SPARTANBURG, S.C. – High Point’s Asher Nolting and Air Force’s Braden Host have been named the Southern Conference men’s lacrosse offensive and defensive players of the week, respectively, for all games Feb. 16-22. The awards are selected by the league office.
 
Nolting matched his career high with nine points in High Point’s 17-15 loss at No. 2 North Carolina on Feb. 16. The senior attack from Greenwood Village, Colorado, scored four goals and had five assists as the Panthers played the Tar Heels closer than any other team has this season. Nolting’s nine-point day, which is tied for third in SoCon single-game history, pushed his career total over 200 points, making him just the second player in league history to surpass that milestone. With averages of 8.00 points per game and 4.50 assists per game, Nolting ranks second and first in Division I in those categories, respectively, this season. The SoCon weekly honor is the fifth of his career.
 
Host posted 11 saves and allowed just nine goals in 62:25 as Air Force earned a 10-9, overtime win over Utah on Saturday. The senior goalkeeper from Aurora, Colorado, faced 37 shots on the day and posted a .550 save percentage, making point-blank stops in the waning minutes and allowing just one Utah goal in the final 8:22 of regulation. He also added a pair of ground balls on the day. Host is the league’s active career leader with an 8.97 GAA, which is second all-time in SoCon history. His .510 career save percentage ranks seventh in SoCon history. The SoCon weekly award is the fourth of Host’s career.
 
High Point (1-1), which is ranked in the USILA/Dynamic (15), Inside Lacrosse (15) and Nike/US Lacrosse Magazine (19) national polls, gets the rematch with the newly minted No. 1 North Carolina (USILA/Dynamic) on Saturday at 1 p.m. Eastern. Air Force also returns to action Saturday when it visits Duke – ranked No. 1 in the Inside Lacrosse and Nike/US Lacrosse Magazine polls – at noon Eastern / 10 a.m. Mountain.
 
Other offensive nominees: Quincy Peene (Air Force), Matt Stagnitta (Jacksonville), Michael Quinn (Mercer) and Dalton Young (Richmond).
 
Other defensive nominees: Antonio Arcona (High Point), Conor Shears (Jacksonville), Ashton Wood (Mercer) and Jack Rusbuldt (Richmond).
 
2021 Southern Conference Men’s Lacrosse Players of the Week
Offense
Feb. 16    Jack Dolan, R-Jr., MF, Jacksonville
Feb. 23    Asher Nolting, Sr., A, High Point
 
Defense
Feb. 16    Ashton Wood, Jr., FO, Mercer
Feb. 23    Braden Host, Sr., GK, Air Force