Four Hawks recognized as USA South Athletes of the Week

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Four Huntingdon Hawks were recognized by the USA South Athletic Conference on Monday with the release of the conference's Athletes of the Week awards.

Brooks Freeman was named Pitcher of the Week for baseball, Madison Hunt was chosen as Pitcher of the Week for softball, Sam Hitt was recognized as Defensive Player of the Week for men's lacrosse and Josie Waddell was selected as Player of the Week for women's tennis.

This is the second straight week a Hawk has been named Baseball Pitcher of the Week. This is the first recognition of 2019 for softball, men's lacrosse and women's tennis.

Freeman, a junior from Helena, Ala., was recognized for his performance against the No. 2 team in the nation during the Moe's BBQ Smokin' Classic at Posey Field. Making his second start of the season, Freeman shut down the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in a 3-1 victory. Freeman pitched eight scoreless innings, struck out eight, walked two and scattered six hits.

Hunt was recognized for her efforts in four games this season. The junior from Crossville, Ala., is 3-0 this season with a 1.10 ERA and eight strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings. She has allowed just 10 hits and has not given up a walk.

Hunt opened the season with one strikeout in an inning of relief against the University of Ozarks before pitching two complete-game wins against Rhodes and Millsaps. In a 3-0 win over Rhodes, Hunt pitched seven innings, struck out three and scattered five hits.

In a 5-2 win over Millsaps, Hunt struck out four, gave up three hits and allowed two runs in seven innings. In a 3-2 win over Millsaps, Hunt gave up two hits and earned the win in 1 1/3 innings of relief.

This is the second straight season Hitt has been named Defensive Player of the Week for the first men's lacrosse awards of the season. Hitt, the USA South Player of the Year last season, was the conference's first Defensive Player of the Week and earned the honor a total of four times last season during the conference's first year sponsoring men's lacrosse.

He was recognized this week for his performance in the Hawks' 20-11 loss to Southwestern and 26-6 win over the University of Dallas. In the season opener at Southwestern, Hitt was 17-for-34 on faceoffs and picked up 10 ground balls.

In the home opener against Dallas, Hitt set two individual Huntingdon records and helped the Hawks set the program record for goals scored in a game and tie the Huntingdon record for margin of victory.

Hitt scored three goals and finished the game 29-for-35 on faceoffs to set Huntingdon's single-game record for faceoff wins. His 21 ground balls in the game also set a single-game record for the Hawks.

Through two games, the senior from Finksburg, Md., is 46-for-69 on faceoffs, has 31 ground balls and three goals scored in five shots taken.

Waddell opened the season with a 3-0 record in singles and a 2-1 record in doubles to earn Women's Tennis Player of the Week. She won 6-3, 6-1 at No. 3 singles in a season-opening 8-1 win over Belhaven, won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 singles in an 8-1 win over Louisiana College and won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3 singles in a 7-2 loss to Millsaps.

The senior from Tuscumbia, Ala., teamed with Zoya Robinson at No. 1 doubles to win 8-3 against Belhaven and 8-1 against Louisiana College before losing 8-3 to Millsaps.

To view the entire list of USA South Athletes of the Week, click here.