Southern Conference names September athletes of the month

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced its September athletes of the month Thursday, highlighting excellence among 13 student-athletes across eight sports during the month.
 
 
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Jason Bowers, ETSU, So., Parys, South Africa

• Finished first in the Virgina Tech Alumni XC Invitational with an 8K time of 23:54.6, leading the Bucs to a second-place team finish
• Came in second at the Live in Lou XC Classic with a personal best and new school record 8K time of 23:14.3, leading ETSU to a 12^th place team finish, previous personal best was 23:51.6 at last year's Alabama Showcase
• Was the 2022 Mid-South Cross Country Champion in the 8K at Cumberland University before transferring to ETSU
• Has received Runner of the Week honors in two consecutive weeks this season, on September 27 and October 4

 
Others nominated: Carson Williams (Furman), Ethan Long (UNCG) and Kevin Shank (VMI)

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Carly Wilkes, Furman, So., Salem, Va.

• Has recorded top-10 finishes in all three invitationals she competed in this season
• Placed seventh in Eye Opener XC Festival on September 1, finishing with a 17:20 5K time to lead the Paladins to a first-place team finish
• Ran a personal best 6K at The Furman Invitational with a time of 20:55 to finish sixth, helping Furman to another team win over a field that included Tennessee and Clemson
• At the Lakefront Invitational, Wilkes finished sixth and set another 6K personal record of 20:00, outpacing multiple All-American runners

 
Others nominated: Kiera Snyder (ETSU), Kamila Soja (Mercer), Jenna Reiter (UNCG), Lesley Green-Boyd (Chattanooga) and Katherine Hopkins (Western Carolina)

FOOTBALL
Offense
Desmond Reid, Western Carolina, So., RB, Miami Gardens, Fla.

• SoCon Offensive Player of the Week twice for play during the month
• Rushed for 636 yards on 98 carries and caught 13 passes for 143 yards, scoring 10 touchdowns in the month
• Logged 110-plus yards on the ground in four straight games, all victories for Western Carolina, in September
• Accounted for 183 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on Sept. 9 in the team’s upset of then No. 7/8 Samford
• Had 167 yards rushing and 28 yards receiving while scoring a school-record five rushing touchdowns in a win at The Citadel on Sept. 30

 
Others nominated: Devron Harper (Mercer), Michael Hiers (Samford) and Chase Artopoeus (Chattanooga)
 
Defense
Alex Mitchell, Chattanooga, So., LB, Murfreesboro, Tenn.

• Totaled 37 tackles (21 solo), including 1.5 tackles for loss, as Chattanooga held opponents to 20.2 points per game, which leads the SoCon
• Opened his season with 11 tackles and a forced fumble at North Alabama on Sept. 2
• Recorded six tackles, four solo, in the team’s first win of the season against Kennesaw State on Sept. 9
• Had five tackles and his first career interception, a 38-yard pick-6 on Samford’s first offensive play, on Sept. 23, leading to Mitchell earning SoCon Defensive Player of the Week honors
• Finished with 11 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a pass breakup in at Wofford on Sept. 30

 
Others nominated: Sheldon Arnold, II (ETSU), Noah Martin (Samford), Evan Eller (VMI), CJ Williams (Western Carolina) and David Powers (Wofford)

 
MEN’S GOLF
Samuel Espinosa, Chattanooga, Sr., Pedrena, Spain

• Averaged 70.17 strokes per round, including three rounds in the 60s
• Finished in the top 5 in both tournaments played in September, scoring par or better in five of six rounds
• Won the Marquette Intercollegiate on Sept. 3-5 in a field that included two players ranked inside the top 50 in the world, shooting a 3-under 213 to be just one of seven players to shoot even-par or better in the event
• Shot 5-under 208 for finish fourth at the Bearcat Invitational on Sept. 18-19
• Led the Mocs to wins over multiple teams from the ACC, Big 12 and Big Ten during the month

 
Others nominated: Mats Ege (ETSU), Tobias Jonsson (Mercer), Randall Hudson (UNCG), Magnus Pedersen (Western Carolina) and Matthew Larkin (Wofford)
 
 
WOMEN’S GOLF
Anna Morgan, Furman, Sr., Spartanburg, S.C.

• Named SoCon Golfer of the Week on Sept. 27
• Averaged 68.67 strokes over six rounds behind 25 birdies and 75 pars total during two tournaments
• Opened her season shooting a 4-under 209 at Cougar Classic on Sept. 11-12
• Won the Lady Paladin Invitational on Sept. 22-24, shooting a 13-under 203 to tie the tournament record for the lowest 54-hole score and gave Morgan the fifth individual title of her Paladin career, tying her with four others for the most in school history
• Scored even-par or better in every round played during the month

 
Others nominated: Camilla Järvelä (Mercer), Gabi Nicastro (Samford), Violeta Fernandez (Chattanooga) and Bella Kent (Wofford)
 
 
MEN’S SOCCER
Offense
Barzee Blama, Mercer, Fr., F, Snellville, Ga.

