SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced its November athletes of the month Tuesday, highlighting excellence among nine student-athletes across six sports during the month.

MEN’S BASKETBALL
Jake Stephens, Chattanooga, Gr., C, Bunker Hill, W.Va.

• Averaged 20.3 points and 9.1 rebounds per game in November, sharing the league scoring lead and pacing the SoCon in rebounding
• Shot 57.5 percent from the floor (50-for-87), 50 percent from 3-point range (15-for-30) and 84.4 percent from the free-throw line (27-for-32)
• Notched a league-best four double-doubles in the month, scoring at least 20 points in three of them
• Opened the season with 20 points and 11 rebounds against College of Charleston
• Scored 27 points each in consecutive games to end the month, adding 11 rebounds in a win over Murray State and 10 boards in a win over Tennessee Tech

Others nominated: Stephen Clark (The Citadel), Jalen Haynes (ETSU), Mike Bothwell (Furman), David Craig (Mercer), Keondre Kennedy (UNCG), Ques Glover (Samford), Asher Woods (VMI), Tre Jackson (Western Carolina) and Jackson Paveletzke (Wofford)
 
 
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Rachael Rose, Wofford, So., G, Scranton, Pa.

• Averaged 20 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.4 steals per game as Wofford went 5-2 during the month
• Recorded 14 points, six assists, five rebounds and five steals at Clemson on Nov. 10
• Scored 20 or more points in four games, including a season-high 27 points versus Davidson on Nov. 30, as the Terriers won five straight contests to end the month
• Top five in the SoCon in field-goal percentage (.565), 3-point field-goal percentage (.542), assists per game and steals per game
• Had 30 assists to 11 turnovers to lead the league in assist/turnover ratio (2.73)

Others nominated: Jiselle Thomas (ETSU), Jaelyn Acker (Furman), Amoria Neal-Tysor (Mercer), Nasia Powell (UNCG), Andrea Cournoyer (Samford) and Yazz Wazeerud-Din (Chattanooga)
 
 
FOOTBALL
Offense
Michael Hiers, Samford, Jr., QB, Birmingham, Ala.

• Earned his third straight monthly honor by going 110-for-140 for 1,129 yards, 12 touchdowns and just one interception, compiling a 78.6 completion rate and throwing for four TDs in each of Samford’s three games
• Also ran for 66 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 398.3 yards of total offense per game
• Led his team to a 3-0 month to cap off an undefeated SoCon slate, picking up wins over VMI, No. 12/11 Chattanooga and No. 16/19 Mercer in November as Samford won the SoCon title and was awarded the No. 6 national seed for the FCS playoffs
• Increased his passing yardage in each game, throwing for 322 against VMI, 353 at Chattanooga and 454 versus Mercer
• Named a finalist for the Walter Payton Award in the month

Others nominated: Tyler Huff (Furman), Ty James (Mercer), Ailym Ford (Chattanooga), Desmond Reid (Western Carolina) and Jimmy Weirick (Wofford)
 
Defense
Devonnsha Maxwell, Chattanooga, DT, Sr., Valdosta, Ga.

• Recorded 17 tackles in Chattanooga’s three games, averaging 5.7 per contest, and had at least 1.5 tackles for loss in each game, totaling 4.5 for 20 yards in the month
• Totaled 3.5 sacks for 16 yards in the month, opening with 1.5 sacks against The Citadel before adding one each against No. 9/10 Samford and Western Carolina
• Became the SoCon’s career sacks leader with his final one against the Catamounts on Nov. 19, pushing his total to 37.5 to edge former SoCon and Chattanooga record-holder Davis Tull’s mark of 37.0
• Finished the season tied for the league lead with 8.0 sacks, marking the third season in his career that he held at least a share of the SoCon sacks lead (2019, 2021 and 2022)
• Also recorded a forced fumble against Western Carolina

Others nominated: Jack Barton (Furman), Ken Standley (Mercer), Kourtlan Marsh (Samford), Evan Eller (VMI), KJ Milner (Western Carolina) and Micheal Mason (Wofford)
 
 
RIFLE
Smallbore
Addy Burrow, Georgia Southern, Sr., Williamson, Ga.

• Averaged a 586.5 in smallbore in the month, finishing first in the discipline in the Eagles’ matches against Wofford on Nov. 6 and No. 17 Jacksonville State and No. 18 North Georgia on Nov. 12
• Opened the month with a 585 for the win against Wofford, good for the fifth-best score in program history
• Fired a 588 against Jacksonville State and North Georgia, the second-best score in program history
• Turned in the top aggregate scores in both matches, including a school-record 1186 on Nov. 12
• Averaging a SoCon-best 586.143 in smallbore on the season

Others nominated: Alyssa Kiser (North Georgia)
 
Air Rifle
Addy Burrow, Georgia Southern, Sr., Williamson, Ga.

