Football
ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – The South Atlantic Conference announced its WePlayed Football Players of the Week for games played during Week One of the 2026 season. UVA Wise’s McCalan Beason was named the Offensive Player of the Week and Tusculum’s Kevin Jordan was named the Defensive Player of the Week, while Carson-Newman’s Bennett Smith was named the Special Teams Player of the Week.
Beason, a redshirt freshman from Gardendale, Ala., completed 20 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns at Division I Presbyterian on Aug. 27. He also added 99 yards and two touchdowns on 16 rushing attempts, accounting for five touchdowns and 437 yards of total offense in the game. His 99 rushing yards are the most by a UVA Wise quarterback in a single game since at least 2003. Beason leads the conference in passing yards and ranks second in rushing yards.
Jordan, a junior from Cincinnati, Ohio, established a new Tusculum record with a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Pioneers' 42-7 season-opening win over Bluefield State. The 100-yard pick-six broke the previous mark of 97 yards and tied South Atlantic Conference and NCAA records. Jordan's interception came in the final seconds of the first half and capped a 35-point quarter for Tusculum — also a new TU record. Jordan also made four tackles and forced a fumble that set up one of four touchdowns produced by turnovers for the TU defense in Thursday's opener.
Smith, a junior from Cleveland, Tenn., was clutch in the Eagles’ season-opening win over Tiffin. Smith booted the game-winning field goal with 42 seconds remaining to cap a dramatic comeback. He hit the winner from 42 yards out and also connected on a 48-yarder late in the third quarter to pull Carson-Newman within seven. Smith was 2-for-2 on field goals and 5-for-5 on extra points in the 41-38 win.
2026 SAC Football Players of the Week
Offensive Player of the Week
Aug. 31 – McCalan Beason, UVA Wise
Defensive Player of the Week
Aug. 31 – Kevin Jordan, Tusculum
Special Teams Player of the Week
Aug. 31 – Bennett Smith, Carson-Newman
Women's Soccer
ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – The South Atlantic Conference announced its WePlayed Sports Women’s Soccer Players of the Week for matches played during week one of the 2026 season. Carson-Newman’s Olivia Shannon was named the Offensive Player of the Week while Anderson’s Aliyah Morgan brought home Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Shannon, a freshman from Wicklow, Ireland, had a conference-leading four points for the Eagles. She scored or assisted on all three of C-N's goals during the opening week. She had the second goal in a 2-0 win over Young Harris and added assists on the Eagles other two tallies for the week.
Morgan, a redshirt junior from Fort Myers, Fla., had a fantastic week to open the 2026 campaign, facing 22 shots with 14 saves and only one goal allowed. In the season opener at Lander on Thursday, Morgan played all 90 minutes, producing eight saves and only allowing one goal for a 0.889 SV%. At home on Saturday, she notched her first shutout of the season in a 3-0 victory over Southern Wesleyan. In the match, Morgan boasted six saves for a 1.00 SV% in just 72 minutes in goal.
2026 SAC Women’s Soccer Players of the Week
Offensive Player of the Week
Aug. 31 – Olivia Shannon, Carson-Newman
Defensive Player of the Week
Aug. 31 – Aliyah Morgan, Anderson
Men's Soccer
ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – The South Atlantic Conference announced its WePlayed Sports Men’s Soccer Players of the Week for matches played during week one of the 2026 season. Carson-Newman’s Oscar Davey was named the Offensive Player of the Week while Wingate’s Cole Freeman brought home Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Davey, a freshman from Grimsby, England, scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Nova Southeastern in the season opener for Carson-Newman. He became the first freshman to record a brace in their C-N debut since Theo Hardenby Öhrwall in 2021.
d a conference-leading four points for the Eagles. She scored or assisted on all three of C-N's goals during the opening week. She had the second goal in a 2-0 win over Young Harris and added assists on the Eagles other two tallies for the week.
Freeman, a freshman from Charlotte, N.C., notched a shutout in his Wingate debut Saturday night, as the Bulldogs opened the season with an impressive 2-0 victory against Lander. Freeman registered three saves on the day, including a pair of saves in the second half, to preserve the clean sheet.
2026 SAC Men’s Soccer Players of the Week
Offensive Player of the Week
Aug. 31 – Oscar Davey, Carson-Newman
Defensive Player of the Week
Aug. 31 – Cole Freeman, Wingate
Volleyball
ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – The South Atlantic Conference announced its WePlayed Sports Volleyball Players of the Week for matches played during week one of the 2026 season. Carson-Newman’s Emerson Ahsmuhs was named the Offensive Player of the Week while Anderson’s Jamie Juhnevicz brought home Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Ahsmuhs, a junior from Placentia, Calif., led all Carson-Newman attackers in the opening weekend of the season with 53 kills across the four matches, averaging 13.25 kills per game and 3.79 per set. Throughout the Georgia College Tournament, she hit .318 and collected 49 digs on the weekend as well. In all four games, the junior had a double-double and now has 18 career double-doubles. She was responsible for 23% of all Carson-Newman's points in the opening weekend of play and helped the Eagles go 4-0.
Juhnevicz, a sophomore from Taylors, S.C., recorded 70 digs across four matches to help Anderson open the season 4-0. She posted a weekend-high 37 digs against Fairmont State, along with 12 against Lees-McRae, 11 against Bowie State, and 10 against East Stroudsburg.
2026 SAC Volleyball Players of the Week
Offensive Player of the Week
Aug. 31 – Emerson Ahsmuhs, Carson-Newman
Defensive Player of the Week
Aug. 31 – Jamie Juhnevicz, Anderson
WePlayed Sports is an official corporate partner of the South Atlantic Conference and title sponsor of the Conference's Player of the Week awards program.
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