SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced its April athletes of the month Friday, highlighting the athletic excellence of 12 student-athletes across eight sports during the month.
 
BASEBALL
PLAYER
Zach Ketterman, Western Carolina, Sr., Biglerville, Pa.
 

• Posted a .458 batting average (27-for-59), scoring 21 runs and recording 26 RBIs
• Recorded 16 extra-base hits with nine home runs, five doubles and two triples
• Notched a monthly 1.068 slugging percentage and a .556 on-base percentage and was 4-for-4 on stolen bases
• Recorded base hits in 14 of the team's 16 games and reached base safely in 15 consecutive games
• Currently 15^th in the SoCon with a .350 batting average
• Tied for the team lead with nine multi-hit games, while recording an 11-game hitting streak in April.

 
Others nominated: Noah Gent (ETSU), Caleb Cozart (UNCG), John Anderson (Samford), Trey Morgan (VMI) and Marshall Toole (Wofford)

 
PITCHER
Michael Ross, Samford, Sr., Lakeland, Fla.
 

• Posted a 1.75 ERA over four starts, surrendering only six runs (five earned) on 19 hits over 25.2 innings of work
• Struck out 28 batters while walking only six batters during the month
• Held opponents to a .200 batting average
• Was 3-0 with one no-decision in his starting assignments with wins over The Citadel, ETSU and Western Carolina
• Tossed at least 5.2 innings in each of his first three starts of the month, including a complete-game, 9-inning, one-hit shutout with nine strikeouts at The Citadel.
• Threw seven innings, gave up one run on four hits and recorded nine strikeouts at Western Carolina

 
Others nominated: Jace Hyde (ETSU), Hunter Shuey (UNCG), Roberto Velasquez (VMI), Dante Visconti (Western Carolina) and Zac Cowan (Wofford)

 
MEN’S GOLF
Mats Ege, ETSU, Sr., Kristiansand, Norway

• Shot under-par in all six rounds played during April, finishing with a scoring average of 68.3
• Had one eagle and 32 birdies in the month
• Finished tied for third at the Augusta Haskins Award Invite at Forest Hills Golf Club on April 7
• Completed the SoCon Championship tied for first on April 23, giving him medalist honors for the second straight season
• Led the field with 19 birdies and par-5 scoring (4.25) at SoCon Championship

Others nominated: Tobias Jonsson (Mercer), Symon Balbin (UNCG), John Houk (Chattanooga), Pablo Hernandez (Western Carolina) and Cedric Otten (Wofford)
 
 
WOMEN’S GOLF
Anna Morgan, Furman, Sr., Spartanburg, S.C.
 

• Won her second-straight SoCon Championship
• Shot 2-under-par 214 for the fourth-lowest score in SoCon tournament history
• Became Furman's 19^th individual champion
• Captured her fourth victory this season and the eighth of her career - both Paladin records
• Earned an individual bid to the NCAA Regional

 
Others nominated: Violeta Fernandez-Tagle (Chattanooga) and Brie Mapanao (Western Carolina)

 
MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK
Cameron Ponder, Furman, 5th, Winston-Salem, N.C.

• Logged a 3:40.90 in the 1,500-meter at the Wake Forest Invitational on April 19
• Time represents a new person best in the 1,500-meter
• Leads the conference in the event, ranked 29th in the East Region, and 43rd in the NCAA
• Registered an 8:47.67 in the 3,000-meter Steeplechase at the Payton Jordan Invitational on April 26
• Ranked first in the SoCon, 20th in the East Region, and 43rd in the NCAA

FIELD
Isaiah Blount, VMI, Jr., Milford, Va.

• Finished third in the college division at the Penn Relays in the pole vault, clearing 4.71 meter
• April 13-14 won the Decathlon with a new PR of 6832 after winning seven of the 10 events
• April 5-6 set a new PR in the Javelin with a throw of 43.82 meters.
• Set four new PRs in the month of April, and is second in the SoCon in the decathlon
• Was named track Athlete of the Week on April 17

 
 
 
WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK
Megan Marvin, Furman, Sr., Chapel Hill, N.C.

