The Peach Belt Conference has released Players of the Week for cross country, golf, soccer and volleyball. Augusta’s Andrew Helfers and Gabrielle Jourdain secure cross-country Runners of the Week. GSW’s Jordan Jones and Lander’s Lara Stifter have been named Golfers of the Week. Lander’s Omar Erwa and Jack Ammann and Flagler’s Filip Hornburg claim the men’s soccer honors. Hornburg claims his third honor of the season. North Georgia’s Nina Lopez and Columbus State’s Ui Suzuki and Huda Sayadzada secure the women's soccer honors. GCSU’s Avery Huyck, Lander’s Sam Alwardt and Flagler’s Jillian Young claim the volleyball honors, as Young claims her fourth and Alwardt claims her third of the season.
CROSS COUNTRY
Men’s Runner of the Week
Andrew Helfers, Augusta
Graduate
- Competed at the Royals Cross Country Challenge
- Finished the 8K with a time of 24:46
- His time was the fastest in the 8K in the PBC so far this season
Women’s Runner of the Week
Gabrielle Jourdain, Augusta
Sophomore
- Competed at the Royals Cross Country Challenge
- Finished with a time of 17:20 in the 5K
- Her time was the fastest in the 8K in the PBC so far this season
- Top collegiate runner in the meet - the only runners to finish ahead of her no longer have eligibility
GOLF
Men’s Golfer of the Week
Jordan Jones, Georgia Southwestern
Junior
- Won the individual championship at the 81-player, 14-team Hurricane Invitational with an 8-under 136 (70-66)
- Jones fired a 66 in the second round, carding carding seven birdies, including three consecutive on Nos. 7-9
- Jones tied for the tournament lead with 10 birdies overall
- The field featured seven nationally ranked programs, including five ranked among the top 10 in the Bushnell/Golfweek Division II Coaches Poll
- Rain on Monday shortened the event to 36 holes…GSW finished runner-up to No. 8 Nova Southeastern in the team standings…It's Jones' second tournament win in his last six regular season starts
Women’s Golfer of the Week
Lara Stifter, Lander
Junior
- Stifter won last week's Glassy Mountain Autumn Classic at The Cliffs at Glassy by two shots for her first career win
- She had scores of 78/69/74 to finish +5
- Stifter came from five shots back heading into the final round before claiming the win
- She carded 10 birdies and 29 pars as Lander also won the tournament as a team by 28 shots over second place
- There were 15 teams and 83 players in the field.
MEN’S SOCCER
Player of the Week
Omar Erwa, Lander
Freshman, Midfield
- Helped Lander to a 1-0-1 week
- Erwa scored a dramatic goal with five seconds remaining to ensure a 1-1 draw for Lander at Clayton State on Friday
- He played 54 minutes in that match
- Played 65 minutes in Lander's 3-1 win over No. 20 North Georgia last Wednesday.
Defensive Player of the Week
Filip Hornburg, Flagler
Sophomore, Defender
- Helped Flagler to a 2-0 victory over No. 20 North Georgia
- Held the Nighthawks to just 6 shots, 3 on goal in the victory
- Kept the nationally ranked Nighthawks scoreless for the Saints fourth clean sheet, including second straight
Goalkeeper of the Week
Jack Ammann, Lander
Junior, Goalkeeper
- Helped Lander to a 1-0-1 week
- Ammann had a stellar week last week, helping guide Lander to a ranked win over No. 20 North Georgia and a draw at Clayton State
- Versus the Nighthawks, Ammann made seven saves in 90 minutes to pick up the win while facing 15 shots
- On Friday against the Lakers, he made four more saves in a full match as he faced 17 shots. In total, Ammann collected 11 saves and went 1-0-1 on the week.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Player of the Week
Nina Lopez, North Georgia
Junior, Midfielder
- Helped North Georgia to a 2-0 record on the week
- Scored two goals in a 4-0 victory over Georgia Southwestern
- Added an assist in the 4-0 victory over Middle Georgia
- Played 176 of 180 minutes on the week
- Lopez leads the PBC in goals (9), goals per game (.692), game winning goals (5) and is second in points (20) and third in points per game (1.54)
Defensive Player of the Week
Ui Suzuki, Columbus State
Junior, Defender
- Ui Suzuki played a key role in Columbus State's defensive efforts across two road victories, helping the Cougars post a 2-0 record with consecutive shutouts.
- Suzuki played all 90 minutes in CSU's 2-0 victory at Lander, contributing to a defensive performance that limited the Bearcats to just four shots and two shots on goal.
- She followed with another 90-minute performance in a 1-0 victory at USCA, helping hold the Pacers to four shots, two shots on goal, and zero corner kicks.
- Suzuki finished the week with 180 minutes played and one shot on goal while helping Columbus State allow just eight total shots and four shots on goal across the two matches.
Goalkeeper of the Week
Huda Sayedzada, Columbus State
Senior, Goalkeeper
- Goalkeeper Huda Sayedzada recorded back-to-back shutouts to lead Columbus State to a 2-0 record on the week, helping the Cougars earn road victories over Lander and USCA
- Sayedzada played all 90 minutes in CSU's 2-0 victory at Lander, recording two saves while holding the Bearcats scoreless on four total shots.
- She followed with another complete-game shutout in a 1-0 victory at USCA, adding two saves as the Cougars limited the Pacers to just four shots.
- Sayedzada finished the week with four saves, zero goals allowed, a 0.00 goals-against average, and a 1.000 save percentage across 180 minutes in goal.
VOLLEYBALL
Player of the Week
Avery Huyck, GCSU
Sophomore, Outside Hitter
- Huyck led the Bobcats with a sweep over Augusta this weekend, snapping a 14-match losing streak against the Jaguars.
- She had 29 kills with only six errors in 74 swings for a .324 hitting percentage against Augusta to go along with two assists, four aces, 30 digs and five total blocks.
- For the week, Huyck had 45 kills, with 11 errors in 118 swings for a .288 hitting percentage to go along with six assists, four aces, 49 digs and seven total blocks.
Defensive Player of the Week
Sam Alwardt, Lander
Junior, Libero
- Alwardt totaled 89 digs across 13 sets for Lander this week, averaging 6.85 digs per set while helping the Bearcats secure back-to-back Peach Belt Conference road wins over Middle Georgia
- Alwardt opened the week with a career-high 32 digs in five sets against Mars Hill, surpassing her previous career high of 26 set earlier this season
- She followed with 26 digs, three assists and three service aces in Lander's 3-1 win over Middle Georgia on Friday
- Alwardt closed the week with 31 digs, four assists and an ace in Saturday's 3-1 victory over the Knights, marking her second 30-dig performance of the week.
- She finished the three-match stretch with 10 assists and four service aces.
Setter of the Week
Jillian Young, Flagler
Freshman, Setter
- Commanded the Saints offense to an undefeated weekend as they sit on a 17-game winning streak
- Posted 76 assists averaging 9.50 per set, 12 digs, one kill, two aces and three total points.
- On Friday nights sweep at USCA, Young generated 24 assists (8.0 per set), one ace and three digs for a total of one point.
- In a five setter at USCA on Saturday, Young recorded 52 assists (10.4 per set), nine digs, one kill, one ace and two total points.
- Young leads the PBC in assists (605/8.40 per set)