ROME, Ga. – Two members of the Salem basketball program, Nicole Hester and Lily Gorum, received recognition from the USA South Conference on Friday afternoon. Hester was named Honorable Mention All-Conference, while Gorum was placed on the league's All-Sportsmanship unit. 

Hester, who became the first Spirit to be named Honorable Mention All-Conference, joins Mikayla Seivers, Sabrina Shepherd and Dionne Sampson as the only four players in program history to claim either Second Team or Honorable Mention accolades since joining the league in 2016. 

Seivers was named All-Conference Second Team West Division in 2016-17 and claimed the same accolade for the East Division in 2017-18. Shepherd picked up All-Conference Second Team West Division honors in 2016-17 and followed that up by being named First Team in the East Division the following season. Sampson was a Second Team All-Conference performer in 2023-24. 

Hester capped off her first year at Salem by ranking in the Top 3 of 13 major statistical categories. She ranked first in field goals made (78), points (217), points per game (11.4), offensive rebounds (70), defensive rebounds (103), total rebounds (173), rebounds per game (9.1) and blocks (21). 

The first-year post player made 15 starts in 19 games over the course of the season, logging 620 minutes along the way. She led all Salem shooters from the floor, knocking down 78-of-192 field goals, finishing with a 40.6 shooting percentage. Hester was also successful on 61-of-98 free throws (62.2%), which led the Spirits in both free throws made and attempted. 

As a result of her success on the court, Hester finished off the season with seven double-double performances, which tied her alongside Sarah Smith for sixth-most single-season double-double outings in program history. Furthermore, it was the most since Quntashea Lewis notched 18 double doubles during the 2015-16 campaign. 

Gorum also made her presence felt for the Spirits, closing with 64 rebounds and 51 points in 15 games played. Gorum converted 19 field goals and knocked down 13 free throws to reach her 51-point mark on the season. She was also active on the glass with 64 rebounds, using her six-foot frame, to haul in 36 defensive rebounds. 

The Mint Hill, N.C., native had seven games with at least five rebounds, including double-digit rebounding performances against Brevard (12) and Methodist (11). Gorum also made it difficult on opposing shooters with her 13 blocks, which were second-most on the unit. She established her single-game career-high in blocks (four) against Methodist on December 17, 2024.