General

USA South Athletes of the Week - April 21, 2025

  • Baseball Player of the Week
    Jackson Hobbs, N.C. Wesleyan - The graduate student from Brandon, Florida went a combined 9-for-15 (.600) with a .714 on-base percentage, and a 1.533 slugging percentage to go along with ten runs scored, 11 RBI, two doubles, four home runs, and three walks last week as the Battling Bishops posted a 3-1 record. Hobbs was hitless against Randolph-Macon before going a combined 9-for-12 in a three-game sweep of USA South foe Mary Baldwin. Hobbs totaled ten runs scored, 11 RBI, two doubles, four home runs, and three walks in the three games. Also Nominated: Alex Levesque, William Peace; Zack Geertsen, Southern Virginia; Jackson Deal, Methodist; Jake Duffy, Greensboro; Frankie Vasquez, Brevard.

    Baseball Pitcher of the Week
    Ian Swanson, Methodist - The freshman from Tallahassee, Florida appeared in one game, a start, tossing the six shutout innings in a 13-1, eight-inning, victory over USA South foe Pfeiffer last week. Swanson allowed four hits with just one walk while striking out a career-high nine batters. Also Nominated: Matthew Evans, Brevard; Nick Stegura, Greensboro; Drake Hobgood, N.C. Wesleyan; Jeffrey Hill, Southern Virginia; Jarrett Hall, William Peace.

    Baseball Rookie of the Week
    Mason Jones, Southern Virginia - The freshman centerfielder from Draper, Utah went a combined 6-for-9 (.667) with a .750 on-base percentage, and a 1.111 slugging percentage to go along with eight runs scored, two RBI, one double, one home run, three walks, and two stolen bases last week in the four games he appeared in for the Knights. In two wins over USA South foe William Peace, Jones was a combined 3-for-5 with three runs scored, one run batted in, and one stolen base. In a 5-3 win over Apprentice, Jones was a perfect 3-fpr-3 with three runs scored, one run batted in, one double, and one home run. Finally, in a 15-9 loss to USA South rival Greensboro, Jones was 0-for-1 with two runs scored, two walks, and one stolen base. Also Nominated: Brady Williams, N.C. Wesleyan; Gavin Turner, William Peace.

    Baseball Rookie Pitcher of the Week
    Ian Swanson, Methodist - The freshman from Tallahassee, Florida appeared in one game, a start, tossing the six shutout innings in a 13-1, eight-inning, victory over USA South foe Pfeiffer last week. Swanson allowed four hits with just one walk while striking out a career-high nine batters. Also Nominated: Nick Neubauer, Greensboro; Caleb Dennis, N.C. Wesleyan.

  • Softball Player of the Week
    Jillian Vitamanti, Greensboro - The senior from Woodstock, Georgia went a combined 9-for-17 (.529) with a .500 on-base percentage, and a .588 slugging percentage to go along with seven runs scored, six RBI, one double, and two stolen bases for the Pride in a 4-0 week against USA South foes. In sweeping a doubleheader from Southern Virginia, Vitamanti was a combined 6-for-7 with three runs scored, five RBI, and two stolen bases. In a doubleheader sweep of Salem, Vitamanti was a combined 3-for-10 with four runs scored, one run batted in, and one double. Also Nominated: Rylee Locklear, Brevard; Landry Stewart, Pfeiffer; Hadley May, Mary Baldwin; Aleah Jones, N.C. Wesleyan; Katie Claytor, Southern Virginia; Adanya Day, William Peace.

    Softball Pitcher of the Week
    Emma Bullin, Pfeiffer - The senior from Ararat, North Carolina appeared in two games last week, both starts, and earned a 2-0 record by tossing 11.0 shutout innings against USA South foe Methodist. Bullin allowed a total of four hits with one walk and nine strikeouts including a complete-game shutout in the first meeting. Also Nominated: Morgan Aycock, N.C. Wesleyan; Raina Hampel, Greensboro; Arianna Prymak, Southern Virginia; Elizabeth Auciello, Brevard; Emily Mccreery, Mary Baldwin.

    Softball Rookie of the Week
    Carson Griffith, Meredith - The freshman from Virginia Beach, Virginia went a combined 4-for-7 (.571) with a .571 on-base percentage, and a 1.000 slugging percentage to go along with two runs scored one run batted in and three doubles as the Avenging Angels split a doubleheader with USA South foe Southern Virginia last week. Also Nominated: Andrea Furr, Brevard; Ramzie Bryant, N.C. Wesleyan; Taelor Ware, Southern Virginia; Jordyn Tong, Greensboro; Isabelle Olson, William Peace.

    Softball Rookie Pitcher of the Week
    Peyton Lane, Pfeiffer - The freshman from Williamston, North Carolina closed out a 10-0, five-inning, win over USA South foe Methodist in her lone appearance last week for the Falcons. Lane tossed, what would end up being, the final inning, allowing no runs on one hit with one strikeout. Also Nominated: Deana McMinn, Brevard; Kaylee Manning, Meredith; Addyson Romanczyk, N.C. Wesleyan.

  • Men's Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Week
    Mason Tardiff, Pfeiffer - The senior attackman from Peterborough, Ontario, Canada totaled 16 points on 12 goals and four assists, to go along with two ground balls in a 2-0 week for the Falcons against USA South competition. In a 25-5 victory at Greensboro, Tardiff scored six goals with three assists. In a 24-5 win over Brevard, Tardiff again scored six times with one assist and two ground balls. Also Nominated: Kelcey Marston, Huntingdon; Ian Parr, Piedmont; Justin Barry, Greensboro; Logan Florio, Methodist; William English, William Peace; Clay Haacke, Southern Virginia.

