General

USA South Athletes of the Week - September 7, 2026

  • Football Offensive Player of the Week
    Cameron Turner, Greensboro - The Lakeland, Florida sophomore quarterback accounted for 321 total yards and four touchdowns in a 48-7 win over Guilford last week. Through the air, Turner was 13-of-22 for 244 yards and three touchdowns. On the ground, Turner carried the ball 13 times for 77 yards and a score. Also Nominated: Austin Harris, LaGrange; Braden Selvage, N.C. Wesleyan.

    Football Offensive Rookie of the Week
    Bakari Hamilton, LaGrange - The Peachtree, Georgia freshman running back ran for 58 yards on nine carries in a 31-7 win over Point last week. He also caught one pass for seven yards in the victory. Also Nominated: None.

    Football Defensive Player of the Week
    Messiah Scandrett, LaGrange - The Atlanta, Georgia junior defensive back collected four unassisted tackles, returned an interception for a touchdown, and recovered a fumble in a 31-7 win over Point last week. The interception came towards the end of the second half as Point was trying to cut the Panther lead in half and instead turned into a 21-point LaGrange advantage. As for the fumble, Point hit a long pass which then was fumbled near the goal line and recovered by Scandrett to prevent a fourth quarter score. Also Nominated: John Ross Craven, Belhaven; Ziere Ray, Greensboro; Derek Schemenauer, N.C. Wesleyan.

    Football Defensive Rookie of the Week
    Derek Schemenauer, N.C. Wesleyan - The Raleigh, North Carolina freshman linebacker collected ten total tackles, including one for a loss, with one quarterback hurry in a 27-13 win over Averett last week. Schemenauer accumulated seven solo tackles with three assisted take downs in the victory. Also Nominated: Scoot Colyer, Greensboro.

    Football Special Teams Player of the Week
    Jorge Hernandez-Lara, N.C. Wesleyan - The Dalzell, South Carolina freshman place kicker connected on both of his field goals and all three point-after-touchdown attempts in a 27-13 win over Averett last week. Hernandez-Lara was good from 23 and 26 yards out on the day. Also Nominated: Kyle Norris, Belhaven; Jacob Cook, Greensboro; Jaylon Teagle, LaGrange.

  • Men's Soccer Player of the Week
    Wesley Hooker, Pfeiffer - The Savannah, Georgia junior forward scored six goals in a 2-0 week for the Falcons. In a 5-1 win over Guilford, Hooker scored twice, including the eventual game-winning goal. In an 11-1 victory over Averett, Hooker notched a career-high hat trick plus one with four scores. Also Nominated: Josh Mott, Methodist; London Timothy, Southern Virginia; German Garcia, Brevard; Ohman Gustav, Greensboro; Gareth Siemers, N.C. Wesleyan.

    Men's Soccer Defender of the Week
    Elliot Helander, N.C. Wesleyan - The Varberg, Sweden sophomore goalkeeper helped the Battling Bishops to a 1-1-1 record last week. In 270 total minutes played, Helander allowed three total goals with 13 total saves. The win came over Randolph-Macon (3-1, 3 saves), the tie against Marymount (1-1, 6 saves), and the loss to Mary Washington (1-0, 4 saves). Also Nominated: Soren Deweer, Brevard; Alvaro Hermosa, Greensboro; Trey Gohr, Methodist; Seth Limbert, Pfeiffer.

    Men's Soccer Rookie of the Week
    Tambe Mboumein, William Peace - The Red Oak, North Carolina freshman midfielder scored once with two assists in a 1-1 week for the Pacers. In an 8-1 win over Averett, Mboumein's first collegiate goal proved to be the eventual game-winner while also assisting on two more scores. In a 2-0 loss at Hampden-Sydney, Mboumein did not score on one shot on goal. Also Nominated: London Timothy, Southern Virginia; Tyler Ridley, Pfeiffer; Guilherme Barcelos, Brevard; Oliver Randholm Luque, Greensboro; Riccardo Baisi, N.C. Wesleyan.

  • Women's Soccer Player of the Week
    Janie Steele, Brevard - The Trussville, Alabama sophomore midfielder scored the lone and eventual game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Piedmont last week. Steele's goal came in the 38th minute and was good enough to defeat the Lions who were picked second in the Collegiate Conference of the South's Preseason Poll. Also Nominated: Isabel Bitner, Meredith; Abby Lush, Greensboro; Quinn Branca, Pfeiffer; Dianelis Gonzales-Galan, Salem; Addison Tulowitzki, William Peace.

