ATLANTA, Ga. (January 23, 2023) – The Southern Athletic Association has announced its Athletes of the Week in basketball and swimming & diving for January 23, 2023.
SAA basketball teams have completed the first round of league play and will head back out to the court for rematches, starting on January 27. Quarterfinals of the SAA tournament are set for Sunday, February 19 with Championship weekend February 25-26 at the highest remaining seed.
Conference swimming & diving teams have one week of regular season competition remaining before descending on Birmingham for the 2023 SAA Championships, February 8-11.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Player of the Week: Koki Wiley / Rhodes / Senior / Tokyo, Japan
Leading Rhodes to a split weekend, Koki Wiley was named SAA Player of the Week for the second time this season. The senior averaged 18.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and two assists in a win over Oglethorpe and loss to Berry. His weekend started with a 17 points, seven rebounds performance against OU. On Sunday against SAA leader Berry, Wiley posted 20 points and 10 rebounds with three assists. He was perfect from long range, hitting both attempts against the Vikings.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Player of the Week: Alexys Mathangani / Rhodes / Senior / Tampa, Fla.
Playing 40 minutes in both games and nearly averaging a weekend double-double, Alexys Mathangani captured SAA Player of the Week honors for the second time. She started the week strong, recording 32 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in the Lynx win over Oglethorpe. Mathangani was 12-of-18 from the field and 7-for-11 at the stripe. Two days later, the senior tallied 17 points, nine rebounds and six assists against Berry to average 24.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and five assists for the weekend.
MEN’S SWIMMING
Swimmer of the Week: George Mabry / Sewanee / Junior / Nashville, Tenn.
After picking up a pair of victories in the pool against Rhodes and UT-Southern, George Mabry earned a first SAA Swimmer of the Week award. The junior won the 50-freestyle in 21.72 and later took first the 100-butterfly with a time of 53.11. In the 200-backstroke, he posted a runner-up time of 2:01.46 and also clocked a 25.11 split in the 50-backstroke as part of the Tigers 200-medlay relay.
Diver of the Week: Avery Balch / Birmingham-Southern / Sophomore / Decatur, Ala.
Behind a record-breaking performance on the diving boards, Avery Balch was named SAA Diver of the Week for the third time. Competing at the site of the upcoming SAA Championship, he broke the BSC school record in the 3-meter with a score of 547.25. He also posted a score of 499.95 in the 1-meter dive against Millsaps and UT-Southern.
WOMEN’S SWIMMING
Swimmer of the Week: Makayla Luallen / Hendrix / Freshman / Fayetteville, Ark.
Highlighted by four individual victories over the course of two meets, Makayla Luallen was named SAA Swimmer of the Week for the first time. The newcomer won the 200-freestyle and the 50-backstroke at the Principia Sprint Invitational; both season best times. She was also part of the winning 100-free relay team. At the Panther Invitational, she won the 100-backstroke and 100-freestyle to go along with a runner-up in the 1650-freestyle and 25.03 split on the 200-Medley Relay.
Diver of the Week: Anna Cate Goodson / Birmingham-Southern / Freshman / Huntsville, Ala.
For the third time in her freshman season, Anna Cate Goodson was named the Diver of the Week. She broke two team records over the weekend as the Panthers went up against Millsaps and UT-Southern. Goodson posted a score of 393.85 in the 1-meter dive and scored a 394.80 in the 3-meter; both all-time BSC bests.
ARCHIVE
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Nov. 14 – Russ Marr (Sewanee)/Josh Childers (BSC)
Nov. 21 – Jalen Essick (Rhodes)
Nov. 28 – Chase Ellis (Berry)
Dec. 5 – Russ Marr (Sewanee)
Dec. 12 – Koki Wiley (Rhodes)
Dec. 19 – Jalen Essick (Rhodes)
Jan. 2 – Chase Ellis (Berry)
Jan. 9 – Cade Stinnett (Centre)
Jan. 16 – Chase Ellis (Berry)
Jan. 23 – Koki Wiley (Rhodes)
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Nov. 14 – Alexys Mathangani (Rhodes)/Alex Lewis (BSC)
Nov. 21 – Haley Franklin (Millsaps)
Nov. 28 – Brooks Westhoelter (BSC)
Dec. 5 – Keimarya Rivera (Oglethorpe)
Dec. 12 – Haley Franklin (Millsaps)
Dec. 19 – Kayla Antoine (Sewanee)
Jan. 2 – Sydney Blankenship (Berry)
Jan. 9 – Haley Franklin (Millsaps)
Jan. 16 – Keimarya Rivera (Oglethorpe)
Jan. 23 – Alexys Mathangani (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 (BSC); Brandon Anderson (Centre)
Oct. 31 – Ross Valdez (Berry); Garrett George (BSC)
Nov. 7 – Ross Valdez (Berry); Brandon Anderson (Centre)
Nov. 14 – Noah Brand (Berry); Kevin Fuentes-Bonilla (Berry)
Nov. 21 – AJ Schwabe (BSC); Avery Balch (BSC)
Jan. 9 – Bryan Sullivan (Millsaps); Justin Toth (BSC)
Jan. 23 - George Mabry (Sewanee); Avery Balch (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 (BSC)
Oct. 31 – Samantha Field (BSC); Mallory Wilson (BSC)
Nov. 7 – Caroline Lee (Centre); Haley Rice (Centre)
Nov. 14 – Grace Pleasant (Berry); Katie Walker (Sewanee)
Nov. 21 – Callie West (Centre); Greta Cobb (Sewanee)
Jan. 9 – Callie West (Centre); Anna Cate Goodson (BSC)
Jan. 23 – Makayla Luallen (Hendrix); Anna Cate Goodson (BSC)