SoCon names February athletes of the month

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced its February athletes of the month Friday, highlighting the athletic excellence of 17 student-athletes across 12 sports during the month.
 
BASEBALL
PLAYER
Ryan Galanie, Wofford, Sr., IF, Mason, Ohio

• Hit .517 with a .622 on-base percentage and a .932 slugging percentage in February, all of which led the SoCon
• Had three home runs, three doubles, four walks, nine runs scored and a league-best 15 RBIs in helping the Terriers to a 7-1 start to the season
• Was named the SoCon Player of the Week on Feb. 20 after hitting .818 (9-for-11) and slugging 1.273 over the opening weekend of the season
• Had five hits and nine RBIs in Wofford’s three-game sweep of Kent State on Feb. 24-26, highlighted by a two-homer, seven-RBI day in the finale in which he hit a three-run shot and a grand slam
• Recorded at least one hit in seven of his eight February games, recording five multi-hit outings

Others nominated: Travis Lott (The Citadel), Tommy Barth (ETSU), Eric Toth (Mercer), Stephen Klein (Samford), Grayson Fitzwater (VMI) and Pascanel Ferreras (Western Carolina
 
PITCHER
Carson Hobbs, Samford, Jr., RHP, Alabaster, Ala.

• Recorded a win and two saves in three February appearances, surrendering just three hits and no runs in eight innings of work for a 0.00 ERA
• Made his season debut with three innings of scoreless relief to earn the win over Memphis on Feb. 19, allowing just one hit, striking out five and walking four (two intentionally)
• Worked a 1-2-3 ninth for the save against Jacksonville State on Feb. 21, striking out two of the three batters he faced
• Picked up his second save of the season on Feb. 26 against Southeastern Louisiana, allowing just two hits and a walk in four innings of work, striking out five
• Is the active career saves leader in the SoCon with 13 to his credit

Others nominated: Colby Stuart (ETSU), Josh Harlow (Mercer), Matt Schepel (Western Carolina) and Luke Stephens (Wofford)
 
 
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Jalen Slawson, Furman, 5th, F, Summerville, N.C.

• Averaged 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.8 blocks per game in leading Furman to a 7-1 record in the month, a share of the SoCon regular-season title and the No. 1 seed in the Ingles SoCon Basketball Championship for the first time since 1991
• Posted a pair of double-doubles, opening the month with 15 points and 11 rebounds in a 79-58 win over Chattanooga and going for 11 and 11 in an 83-79 win over ETSU on Feb. 19
• Surpassed 20 points twice, scoring 22 against The Citadel on Feb. 15 and 27 against Mercer on Feb. 22
• Had 10 rebounds in a title-clinching 93-79 win at Samford to end the regular season
• Shot 53.2 percent from the floor (41-for-77), 44.0 percent from 3-point range (11-for-25) and 76.7 percent from the free-throw line (33-for-43) on the month

Others nominated: Jordan King (ETSU), Jayln McCreary (Mercer), Keyshaun Langley (UNCG), Jermaine Marshall (Samford), Jamal Johnson (Chattanooga), Tre Jackson (Western Carolina) and B.J. Mack (Wofford)
 
 
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Rachael Rose, Wofford, So., G, Scranton, Pa.

• Averaged 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.6 steals per game in February
• Scored in double figures in all seven games played in the month
• Had 32 points, seven rebounds and two steals at Chattanooga on Feb. 18
• Recorded 25 points, 10 rebounds and six assists versus Mercer on Feb. 25 as Wofford clinched its first SoCon regular-season title in a women’s sport in school history
• Voted SoCon Player of the Year on Feb. 28 by the league’s coaches

Others nominated: Kendall Folley (ETSU), Amoria Neal-Tysor (Mercer), Akira Wiggins (UNCG), Andrea Bailey (Samford) and Raven Thompson (Chattanooga)
 
 
MEN’S GOLF
Algot Kleen, ETSU, So., Fiskebackskil, Sweden

• Combined with teammate Mats Ege to get two victories during ETSU’s match play competition against Augusta on Feb. 2
• Captured a 5&4 victory in singles against Augusta in match play
• Won his first collegiate tournament at the Puerto Rico Classic on Feb. 14 with a 13-under-par 203
• Tied his career-best round score of 66 twice in the Puerto Rico Classic and led the field with 17 birdies over three rounds
• Named SoCon men’s golfer of the week on Feb. 15

Others nominated: Will Morlan (Furman), Tobias Jonsson (Mercer), Nick Lyerly (UNCG), Samuel Espinosa (Chattanooga), Adam Hooker and Matthew Larkin (Wofford)
 
 
WOMEN’S GOLF
Elizabeth Lohbauer, Western Carolina, So., Venice, Fla.

