ATLANTA, Ga. (October 31, 2022) – The Southern Athletic Association has announced its Players of the Week for competitions played between Oct. 24 and Oct. 30 in the sports of football, field hockey, swimming, and volleyball.
VOLLEYBALL
Offensive Player of the Week: Jazzy Innis / Berry / Jr. / Johns Creek, Ga.
Innis was named to the Emory Invitational All-Tournament team for a standout performance over three matches last week. The junior hit .247 for the week, totaling 33 kills, to go along with 44 digs, nine blocks and three service aces. Against 11
th-ranked Emory, Innis hit .360 while racking up 12 kills, four blocks and an ace.
Defensive Player of the Week: Kate Powell / BSC / Sr. / Tallahassee, Fla.
Playing against tough regional competition at the Emory Invitational, Powell was stellar on defense for BSC. She totaled 75 digs over the three matches, including a 32-dig performance against Randolph-Macon and 28 against Washington & Lee. The senior also added seven assists and two service aces to her stat line for the weekend.
FOOTBALL
Offensive Player of the Week: Blake Hembree / Berry / Jr. / Villa Rica, Ga.
Leading Berry to a big SAA win over Millsaps, Hembree threw for 248 yards and four touchdowns. He went 22-of-30 with a long completion of 33-yards. The junior also accounted for 41 rushing yards, bolstered by a 39-yard scamper on a 3
rd-and-1 in the third quarter.
Defensive Player of the Week: Armon Wells / Centre / Sr. / Louisville, Ky.
For the third time this season, Wells was named the SAA Defensive Player of the Week. Against fifth-ranked Trinity, the senior totaled 12 tackles, including two for loss. He tallied a solo sack for seven yards and assisted on another later in the game.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Wiley Henshaw / Rhodes / Sr. / Gurley, Ala.
Henshaw was solid in all three aspects of the kicking game in a Rhodes Orgill Cup victory over Sewanee. He connected on all four PAT attempts and knocked in a 37-yard field goal. The senior punted twice for 100-yards with both landing inside the 20. His six kick-offs traveled 328 yards and included a pair of touchbacks.
FIELD HOCKEY
Offensive Player of the Week: Allyson Nichols / Marian / Fr. / Little Falls, N.Y.
Highlighted by a hat-trick over Sewanee, Nichols earned SAA Offensive Player of the Week honors for the third time this season. In the opener with the Tigers, she tallied a goal and three assists and followed that up with three goals and two assists the next day, including the game winner. Nichols totaled 13 points for the weekend.
Defensive Player of the Week: Courtney Kelly / Rhodes / Sr. / Baltimore, Md.
Kelly led Rhodes to a pair of shutouts over SAA foe Concordia over the weekend. In the opener, her play helped hold the Falcons to just nine shots and no goals. The Lynx clamped down again the following day, allowing just four shots en route to a second-straight shoutout. Rhodes went the entire SAA season without allowing a goal in conference.
MEN’S SWIMMING
Swimmer of the Week: Ross Valdez / Berry / Jr. / Dalton, Ga.
Valdez turned in solid swims at the 21
st Annual Sewanee Invitational over the weekend. He won the mile in a time of 16:35.55, the eight fastest mark in the nation. The following day, he went 2:01.46 in the 200-yard butterfly and 4:52.41 in the 500-yard free, placing third. He finished the meet with a 55.69 100-yard butterfly swim and posted a solid 22.84 leg on the Vikings 200-yard free relay.
Diver of the Week: Garrett George / BSC / Fr. / Huntsville, Ala.
At the 21
st Annual Sewanee Invitational, George won the 3-meter dive with a record score of 320.00. He was runner-up in the 1-meter, scoring 304.90. His performance again qualified him for the NCAA Regional Championship.
WOMEN’S SWIMMING
Swimmer of the Week: Samantha Field / BSC / Fr. / Atlanta, Ga.
Swimming against Loyola New Orleans over the weekend, Field posted a solid two-day performance. She won the 400-IM in 4:49.85 and took first in the 100-yard backstroke in 1:02.71. She also posted winning times in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:36.0) and 200-yard IM (2:19.2) while also swimming legs on the winning 200-yard medley and 400-yard medley relay teams.
