Southern Conference names October athletes of the month

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced its October athletes of the month Tuesday, highlighting excellence among 15 student-athletes across nine sports during the month.
 
 
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Dylan Schubert, Furman , Sr., Loveland, Colo. 

• Led Furman to a ninth-place team finish at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational with an 8K time of 23:55.3. The Paladins took down 15 ranked teams and catapulted to the No. 12 spot nationally. 
• Won the Southern Conference Cross Country Championship for the second consecutive year, with an 8K time of 23:33.7, 12 seconds ahead of the runner up. 
• Was named SoCon Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year for the second consecutive year. 
• The Paladins are now ranked 14^th Nationally and 1^st in their region going into NCAA Regional Championships 

 
Others nominated: Jason Bowers (ETSU), Kevin Shank (VMI) 

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Abigail Robertson, Furman, 5^th, Marietta, Ga. 

• Finished 82^nd at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational with a 6K time of 20:56.0 
• Finished first at the Southern Conference Cross Country Championship with a 6K time of 16:41.7, her first SoCon Championship 
• Named SoCon Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year, Furman’s third straight Runner of the Year award
• Selected as Student Athlete of the Week on Nov.1 for all competition on Oct. 25-31 

Others nominated: Kiera Snyder (ETSU), Lesley Green-Boyd (Chattanooga)  

FOOTBALL
Offense
Tyler Huff, Furman, Gr., QB, Orange Park, Fla.

• SoCon Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 16
• Threw for 746 yards, completing 66.3 percent of his passes, and rushed for 269 on 35 carries, accounting for 1,015 total yards and eight touchdowns during the month
• Had at least one touchdown pass in all four games in October, leading the Paladins to a 4-0 record during the month
• Finished with 284 yards of total offense and two touchdowns in a 27-21 road win at Samford on Oct. 14
• Scored the game-clinching rushing touchdown in a top-10 road victory over Western Carolina on Oct. 23

 
Others nominated: Ty James (Mercer), Michael Hiers (Samford), Javin Whatley (Chattanooga), Hunter Rice (VMI) and Cole Gonzales (Western Carolina)
 
Defense
Lance Wise, Mercer, Sr., DB, Marietta, Ga.

• Amassed 33 tackles (15 solo), including 2.5 tackles for loss, as Mercer went 3-1 during October
• Had a season-best 14 stops against nationally ranked Chattanooga on Oct. 14
• Recorded four tackles and a 79-yard interception return for a touchdown in the team’s 31-17 win over Wofford on Oct. 21
• Finished with eight tackles and a 9-yard pick-6 at Western Carolina on Oct. 28 as the Bears upset the then 10th-ranked Catamounts
• Became just the 17th player in conference history to record multiple interceptions returned for touchdowns in one season

 
Others nominated: Noah Martin (Samford), Jay Person (Chattanooga), Evan Eller (VMI), Andreas Keaton (Western Carolina) and David Powers (Wofford)

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

• Won the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate on Oct. 8-10, shooting a career-best 54-hole score of 200 (-16)
• Shot a course and tournament record in the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate, while shooting a 62 in the first round, marking a new school record for one round
• Finished tied for fifth at the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate on Oct. 13-15, where he shot 8-under-par 208
• Wrapped up the month with a runner-up finish at the Ka’anapali Classic Collegiate on Oct. 26-28, carding a 15-under-par 198
• Had a scoring average of 67.33 for the month of October

 
Others nominated: John Houk (Chattanooga), Magnus Pedersen (Western Carolina) and Harry Jones (Wofford)
 
 
WOMEN’S GOLF
Anna Morgan, Furman, Sr., Spartanburg, S.C.

