Monday, December 12, 2005

Macon, Ga. – Gardner-Webb’s Simon Conn posted a pair of impressive double-doubles on his way to claiming the first Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Week honor of his career.

Conn led GWU to an undefeated start to A-Sun play with an impressive individual effort against Mercer. The 6-foot-9, 250-pound senior averaged 15.5 points, 15.0 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game on the week, posting a pair of double-doubles for the Bulldogs. Against Mercer, Conn scored 20 points, had a career-high 18 rebounds and broke a school record with seven blocked shots to help Gardner-Webb to a nine-point win in overtime. Conn scored 14 of his 20 points and pulled down 10 of his rebounds in the final 25 minutes of action, as GWU rallied from an eight-point hole at halftime. Notable as well is Conn’s defense in the game, as he helped hold preseason All-Conference center Will Emerson to just two points after the break.

Against Southern Conference favorite UNC Greensboro on Sunday, Conn battled for 11 points and 12 rebounds against the Spartans in a 76-68 loss. He hit 5-of-10 shots in 39 minutes of action, but was allowed to go to the free throw line just once, a season-low. For the week, the Melbourne, Australia native, averaged 40.5 minutes per game while extending his streak of .500 or better shooting from the floor to four games. Conn majors in Business Administration.

Conn is the only player in the A-Sun to rank in the league's top-10 in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots, field goal percentage and free throw percentage so far this season. In his last six games versus league foes, Conn has averaged 23.0 points and 11.5 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 60% from the floor.

The Atlantic Sun Conference hands out Player of the Week awards weekly during the 2005 soccer campaign.

The 11-member league headquartered in Macon, Ga., consists of Belmont, Campbell, ETSU, Florida Atlantic, Gardner-Webb, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Mercer, North Florida and Stetson.

OTHER TOP PERFORMERS
· Cameron Robinson, Lipscomb (Sr. - F – Portsmouth, Dominica – Organizational Communications Major)
Robinson averaged a double-double, including a school D-I record 17 rebounds versus Jackson State, for the week as Lipscomb extended their winning streak to three games

· Tim Smith, ETSU (Sr. - G – Newport News, Va. – Sport Management Major
Scored a season-high 33 points at Clemson, climbing to fourth on the school’s all-time scoring list