• On April 13th at the Electric City Invitational, won the 800 meter with a time of 2:07.44
• Currently ranks 2nd in the conference in the event and 86th in the East Region
• On April 19th ran a 4:18.13 1,500-meter at the Wake Forest Invitational
• Leads conference in the event and is ranked 55th in the East Region and 86th in the NCAA
• Named Athlete of the Week on April 17th

 
FIELD
Eleyah Armstrong, VMI, Jr., Hampton, Va.

• Competed at the George Mason Ebanks Invitational April 5-6 where she finished second in the long jump
• At the same meet she and helped the 4x100 team finish third
• At the Penn Relays on April 25-27, set a new PR in the 100-meter with a time of 11.69
• Leads the SoCon in the 100 meter and the long jump

  
 
 
SOFTBALL
PLAYER
Kaili Phillips, Chattanooga, Gr., INF, Harrison Tenn.

• Batted .351 with six home runs, five doubles, four walks, 12 RBIs and 10 runs scored during April, leading the Mocs to a 11-5 record
• Finished the month with a .478 on-base percentage and a .973 slugging percentage
• Had two solo home runs against Furman on April 27 in a 3-0 victory for Chattanooga
• Named SoCon Player of the Week on April 29
• Currently leads the SoCon in slugging percentage (.805)

Others nominated:  Emma Dorval (Mercer), Maycin Brown (UNCG), Logan Champion (Samford), and Lily Bell (Western Carolina)

PITCHER
Peja Goold, Chattanooga, So., Stockton, Calif.

• Had a 1.50 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 42 1/3 innings of work, allowing just three extra-base hits during the month
• Logged fours wins and two saves, including two complete games and one combined shutout, in April
• On April 20 during a doubleheader against Mercer, she logged a save in game one and tossed a complete game with a season-high nine strikeouts in game two
• Recorded a complete game with eight strikeouts in a 6-1 win over Furman on April 27
• Currently in the top 10 of the SoCon in five pitching categories

Others nominated: Grace Taylor (Mercer), McKenzie Newcomb (Samford), Tessa Juett (Western Carolina) and Maragaret Axelson (Wofford) 
 
MEN’S TENNIS
Dimitri Badra, ETSU, R-Sr., Maracay, Venezeula
 

• Named the Most Outstanding Player at the SoCon Championship
• Clinched the tournament championship for ETSU with a 6-0, 3-6, 6-0 victory at the No. 1 spot
• Has won 10 consecutive singles matches against SoCon foes dating back to last season
• First player in conference history to earn SoCon Player of the Year honors four years in a row
• Went undefeated (7-0) in singles – all at the No. 1 spot – during the regular season
• Helped lead ETSU to six wins during the month, including the Bucs’ sixth consecutive SoCon Championship

 
Others nominated: Jakub Jupa (Chattanooga), Teo Cariov (The Citadel) Elijah Poritzky (Furman) and Sandeep Mohandoss (Samford)

 
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Fernanda Carvajal, ETSU, R-Sr., Querétaro, México

• Went 5-0 at No. 2 singles and 6-0 at No. 1 doubles to help ETSU win both the regular season and tournament title.
• Won a pair of matches against No. 46 Charlotte and ended the month going undefeated in the conference tournament 
• Named tournament Most Outstanding Player and won the Pinnacle award given to the athlete on the winning team with the highest GPA.
• Named first team all-conference in singles and doubles with partner Daniela Rivera
• Named SoCon Player of the Week on April 9

 
Others nominated: Rozalie Dohnalova (Chattanooga) and Lilly Woods (Wofford)
 
 
Southern Conference April Athletes of the Month

Baseball – player	Zach Ketterman, Western Carolina
Baseball – pitcher	Michael Ross, Samford
Men’s golf	Mats Ege, ETSU
Women’s golf	Anna Morgan, Furman
Men’s outdoor track and field – track	Cameron Ponder, Furman
Men’s outdoor track and field – field	Isaiah Blount, VMI
Women’s outdoor track and field – track	Megan Marvin, Furman
Women’s outdoor track and field – field	Eleyah Armstrong, VMI
Softball – player	Kaili Phillips, Chattanooga
Softball – pitcher	Peja Goold, Chattanooga
Men’s tennis	Dimitri Badra, ETSU
Women’s tennis	Fernanda Carvajal, ETSU