SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced its September athletes of the month Thursday, highlighting excellence among 13 student-athletes across eight sports during the month.
 
 
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Dylan Schubert, Furman, Jr., Loveland, Colo.

• SoCon Runner of the Week after leading Furman with a 53rd-place finish at Oklahoma State’s Cowboy Jamboree on Sept. 24 at the site of the 2022 NCAA Championships
• Turned in a personal-best 8K time of 24:10.0, running with just one shoe after losing one 1,200 meters into the race
• Finished fourth at the Furman Invitational on Sept. 17, running the 5K event in 14:39.85
• Helped the Paladins to a first-place team finish at their home meet

 
Others nominated: Evan Guzman (ETSU) and Foster Wilfong (Furman).
 
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Abigail Robertson, Furman, Sr., Marietta, Ga.

• Opened the season with a win at the Eye Opener XC Festival in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on Sept. 2
• Finished the 5K course in 17:49.7 to pace a 1-7 Furman finish and earn SoCon Runner of the Week honors
• Helped the Paladins to their second straight team win with a third-place finish at the Paladin Invitational on Sept. 16
• Turned in a time of 16:58.53 as the Paladins claimed six of the top seven spots

 
Others nominated: McKenzie Hogue (Samford).
 
FOOTBALL
Offense
Michael Hiers, Samford, Jr., QB, Birmingham, Ala.

• Two-time SoCon Offensive Player of the Week in September
• Was 84-for-122 for 970 yards, 12 touchdowns and just one interception in the month
• Opened the season by throwing for 289 yards and four TDs in a win over then-No. 6 Kennesaw State on Sept. 1
• Threw for 327 yards and another four scores in a comeback win at Tennessee Tech on Sept. 17, including a go-ahead 26-yard TD with 25 seconds left
• Completed 80 percent of his passes (24-for-30) for 292 yards and four touchdowns in a win at Western Carolina on Sept. 24

 
Others nominated: Jacob Saylors (ETSU), Tyler Huff (Furman), Devron Harper (Mercer), Ailym Ford (Chattanooga), Hunter Rice (VMI) and Carlos Davis (Western Carolina).
 
Defense
Reuben Lowery III, Chattanooga, So., DB, Powder Springs, Ga.

• Totaled 22 tackles (16 solo), including 5.5 tackles for loss, from the slot safety position, as Chattanooga held opponents to just 16.3 points per game (11.3 against FCS opponents)
• Opened his season with five tackles, including 1.0 TFL, and his first career interception, a 45-yard pick-6, in a shutout win over Wofford on Sept. 3, earning SoCon Defensive Player of the Week honors
• Had six solo stops in a win at Eastern Illinois a week later, including 2.0 TFLs for 5 yards
• Recorded five tackles, including another 2.0 TFLs for 8 yards, and a pass breakup in a 41-14 win over North Alabama on Sept. 17
• Finished his month with six tackles, including 0.5 TFLs, in a loss at FBS Illinois on Sept. 22

 
Others nominated: Chandler Martin (ETSU), Isaac Dowling (Mercer), Isaiah Richardson (Samford), Stone Snyder (VMI) and Andreas Keaton (Western Carolina).
 
MEN’S GOLF
Will Morlan, Furman, So., Alpharetta, Ga.

• Recorded a third-place finish in the Gopher Invitational on Sept. 11-12 after shooting 8-under 205 (66-68-71)
• Finished tied for first at the Old Town Collegiate on Sept. 26-27 with a score of 10-under 200 (68-63-69)
• Shot a 63 on Sept. 26, which was a career-low round and the second-lowest individual round in Paladin history
• Scored in the 60s in five rounds in the month of September, averaging 67.5 strokes per round in six rounds played
• Named SoCon Golfer of the Week on Sept. 28

 
Others nominated: Mats Ege (ETSU), Noah Connor (UNCG), Samuel Espinosa (Chattanooga), Ryan Thomas (Western Carolina) and Cedric Otten (Wofford).
 
 
WOMEN’S GOLF
Dorota Zalewska, Chattanooga, Sr., Szczecin, Poland

• Two-time SoCon Golfer of the Week in September
• Was 15-under-par for the month, averaging 70.0 strokes over nine rounds, and played 144 of her 162 holes at par or better
• Opened her senior season with an eighth-place finish at the Green Wave Fall Classic on Sept. 12-13, shooting 7-under 209 with two rounds in the 60s (72-68-69)
• Followed that with a 16th-place finish at the Mercedez-Benz Intercollegiate on Sept. 19-20, turning in two more cards in the 60s for a 1-under 212 (69-74-69)
• Capped her month with a runner-up showing at the Mason Rudolph Championship on Sept. 23-25, shooting another 7-under 209 (70-68-71) with her fifth round in the 60s in the month and the program-record-tying 10th of her career

 
Others nominated: Sophie Bert (ETSU), Anna Morgan (Furman), Camilla Jarvela (Mercer), Elizabeth Lohbauer (Western Carolina) and Xuan Khue Minh Doan (Wofford).
 
 
MEN’S SOCCER
Offense
Nikolai Rojel, Wofford, Fr., F, Copenhagen, Denmark

• Scored 12 points on six goals in September, posting two multi-goal efforts
• Scored a brace against Jacksonville on Sept. 5, getting Wofford on the board in the 20th minute and netting the eventual game-winner in the 54th
• Scored at least one goal in his final three games of the month, starting with one in a 4-2 setback to crosstown rival USC Upstate on Sept. 17
• Scored the first goal of the contest in the 10th minute of the Terriers’ 2-2 draw at UNC Asheville on Sept. 20
• Netted his second brace of the month on Sept. 27, scoring consecutive Wofford goals in the seventh and 17th minutes of a 4-3 win at Queens (N.C.)

