FOLEY, Ala. – The Sun Belt Conference announced the 2017 Women’s Soccer All-Conference team and individual award winners on Tuesday morning. The selections were made in a vote by the league’s 11 head coaches.
South Alabama senior Rio Hardy, was named the league's Player of the Year, while Texas State senior, Kassi Hormuth, was tabbed as the league's Offensive Player of the Year. Hardy's teammate, Hanna Godfrey, was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year.
Arkansas State's, Sarah Sodoma, was named Freshman of the Year and Texas State's Kaylee Davis was named the league's Newcomer of the Year. Texas State's Kat Conner was chosen as Coach of the Year by her coaching peers.
Hardy, a 2016 First Team All-Sun Belt selection, led the league in goals scored with nine in conference play while also leading the league in points with 21. She tallied three assists on the year, starting all ten conference matches. The Workington, England native had four game-winning goals and scored a point in all but two matches this year.
Hormuth, earned 15 points this season for the Bobcats on five goals and five assists. The five assists led the league during conference matches. She added three game-winning goals during league play while attempting 26 shots, ten on goal. Hormuth had a seven-match point streak, which coincided with Texas State's seven-match winning streak. She ended the regular season tied for third in school history with 15 assists, and ninth in school history with 44 points.
Godfrey logged 975 minutes for the Jaguars during league play, starting all ten matches for a defense that led the Sun Belt in goals against average (0.58) and goals allowed (6). The Jag defense limited all but one opponent to single-digit shots. A 2016 Second Team All-Sun Belt selection, Godfrey tallied an assist at Georgia Southern and finished with eight shots in league play.
A-State's Sodoma made an immediate impact for the Red Wolves this season ranking in the top ten in assists (3), goals (5) and points (13) during league play. Sodoma started every match as a true freshman and logged an average of 76 minutes per contest.
Davis completed her first season as a Bobcat tallying seven goals, two assists and 16 points, all of which came during league play. Davis netted two goals in three matches during conference play and finished league play with 32 shots, 14 of which were on goal. She had a league high 12 shots, eight on goal, in a win over Appalachian State earlier this year.
Texas State's Conner led her Bobcats to an 8-2 league mark, the teams' best conference record since joining the league in 2013. Conner's Bobcats posted a seven-match winning streak from Sept. 22 through Oct. 20. They tied for the league lead in shutouts with five and was second in goals scored with eight.
In addition to the individual awards, the Sun Belt awarded the All-Sun Belt First and Second teams. Top-seeded USA placed seven individuals on the All-Sun Belt teams, four on the first-team and three on the second team. Second-seeded Texas State had five on the first-team and one on the second-team. Arkansas State and Little Rock placed three each on the All-Sun Belt teams while Troy added two. Coastal Carolina had one student-athlete named to the All-Sun Belt Second Team.
The championship tournament begins in Foley, Ala. on Wednesday, Nov. 1. The opening match will pit No. 5 Little Rock against No. 4 Arkansas State at 10 a.m. (CT). Semifinal matches take place on Friday, Nov. 3 and the championship scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 5 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-Sun Belt
Arola Aparicio Gili (Little Rock, Junior, Forward)
Kaylee Davis (Texas State, Sophomore, Forward)
Rio Hardy (South Alabama, Senior, Forward)
Kassi Hormuth (Texas State, Senior, Forward)
Doro Greulich (Little Rock, Sophomore, Midfielder)
Rachel Grout (Texas State, Senior, Midfielder)
Danielle Henley (South Alabama, Senior, Midfielder)
Chandler Cooney (Texas State, Senior, Defender)
Hannah Godfrey (South Alabama, Junior, Defender)
Steffi Hardy (South Alabama, Senior, Defender)
Heather Martin (Texas State, Sophomore, Goalkeeper)
Second Team All-Sun Belt
Kory Dixon (South Alabama, Sophomore, Forward)
Daniella Famili (Coastal Carolina, Senior, Forward)
Sarah Sodoma (Arkansas State, Freshman, Forward)
Selma Bjorgvinsdottir (South Alabama, Freshman, Midfielder)
Chelsea Followwell (South Alabama, Senior, Midfielder)
Jordan Kondikoff (Texas State, Sophomore, Midfielder)
Julia Winter (Troy, Sophomore, Midfielder)
Riley Ebenroth (Arkansas State, Junior, Defender)
Haley Roberson (Troy, Senior, Defender)
Liesa Seifert (Little Rock, Junior, Defender)
Kelsey Ponder (Arkansas State, Junior, Goalkeeper)
2017 Player of the Year
Rio Hardy (South Alabama, Senior, Forward)
2017 Offensive Player of the Year
Kassi Hormuth (Texas State, Senior, Forward)
2017 Defensive Player of the Year
Hannah Godfrey (South Alabama, Junior, Defender)
2017 Freshman of the Year
Sarah Sodoma (Arkansas State, Freshman, Forward)
2017 Newcomer of the Year
Kaylee Davis (Texas State, Sophomore, Forward)
2017 Coach of the Year
Kat Conner, Texas State