SPARTANBURG, S.C. - UNC Greensboro and Samford each earned four first-team all-conference selections in balloting conducted by the league's head coaches. UNCG freshman forward Tabitha Padgett and Samford senior forward Amber Cress were named Co-Players of the Year. The Citadel's Bob Winch was named the league's Coach of the Year while Padgett was also named Freshman of the Year.
Cress led the Bulldogs with 23 points on the season, including three game-winning goals. Padgett has 19 points for UNCG on the strength of eight goals, five of which have been game winners. Winch guided The Citadel to five wins during the regular season and a school-record eight points during league play.
The Spartans, who won their fourth consecutive regular-season title, placed midfielders Jen Bronson and Jenn Partenheimer, defenseman Lauren Lopez and Padgett on the first team. Samford was represented on the first team by goalkeeper Alyssa Whitehead, midfielder Natalie Fleming, defenseman Theresa Henry and Cress. Davidson's Kyri Bye-Nagel, College of Charleston's Brittany Schneider and Elon freshman Claire O'Keefe also garnered first-team honors.
UNC Greensboro and Davidson each placed three members on the league's second team. Forward Kristin Player, defenseman Cat Barnekow and goalkeeper Kelsey Kearney represented the Spartans while forward Blakely Low, midfielder Courtney Hart and defenseman Amanda Flink represented the Wildcats. Furman's Sara El-Shami and Katya Gokhman earned second team honors. College of Charleston's Annie Pease, Elon's Molly Calpin and Chattanooga's Donna-Kay Henry rounded out the second team.
Elon placed three members on the all-freshman team. Scarlett Fakhar, Claire O'Keeffe and Elizabeth Palmer represented the Phoenix while Padgett and Lauren Hein earned all-freshman honors for UNC Greensboro. Furman's Claire Hodge, College of Charleston's Alyssa Bearden, Appalachian State's Meggie Graham, Chattanooga's Becca Smith, Samford's Sabbath McKiernan-Allen and Davidson's Louise Timboe also earned all-freshman distinction.
The Southern Conference Tournament begins at 5:00 p.m. Friday evening at UNC Greensboro's Soccer Stadium. No. 2 seed College of Charleston will take on No. 3 seed Samford in the opening semifinal. Top-seeded UNC Greensboro will square off against No. 4 seed Davidson at 7:30 p.m. The championship match will take place at 1:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
All-Conference
First Team
F Kyri Bye-Nagel, Davidson
F Tabitha Padgett, UNC Greensboro
F Amber Cress, Samford
M Jen Bronson, UNC Greensboro
M Jenn Partenheimer, UNC Greensboro
M Natalie Fleming, Samford
D Brittany Schneider, College of Charleston
D Claire O'Keefe, Elon
D Lauren Lopez, UNC Greensboro
D Theresa Henry, Samford
GK Alyssa Whitehead, Samford
Second Team
F Donna-Kay Henry, Chattanooga
F Blakely Low, Davidson
F Molly Calpin, Elon
F Kristin Player, UNC Greensboro
M Courtney Hart, Davidson
M Sara El-Shami, Furman
M Katya Gokhman, Furman
D Annie Pease, College of Charleston
D Amanda Flink, Davidson
D Cat Barnekow, UNC Greensboro
GK Kelsey Kearney, UNC Greensboro
All-Freshman Team
F Alyssa Bearden, College of Charleston
F Meggie Graham, Appalachian State
F Tabitha Padgett, UNC Greensboro
F Becca Smith, Chattanooga
M Scarlett Fakhar, Elon
M Lauren Hein, UNC Greensboro
D Claire Hodge, Furman
D Sabbath McKiernan-Allen, Samford
D Claire O'Keeffe, Elon
D Elizabeth Palmer, Elon
D Louise Timboe, Davidson
Co-Players of the Year: Amber Cress, Samford & Tabitha Padgett, UNC Greensboro
Freshman of the Year: Tabitha Padgett, UNC Greensboro
Coach of the Year: Bob Winch, The Citadel
Photo Credit: Samford