• Averaged a 597.5 in air rifle for the month in bouts against Wofford on Nov. 6 and No. 17 Jacksonville State and No. 18 North Georgia on Nov. 12 to raise her SoCon-best average in the discipline to 595.571
• Opened the month by matching her personal-best score of 597 against Wofford, firing four 100 series to match the fifth-best score in program history
• Shot a career-best 598 against Jacksonville State and North Georgia, tied for the second-best score in program history, to contribute to a school-record 1186 aggregate score
• Swept the monthly awards for the second straight month

Others nominated: Alyssa Kiser (North Georgia)
 
 
VOLLEYBALL
Natalie Tyson, Chattanooga, R-Sr., OH, Winston-Salem, N.C.

• Averaged 4.65 kills and 3.26 digs per set as Chattanooga went 4-2 during November
• Tallied double-digit kills in all six matches, while posting double-doubles in the final five contests of the month
• Recorded 54 kills and 30 digs in two SoCon tournament matches, including a career-high 29 kills in the semifinals against Furman
• Named the SoCon Offensive Player of the Week on Nov. 14
• Named first-team all-conference and to the all-tournament team following the SoCon Championship

Others nominated: Ali Ruffin (The Citadel), Jenna Forster (ETSU), Lauren Haynes (Furman), Kenya McQuirter (Samford), Merry Gebel (Western Carolina) and Sarah MacLean (Wofford)
 
Defense
Paige Gallentine, Chattanooga, So., DS/LIB, Fenton, Mich.

• Averaged 5.83 digs per set in the month
• Had 16 or more digs in each contest during November
• Tallied 53 digs during two matches in the SoCon tournament, including 30 digs against Furman in the semifinals
• Had two service aces in three matches in the month
• Named SoCon Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 7 and named second-team all-conference after the regular season

Others nominated: Kenzie Kellerman (The Citadel), Lundyn Coffman (ETSU), Kelsey Watkins (Furman), Kate Morgan (Samford), Destinee Dorsey (Western Carolina) and Abbey Richman (Wofford)
 
Setter
Victoria Hensley, Wofford, Fr., Clearwater, Fla.

• Averaged 9.24 assists per set, totaling 157 assists on the month
• Had 12 kills, three total blocks, eight service aces and 38 digs during November
• Tied her career high in kills (4) on Nov. 11 versus Samford
• Tallied a career-high 52 assists and 15 digs against Chattanooga in the quarterfinals of the SoCon tournament
• Named the SoCon Setter of the Week on Nov. 14 and named to the all-freshman team after the regular season

Others nominated: Belle Hogan (The Citadel), Caroline Dykes (ETSU), Sarah Turner (Furman), Kayla Keshock (Samford), Elaine Redman (Chattanooga) and Sydney Carlson (Western Carolina)
 
 
WRESTLING
Jon Jon Millner, App State, 6th, 149, Greensboro, N.C.

• Went 10-0 in the month of November, including four wins over top-25 nationally ranked opponents
• Went 4-0 at the Mountaineer Invitational on Nov. 12, including pins over Gardner-Webb’s Sam Harris and 22nd-ranked Kody Komora of Kent State
• Finished the Keystone Classic with a 5-0 record on Nov. 20 as he had wins over No. 14 Quinn Kinner of Rider and No. 10 Doug Zapf of Penn, who is a two-time NCAA qualifier
• Became the seventh Mountaineer wrestler to record 100-plus career wins during the Keystone Classic
• Named SoCon Wrestler of the Week on Nov. 23

Others nominated: Thadd Huff (Bellarmine), Gabriel Hixenbaugh (Campbell), Malcolm Wiley (Presbyterian), Rocky Jordan (Chattanooga) and Tyler Mousaw (VMI)
 
 
Southern Conference November Athletes of the Month
Men’s basketball                                    Jake Stephens, Chattanooga
Women’s basketball                               Rachael Rose, Wofford
Football – offense                                   Michael Hiers, Samford
Football – defense                                  Devonnsha Maxwell, Chattanooga
Rifle – smallbore                                    Addy Burrow, Georgia Southern
Rifle – air rifle                                         Addy Burrow, Georgia Southern
Volleyball – offense                                Natalie Tyson, Chattanooga
Volleyball – defense                                Paige Gallentine, Chattanooga
Volleyball – setter                                   Victoria Hensley, Wofford
Wrestling                                               Jon Jon Millner, App State