January 2024 Men’s Volleyball Freshman of the Month

Joseph Morris, Belmont Abbey

A freshman setter from Bethesda, Maryland, Joseph Morris of Belmont Abbey averaged 9.38 assists per set over the course of the opening month of the season. Morris also averaged 1.27 points and 1.15 digs per set in the month of January. 

Morris had three matches during the month with over 30 assists, including 38 assists in matches with FDU and Queens. He flirted with a triple-double in Belmont Abbey's five-set match with FDU with 38 assists, seven digs and six kills. 

Morris is currently fourth in Conference Carolinas in assists per set at 9.00. 

2024 Conference Carolinas Men’s Volleyball Freshman of the Month

January 2024

Joseph Morris, Belmont Abbey

Learn more about all weekly/monthly award winners in Conference Carolinas here.

January 2024 Men’s Wrestling Freshman of the Month

Avery Buonocore, UNC Pembroke

A freshman from Wilmington, North Carolina, Avery Buonocore of UNC Pembroke was 6-0 with two pins at 141 pounds during the month of January. 

Buonocore opened the month with a pin of Newberry's Zach Harrington (2:35) before capturing a major decision win over Jan Keller of 16th-ranked Grand Valley State, 11-0, on Jan. 6. He also earned an 11-10 decision over Mason Myers of 11th-ranked Pitt-Johnstown. After wins in league duals against Allen and Coker, Buonocore bested Richard Davis of Davis & Elkins by fall (2:26) to close the month.

2023-24 Conference Carolinas Men’s Wrestling Freshman of the Month

January 2024

Avery Buonocore, UNC Pembroke

Learn more about all weekly/monthly award winners in Conference Carolinas here.

January 2024 Women’s Indoor Track & Field Freshman of the Month

Kamille Cunningham, Converse

A freshman from Columbia, South Carolina, Kamille Cunningham captured her second straight Freshman of the Month honor after a strong second month of the indoor season. 

In Converse's two events during the month of January, Cunningham continued to place herself among the tops in Conference Carolinas in four different events. In finishing third at the Gamecock Opener in the high jump on Jan. 13, Cunningham collected the top mark in Conference Carolinas in the event at 1.61m. She also continued to stay among the top-five in the 60m during the month with two strong performances. Cunningham is also currently in the top-30 in the conference in the 200m and the long jump.

2023-24 Conference Carolinas Women's Indoor Track & Field Freshman of the Month

January 2024

Kamille Cunningham, Converse

Learn more about all weekly/monthly award winners in Conference Carolinas here.

January 2024 Men’s Indoor Track & Field Freshman of the Month

Ryan Wilson-McCoy, Mount Olive

A freshman from Bealeton, Virginia, Ryan Wilson-McCoy of Mount Olive collected his second Freshman of the Month honor with a sensational January. 

Wilson-McCoy captured the Conference Carolinas-best triple jump mark of 14.87m at the VMI Invitational on Jan. 26. The mark is also an NCAA Division II provisional and the third-best mark in the event in the region. Wilson-McCoy also posted a personal-best long jump of the season at VMI with a mark of 6.33m. The mark is a top-20 mark in Conference Carolinas in the event this season.

2023-24 Conference Carolinas Men’s Indoor Track & Field Freshman of the Month

January 2024

Ryan Wilson-McCoy, Mount Olive

Learn more about all weekly/monthly award winners in Conference Carolinas here.

January 2024 Women's Basketball Freshman of the Month

Kirsten Watt, Lees-McRae

A freshman guard from Asheville, North Carolina, Kirsten Watt of Lees-McRae averaged 10.29 points during the month of January. She also had 21 rebounds, 12 assists and six steals over the course of the month. 

Watts scored in double figures in five of her seven games during the month of January. She had a month-best 14 points in a league game with Francis Marion on Jan. 13. Watt finished the month shooting 89 percent (16-of-18) from the free throw line and 41 percent from the field (26-of-63). 

2023-24 Conference Carolinas Women’s Basketball Freshman of the Month

January 2024

Kirsten Watt, Lees-McRae

Learn more about all weekly/monthly award winners in Conference Carolinas here.

January 2024 Men’s Basketball Freshman of the Month

Mikhail Pocknett, King

A freshman forward from Wilmington, North Carolina, Mikhail Pocknett of King just missed on averaging a double-double during the first month of 2024 with 18.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. 