• Named SoCon Golfer of the Week on Nov. 1 for play in the final week of October
• Averaged 68.5 strokes over six rounds
• Finished tied for fifth at the Evie Odom Invitational on Oct. 8 after shooting a 1-under 209
• Won the Landfall Tradition on Oct. 27-29, shooting a 14-under 202 while leading the field in birdies (17), eagles (2), par-3 scoring (2.67) and par-5 scoring (4.17)
• Morgan’s victory at the Landfill Tradition set a new school record for individual career wins with six, breaking a tie with four other Paladins

 
Others nominated: Gabi Nicastro (Samford), Makenzie Cooper (Chattanooga), Brie Mapanao (Western Carolina) and Bella Kent (Wofford)
 
 
MEN’S SOCCER
Offense
Arnaud Tattevin, UNCG, Fr., F, Rennes, France. 

• Finished the month having played 357 minutes over five games, scoring five goals including a game-tying goal 
• Fourth in the SoCon in total goals with seven and third in goals per game 
• Against VMI on Oct. 28, Tattevin recorded his first career hat trick, leading the Spartans to a 6-2 victory 
• Named SoCon Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 31, before being voted onto the all-conference second team and all-freshman team. 

 
Others nominated: Tarik Pannholzer (ETSU), Cole Mooney (VMI) and Thaddeus Dennis (Wofford)
 
Defense
Cole Hunter, ETSU, Gr., GK, Mount Juliet, Tenn. 

• Made 28 saves on 74 shots faced in the month of October 
• Currently leads the SoCon in goals against average (.605), save percentage (.871), and is second in shutouts with six 
• Ranks sixth in the NCAA in goals against average and fourth in save percentage
• Went 6-0 in the month of October as the starting goalkeeper, leading the Bucs to their first regular season title since 2017
• Selected SoCon Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 24 before being named SoCon Goalkeeper of the Year 

 
Others nominated: Luke Tandy (Furman) and Cameron Victor (Wofford)
 
 
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Offense
Birna Johannsdottir, Chattanooga, Jr., MF, Gardabaer, Iceland

• Netted a team-best four goals and dished out one assist, tallying nine points for the Mocs during October
• Had the game-winning goal and an assist in a 2-0 victory over VMI on Oct. 8
• Scored one unassisted goal in Chattanooga’s 2-0 win versus Wofford on Oct. 12
• Recorded the Mocs’ first brace since 2019 during the quarterfinals of the SoCon Tournament against Samford on Oct. 27
• Played every minute of three contests during the month

 
Others nominated: Sinoxolo Cesane (ETSU), Maddie Massie (Furman), Caroline Woods (UNCG), Mary Raymond (Samford) and Naya Marcil (Western Carolina)
 
Defense
Becca Campbell, Western Carolina, Sr., D, Edmonton, Alberta

• Led Western Carolina to a 7-1-0 record during October, culminating in the team’s first outright SoCon regular-season title
• Tied for the team lead with three goals during the month
• Scored one goal against Wofford on Oct. 1, at The Citadel on Oct. 12 and versus ETSU on Oct. 22
• Played all but four minutes in the month as a part of the defensive back line that recorded six clean sheets, including two SoCon tournament games
• Named SoCon Defensive Player of the week on Oct. 3 and Oct. 24, and was voted first-team all-conference following the regular season

 
Others nominated: Sydney Somogyi (ETSU), Parker Sikora (UNCG), Zoe Clevely (Samford) and Caroline Ekern (Chattanooga)
 
 
VOLLEYBALL
Offense
Ali Ruffin, The Citadel, Jr., OH, Greenville, N.C.

• Tallied double-digit kills in eight of nine matches and 20-plus kills in six matches as The Citadel went 8-1 in October
• Recorded eight double-doubles in the month, while logging 16 services aces, 14 blocks and 13 assists
• Averaged 4.89 kills per set and 3.57 digs per set during the month
• Led the Bulldogs to a share of their first SoCon regular season title in school history
• Named SoCon Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 9 and 30

 
Others nominated: Amanda Lowe (ETSU), Mary Beth Headley (Furman), Kylee Quigley (Mercer), Kaleigh Merritt (Samford), Morgan Romano (Chattanooga), Bailey Hartsough (Western Carolina) and Mary Emily Morgan (Wofford)
 
Defense
Sarah Barham, Wofford, Sr., MB, Summerfield, N.C.