• Won one match versus App State and halved on another against UNCG during the Oyster Shuck Match Play on Feb. 13, helping the Catamounts finish second in the event
• Led Western Carolina in the RiverTowne Invitational, finishing tied for seventh with an even-par 216 on Feb. 26-28
• Advanced 17 spots on the final day of play during the RiverTowne Invitational to finish in the top 10
• Finished tied for fifth in the tournament field with a team-best 10 total birdies at the RiverTowne Invitational
• Named SoCon women’s golfer of the week on March 1 after her play at the RiverTowne Invitational

Others nominated: Amber Thornton (ETSU), Kate Song (Mercer), Christian Williams (Samford), Dorota Zalewska (Chattanooga) and Lilli Horn (Wofford)
 
 
MEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK
Carson Williams, Furman, Jr., Raleigh, N.C.

• Won the 3,000-meter run and the mile at the SoCon Indoor Track and Field Championships on Feb. 24-26, claiming his second straight title in the former
• Two-time Track Athlete of the Week in February, earning the honor after both of his regular-season competitions
• Took fourth in the 3,000m at the Camel City Invitational on Feb. 4 with a SoCon-best converted time of 7:50.10, which ranked 18^th in the NCAA at the time
• Broke his own school record by nine seconds in the 5,000-meter run at the Husky Classic on Feb. 10, turning in a time of 13:42.39 to finish fourth in the event
• That mark was the best in the SoCon this season and ranked 41^st in the NCAA at the time

FIELD
Stephen Kraeling, The Citadel, Jr., Guyton, Ga.

• Competed in three meets in February
• Finished third in the high jump at the SoCon Indoor Track and Field Championships with a season-best leap of 2.00 meters
• Finished sixth in the high jump at the South Carolina Invitational to open the month, clearing 1.95 meters
• Took third in the high jump at the USC Indoor Open on Feb. 17, again clearing 1.95 meters
• Named the SoCon Field Athlete of the Week for that effort

 
 
WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK
Jenna Mulhern, Furman, Fr., West Chester, Pa.

• Competed twice in the month, claiming SoCon Track Athlete of the Week honors for her efforts at the Husky Classic on Feb. 10
• Competing in the 5,000-meter run, Mulhern finished 16th overall in a personal-best time of 16:11.14, which ranked second in the SoCon
• Captured second place in the 5,000m and fourth in the 3,000-meter run at the SoCon Indoor Track and Field Championships on Feb. 25-26
• Earned all-freshman honors in both events and was later voted the SoCon Freshman of the Year

FIELD
Hannah Daffin, Samford, Sr., Mobile, Ala.

• Won the shot put (14.21 meters) and the weight throw (18.37 meters) at the SoCon Indoor Track and Field Championships, claiming her second career titles in both
• Both marks were the best in the SoCon this season
• Took fourth in the shot put and third in the weight throw at the Samford Bulldog Invite on Feb. 10
• Finished fifth in the shot put and sixth in the weight throw at the South Alabama Invitational on Feb. 5, earning SoCon Field Athlete of the Week honors

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

• Averaged 585 over a pair of February matches, finishing first in the discipline and aggregate in both
• Against UAB on Feb. 4, shot 586 to finish first of 14 competitors in smallbore and had the top aggregate score of 1,181
• In a Feb. 18 match against No. 18 North Georgia, shot 584 to take first out of 15 shooters, also turning in the top aggregate score (1,179)
• Finished February with a SoCon-best seasonal average of 585.154 in smallbore
• Went on to be named the SoCon Smallbore Athlete of the Year and Air Rifle Athlete of the Year at the conclusion of the SoCon Rifle Championship

Others nominated: Charlotte Welsh (The Citadel) and Elysa Walter (North Georgia)
 
AIR RIFLE
Elysa Walter, North Georgia, Fr., Sugar Hill, Ga.

