The Peach Belt Conference has released Players of the Week for cross country, golf, soccer and volleyball. CSU's Shaun Williams and UNG’s Aubrey Dishman secure cross-country Runners of the Week. Lander’s Cathal Penney and Sarah Reed have been named Golfers of the Week. Middle Georgia's Aiden Giacomelli and Thomas Howe, Flagler’s Filip Hornburg take home the men's soccer honors. GCSU’s Mackenzly Cheely and Kassidy Fortin, Columbus State’s Kelsey Croft secures the women's soccer honors. Flagler's Marley Middlebrooks, Lander’s Sam Alwardt and Madeline Green claim the volleyball honors. This is Middlebrooks third weekly honor in a row, as the Saints currently sit on a ten-game win streak.
CROSS COUNTRY
Men’s Runner of the Week
Shaun Williams, Columbus State
Freshman
- Competed at the UNG Invitational
- Won the men’s 8K with a time of 27:50.6
- Captured his second consecutive individual title, leading Columbus State to a second-place team finish
Women’s Runner of the Week
Aubrey Dishman, North Georgia
Junior
- Competed at the UNG Invitational
- Led UNG in the 5K, with a time of 19:44.4
- Helped the Nighthawks to a 4th place finish out of 13 teams
GOLF
Men’s Golfer of the Week
Cathal Penney, Lander
Senior
- Competed at the Savannah Lakes Men's Invitational hosted by Lander at Monticello Golf Club
- Finished T-2nd and 8-under par
- In making the All-Tournament Team, he had rounds of 67/72/69 and carded 13 birdies and 36 pars.
- Penney was fourth in par-5 scoring and sixth in par-4 scoring
- There were 108 players in the field comprised of 18 teams. Lander finished 6th.
Women’s Golfer of the Week
Sarah Reed, Lander
Senior
- Competed at The City with Spirit Fall Classic hosted by Lee University at Cleveland Country Club
- She finished 3-under and won the tournament by three strokes after posting scores of 73/70/70.
- Reed led the field in par-5 scoring and was second in both par-4 and par-3 scoring.
- Reed sank 10 birdies which was the second most in the field, to go along with 35 pars and one eagle.
- There were 89 players among 16 teams as the Bearcats placed T-4th with Lee.
MEN’S SOCCER
Player of the Week
Aiden Giacomelli, Middle Georgia
Freshman, Forward
- Helped Middle Georgia to a 1-0-1 record on the week in PBC play
- Scored the game winning goal against USC-Aiken to secure the first PBC win in program history.
- Played 122 minutes on the week, with all four shots hitting the target and adding one goal
Defensive Player of the Week
Filip Hornburg, Flagler
Sophomore, Defender
- Led Flagler to a 1-0-1 week in PBC play
- Netted a goal in both matches for the Saints
- Played all 90 minutes on defense in the 2-1 win over USC Aiken
- Helped the Saints earn a 3-3 draw against No. 2 North Georgia
Goalkeeper of the Week
Thomas Howe, Middle Georgia
Freshman, Goalkeeper
- Helped Middle Georgia secure the first PBC win in program history
- Allowed one goal, making 3 saves on 17 shots by the Pacers
- Played the full 90 minutes, with a 0.750 save percentage
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Player of the Week
Mackenzly Cheely, GCSU
Senior, Midfielder
- Helped GCSU to a 2-0 record on the week
- Cheely scored three goals last week in two matches for the Bobcats
- She had the game-winning goal in 2-0 win against Anderson (S.C.)
- Added two more goals (including the game-winning goal) in 3-0 win over Flagler
- It was the first win over Saints since 2015, snapping a 0-10-2 streak.
- Cheely leads the PBC on the season in goals per game (0.833), tied for second in game-winning goals (2), third in points (11) and points per game (1.83) and is tied for third in goals (5)
Defensive Player of the Week
Kelsey Croft, Columbus State
Senior, Defender
- Kelsey Croft made an impact on both ends of the field while helping Columbus State earn a pair of road victories during a 2-0 week
- Croft scored twice in CSU’s 5-1 victory over Middle Georgia, finding the back of the net in the 40th and 67th minutes (first two goals of her career) while helping the Cougar defense hold the Knights to just one shot in the match
- She followed by playing all 90 minutes in a 4-1 victory at Lenoir-Rhyne
- Croft finished the week with two goals, four points, two shots, and two shots on goal across 161 minutes while helping Columbus State allow just two goals across the two victories.
Goalkeeper of the Week
Kassidy Fortin, GCSU
Senior, Goalkeeper
- Helped GCSU to a 2-0 record on the week
- Fortin registered her first two clean sheets of the season.
- She had four saves (faced eight shots) in 2-0 win over Anderson (S.C.)
- Added six saves (10 shots total) in 3-0 win over Flagler
- The win over Flagler was the first for GCSU since 2015, snapping a 0-10-2 streak.
- Fortin is tied for second in the PBC for clean sheets on the season with 2
VOLLEYBALL
Player of the Week
Marley Middlebrooks, Flagler
Junior, Outside Hitter
- Helped lead her team to 2-0 on the week with the first conference victory over USCA who was 8-2.
- She totaled 36 kills, averaging 4.50 kills per set and 28 digs for 3.50 digs per set with a .373 hitting percentage. Accomplished nine double-doubles on the season and is on a streak with eight in a row.
- In the sweep over Savannah State, she had 12 kills with a season-high hitting percentage on .588. Middlebrooks collected four aces, ten digs and one block.
- On Friday, she helped the Saints with a five-set win over USCA where she tied her season-best kills of 24 and had 18 digs. She produced four blocks and one assist.
- Leads the PBC in points (240.5), total kills (210), and kills per set (4.12).
- She moved up in the nation for total kills at No. 7.
Defensive Player of the Week
Sam Alwardt, Lander
Junior, Libero
- Alwardt totaled 41 digs across eight sets for Lander this week, averaging 5.13 digs per set while helping the Bearcats open Peach Belt Conference play 2-0.
- The junior recorded 18 digs and six assists in Lander's five-set win over Georgia College
- Posted a week-high 23 digs in just three sets in the Bearcats' sweep of Middle Georgia
- She averaged 7.67 digs per set against the Knights and also added two service aces on the week.
Setter of the Week
Madeline Green, Lander
Freshman, Setter
- Freshman setter Madeline Green totaled 77 assists across eight sets for Lander this week, averaging 9.63 assists per set while helping the Bearcats open PBC play 2-0
- Green recorded 42 assists and season highs of 20 digs and four total blocks in Lander's five-set win over Georgia College, completing a double-double
- She followed with 35 assists, six digs and five kills on a .455 hitting percentage in the Bearcats' 3-0 sweep of Middle Georgia
- Green also totaled seven kills, 26 digs and six blocks across the two conference victories.