Jags Land Four On All-SBC Team; Allison Named Offensive Player And Freshman Of The Year
The University of South Alabama women’s soccer team had four student-athletes named to the All-Sun Belt Conference at the 2013 Women’s Soccer Awards Banquet on Tuesday. Also Lauren Allison was named the Offensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year.
Allison along with senior midfielder Clarissa Hernandez were named to the First-Team All-SBC team. Senior defenders Jess Oram and Shelby Owen were named to the second team. This marks the first time a Jaguar player has earned postseason All-Conference since 2008 and four selections are the most for the Jags since 2002.
Allison becomes the first student-athlete in Sun Belt History to win both the Offensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors in the same season.
Allison, a Bicester, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom native, finished the regular season with 39 points which ranks fourth-most in South Alabama’s single-season history. She had 14 goals and 11 assists. She led the Sun Belt in goals, goals per game, assists, assists per game and game-winning goals. She was twice named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week. She also ranks in the Top 25 in the NCAA in six offensive categories including points per game (5th), total points (8th), total assists (12th), assists per game (12th), total goals (19th) and goals per game (19th).
Hernandez was a 2013 preseason All-SBC selection and performed as expected. The senior recorded five goals and assists. Hernandez was named to the CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-District for the third year in a row.
Oran and Owen were the anchors in the Jaguar defense for the fourth consecutive year. They combined to keep seven opponents scoreless. The three seniors, Oram, Owen and Hernandez, could set a new South Alabama record for games played if they can advance to the Championship Match of the 2013 SBC Championships which begin today in San Marcos, Texas.
“I am delighted that these girls have been recognized by the coaches in the league,” said Jaguar head coach Graham Winkworth. “It is a huge honor to be an all-conference player in what is a league full of talent.”
“I am delighted for our three seniors: Riz, Jess and Shelby,” he continued. “They have been wonderful leaders in this squad and their work ethic since my arrival has been truly unbelievable. I am also very excited for Lauren. I knew from when I was recruiting her she would provide us with an additional threat up top and I cannot speak highly enough of her work for this team.”
“One of the greatest things about all these girls is that they always put their team first,” Winkworth concluded. “This team has worked magic over the last 10 months moving from number seven to number two in the league, and I am so proud of every one of them. They have also improved over 80 places in the NCAA RPI ratings. This team can really hold their heads very high with all they have achieved.”