
Volleyball – setter                                   Gabriela McHugh, UNCG