 
Others nominated: Kieran Richards (ETSU), Alfredo Diaz-Santillan (Furman), Dylan Gaither (Mercer), Steven Hernandez (UNCG) and Nathan Lam (VMI).
 
Defense
Ben Roberts, Furman, Sr., GK, Houston, Texas

• Posted a 0.61 goals against average, 17 saves and an .850 save percentage and contributed to three shutouts in five September starts, going 4-1-0
• Had three saves in a 1-0 win over North Greenville on Sept. 6, picking up the solo shutout and earning SoCon Defensive Player of the Week honors for his efforts
• Had a month-high five saves in his lone setback of the month, a 2-0 loss to Elon on Sept. 13
• Earned his second solo shutout in September with four saves in a 2-0 win over UNC Asheville on Sept. 17
• Capped his month with three saves in 83:40 of action in Furman’s 3-0 win at Winthrop on Sept. 20

 
Others nominated: Cole Hunter (ETSU) and Niclas Wild (UNCG).
 
 
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Offense
Nieva Gaither, Furman, Jr., MF, Lilburn, Ga.

• Netted four goals and dished out four assists, tallying 12 points (1.71 per game), as Furman went 4-2-1 overall and 2-0-1 in SoCon play
• Scored points in five of seven contests during September
• Recorded five points in a 6-0 rout of South Carolina State, tallying two goals and one assist to be a part of three of the six goals
• Leads the conference in shots (45) and assists (7)
• Named SoCon Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 27

 
Others nominated: Suzuka Yosue (The Citadel), Kendall Cook (Mercer), Maddy Gilhool (UNCG), Clarissa Salinas (Chattanooga) and Mia Bookhard (Wofford).
 
Defense
Nora Sampson, Furman, Sr., GK, Atlanta, Ga.

• Picked up four wins as Furman went 4-2-1 overall and 2-0-1 in SoCon play during the month of September
• Tallied three shutouts and allowed just one goal in the month, which came during a 2-1 win at ETSU on Sept. 23
• Finished with a 0.21 goals against average, .952 save percentage and a total of 20 saves in five games played
• Recorded a career-high 10 saves versus the College of Charleston in a 1-0 victory for the Paladins

 
Others nominated: Kylie Gazza (Samford), Caroline Ekern (Chattanooga) and Caroline Doss (Wofford).
 
 
VOLLEYBALL
Offense
Ali Ruffin, The Citadel, So., OH, Greenville, N.C.

• Tallied double-digit kills in nine of 11 matches and 15-plus kills in eight matches as The Citadel went 8-3 overall and 1-0 in SoCon play in September
• Recorded seven double-doubles in the month and set a career high in kills (24) and digs (32) in a win over Norfolk State on Sept. 9
• Averaged 4.02 kills and 3.52 digs per set
• Led the Bulldogs to their first Power Five victory in program history on Sept. 3, finishing with 16 kills and 17 digs in a 3-2 win at Clemson
• Named SoCon Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 19

 
Others nominated: Brianna Cantrell (ETSU), Ava Augustson (Furman), Annie Karle (Mercer), Taylor Robertson (UNCG), Kenya McQuirter (Samford), Natalie Tyson (Chattanooga), Merry Gebel (Western Carolina) and Millie Loehr (Wofford).
 
Defense
Sarah Barham, Wofford, Jr., MB, Summerfield, N.C.

• Recorded four or more total blocks in nine of 12 matches and double-digit kills in five matches in September as Wofford went 8-4 overall and 1-2 in SoCon play in the month
• Averaged 1.14 blocks per set and 2.49 kills per set
• Led the Terriers in blocks in seven of the 12 matches, including the single-match high for any Wofford player this season with eight against USC Upstate on Sept. 3
• Finished the month ranked in the top 50 nationally in blocks

 
Others nominated: Lundyn Coffman (ETSU), Andrea Aceveda (Furman), Lexi Uhrhan (Mercer), Ella Voegele (UNCG), Kate Morgan (Samford), Paige Gallentine (Chattanooga) and Destinee Dorsey (Wofford).
 
Setter
Kayla Keshock, Samford, Jr., Spanish Fort, Ala.

• Paced the Samford offense with 10.91 assists per set as Samford went 6-6 overall and 1-2 SoCon play
• Recorded at least 40 assists in six of 12 contests and 50-plus in two matches
• Tallied a career-high 59 assists on Sept. 9 against South Dakota State
• Only player in the SoCon averaging double-digit assists per set
• Had 27 kills and 20 total blocks during the month of September

 
Others nominated: Belle Hogan (The Citadel), Caroline Dykes (ETSU), Sarah Turner (Furman), Kiera McCarles (Mercer), Gabriela McHugh (UNCG), Elaine Redman (Chattanooga), Sydney Carlson (Western Carolina) and Victoria Hensley (Wofford).
 
Southern Conference September Athletes of the Month
Men’s cross country                              Dylan Schubert, Furman
Women’s cross country                         Abigail Robertson, Furman
Football – offense                                 Michael Hiers, Samford
Football – defense                                 Reuben Lowery III, Chattanooga
Men’s golf                                             Will Morlan, Furman
Women’s golf                                        Dorota Zalewska, Chattanooga
Men’s soccer – offense                          Nikolai Rojel, Wofford
Men’s soccer – defense                         Ben Roberts, Furman
Women’s soccer – offense                     Nieva Gaither, Furman
Women’s soccer – defense                    Nora Sampson, Furman
Volleyball – offense                               Ali Ruffin, The Citadel
Volleyball – defense                              Sarah Barham, Wofford
Volleyball – setter                                 Kayla Keshock, Samford