Pocknett collected five double-doubles in King's nine games during the month of January. Three of the double-doubles featured 20-plus scoring outputs, including posting 28 points to go along with 11 rebounds in a league game with Mount Olive on Jan. 27. 

Pocknett is presently in the top-10 in Conference Carolinas in points (16.5) and rebounds (7.2) per game. 

2023-24 Conference Carolinas Men’s Basketball Freshman of the Month

January 2024

Mikhail Pocknett, King

Learn more about all weekly/monthly award winners in Conference Carolinas here.

January 2024 Women’s Bowling Freshman of the Month

Laney Sasso, Belmont Abbey

A freshman from Marrero, Louisiana, Laney Sasso of Belmont Abbey averaged 169 during the month of January.

Sasso's best performance during the month came at the MSC Lynne Jordan Memorial Tournament where she had a four-game average of 175. Sasso placed in the top-100 individually and collected 700 total pins. She had a high game of 199. 

2023-24 Conference Carolinas Women’s Bowling Freshman of the Month

January 2024

Laney Sasso, Belmont Abbey

Learn more about all weekly/monthly award winners in Conference Carolinas here.

January 2024 Men’s Bowling Freshman of the Month

Lance Owens, Belmont Abbey

A freshman from New Bern, North Carolina, Lance Owens of Belmont Abbey put together a solid January that included a top-50 individual finish. He owned a nine-game varsity average of 189.5 during January.

Owens' top performance in the month came at the MSC Thomas Burns Memorial where he owned a 195.2 five-game average. He had a high game of 238 and he collected 976 total pins. He finished the Kegel/ISBPA Collegiate Classic with a four-game average of 182.5. He picked up 730 total pins and had a high game of 196. Owens also had a top-10 individual finish in a JV event in January, placing eighth in JV1 at the MSC Lynne Jordan Memorial Tournament with a five-game average of 223.4. He collected 1,117 total pins in the JV1 event.

2023-24 Conference Carolinas Men’s Bowling Freshman of the Month

January 2024

Lance Owens, Belmont Abbey

Learn more about all weekly/monthly award winners in Conference Carolinas here.

January 2024 Women’s Swimming & Diving Freshman of the Month

Benedetta Pepe Pugliese, UNC Pembroke

A freshman from Avellino, Italy, Benedetta Pepe Pugliese of UNC Pembroke put together a strong January against some of the best competition in NCAA Division II and Division I. She won Swimmer of the Week in Conference Carolinas twice during the month of January.

Pepe Pugliese of UNC Pembroke opened the month by claiming first-place honors in the 200-yard individual medley (2:08.39) and the 200-yard breaststroke (2:20.92) at the Catawba Tri-Meet that featured sixth-ranked Wingate and 22nd-ranked Catawba. She also placed second in the 100-yard breaststroke. Pepe Pugliese also was a part of the 200-yard medley relay team that captured first place with a time of 1:52.34.

Pepe Pugliese of UNC Pembroke closed the month by winning three individual events at NCAA Division I UNC Asheville. The freshman logged an NCAA B Standard time in the 400-yard individual medley to highlight her performance. Pepe Pugliese won the 400-yard individual medley (4:27.87), the 200-yard breaststroke (2:20.98) and the 1000-yard freestyle (10:27.44) events. 

2023-24 Conference Carolinas Women’s Swimming & Diving Freshman of the Month

January 2024

Benedetta Pepe Pugliese, UNC Pembroke

Learn more about all weekly/monthly award winners in Conference Carolinas here.
 

January 2024 Men’s Swimming & Diving Freshman of the Month

Daniel Merzthal, Converse

A freshman from Lima in Peru, Daniel Merzthal of Converse picked up seven first-place finishes over the course of the month of January. 

In a tri-meet with Lenoir-Rhyne and Wheeling on Jan. 5, Merzthal secured the win in the 50 breaststroke (27.93) and the 100 breaststroke (1:01.78). One day later in a tri-meet with Lenoir-Rhyne and Emory & Henry, Merzthal claimed first-place honors in the 100 freestyle (48.87) and the 100 breaststroke (1:02.05). He closed out the month by earning top honors in the 50 backstroke (26.10), the 50 butterfly (24.10) and the 100 individual medley (54.32) in a dual meet with Warren Wilson. His times in the 50 butterfly and the 100 IM in the dual with Warren Wilson were a personal-best.

2023-24 Conference Carolinas Men’s Swimming & Diving Freshman of the Month

January 2024

Daniel Merzthal, Converse

Learn more about all weekly/monthly award winners in Conference Carolinas here.