FOLEY, Ala. – The Sun Belt Conference announced the 2016 Women’s Soccer All-Conference team and individual award winners on Tuesday afternoon. The selections were made in a vote by the league’s 11 head coaches.
South Alabama sophomore Jemma Purfield, was named the league's Player of the Year as well as the Defensive Player of the Year, while Appalachian State senior, Jane Cline, was tabbed as the league's Offensive Player of the Year.
Purfield's teammate, Alexis Jordan, was named Freshman of the Year and Arkansas State's Taylor Schneider was named the league's Newcomer of the Year. UL Monroe's Keyton Wheelock was chosen as Coach of the Year.
Purfield, a 2015 Second Team All-Sun Belt selection, finished second in the league with 23 total points, scoring eight goals and tallying seven assists. She was one of two Jaguars to start all 18 matches, while placing 53.3 percent of her shots on goal. She finished the season with 60 shots, 46 during conference play. Six of her eight goals and five of her seven assists came during league play.
Cline, also a 2015 second team selection, had the best season of her career as she was a viable attacking threat during both non-conference and conference matches. Cline started all 18 matches for the Mountaineers, logging 1,419 minutes. Cline lead the league in goals scored (11), points (24) and shots (84). Five of her eleven goals were game-winners, including an overtime winner in the season finale against USA. She tallied four goals in her final three matches during the regular season.
Jordan led all Sun Belt freshman in assists as she totaled five in 16 matches, two coming in league play. She was part of the Jaguar back-line that led the conference in goals allowed (0.83) and goals against average (0.80) while tying for the league lead in shutouts with 9. Jordan and the Jaguars held 12 opponents to five shots or less on goal.
Schneider was named the league's Newcomer of the Year, an award that was re-instituted this season. The A-State midfielder transferred to the Red Wolves from Illinois State and has made an immediate impact on the team. She emerged as the top offensive threat for the Red Wolves scoring four goals, three during league play, while adding an additional two assists. Three of her four goals were game-winners for the Red Wolves.
ULM's Wheelock earned her first Coach of the Year award after leading the Warhawks to their first trip to the Sun Belt championship in program history. Wheelock took over the reins at ULM in 2016 following a stint as an assistant coach at USA. Her Warhawks went 4-4-2 in league play this season, which is the first time in program history the team finished .500 or better during conference play. The four Sun Belt wins also matched a program record.
In addition to the individual awards the Sun Belt awarded the All-Conference First and Second teams. Top-seeded USA placed six individuals on the All-Conference teams three on each of the first- and second-teams. Third-seeded Little Rock had four student-athletes on the two lists. The second-seeded Coastal Carolina Chanticleers and eighth-seeded Troy Trojans placed three apiece on the All-Conference lists. Appalachian State, Arkansas State, UL Lafayette, UL Monroe, Georgia Southern and Texas State each placed one student-athlete on the lists.
The championship tournament begins in Foley, Ala. on Wednesday, Nov. 2. The opening match will pit No. 2 Coastal Carolina vs. No. 7 Arkansas State at 10 a.m. (CT). Semifinal matches take place on Friday, Nov. 4 and the championship scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 6 at 1 p.m. (CT). All matches of the tournament will be broadcast by ESPN3 and available on the WatchESPN app.
Fans can follow the action from the Foley Sports Tourism Complex via Twitter (@SunBelt) or through live stats available on SunBeltSports.org.
First Team All-Conference
Jane Cline (Appalachian State, Senior, Forward)
Arola Aparicio (Little Rock, Sophomore, Forward)
Amber Adams (Coastal Carolina, Senior, Forward)
Daniella Famili (Coastal Carolina, Junior, Forward)
Sarah Price (Georgia Southern, Junior, Forward)
Yazmin Montoya (UL Lafayette, Senior, Forward)
Brooke-Lynn Scroggins (UL Monroe, Sophomore, Goalkeeper)
Rio Hardy (South Alabama, Junior, Forward)
Alexis Jordan (South Alabama, Freshman, Defender)
Jemma Purfield (South Alabama, Sophomore, Defender)
Lauren Prater (Texas State, Senior, Forward)
Second Team All-Conference
Kelsey Ponder (Arkansas State, Sophomore, Goalkeeper)
Doro Greulich (Little Rock, Freshman, Midfielder)
Mikayla Uyokpeyi (Little Rock, Senior, Midfielder)
Quin Wilkes (Little Rock, Junior, Midfielder)
Becca Austin (Coastal Carolina, Senior, Goalkeeper)
Monique Autmon (South Alabama, Senior, Midfielder)
Hannah Godfrey (South Alabama, Sophomore, Defender)
Danielle Henley (South Alabama, Junior, Midfielder)
Alex Huynh (Troy, Senior, Defender)
Abby Reynolds (Troy, Senior, Forward)
Haley Roberson (Troy, Junior, Defender)
2016 Player of the Year
Jemma Purfield (South Alabama, Sophomore, Defender)
2016 Offensive Player of the Year
Jane Cline (Appalachian State, Senior, Forward)
2016 Defensive Player of the Year
Jemma Purfield (South Alabama, Sophomore, Defender)
2016 Freshman of the Year
Alexis Jordan (South Alabama, Freshman, Defender)
2016 Newcomer of the Year
Taylor Schneider (Arkansas State, Sophomore, Midfielder)
2016 Coach of the Year
Keyton Wheelock, UL Monroe