Student-Athletes Honored in Eight Fall Sports

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced its October players of the month today, highlighting excellence among student-athletes in the second full month of competition for the 2009-10 academic year. The players of the month are nominated by each member institution and selected by the conference office.

FOOTBALL

Offense

Armanti Edwards, Appalachian State, Sr., QB

Edwards averaged 403 yards of total offense and nearly four touchdowns per game over five contests while engineering an offense that amassed 2,999 yards (599.8 ypg) and 233 points (46.6 ppg). Appalachian State was 5-0 overall and 4-0 in SoCon play during the month of October as Edwards rushed for 391 yards and nine touchdowns while passing for 1,654 yards and nine more scores with only one interception. The senior became the first player in NCAA Division I (FCS or FBS) history with 9,000 passing yards and 4,000 rushing yards in a career on Oct. 31.

Other Nominees: Terrell Hudgins (Elon), Adam Urbano (Georgia Southern), Van Dyke Jones (The Citadel), Blue Cooper (Chattanooga), Mitch Allen (Wofford) and Dion Wilson (Western Carolina).

Defense

Josh Beard, Chattanooga, Sr., DE

Beard leads the nation with 10.5 sacks with seven of those coming in the month of October. Beard also tallied 25 tackles and four quarterback hurries in addition to a forced fumbled. He was named the SoCon Defensive Player of the Week after putting up seven tackles and two sacks at Samford on Oct. 10 and followed that with a career-high eight tackles at Elon.

Other Nominees: D.J. Smith (Appalachian State), Bryce Smith (Samford), Adrian McLeod (Western Carolina), Kyle Anderson (The Citadel), Joshua Jones (Elon), Kadarron Anderson (Furman), Dion Dubose (Georgia Southern) and Keaton Thompson (Wofford).

MEN’S SOCCER

Justin Wyatt, Elon, Sr., MF

Wyatt assisted on four goals while scoring two of his own during the month of October. Both of Wyatt’s strikes were game-winners, including the lone goal in Elon’s 1-0 win at College of Charleston, which was Elon’s first-ever on CofC’s home turf. Wyatt also scored the winner in a 2-0 victory at Radford. The senior assisted on the winning goal in the Phoenix’s 1-0 win at Appalachian State and had two assists in Elon’s triumph over Winthrop. Wyatt is the SoCon’s active career leader in game-winning goals (11), points (77), goals (30) and assists (17).

Other Nominees: J.J. Elder (Appalachian State), Charlie Reiter (Davidson), Aleksander Tomic (Georgia Southern), Thomas Campbell (UNC Greensboro) and Thomas Hunter (Wofford).

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Kyri Bye-Nagel, Davidson, Sr., F

The senior was instrumental in leading the Davidson Wildcats to a 7-1-1 mark for the month, including a 6-0-1 mark in its last seven games, and a spot into the Southern Conference Tournament by scoring a team-best six goals and assisting on two others for 14 points. Bye-Nagel netted two game-winners for the month in wins over Furman (1-0) and Chattanooga (4-2). She registered her second career hat trick at Chattanooga, scoring the first Wildcat goal and then knotting things up at 2-all, before kicking in the go-ahead goal in the second half. Bye-Nagel finished the month scoring five goals in Davidson's final four games.

Other Nominees: Katie Dodd (Appalachian State), Whitney Nave (The Citadel), Liz Palmer (Elon), Sara Oland (Georgia Southern), Tabitha Padgett (UNC Greensboro), Amber Cress (Samford) and Becca Smith (Chattanooga).

VOLLEYBALL

Kelly Kirby, Furman, So., RS

Kirby led the Paladins with 129 kills in 11 matches as Furman fashioned a perfect 11-0 month of October. The sophomore had a hitting percentage of greater than .400 in wins against Davidson, Georgia Southern, Elon and Wofford while attacking at a .264 clip for the month. The Paladins are currently on a 13-match win streak, the longest in school history, and are undefeated in conference play at 12-0.

Other Nominees: Sarah Havel (College of Charleston), Tatum Jestila (The Citadel), Caroline Lemke (Elon), Kate Van Dyke (Georgia Southern), Caley Redden (UNC Greensboro), Sheriden Stangohr (Samford), Courtney Barnes (Chattanooga) and Stacy Byrd (Wofford).

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

Lance Harden, Davidson, Sr.

Harden placed 25th out of 334 finishers at the Greater Louisville Cross Country Classic on Oct. 3. He ran 24:44 for the 8K course which was a 16-second personal best and set a new school record by 13 seconds. Harden led the Wildcats to their best ever finish in a major invitational, 6th out of 38 teams. Harden the finished fourth overall (second collegian) at the Blue Ridge Mountain Open hosted by Appalachian State on Oct. 16. His time for the soggy 8K course was 25:02, which led his team to a second place team finish, only one point out of first.

Other nominees: Phil Mitchell (Appalachian State), Charlie McGoogan (Furman), Joey Thompson (UNC Greensboro), Trevor Sprague (College of Charleston) and Trey Parker (Wofford).

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

Hillary Neal, Samford, Jr.

Neal won the Samford vs. Mississippi dual meet on Oct. 10 with a 3k time of 10:19. She broke the course record while leading Samford to a 19-40 win over Ole Miss. A week later, Neal won the Coach O Invitational at Troy with a 2-mile time of 10:57. Her time was a course record and led Samford to a decisive win in the eight team field as the Bulldogs tallied 31 points.

Other Nominees: Nicole Klasnic (Wofford).

MEN’S GOLF

Ricky Stout, Western Carolina, Sr.

Stout recorded his first collegiate championship by winning the Firestone Intercollegiate at the prestigious Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio on Oct. 12-13. Stout shot rounds of 69, 70 and 72 for a five-under 211 to win the event. Stout was also the Catamounts’ top finisher at the Aldila Scenic City Invitational later in the month, shooting a two-over 218.

Other Nominees: Garrett Medeiros (Wofford), Daniel Bowden (Furman), Ryan Zabroske (Georgia Southern), Casey Johnson (Appalachian State) and Robert Hoadley (UNC Greensboro).

WOMEN’S GOLF

Tara McFadden, Elon, Jr.

McFadden tied tournament records with a second round 66 and a 52-hole total of 211 to win the individual championship at the Lady Pirate Intercollegiate in Greenville, N.C. McFadden followed up her win with a sixth-place finish at the Palmetto Intercollegiate in Kiawah Island, S.C., to record top 10 finishes in both of her starts during the month of October.

Other Nominees: Stefanie Kenoyer (Furman), Desiree Karlsson (Western Carolina), Katelyn Stanier (Samford), Sarah Hurt (Wofford), Erica Creed (UNC Greensboro) and Emma de Groot (Chattanooga).