    Men's Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Week
    Graham Clausen, Methodist - The sophomore faceoff specialist from Summerfield, North Carolina was 23-for-36 (.639) at the “X” with 15 ground balls and two goals scored for the Monarchs in their lone contest last week, a 23-15 win at USA South rival Southern Virginia. Also Nominated: Chase Henderson, Pfeiffer; JT Cutrer, Southern Virginia; Nathan Fox, Greensboro; Landen Jenkins, Huntingdon; Mike Eisele, Piedmont; Kyle Yarter, William Peace.

    Men's Lacrosse Rookie of the Week
    Dylan Sullivan, Pfeiffer - The freshman attackman from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina totaled 12 points on seven goals and five assists to go along with six ground balls and one caused turnover in a 2-0 week for the Falcons against USA South competition. In a 25-5 victory at Greensboro, Sullivan scored three goals with one assist, and three ground balls. In a 24-5 win over Brevard, Sullivan totaled four goals, four assists, three ground balls, and one caused turnover. Also Nominated: Logan Florio, Methodist; Jaxon Mcmonigle, Huntingdon; Abe Salmon, Southern Virginia; Kyle Yarter, William Peace.

  • Women's Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Week
    Reese Walker, Meredith - The junior attacker from Fayetteville, North Carolina totaled 23 points on six goals and 17 assists with three ground balls and three caused turnovers in a 2-0 week for the Avenging Angels against USA South competition. In a 23-0 victory at Pfeiffer, Walker scored four times with eight assists, one ground ball, and one caused turnover. In a 25-3 win over Brevard, Walker totaled two goals, nine assists, two ground balls, and two caused turnovers. Also Nominated: Emily Denaga, Brevard; Ellie Patterson, Southern Virginia; Carson Bezold, Piedmont; Layla Wiesenfeld, Methodist; Cerys Reid, Pfeiffer.

    Women's Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Week
    Brooke Murrell, Methodist - The junior defender from Perryville, Maryland set new career-highs with seven ground balls and six caused turnovers in the team's only contest last week, a 22-2 win over USA South foe Greensboro. Murrell also added a goal and four draw controls in the victory. Also Nominated: Madison Dean, Meredith; Madeline Chadbourne, Pfeiffer; Sydney Bastian, Southern Virginia; Rachel Verner, Piedmont.

    Women's Lacrosse Rookie of the Week
    Makenzie Mickelsen, Southern Virginia - The freshman midfielder from Garland, Utah totaled five points on two goals and three assists with 13 draw controls, three ground balls, and three caused turnovers in the team's lone contest last week, a 19-2 win over USA South rival Huntingdon. Also Nominated: Logan Campbell, Meredith.

  • Men's Tennis Player of the Week
    Matthew Hurley, Methodist - The junior from Faulconbridge, New South Wales, Australia posted a 6-4, 6-3 victory over N.C. Wesleyan's Luca Knese, the sixth-ranked player in the region, at the number-one position in his only singles match last week for the Monarchs. Also Nominated: Hayden LeBlanc, Brevard; Diego Segovia, N.C. Wesleyan; Benedikt Pfeiffer, Pfeiffer.

    Men's Tennis Rookie of the Week
    Aissultan Mukhambetov, Pfeiffer - The freshman from Astana, Kazakhstan posted wins at the number-four singles and the number-two doubles spots last week against opponents from USA South foe Southern Virginia. Mukhambetov teamed with Jayden Wellman for the doubles victory. Also Nominated: Nathan Bookout, Brevard; Nate Walton, Southern Virginia.

    Men's Tennis Doubles Team of the Week
    Luca Knese and Albert Sitwell, N.C. Wesleyan - The Battling Bishop duo earned a 2-0 record last week at the top doubles spot earning wins over opponents from USA South foe Methodist as well as North Carolina A&T. Also Nominated: Bryce Bernitt and Hayden LeBlanc, Brevard; Mathius Dessureau and Benedikt Pfeiffer, Pfeiffer.

  • Women's Tennis Player of the Week
    Andrea Elaez Miranda, N.C. Wesleyan - The junior from Lima, Peru posted a 2-0 record at both number-one singles and number-two doubles last week against USA South opposition Methodist and Southern Virginia. In doubles, she teamed with Ivanna Torres to grab the victories. Also Nominated: Madison Bowen, Brevard; Paula Snelson, Southern Virginia.

    Women's Tennis Rookie of the Week
    Renata Torres, N.C. Wesleyan - The freshman from Boca del Rio, Mexico posted a 2-0 record at the number-four singles spot and a 1-1 mark at the top doubles position last week for the Battling Bishops against opponents from USA South rivals Methodist and Southern Virginia. In doubles, Torres teamed with Bethan Fothergill to get a win over a duo from Methodist. Also Nominated: Casey Wampler, Brevard; Fanny Apostolou, Pfeiffer; Cymone Crump, Salem.

    Women's Tennis Doubles Team of the Week
    Lydia Delich and Paula Snelson, Southern Virginia - The Knight duo earned a 2-0 record last week at the top doubles spot earning wins over opponents from USA South foes N.C. Wesleyan and Brevard. Also Nominated: Andrea Elaez Miranda and Ivanna Torres, N.C. Wesleyan; Kristen Colie and Haley Ingenito, Pfeiffer; Cymone Crump and Adley Keim, Salem.

PLEASE NOTE: At least half of the teams in a sport must have competed within the previous week for honors to be awarded.