• Averaged 594.5 in air rifle over two matches, firing personal bests and matching or breaking program records in each outing
• Shot 593 for the win against No. 20 The Citadel and The Citadel’s women’s team on Feb. 11, matching the program record with an aggregate score of 1,173
• Eclipsed that mark against No. 16 Georgia Southern on Feb. 18, totaling 1,179 after firing a program-record 596 to win the air rifle competition by just one point over Burrow
• Qualified for the NCAA Rifle Championships in air rifle, alongside Burrow
• Went on to win the air rifle individual title at the SoCon Rifle Championship and was named the league’s Freshman of the Year at the conclusion of the championship

Others nominated: Aiden Malcolm (The Citadel) and Addie Burrow (Georgia Southern)
 
 
SOFTBALL
PLAYER
Riley Ludlam, Furman, Sr., C/SS, Fort Myers, Fla.

• Batted .400 with five doubles, four home runs, and a league-leading 17 RBIs during February
• Had zero fielding errors in 14 starts
• Went 2-for-3 with a double against fourth-ranked Clemson on Feb. 14
• Was 3-for-3 with a home run, a double, three RBIs and two runs scored in a win against Sacred Heart on Feb. 17
• Named SoCon Player of the Week on Feb. 20

Others nominated: Sara Muir (ETSU), Delaney Cumbie (UNCG), Grier Bruce (Samford), Olivia Lipari (Chattanooga) and Morgan Maddaluna (Western Carolina)
 
PITCHER
McKenzie Newcomb, Samford, So., Meridianville, Ala.

• Had a 1.03 ERA with 53 strikeouts and just four walks in 47 2/3 innings of work
• Threw four innings in relief, allowing one hit and striking out nine batters against Southern Miss on Feb. 12
• Pitched 5 2/3 innings in relief with nine strikeouts, one hit allowed and zero runs allowed versus Southern Indiana on Feb. 24
• Had a complete game with eight strikeouts and no earned runs allowed against IUPUI on Feb. 25
• Named SoCon Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 27

Others nominated: Brianna Bailey (ETSU), Taylor Long (Chattanooga) and Tessa Juett (Western Carolina)
 
 
MEN’S TENNIS
Darcy Nicholls, Samford, Fr., Warragul, Victoria, Australia

• Went a combined 8-2 in February, including a 5-0 mark in singles play at Nos. 5 and 6 and a 3-2 record at No. 3 doubles
• Won four of his five singles matches in straight sets
• Pitched a shutout in singles against Alabama A&M, earning a 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 6 after a 6-2 win in doubles
• Earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 5 singles and a 6-4 win in doubles in a 4-3 Samford win at Southern Miss
• In league play, picked up a 6-2, 6-0 win at No. 5 singles in Samford’s 4-3 setback to defending SoCon champion ETSU

Others nominated: Hayden Shoemake (The Citadel), Dimitri Badra (ETSU), Cole Burnam (Furman), Marceau Foulihoux (Mercer), Wyatt Cannon (UNCG), Gabriel Castillo (Chattanooga) and Will Fullett (Wofford)
 
 
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Laylo Bakhodirova, ETSU, Sr., Tashkent, Uzbekistan

• Was undefeated in February, going 5-0 in singles and 4-0 in doubles, all at No. 1
• Won all of her singles matches in straight sets, collecting victories over the top players from Belmont, App State, Davidson and VCU as well Lipscomb, whose Sasha Dobranos retired after Bakhodirova won the first set 6-1
• Paired with Mariya Shumeika for a 6-4 win over VCU’s 59^th-ranked doubles duo of Yelizaveta Karlova and Victoria Matasova
• Earned a 6-0 doubles win over Davidson
• Helped ETSU to its highest ITA ranking since 2010, as the Bucs debuted at No. 67

Others nominated: Mary Weston Courville (Mercer), Alexis Lopez (Samford), Jessie Young (Chattanooga), Jade Groen (Western Carolina) and Brianna Wilbur (Wofford)
 
 
WRESTLING
Tommy Askey, App State, So., 157, Pine Bush, N.Y.

• Went 4-0 in conference duals during the month
• Had four bonus-point wins, posting three major decisions and one technical fall
• Outscored opponents 57-14 with no takedowns allowed during February
• Ranked No. 27 in his weight class by the coaches
• Completed the SoCon season with an unbeaten record in conference duals

Others nominated: Taye Ghadiali (Campbell), Matthew Waddell (Chattanooga) and Braxton Lewis (VMI)
 
 

-www.SoConSports.com-