MOBILE, Ala. – The Sun Belt Conference announced the 2014 Women’s Soccer All-Conference team and individual award winners on Tuesday evening at the pre-tournament banquet at the 2014 Women’s Soccer Championship in Mobile, Ala. The selections were made in a vote by the league’s 10 head coaches.
South Alabama freshman, Chardé Hannah, was named the league’s Offensive Player and Freshman of the Year after posting a league leading 41 points, 17 goals and 7 assists. The 41 points place Hannah in fifth all-time in Jaguar history in a single season and her 17 goals rank second overall all-time on the Jaguar single-season list.
Hannah, a native of Tupelo, Miss., was a three-time Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week honoree. She was one of four Jaguar freshmen to grace the first team – joining Hannah were forward Rio Hardy, defender Steffi Hardy and midfielder Sophie Haywood.
USA’s Nini Rabsatt-Smith was named the conference’s top defender as she was one of the key players on the Jaguars’ defense which kept eight shutouts on the season. Rabsatt-Smith chipped in 12 points as a defender.
Rabsatt-Smith started 18 matches for the Jaguars, and helped hold the Jags’ opponents to 16 goals, the fewest in a regular season in school history.
USA’s Graham Winkworth earned his first Sun Belt Coach of the Year award after he led the Jaguars to a 16-2-1 overall record and a 8-0-1 conference mark, a regular season title and the tournament’s top seed. The 16 wins are two wins away from tying the school (single-season) record and the two losses are tied for the fewest in program history.
In addition to the individual awards the Sun Belt awarded the All-Conference First and Second teams. Top-seeded USA placed seven individuals on the All-Conference teams including five on first team. Second-seeded Troy had five student-athletes on the two lists. The Georgia Southern Eagles placed three on the All-Conference lists. UL Lafayette, Georgia State and Texas State each placed two student-athletes on the lists while UALR was represented with one student-athlete.
The 2014 Sun Belt Conference Women's Soccer Championship begins Wednesday, Nov. 5. The opening match will pit No. 6 Georgia State against No. 3 Texas State at 10 a.m. (CT). All matches can be seen live via web streaming on the Sun Belt Conference official website - www.sunbeltsports.org. All streamed matches are free for viewing.
2014 SBC First Team All-Conference
Chardé Hannah (South Alabama, Freshman, Forward)
Rio Hardy (South Alabama, Freshman, Forward)
Lynsey Curry (Texas State, Junior, Forward)
Nora El-Shami (Georgia Southern, Junior, Midfielder)
Sophie Haywood (South Alabama, Freshman, Midfielder)
Alissa Jones (Troy, Junior Midfielder)
Grace Howell-Harries (UL Lafayette, Senior, Defender)
Steffi Hardy (South Alabama, Freshman, Defender)
Nini Rabsatt-Smith (South Alabama, Junior, Defender)
Georgia Wallis (Troy, Senior, Defender)
Katie Merson (Georgia Southern, R-Senior, Goalkeeper)
2014 SBC Second Team All-Conference
Fali Garuba (UALR, Freshman, Forward)
Melinda Lukas (Georgia Southern, Sophomore, Forward)
Whitney Ravan (Georgia State, Senior, Forward)
Chelsey Williams (Troy, Junior, Forward)
Kimberly Grasso (UL Lafayette, Sophomore, Midfielder)
Monique Autmon (South Alabama, Sophomore, Midfielder)
Danielle Henley (South Alabama, Freshman, Midfielder)
Jenna Moore (Georgia State, Junior, Defender)
Elizabeth Havenhill (Texas State, Freshman, Defender)
Payton Donley (Troy, Junior, Defender)
Mikki Lewis (Troy, Freshman, Goalkeeper)
2014 SBC Offensive Player of the Year
Chardé Hannah (South Alabama, Freshman, Forward)
2014 SBC Defensive Player of the Year
Nini Rabsatt-Smith (South Alabama, Junior, Defender)
2014 SBC Freshman of the Year
Chardé Hannah (South Alabama, Freshman, Forward)
2014 SBC Coach of the Year
Graham Winkworth, South Alabama