SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Chattanooga's Alicia Payne has been named General Shale Southern Conference Student-Athlete of the Week for competition held March 2-8, the league office announced Wednesday.
 
A senior on the UTC women's basketball team, Payne helped lead the Mocs to their fourth straight SoCon tournament title this past weekend. The do-it-all guard averaged 11.6 points, 4.3 assists and 3.6 rebounds in three tournament games, while also making her presence felt on the defensive end. Payne opened up the postseason with 15 points, five rebounds and four assists in a 74-56 quarterfinal victory over Western Carolina before notching eight points, four assists and four steals as UTC bounced Samford, 49-41, in the semifinals.
 
Payne closed out her weekend by recording 12 points, five assists, four rebounds and a pair of thefts against Mercer in the title game on Sunday, as the Mocs prevailed, 65-57. The Memphis, Tenn., native was named the tournament's most outstanding player for her efforts.
 
Payne, a social work major, boasts a 3.89 grade point average. As a junior, she earned a spot on the SoCon Winter All-Academic Team and was named to the SoCon Honor Roll after posting a 4.0 grade point average both semesters.
 
Other nominees: Cameron Little (The Citadel, women's golf), Madison Boyd (ETSU, softball), Charlie Madden (Mercer, baseball) and Kassidy Blevins (Samford, women's basketball).
 
General Shale SoCon Student-Athletes of the Week
Sept. 9: Maggie Cropp, Mercer, Women's Soccer
Sept. 16: John Russ, Mercer, Football
Sept. 23: Nick Colvin, Wofford, Football
Sept. 30: Anna Maddox, Samford, Women's Soccer
Oct. 7: Briana Allmon, ETSU, Volleyball
Oct. 14: Derrick Craine, Chattanooga, Football
Oct. 21: Jamie Cunningham, The Citadel, Cross Country
Oct. 28: Daniel Riddle, Western Carolina, Football
Nov. 4: Jo Wilks, Furman, Volleyball
Nov. 11: Eric Goins, The Citadel, Football
Nov. 18: Catherine Chason, Chattanooga, Volleyball
Nov. 25: John Lampe, Chattanooga, Wrestling
Dec. 2: Lucy Mason, UNCG, Women's Basketball
Dec. 9: Sydni Means, Mercer, Women's Basketball
Dec. 16: Krista Stricklin, Samford, Women's Basketball
Dec. 23: Eric Robertson, Chattanooga, Men's Basketball
Jan. 6: Lucy Mason, UNCG, Women's Basketball
Jan. 13: Haydn Borghetti-Metz, ETSU, Track and Field
Jan. 20: Chandler Christopher, ETSU, Women's Basketball
Jan. 27: Taylor Reece, Samford, Women's Basketball
Feb. 3: Lyn Yee Choo, ETSU, Women's Tennis
Feb. 10: Ashley Kessler, ETSU, Track and Field
Feb. 17: Taylor Sigmon, Western Carolina, Softball
Feb. 24: Jose Hernandez, Mercer, Baseball
March 2: Allie Buchalski, Furman, Track and Field
March 9: Alicia Payne, Chattanooga, Women's Basketball