Diver of the Week: Mallory Wilson / BSC / Sr. / Mobile, Ala.
Wilson dove at the Sewanee Invitational over the weekend, winning the 1-meter event with a score of 201.60.
2022-23 Players of the Week Archive
VOLLEYBALL (Offensive; Defensive)
Sept. 6 - Camryn Presley (Hendrix); Maggie Mathis (Rhodes)
Sept. 12 - Josie Grace-Mudd (Centre); Madi Barron (Centre)
Sept. 19 – Peyton Breissinger (Berry); Kate Whittle (Berry)
Sept. 26 – Camryn Presley (Hendrix); Sophia Cendoya (Oglethorpe)
Oct. 3 - Laurel Burkhardt (Sewanee); Peyton Nance (Hendrix)
Oct. 10 – Peyton Breissinger (Berry); Sofia Cendoya (Oglethorpe)
Oct. 17 –Molly Bergin (Berry); Kate Whittle (Berry)
Oct. 24 – Jackie Schner (Oglethrope); Kate Whittle (Berry)
Oct. 31 – Jazzy Innis (Berry); Kate Powell (BSC)
FOOTBALL (Offensive; Defensive; Special Teams)
Sept. 6 - Jon Lewis (Birmingham-Southern); Brock Skinner (Berry); Matthew Syverson (Berry)
Sept. 12 - BJ Steward (Trinity); Caleb Harmel (Trinity); Tondarrius Stallion (Millsaps)
Sept. 19 – Michael McGhee (Sewanee); Brock Skinner (Berry); BJ Stewart (Trinity)
Sept. 26 – Luke Macias (Rhodes); Garrett Smith (BSC); Zach Ford (BSC)
Oct. 3 – Michael McGhee (Sewanee); Armon Wells (Centre); Wiley Henshaw (Rhodes)
Oct. 10 – Brody Davis (Millsaps); Armon Wells (Centre); Aidan Hood (BSC)
Oct. 17 – Jacob Wood (Hendrix); Ezra Gore (Trinity); Blake Lin (Trinity)
Oct. 24 – Jon Lewis (Birmingham-Southern); James Ogunrin (Trinity); Ethan Klapatch (Millsaps)
Oct. 31 – Blake Hembree (Berry); Armon Wells (Centre); Wiley Henshaw (Rhodes)
FIELD HOCKEY (Offensive; Defensive)
Sept. 6 - Allyson Nichols (Marian); Brenna Abrahamson (Marian)
Sept. 12 - Lorri Pitock (Concordia); Carlie McKendry (Centre)
Sept. 19 – Peyton Gahm (Centre); Erin Bozdech (Centre)
Sept. 26 – Allyson Nichols (Marian); Carlie McKenry (Centre)
Oct. 3 – RC Kugler (Rhodes); Erin Bozdech (Centre)
Oct. 10 – Sophie Croci (Rhodes); Claire Damare (Sewanee)
Oct. 17 – Sheela Vasan (Rhodes); Emily Brinley (Concordia)
Oct. 24 – Makenna Saward (Transylvania); Sam Hutchison (Rhodes)
Oct. 31 – Allyson Nichols (Marian); Courtney Kelly (Rhodes)
MEN’S SWIMMING (Swimmer; Diver)
Oct. 3 – Bryan Sullivan (Millsaps); none
Oct. 10 – Dustin Niebauer (Centre); John Beuerlein (Rhodes)
Oct. 17 – Bryan Sullivan (Millsaps); none
Oct. 24 – Jacob Icimsoy (Birmingham-Southern); Brandon Anderson (Centre)
Oct. 31 – Ross Valdez (Berry); Garrett George (BSC)
WOMEN’S SWIMMING (Swimmer; Diver)
Oct. 3 – Cece Werth (Hendrix); none
Oct. 10 – Callie West (Centre); Anabelle Morle (Rhodes)
Oct. 17 – Adeline Carroll (Rhodes); none
Oct. 24 – Mary-Louise LeMieux (Sewanee); Anna Cate Goodson (Birmingham-Southern)
Oct. 31 – Samantha Field (BSC); Mallory Wilson (BSC)