SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced its November athletes of the month Thursday, highlighting excellence among 11 student-athletes across seven sports during the month.
 
 
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Hayden Brown, The Citadel, Gr., F, Greer, S.C.

• Averaged 17.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in just 27.7 minutes per game and shot 55.7 percent from the floor to lead The Citadel to a 4-2 record in November, scoring in double figures in all six games and shooting at least .556 from the floor in his last four
• Opened the season with 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists in a win at Pittsburgh, the Bulldogs’ first over an ACC team since 1989
• Scored a season-high 26 points and pulled down a season-best 17 rebounds in a double-overtime loss to Presbyterian on Nov. 15
• Notched his second straight double-double with 16 points and 10 boards against Carver on Nov. 18
• Scored 19 points and had four rebounds at No. 5 Duke on Nov. 22

 
Others nominated: David Sloan (ETSU), Mike Bothwell (Furman), Felipe Haase (Mercer), De’Monte Buckingham (UNCG), Ques Glover (Samford), Malachi Smith (Chattanooga), Nicholas Robinson (Western Carolina) and Max Klesmit (Wofford).
 
 
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Tierra Hodges, Furman, 5th, G/F, Covington, Ga.

• Averaged a double-double with 15.2 points and 11.0 rebounds per game as Furman went a league-best 5-2 in the month
• Named the SoCon Player of the Week presented by GEICO on Nov. 23 after averaging 15.5 points and 13.0 rebounds in wins over Converse and UNC Asheville
• Scored a career-high 25 points and pulled down seven rebounds in an 82-73 loss to host California in the Raising The B.A.R. Invitational powered by Cal on Nov. 26
• Came back to score nine points and claim a game-high 12 rebounds to help Furman to a 72-63 win over San Diego State in the consolation game a day later and was selected to the All-Tournament squad after scoring 34 points (17.0 ppg) and claiming 21 rebounds (10.5 rpg) in the two games.
• Recorded three double-doubles in her first six games of the season, scoring in double-digits in five of the six contests and tallying double-digit rebounds in four of the six

 
Others nominated: Jaron Dougherty (Mercer), Isys Grady (UNCG), Andrea Cournoyer (Samford), Abbey Cornelius (Chattanooga), Nadia Marshall (Western Carolina) and Alexis Tomlin (Wofford).
 
 
FOOTBALL
Offense
Rogan Wells, Western Carolina, Gr., QB, Fort Mill, S.C.

• Accounted for 1,396 yards of total offense in November, completing 81-of-126 passes for 1,171 yards and 10 touchdowns and rushing 40 times for 225 yards and a score in leading the Catamounts to a 2-1 record
• Threw for at least 385 yards and two touchdowns and ran for at least 50 yards in all three contests
• Threw for 387 yards and two TDs and ran for 91 yards and a score in a 43-42 win over Furman on Nov. 6
• Threw for 385 yards and four touchdowns, ran for 50 yards and caught a 25-yard pass in a loss to No. 12/11 ETSU on Nov. 13
• Closed the season with 399 passing yards and four TDs and another 84 yards on the ground in a 52-34 win at VMI on Nov. 20

 
Others nominated: Quay Holmes (ETSU), Dominic Roberto (Furman), Ty James (Mercer), Liam Welch (Samford) and Tyrell Price (Chattanooga).
 
Defense
Donovan Manuel, ETSU, R-So., LB, Ellenwood, Ga.

• Totaled 37 tackles (12.3 per game), 3.5 tackles for loss (22 yards), 1.5 sacks (17 yards) and one forced fumble as ETSU went 3-0 in November with wins over two ranked foes to clinch the SoCon title
• Opened the month on Nov. 6 with a career-high 16 tackles in a win over No. 18/18 VMI, one of which was an 11-yard sack
• Followed that up with 15 tackles and a forced fumble in a win at Western Carolina the next week, with 1.5 TFLs and a half-sack amongst his totals
• His forced fumble came on Western Carolina’s first drive and was recovered by ETSU at the WCU 35-yard line, leading to a touchdown on the Bucs’ next offensive play
• Capped the month with six tackles, 1.0 for loss, in ETSU’s title-clinching win over No. 23/21 Mercer on Nov. 20

 
Others nominated: Isaac Dowling (Mercer), Nathan East (Samford), Ty Boeck (Chattanooga), Kareem Taylor (Western Carolina) and Joe Beckett (Wofford).
 
 
WOMEN’S GOLF
Tereza Melecka, ETSU, Sr., Belcovice, Czech Republic

• Captured her second straight win of the season at the inaugural Grandover Fall Classic (Nov. 1-2) with a 2-under-par 214, marking her sixth collegiate win.
• Opened the tournament with three straight birdies and finished the first round with a 74 before shooting even-par 72 in the second and rallying for the win during the final round with a 4-under-par 68, making her the only player in the field to finish below par
• Led the tournament field in par-5 scoring (-6) and her 12 birdies on the tournament were tied for the most in the field
• Averaged 71.33 strokes through three rounds on the month
• Named SoCon women's golfer of the week on Nov. 3 and the SoCon Student-Athlete of the week on Nov. 4

 
Others nominated: Tracy Rodriguez (Mercer), Madison Isaacson (Western Carolina) and Becca Earl (Wofford).
 
 
RIFLE
Smallbore
Ryan Sponauer, North Georgia, R-So., Southington, Conn.