• Recorded 35 total blocks at a rate of 1.21 blocks per set and 57 kills at a rate of 1.97 kills per set
• Finished with 11 blocks, two solo, in a four-set win against UNCG on Oct. 6, in a game that made her the third Terrier to eclipse 400 total blocks for their career
• Had eight blocks, one solo, in a five-set victory over Furman on Oct. 28
• Named SoCon Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 9

 
Others nominated: Jaelynn Elgert (The Citadel), Kennedy Seekford (Furman), Skyler Bumpers (Mercer), Kate Morgan (Samford), Paige Gallentine (Chattanooga) and Eden Punch (Western Carolina)
 
Setter
Belle Hogan, The Citadel, Jr., Fort Wayne, Ind.

• Averaged 11.38 assists per set and 2.05 digs per set
• Had at least 40 assists in six of nine contests and 50-plus in five matches
• Tied a career-best 60 assists in five-set win against Mercer on Oct. 1
• Logged 29 kills, 12 aces and 21 blocks during the month
• Named SoCon Setter of the Week on Oct. 9

 
Others nominated: Emily Navarro (Furman), Kiera McCarles (Mercer), Kayla Keshock (Samford), Elaine Redman (Chattanooga), Sarah Janourova (Western Carolina) and Taylor Pecht (Wofford)
Smallbore
Elysa Walter, North Georgia, So., Sugar Hill, Ga. 

• Averaged 588.3 in smallbore competition in the month, finishing first in the discipline in the Nighthawks’ matches against Wofford and VMI 
• Opened October with a second-place finish in smallbore, second overall finish with a score of 586 in the discipline 
• Fired 587 to top Wofford on Oct. 8, winning the smallbore, air rifle and overall titles 
• She closed her month and broke the school’s aggregate score record on Oct. 14 with a score of 1186, 592 smallbore
• Currently leads the SoCon in smallbore and aggregate score average at 588.3 and 1183, respectively

Others nominated: Addy Burrow (Georgia Southern), Christopher Hicks (VMI)

Air Rifle
Ella Goldfaden, Georgia Southern, Fr., Bat Hefer, Israel

• Averaged 596 in air rifle for the month, with a high score of 597 on Oct. 8 at home against second-ranked TCU
• Leads the SoCon in smallbore average and holds an aggregate average score of 1174.5
• Placed first in the discipline against The Citadel on Oct. 14 and placed first overall against VMI on Oct. 28
• Tied her personal-best score in air rifle with a 597 against TCU, which is tied for the sixth-best score in school history. 
• Shot a 595 in the meet against VMI on Oct. 28, and a 596 against North Georgia on Oct. 7, finishing second in air rifle at both meets 

 
Others nominated: Elysa Walter (North Georgia), Christopher Hicks (VMI)

 
Southern Conference October Athletes of the Month
Men’s cross country                  Dylan Schubert, Furman
Women’s cross country             Abigail Robertson, Furman
Rifle – smallbore                       Elysa Walter, North Georgia
Rifle – air rifle                           Ella Goldfaden, Georgia Southern
Football – offense                     Tyler Huff, Furman
Football – defense                     Lance Wise, Mercer
Men’s golf                                 Mats Ege, ETSU
Women’s golf                            Anna Morgan, Furman
Men’s soccer – offense              Arnaud Tattevin, UNCG
Men’s soccer – defense             Cole Hunter, ETSU
Women’s soccer – offense         Birna Johannsdottir, Chattanooga
Women’s soccer – defense        Becca Campbell, Western Carolina
Volleyball – offense                   Ali Ruffin, The Citadel
Volleyball – defense                  Sarah Barham, Wofford
Volleyball – setter                     Belle Hogan, The Citadel