    Women's Soccer Defender of the Week
    Abby Nunez, Brevard - The Homestead, Florida senior goalkeeper notched a shutout in the only contest for the Tornados last week, a 1-0 victory over Piedmont. Nunez stopped all four shots she faced in the victory. Also Nominated: Alyssa Lane, Greensboro; Delaney Thompson, Meredith; Kiera Ferguson, Methodist; Jerusalen Gonzalez, Pfeiffer; Michaela Iapaluccio, Salem; Courtney Dugan, William Peace.

    Women's Soccer Rookie of the Week
    Kiera Ferguson, Methodist - The Chesterfield, Virginia freshman goalkeeper stopped a game-high, and now career-high, ten shots in the only contest last week for the Monarchs, a 1-0 loss at 25th-ranked Christopher Newport. Also Nominated: Audrey Monteith, Salem; Maci Link, Greensboro; Dixie Barnes, William Peace; Sam Carroll, Meredith; Jerusalen Gonzalez, Pfeiffer.

  • Volleyball Player of the Week
    Caitlyn Russell, Meredith - The senior outside hitter from Graham, North Carolina averaged 4.52 points, 4.06 kills, with a .301 hitting percentage, and 2.06 digs set as the Avenging Angels posted a 5-0 record last week. The wins came over Guilford, Waynesburg, Washington & Jefferson, Bluffton, and Alma. Russell posted one double-double to go along with week match-highs of 20 kills, 12 digs, four service aces, two blocks, and one assist (twice). Also Nominated: Ellie Scherer, Salem; Sabrina Birts, Mary Baldwin; Gabi Gama, Pfeiffer; Larkin Baxley, Greensboro; Ryann Vail, Southern Virginia.

    Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week
    Megan Murray, Meredith - The senior libero from Raleigh, North Carolina averaged 5.31 digs and 1.50 assists per set as the Avenging Angels posted a 5-0 record last week. The wins came over Guilford, Waynesburg, Washington & Jefferson, Bluffton, and Alma. Murray posted week match-highs of 23 digs, eight assists, and five service aces. Also Nominated: Morgan Mayfield, Greensboro; Jadyn Smith, N.C. Wesleyan; Alexa Ammerman, Mary Baldwin; Olivia Torres, Salem; Molly Wright, Pfeiffer; Ryann Vail, Southern Virginia.

    Volleyball Rookie of the Week
    Emily Thompson, William Peace - The freshman setter from Clayton, North Carolina averaged 5.31 assists and 1.69 digs per set as the Pacers posted a 2-2 record last week. The wins came over Rowan and Saint Joseph's (Maine) while the losses were to Batten and SUNY New Paltz. Thompson posted one double-double to go along with week match-highs of 41 assists, 14 digs, two service aces, one kill (twice), and one block (twice). Also Nominated: Adah Elam, Southern Virginia; Dilynn Norris, Greensboro; Mariah Miller, Salem; Emma Line, Pfeiffer; Elena Bostick, Meredith; Bailey Blackmon, Brevard; Sarah Buchy, Mary Baldwin; Kendall Gleason, N.C. Wesleyan.

  • Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week
    Kovyk Chandler, Southern Virginia - The Buena Vista, Virginia freshman placed first out of 35 runners at the Eastern Mennonite Landes Invitational last week. Chandler completed the 5,000-meter course in a course record time of 15:35. Also Nominated: Ethan Carlan, Brevard; Thomas Hanson, Methodist; Bricen Burleson, Pfeiffer.

    Men's Cross Country Rookie of the Week
    Kovyk Chandler, Southern Virginia - The Buena Vista, Virginia freshman placed first out of 35 runners at the Eastern Mennonite Landes Invitational last week. Chandler completed the 5,000-meter course in a course record time of 15:35. Also Nominated: Thomas Hanson, Methodist.

  • Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week
    Bayleigh Armstrong, Southern Virginia - The Spanish Fork, Utah senior placed first out of 36 runners at the Eastern Mennonite Landes Invitational last week. Armstrong completed the 5,000-meter course in a course record time of 17:53. Also Nominated: Karley Call, Brevard; Delaney Bundy, Meredith; Alexandria Manuel, Methodist; Makayla Borst, Pfeiffer.

    Women's Cross Country Rookie of the Week
    Amee Newman, Southern Virginia - The Lovell, Wyoming sophomore, in her first season of collegiate cross country, placed third out of 36 runners at the Eastern Mennonite Landes Invitational last week. Newman completed the 5,000-meter course in a time of 18:56. Also Nominated: Karley Call, Brevard; Alexandria Manuel, Methodist; Izabella Delli-Colli, Pfeiffer; Beatrix Alvarez, Salem.

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