Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Month for February of 2025

3/7/2025 5:00:00 PM

MEN'S VOLLEYBALL
FRESHMAN OF THE MONTH - Previous Winners
Luca Colombo | Mount Olive | Freshman | Libero | Milan, Italy
Colombo delivered a stellar defensive performance throughout the month of February after averaging 3.76 digs per set while the Trojans went a perfect 7-0 overall. He reached double-digit digs in five of seven matches, including a pair of standout defensive showing to close out the month. Colombo finished with 15 digs and three assists on Feb. 18 in a 3-0 sweep over Catawba. The next week, he set a new career-high with 18 digs in a 3-0 win over Erskine on Feb. 28.Colombo also posted a .946 reception percentage with only six errors on 111 total attempts.

WOMEN'S LACROSSE
FRESHMAN OF THE MONTH - Previous Winners
Zoey Jacobs | Converse | Freshman | Attack | Alpharetta, Georgia
Jacobs started five games in February and tallied 10 points. She scored four goals, and assists. Of her nine shot attempts, eight were on target. She set a career-high iwth four assists in a win over Mars Hill and scored two goals against Young Harris.

MEN'S LACROSSE
FRESHMAN OF THE MONTH - Previous Winners
Garvin Johnson | Lees-McRae | Freshman | Midfield | Houston, Texas
Johnson scored season-high four goals in 13-12 win against Alabama Huntsville and picked up nine ground balls in the contest. He later recorded three goals and six ground balls against Florida Tech. He leads Lees-McRae in ground balls (25) and has won 25-45 from faceoffs.

ACROBATICS & TUMBLING
FRESHMAN OF THE MONTH - Previous Winners
Abigayle Heney | Wingate | Freshman | Top/Tumbler | Troutman, North Carolina
Heney competes in 13 heats across all six events for the Bulldogs and serves as a key player in each. Her performance in her first month of competition is highlighted by a pair of 9.75/10.00 scores in the open pyramid, a 9.65/10.00 in the compulsory pyramid, a 9.25/9.70 in the inversion pyramid, and a 9.45/10.00 in the 7-element acro. Other impressive scores include a 9.25/9.80 in the 5-element acro, an 8.50/9.00 in the 450 salto toss, and an 82.8/95.35 in the team event.

Heney has made an immediate impact on Wingate's performance – so far this season she has set a new program record in sevent different heats, even going on to surpass her own records multiple meets in a row in the compulsory acro, 7-element acro, open pyramid, and auad tumbling heats. She adds substantial difficulty, resulting in higher start values throughout all six events, especially the acro and pyramid events. This added difficulty- coupled with her impressive execution- has played an invaluable role in Wingate's performance this season, including their upsetting two higher-ranked conference teams this month.

MEN'S GOLF
FRESHMAN OF THE MONTH - Previous Winners
Max Newton | Belmont Abbey | Freshman | Cary, North Carolina
Newton competed in three tournaments for the Crusaders, posting a stroke average of 71.0. He started by shooting 219 (72-75-72) to finish 12th at the Bearcat Invitational. He then finished 10th at another tournament before taking 12th in the final tournament of the month. At the Spring Bulldog Clash, he shot 207 (69-70-68) to take 12th. For the month he posted five rounds of par or better, including two rounds in the 60s.

WOMEN'S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD
FRESHMAN OF THE MONTH - Previous Winners
Futoria Harris | Mount Olive | Freshman | Sprints| Fayetteville, North Carolina
Harris continued her phenomenal freshman campaign in February after setting five NCAA provisional marks across two events and claiming one event victory. At the Doc Hale Meet on Feb. 7-8, she reset her league record in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.40 seconds to secure third place and an NCAA mark. Additionally, Harris established a NCAA standard in the 200 meters after crossing the line in 24.58 seconds to place sixth.At the D1 Pre-National on Feb. 14-15, Harris once again set a new Conference Carolinas and UMO record in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.39 seconds, which ranks ninth in NCAA Division II.

MEN'S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD
FRESHMAN OF THE MONTH - Previous Winners
Ryland Hunley | Young Harris | Freshman | Jumps | Locust Grove, Georgia
Hunley finished runner-up in the heptathlon at the Conference Carolinas Indoor Track & Field Championships. He won the long jump at 6.21 meters and the pole vault, clearing 3.60 meters. He then finished runner-up in the high jump (1.84m) and 60m dash (7.35), while adding strong placements in the 60m hurdles (4th, 10.26), 1000m (4th, 3:16.03), and shot put (3rd, 9.06m). Hunley later finished sixth in the pole vault, clearing 3.58 meters.

