Four Earn USA South Honors

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - Shenandoah University had four student-athletes earn USA South Conference weekly awards in selections announced Monday afternoon by the league.

Junior Corey Giffing and freshman Caleb Hartsook swept USA South Conference Defensive honors in football while senior Jennie Ott and freshman Ryan Taylor grabbed half of the honors given out in cross country.

Giffing, a linebacker, was named as the league's Defensive Player of the Week after making seven solo and six assisted tackles in a 16-13 home loss to Catholic.

Both tackle totals tied Giffing for game-high honors.

The junior shared overall tackle honors with Hartsook, who was named as the USA South Defensive Rookie of the Week.

Hartsook had three solo and 10 assisted tackles with two of those stops going for a total of three yards in lost yardage.

These are the first league honors for both men.

Ott, a three-time All-USA South honoree in cross country, helped the No. 7 in the South Region women's cross country team to a pair of top five finishes this past week with a fourth and third place individual showing.

On Wednesday in a 5K home meet, Ott ran a 22:55 to help the Hornets best three teams in the event.

Three days later, she ran off a 22:58 in the 6K Salisbury University to finish fourth out of 118 runners.

She was second overall among DIII entrants.

Taylor rounds out the honorees with his selection as USA South Conference men's cross country Rookie of the Week.

Taylor won the Shenandoah Invitational on Wednesday, crossing the line along with junior Josiah Renton at 18:27, before coming in 11th at Salisbury University with a 26:31.

Taylor's efforts helped the men win the home meet and finish fourth at Salisbury.