Nov. 1, 2005
Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina announced today that senior women's golfer Ashley Hovda and junior Mitchell Dukes, a safety on the Catamount football team, where named the Catamount Student-Athletes of the Month for their outstanding performances during October.
Hovda (Springfield, Ohio) began the month by winning her second-consecutive individual medalist honors at the seventh-annual Wachovia-Great Smokies Intercollegiate at the Waynesville Country Club. She carded the best two-round score in Western history with a 134 to help the Catamounts claim the team title for the fourth-straight year. Her 10-under par score won by five strokes. Hovda recorded her third-consecutive, top three finish on the season by tying for third at the East Carolina / Taco Bell Intercollegiate. Her three-day, 216 ranked as the third-best, 54-hole tournament score in Western's history. At both the Great Smokies and Taco Bell Intercollegiate, Hovda tied WCU top individual single-rounds by shooting 66 on 18 holes. Entering the Edwin Watts/Palmetto Intercollegiate which concludes on Tuesday, Hovda was leading the team with a stroke average of 70.89, which ranked sixth nationally according to the Golfstat Cup rankings. Additionally, Hovda continues to rank third on Western's all-time scoring charts with a 77.48 stroke average.
Also receiving consideration for the monthly honor were sophomore Lauren Atkinson (women's soccer), who led the Catamounts with nine points during October, including three goals and three assists; junior goalkeeper, Alesha Row (women's soccer), who recorded a 6-3 overall record in the month with four shutout wins; and sophomore Meredith Harmon (volleyball) who led Western with 129 kills (2.93 k/gm) on a .321 attack percentage and 33 total blocks during the month.
Dukes (Atlanta, Ga.) helped Western get back in the Southern Conference race with back-to-back wins over then first-place Chattanooga and Elon. The junior safety tallied 18 tackles over the month. While he only had seven tackles versus The Citadel and Georgia, he rallied to register seven stops in a win at Chattanooga. Included in that total were four tackles for losses, including three sacks. The three sacks were one shy of a school record. Versus Elon, Dukes had two pass breakups and four tackles. In both the Chattanooga and Elon games, Dukes made the final defensive plays of the game. At Chattanooga, he dropped the Moc quarterback for a sack to seal the game. One week later, with WCU holding a five-point lead over Elon, he knocked down the Phoenix' "Hail Mary" pass in the endzone as time expired.
Dukes has been consistent all season to rank fourth on the team with 33 tackles this season. Has 0.86 passes defended per game to rank sixth in the SoCon, which equates to one pick and five PBUs. He has a total of five sacks on the season, ranking third in the conference, 28th in the nation and tied for first on the team. His seven tackles for losses ranks second on the team and 10th in the SoCon.
Also receiving consideration were senior Adam Puett (cross country), who ran 17th at the Blue Ridge Open and placed fifth at the SoCon Championship to earn All-SoCon honors for the third time in his career; and Tim Mayse (football), who averaged 44.2 yards per punt during the month, including a career-best 63-yard boot at Chattanooga. Mayse currently leads the SoCon in punting and ranks fifth nationally with an average of 43.03 yards per kick.