WOMEN'S TENNIS
FRESHMAN OF THE MONTH - Previous Winners
Lara Lanno | Francis Marion | Freshman | Pforzheim, Germany
Lanno went 3-1 playing at No. 2 singles and went 2-1 at No.1 doubles teamed with freshman Valery Gomez. She provided the clinching point with her singles win in a 4-1 victory at Limestone of February 25. In singles play, the freshman won six of eight sets in the month.

MEN'S TENNIS
FRESHMAN OF THE MONTH - Previous Winners
Noah Pawirodirjo | Young Harris| Freshman | Netherlands
Pawirodirjo has made an immediate impact for the Mountain Lions, excelling in both singles and doubles play. Competing at No. 1 singles he secured four wins, including a clutch three-set victory over UVA Wise and a dominant straight-set performance against Lincoln Memorial. In doubles, he and partner Caleb McCurry proved to be a formidable duo, earning five wins.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
FRESHMAN OF THE MONTH - Previous Winners
Kiara Croskey | Francis Marion | Freshman | Guard | Sumter, South Carolina
Croskey averaged 12.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.8 steals per game in nine contests to help lead Francis Marion to a 9-0 mark in February and the top seed in the tournament. For the month, she shot 47.4 percent from the floor, 34.5 percent from long range and 71.4 percent from the free throw line. The freshman posted six games in double figures, including two over 20 points. She posted 25 points and nine rebounds in a win over Emmanuel and registered a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Barton.

MEN'S BASKETBALL
FRESHMAN OF THE MONTH - Previous Winners
Michael Wilson Jr. | North Greenville | Freshman | Forward | Charlotte, North Carolina
Wilson Jr. had a big month, averaging 20.4 points, 6.5 rebounds to go along with 12 assists and 16 steals. He posted 23 points and 13 rebounds against Erskine and closed the month with a pair of career-highs. He scored 28 points against UNC Pembroke before scoring 32 points to go along with seven rebounds against Francis Marion.

MEN'S BOWLING
FRESHMAN OF THE MONTH - Previous Winners
Braiden Meyers | Belmont Abbey | Freshman | Weston, Florida
Meyers averaged 212.0 pins over five traditional games in the Crusaders only tournament of the month, the Columbia 300 Hoosier Classic. He helped Belmont Abbey finish 31st of 78 teams and placed 35th in the individual standings. Meyers rolled three games over 200 with a high of 267.

SOFTBALL
FRESHMAN OF THE MONTH - Previous Winners
Lilly Hartsell | Belmont Abbey | Freshman | Pitcher | Oakboro, North Carolina
Hartsell Opened her career with six straight wins, going 6-0 in February while earning two saves. All six wins were complete games, including two shutouts. She closed the month with a 2.21 ERA in 56 innings pitched while holding opponents to a .226 batting average. In that time she struck out 69, including the first 11 batters she faced.

BASEBALL
FRESHMAN OF THE MONTH - Previous Winners
Tristan Salinas | North Greenville | Freshman | Infield | Boone, North Carolina
Salinas had a big opening month for a North Greenville squad that has been ranked in the nation's top 10 all season. He owned a .433 batting average with 13 hits and 16 runs scored while playing in 10 games. He laced three doubles to post a slugging percentage of .533 while driving in seven runs. The infielder also worked six walks to record an on base percentage of .568.

MEN'S WRESTLING
FRESHMAN OF THE MONTH - Previous Winners
Brent Nicolosi | Mount Olive | Freshman | 165 pounds | Haverhill, Massachusetts
Nicolosi registered a 3-0 record at 165 pounds while completing a perfect undefeated season in Conference Carolinas duals. On Feb. 1 in a tri-meet, he defeated Austin Collins of Coker via a 19-3 tech fall before recording 21-6 tech fall over Samuel Daniels of Limestone. A week later, Nicolosi aided the Trojans to their first-ever Conference Carolinas East Division title following a victory of Newberry after collecting a 21-6 tech fall over Nick Humphrys on Feb. 6.

WOMEN'S WRESTLING
FRESHMAN OF THE MONTH - Previous Winners
O'marzria Wright | Mount Olive | Freshman | 110 pounds | Lenoir, North Carolina
Wright produced a 5-1 record to close out the regular season, including a third-place podium finish at the Bobcat Open .She delivered a 4-1 record at 110 pounds to claim a third-place finish while competing at the Bobcat Open on Feb. 2. She earned a 10-0 tech fall over Nila Bland of West Liberty before falling into the consolation bracket after suffering a loss due to injury default. Wright responded with four straight victories, including three straight shutout tech falls. In the third-place match, she produced a dominant 15-4 tech fall versus Kylee Bentley.Against Newberry on Feb. 6 in the season-finale, Wright posted a first-round fall over Celeste Welch at 117 pounds to help Mount Olive to dominant 39-10 win over the Wolves.