• Competed in two events in November, shooting personal bests against The Citadel mixed and women's team on Nov. 13 and against UT Martin on Nov. 21
• Averaged a 570.5 in smallbore in the month, marking the highest average for UNG in November
• Shot what was then a personal-best 569 to finish fifth against The Citadel's mixed and women's teams
• Followed that up with a career-high 572 against UTM to finish fourth
• Helped the No. 17 Nighthawks to a 4,639 aggregate score against UT Martin, which shattered the program record by 17 points

 
Others nominated: Maggie Vonderau (UAB).
 
Air Rifle
Ashley Judson, Georgia Southern, Jr., Acworth, Ga.

• Shot a league-leading and career-best 595 in air rifle at No. 15 Jacksonville State on Nov. 13 in her lone action in the month, winning both the discipline and the aggregate
• Her 595 tied for the sixth-best score in program history
• Turned in a career-best aggregate score of 1,169 on the day
• Leads the SoCon averages in both disciplines (SB 573, AR 590) with an average aggregate score of 1163
• Claims her second SoCon air rifle shooter of the month honor this season

 
Others nominated: Sophia Flores (UAB) and Ben Davis (North Georgia).
 
 
VOLLEYBALL
Offense
Sharlissa De Jesus, The Citadel, Sr., OH, Guyama, Puerto Rico

• Averaged 4.78 kills and 3.43 digs per set as The Citadel went 5-1 in the month of November
• Helped The Citadel to its first Southern Conference Volleyball Championship title, the school's first conference championship in a women's sport
• Recorded 77 kills in three tournament matches, including a career-high 30 kills in the semifinal match against Samford, as the Bulldogs took down No. 2 seed UNCG 3-2 in the quarterfinals, No. 3 Samford 3-1 in the semifinals and No. 4 Wofford 3-0 in the championship
• Posted five double-doubles in the sixth matches on the month
• Named to the all-conference first team, the All-Tournament team and honored as the tournament's Most Outstanding Player

 
Others nominated: Sara Esposito (ETSU), Bella Tolone (Furman), Jaida Howell (Mercer), Kayla White (UNCG), Kenya McQuirter (Samford), Maia Rackel (Chattanooga), Merry Gebel (Western Carolina) and Sarah MacLean (Wofford).
 
Defense
Sarah Barham, Wofford, So., MB, Summerfield, N.C.

• Averaged 1.54 blocks, well over the league's leading average, as Wofford went 4-3 in the month and played for the SoCon championship
• Tallied five or more blocks in five of the seven matches in the month
• Totaled 11 blocks twice, in a five-set loss at UNCG on Nov. 6 and in the SoCon semifinals against Furman on Nov. 20.
• Recorded a double-double in the match against UNCG, tallying 13 kills and hitting .321 in addition to the 11 blocks
• Named to the all-conference second team

 
Others nominated: Kenzie Kellerman (The Citadel), Taylor Roberts (ETSU), Andrea Aceveda (Furman), Megan Smith (Mercer), Jenna Wiggs (UNCG), Paige Gallentine (Chattanooga) and Destinee Dorsey (Western Carolina).
 
Setter
Belle Hogan, The Citadel, Fr., Fort Wayne, Ind.

• Averaged 10.17 assists per set in the month, pushing her output to 11.8 assists per set in the conference tournament, pacing The Citadel to its first conference championship
• Dished out a career-high 55 assists in the SoCon semifinal win over Samford
• Also averaged 2.48 digs per set and added eight aces and 10 blocks in the month
• Turned in three assist-dig double-doubles in November, against Furman, UNCG and Samford
• Named to the SoCon All-Tournament team

 
Others nominated: Sarah Turner (Furman), Agnieska Paskevic (Mercer), Gabriela McHugh (UNCG), Kayla Keshock (Samford), Sophia Bossong (Chattanooga), Sydney Carlson (Western Carolina) and Emily Hodsdon (Wofford).
 
 
WRESTLING
Josh Heil, Campbell, Gr., 149 lbs., Brunswick, Ohio

• Went 4-0 in month of November, with all four victories coming against nationally ranked opponents
• Went 2-0 in Campbell's opening weekend on Nov. 6 with wins over Lehigh's No. 29 Jimmy Hoffman and Oregon State's No. 25 Corey Crooks
• Clinched a 4-2 decision over Virginia's No. 29 Jarod Verkleeren on Nov. 20 before earning a 2-1 victory over North Carolina's No. 6 Zach Sherman on Nov. 21
• Gave Campbell a 9-3 advantage in the dual with the decision over Verkleeren, helping lead the Camels to their 21-15 win over the Cavaliers to mark their first win over an ACC program since topping Duke in 2013
• Named SoCon Wrestler of the Week on Nov. 11 and Nov. 24

 
Others nominated: Caleb Smith (App State), Cole Nance (Bellarmine), Fabian Gutierrez (Chattanooga) and Zach Brown (VMI).
 
Southern Conference November Athletes of the Month
Men’s basketball                                    Hayden Brown, The Citadel
Women’s basketball                               Tierra Hodges, Furman
Football – offense                                   Rogan Wells, Western Carolina
Football – defense                                  Donovan Manuel, ETSU
Women’s golf                                         Tereza Melecka, ETSU
Rifle – smallbore                                    Ryan Sponauer, North Georgia
Rifle – air rifle                                         Ashley Judson, Georgia Southern
Volleyball – offense                                Sharlissa De Jesus, The Citadel
Volleyball – defense                                Sarah Barham, Wofford
Volleyball – setter                                   Belle Hogan, The Citadel
Wrestling                                               Josh Heil, Campbell