• Finished the month having played 516 minutes, scoring five goals and one assist, including a game-winning and game-tying goal
• Second in the SoCon in goals per game, points per game, and total goals
• Currently tied for 17^th in the NCAA in total goals for the season with seven
• September 30 against VMI, Blama had a season-high three shots, two shots on goal and two goals scored
• Has been named The Southern Conference Offensive Player for of the Week twice this season 

 
Others nominated: Chris McKenna (ETSU), Christian Kraus (Furman), Kyle Grant (VMI) and Nikolai Rojel (Wofford)
 
Defense
Trevor McMullen, Mercer, Sr., GK, Decatur, Ga.

• Made 26 saves on 77 shots faced in the month of September
• Currently leads the SoCon in goals against average, saves, and shutouts having played all 720 minutes in goal for the Bears
• Ranks sixth in the NCAA in goals against average (.484), third in save percentage (.875) and is tied for 16^th in shutouts (4)
• Had a season-high six saves on 13 shots faced against Winthrop on September 16
• Selected as SoCon Defensive Player of the Week on September 5

 
Others nominated: Chris McKenna (ETSU), Josh Hosie (Furman) and Cameron Victor (Wofford)
 
 
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Offense
Jada Moorman, Mercer, So., F, Mercer

• Netted seven goals and dished out two assists, tallying 16 points, as Mercer went 3-2-3 overall and 1-1-1 in SoCon play
• Scored points in seven of eight contests during September
• Had two goals, including the game-winner, in the Bears’ 4-0 win at Gardner-Webb
• Leads the conference in goals (10), points (25) and game-winning goals (4)
• Named SoCon Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 12 and 26

 
Others nominated: Ariana Paez (The Citadel), Reagan Fitzgerald (ETSU), Mary Raymond (Samford), Caroline Richvalsky (Chattanooga), Naya Marcil (Western Carolina) and Ines Obradovac (Wofford)
 
Defense
Madi Hook, ETSU, Jr., D, Fareham, England

• Led ETSU to a 4-0-2 record during September
• Played all 540 minutes in the month as a part of the defensive back line that allowed zero goals in the month
• Assisted on the game-winning goal in the team’s 1-0 win against Winthrop on Sept. 11
• Had on assist in the squad’s 2-0 win over VMI on Sept. 24

 
Others nominated: Lena Dykes (Mercer), Zoe Clevely (Samford), Caroline Ekern (Chattanooga), Sarah Engen (Western Carolina) and Meara Kelly (Wofford)
 
 
VOLLEYBALL
Offense
Ali Ruffin, The Citadel, Jr., OH, Greenville, N.C.

• Tallied double-digit kills in 11 of 12 matches and 15-plus kills in eight matches as The Citadel went 12-0 overall and 3-0 in SoCon play in September
• Recorded eight double-doubles in the month and set a career high in kills (28) in a win over Florida A&M on Sept. 1
• Averaged 4.68 kills per set and 3.25 digs per set during the month
• Led the Bulldogs to the best start and most wins in school history
• Named SoCon Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 4, 11 and 25

 
Others nominated: Lauren Haynes (Furman), Kylee Quigly (Mercer), Gracie Lynn Butler (Samford), Morgan Romano (Chattanooga) and Sarah Barham (Wofford)
 
Defense
Abbey Richman, Wofford, Sr., DS/LIB, Carmel, Ind.

• Recorded double-digit digs in all 13 matches, along with 39 assists and 15 aces, during September as Wofford went 12-1 and 4-0 in SoCon play in the month
• Averaged 5.02 digs per set
• Named SoCon Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 4, 18 and 25
• Finished the month in the top 30 nationally in digs per set

 
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 10.24 assists per set and 2.56 digs per set
• Recorded at least 30 assists in 10 of 12 contests and 40-plus in four matches
• Tallied 56 assists and tied a career high with 22 digs in a sweep of Chattanooga on Sept. 22
• Only player in the SoCon averaging double-digit assists per set
• Had 40 kills, 14 aces and 17 blocks during the month

 
Others nominated: Ella Abraham (Furman), Kiera McCarles (Mercer), Lexi Thatcher (Samford), Elaine Redman (Chattanooga) and Emily Hodsdon (Wofford)
 
Southern Conference September Athletes of the Month
Men’s cross country                              Jason Bowers, ETSU
Women’s cross country                         Carly Wilkes, Furman
Football – offense                                 Desmond Reid, Western Carolina
Football – defense                                 Alex Mitchell, Chattanooga
Men’s golf                                             Samuel Espinosa, Chattanooga
Women’s golf                                        Anna Morgan, Furman
Men’s soccer – offense                          Barzee Blama, Mercer
Men’s soccer – defense                         Trevor McMullen, Mercer
Women’s soccer – offense                     Jada Moorman, Mercer
Women’s soccer – defense                    Madi Hook, ETSU
Volleyball – offense                               Ali Ruffin, The Citadel
Volleyball – defense                              Abbey Richman, Wofford
Volleyball – setter                                 Belle Hogan, The Citadel