SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced its January athletes of the month Friday, highlighting the athletic excellence of 10 student-athletes across eight sports during the month.
 
 
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Jalen Slawson, Furman, 5th, F, Summerville, N.C.

• Averaged 17.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in January, leading the Paladins to a 7-1 league mark for Furman’s most successful January since going 9-1 in the month in 1991
• Shot 55.1 percent (43-for-78) from the floor, 40 percent (8-for-20) from 3-point range and 80.3 percent (49-for-61) from the free-throw line
• Had 11 blocked shots in the month, collecting at least one in seven of his eight contests, and had 10 steals
• Surpassed 20 points three times, including a season-high 26 points and 11 rebounds in a win over league-leading Samford on Jan. 25
• Also notched a double-double with 22 points and 12 boards against UNCG on Jan. 14

Others nominated: Stephen Clark (The Citadel), Jordan King (ETSU), Jayln McCreary (Mercer), Keyshaun Langley (UNCG), Logan Dye (Samford), Jake Stephens (Chattanooga), Vonterius Woolbright (Western Carolina) and B.J. Mack (Wofford)
 
 
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Andrea Bailey, Samford, Sr., G, Merryville, La.

• Averaged 19.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and four steals per game during January
• Scored 15 or more points in six of seven games played in the month
• Had 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists at ETSU on Jan. 14
• Recorded 17 points, 11 assists and seven steals versus Furman on Jan. 26
• Named SoCon Player of the Week on Jan. 10

Others nominated: Jiselle Thomas (ETSU), Erin Houpt (Mercer), Faith Price (UNCG), Yazz Wazeerud-Din (Chattanooga), Kyla Allison (Western Carolina) and Rachael Rose (Wofford)
 
 
MEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK
Matthew Smith, Furman, So., Leesburg, Va.

• Two-time Track Athlete of the Week in January, earning the honor after both of his competitions
• Won his first career honor after his showing at the Carolina Challenge on Jan. 21 in which he took second place in the 800-meter run in a program-record time of 1:49.83, which led the SoCon and ranked 22^nd on the NCAA Division I Indoor Qualifying List
• Claimed his second straight weekly award after Clemson’s Bob Pollock Invitational on Jan. 27-28, where he turned in personal-best times in the 800m and the mile
• Finished fourth in the mile on Jan. 27 in 4:02.48, which ranked second in the SoCon
• Finished second in the 800m in 1:48.65, lowering his own program record and ranking 23^rd on the NCAA performance list

 
FIELD
Ty Kimberlin, Samford, Gr., Olive Branch, Miss.

• Competed in two meets in January
• Took sixth in the high jump at the UAB Blazer Invite on Jan. 13, clearing 1.81 meters
• At the Samford Multis on Jan. 19-20, won the heptathlon with a personal-best total of 5,431 points, which ranks third in program history, leads the SoCon by 602 points and ranked eight on the NCAA Division I Indoor Qualifying List at the time
• Won the heptathlon long jump and 1,000-meter run and finished second in the 60-meter dash, shot put and high jump
• Named SoCon Field Athlete of the Week for the second time in his career and the SoCon Student-Athlete of the Week after that performance

 
 
WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK
Megan Marvin, Furman, Jr., Chapel Hill, N.C.

• Two-time Track Athlete of the Week in January, becoming the SoCon’s all-time leader in career women’s indoor awards with six, and SoCon Student-Athlete of the Week for the final week of the month
• At the Carolina Challenge on Jan. 21, won the 800-meter run in 2:05.77, the top time in the SoCon and No. 5 on the NCAA Division I Indoor Qualifying List at the time
• At Clemson’s Bob Pollock Invitational on Jan. 27-28, finished second in both the mile and the 800m, turning in personal records in both events
• Ran the mile in 4:37.56 on day one of the meet, the top mark in the SoCon and No. 28 on the NCAA performance list
• Broke her own program record in the 800m the following day, with her time of 2:04.27 ranking ninth on the NCAA performance list

 
FIELD
Brittany Bishop, Samford, Sr., Clinton, Tenn.

• Won the pole vault at the UAB Blazer Invite on Jan. 13
• Cleared 4.01 meters to lead the SoCon and rank 37th on the NCAA Division I Indoor Qualifying List at the time
• Named SoCon Field Athlete of the Week after that performance
• At the Samford Open on Jan. 21, improved her season best with a mark of 4.03 meters to take second place
• That mark leads the SoCon by 0.30 meters

 
 
RIFLE
SMALLBORE
Addy Burrow, Georgia Southern, Sr., Williamson, Ga.

