SGTC recognizes sophomore Jets and Lady Jets

March 10, 2025
Shown above (l to r) for the Jets and Lady Jets sophomore day presentations are: SGTC Athletic Director and Lady Jets head coach Jason Carpenter, Lady Jets Enola Papin and Maria Favero, Lady Jets Assistant Coach Olivia Melvin, Jets Booster Club President Martha Arrington, Lady Jet Mio Sakano, Jets Athletic Coordinator Terrie Battle, Pascal Bod with Jets Daryl Bod, Jets Vaughn Prosser along with Hutch Wills, Layla, Lindi and Ivey Ballauer, along with Jets head coach Chris Ballauer and SGTC President Dr. John Watford.
Shown above (l to r) for the Jets and Lady Jets sophomore day presentations are: SGTC Athletic Director and Lady Jets head coach Jason Carpenter, Lady Jets Enola Papin and Maria Favero, Lady Jets Assistant Coach Olivia Melvin, Jets Booster Club President Martha Arrington, Lady Jet Mio Sakano, Jets Athletic Coordinator Terrie Battle, Pascal Bod with Jets Daryl Bod, Jets Vaughn Prosser along with Hutch Wills, Layla, Lindi and Ivey Ballauer, along with Jets head coach Chris Ballauer and SGTC President Dr. John Watford.

     Five South Georgia Technical College Jets and Lady Jets were recognized prior to the Jets – Gordon State College basketball game on Saturday as part of the SGTC Sophomore Day spotlight.  The five players recognized included:  Lady Jets Maria Favero, Enola Papin and Mio Sakano and the Jets Daryl Bod and Vaughn Prosser.

   South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford thanked the players and their families for selecting South Georgia Technical College to continue their academic and athletic post-secondary careers.  He wished them the best for the remainder of their seasons here and beyond.

   Over the past two years under head coach Jason Carpenter, the Lady Jets are currently 43 – 16.  They compiled a 20 – 10 overall record in 2023 – 2024 and finished second in the GCAA Division 1 women’s basketball regular season. This season the Lady Jets are currently ranked first in the conference with a 23 – 6 and 14 – 1 performance.  They will host the NJCAA Region XVII end of the season tournament beginning at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 13.  They will host the winner of the Central Georgia Tech – Andrew College game which will be played on Monday, March 10 at 5:30 p.m. at Central Georgia Tech.

   Sophomore guard Maria Favero is from Cascovel Parana, Brazil and was escorted by Lady Jets’ Assistant Coach Olivia Melvin during the Sophomore Day presentations.  According to Lady Jets head coach Jason Carpenter, Favero epitomized Lady Jets basketball with her relentless effort, tenacious defense, and unselfish attitude.  She is a leader and inspiration on and off the court to her teammates.  She has obtained a 3.90 GPA and will graduate in May with an Associate Degree in Applied Science in Sports and Fitness Management.  Over the last nine games, Maria is averaging 4 points, three steals, three assists and eight rebounds.

   Sophomore guard Enola Papin is from Saint Etienne, France, and was escorted by Lady Jets’ head coach Jason Carpenter.  The 5’ 9” guard is a two-year starter and team co-captain.  She leads the GCAA conference with three-points made (82).  She is averaging 12.5 points per game, which makes her the fourth leading scorer in the conference.  She is also averaging 5.8 rebounds per game, which is the 10th best in the conference.  She was also selected as the GCAA Conference Player of the Week this season.

   Papin has accepted a scholarship to continue her career at NCAA Division I, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore.  She has a 3.79 GPA and will graduate in May with an Associate’s Degree in Sports and Fitness Management.

   The third Lady Jets player to be recognized was Mio Sakano from Yamanashi, Japan.  She was escorted by Jets Booster Club President Martha Arrington and SGTC Athletic Coordinator Terri Battle.  The two-year starter currently leads the GCAA in assists per game averaging 4.2 and in free throw percentage shooting (77.1%).  She is currently ranked second in the conference with scoring (14.5 points per game) and 11th in the GCAA in rebounds per game (5.2).  She also earned GCAA Conference Player of the Week honors this season.

   Sakano has a 3.57 GPA and will graduate in May with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Sports and Fitness Management.  She plans to continuer her academic and athletic career at NCAA Division 1, University of Miami-Ohio.

   The Jets, under head coach Chris Ballauer, have compiled a 30 – 30 overall record and 20 – 12 GCAA record for the past two seasons.  In 2023 – 2024, the Jets finished the regular season in third place with an 18 – 12 and 11 – 5 performance.  This season, they are currently 12 – 18 and 9 – 7 in the GCAA.  They finished fourth in the conference and will host Georgia Highlands in the first round of the NJCAA Region XVII playoffs Tuesday, March 11 at 7:30 p.m.

   Sophomore guard Daryl Bod is from Paris, France.  He came to South Georgia Tech from CENS in France and has bee a part of the Jets family for two seasons.  In Bod’s best game as a Jet, he had 18 points, five rebounds, two assists, and one steal.  He is receiving interest from several schools and has not decided where he will continue his basketball and academic career.  He is worked towards a Sports and Fitness Management degree.  He was escorted by his dad, Pascal Bod.

   Vaughn Prosser, a sophomore from Sydney, Australia, was the final player to be recognized.  He came to SGTC from NBSC Bolgowiah and has also been a part of the Jets family for two seasons. In his best game as a Jet, Prosser had 16 points, two rebounds, one assist and oen steal.  He is also receiving interest from several schools and has not decided on where he will continue his basketball and academic career.  He is working towards a degree in Sports and Fitness management.  He was escorted by Ivy Ballauer, Hutch Wills, Layla and Lindi Ballauer.