Two Samford University athletes named as Southern Conference Players of the Week

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Two Samford University athletes have earned Southern Conference (SoCon) Players of the Week honors, the conference announced Wednesday.

Brandon Vanderpool, a freshman from Smyrna, Georgia, was named as the SoCon Men’s Field Athlete of the Week after his performance at the Bulldog Open. In the event, Vanderpool set a new personal record by a foot, and his top mark of 5.45m ranks 18th in the NCAA.

Up next for the Bulldogs is the 2024 USATF Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Feb. 16-17. After that, they will compete in the Southern Conference Championship on Feb. 24-25 in Lexington, Virginia.

Samford women’s golfer Gabi Nicastro was named the SoCon Women’s Golfer of the Week after her stellar play at the Oyster Shuck Match Play in Charleston, South Carolina. The freshman native of Huntsville, Alabama went 2-0 in the match play event, winning her first match 6&5. After her win in the first match, Nicastro continued her stellar play with a dominating 8&7 victory in her second match en route to the Lady Bulldogs being named co-champions of the event with Western Carolina.

The Lady Bulldogs will be back in action Feb. 18-19, competing in the ASU Spring Classic in Prattville, Alabama.

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