• Averaged 583.5 in four smallbore events in January, claiming a pair of first-place finishes
• Shot 581 against No. 2 Alaska, No. 3 Kentucky and No. West Virginia on Jan. 14 and shot 585 the following day against Kentucky, finishing fifth
• Posted a 582 for the win against The Citadel and The Citadel’s women’s squad on Jan. 22
• Capped her month with a win over Wofford, turning in a 586, her best effort of January and the fourth-best in program history
• Leads the SoCon with an average of 585.18

Others nominated: Amy Kohan (UAB)
 
AIR RIFLE
Addy Burrow, Georgia Southern, Sr., Williamson, Ga.

• Averaged 593.75 in four matches in January, claiming a pair of wins
• Shot 595 on consecutive days in her first action of the month, first against No. 2 Alaska, No. 3 Kentucky and No. 5 West Virginia on Jan. 14 and then again against Kentucky the next day
• Topped The Citadel and The Citadel’s women’s team on Jan. 22 with a score of 594 and won against Wofford with a score of 591 on Jan. 29
• Leads the SoCon with an average of 594.27
• Swept the smallbore and air rifle awards for the third straight month

Others nominated: Claire Vonderau (UAB)
 
 
MEN’S TENNIS
Gabriel Castillo, Chattanooga, Jr., Washingtonville, N.Y.

• Went a combined 4-1 in January, turning in a 2-1 singles record and a 2-0 doubles record to help the Mocs to a 2-1 team start
• After opening the spring campaign with a singles loss to Alabama, went undefeated the rest of the month, dropping just five games in singles action
• Earned a straight-sets win over Gardner-Webb’s Sebastian Harris at No. 3 singles on Jan. 28, winning 6-1, 6-2
• On that same day, topped Young Harris’s Chimo Minguez-Ribera at No. 2 singles, 6-2, 6-0
• Won twice at No. 3 doubles, claiming a 6-2 win against Gardner-Webb and a 7-6 win over Young Harris

Others nominated: Thiago Pernas (ETSU), Thomas Kennedy (Furman) and Nemanja Stefanovic (Mercer)
 
 
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Caroline Gibbens, Chattanooga, Sr., Little Rock, Ark.

• Went a combined 5-1 in January, with a 3-0 mark at No. 3 singles and a 2-1 record at No. 1 doubles
• Led the Mocs to a 3-0 start to the season
• Earned a three-set singles win over UNC Asheville’s Rosie Dickson on Jan. 15 but suffered her lone doubles loss of the month, 7-6, in the 4-3 team win
• Bounced back with a straight-sets singles win over WKU’s Sofia Blanco on Jan. 20, adding a 6-4 doubles win
• Closed her month with another straight-sets singles win over Lee’s Mirjana Ragastovac, also claiming a 6-2 doubles win that day

Others nominated: Laylo Bakhodirova (ETSU), Jess Dawson (Furman), Marina de Diego Quinones (Mercer) and Raegan Mitchell (UNCG)
 
 
WRESTLING
Brayden Palmer, Chattanooga, Jr., 133, Hendersonville, Tenn.

• Finished second in the Southern Scuffle on Jan. 2
• Defeated two ranked opponents, including a pin of No. 21 Aaron Nagao of Minnesota, at the Southern Scuffle
• Went 2-0 in conference duals during the month
• Named SoCon Wrestler of the Week on Jan. 4
• Raised his ranking to No. 13 after starting the month ranked 27th

Others nominated: Caleb Smith (App State), Taye Ghadiali (Campbell), John Chesser (The Citadel), Tyler Chittum (Presbyterian) and Braxton Lewis (VMI)
 
 
Southern Conference January Athletes of the Month
Men’s basketball                                    Jalen Slawson, Furman
Women’s basketball                               Andrea Bailey Samford
Men’s indoor track and field – track          Matthew Smith, Furman
Men’s indoor track and field – field           Ty Kimberlin, Samford
Women’s indoor track and field – track     Megan Marvin, Furman
Women’s indoor track and field – field      Brittany Bishop, Samford
Rifle – smallbore                                    Addy Burrow, Georgia Southern
Rifle – air rifle                                         Addy Burrow, Georgia Southern
Men’s tennis                                           Gabriel Castillo, Chattanooga
Women’s tennis                                      Caroline Gibbens, Chattanooga
Wrestling                                               Brayden Palmer, Chattanooga