Special report on the Florida Gators soccer team:
GAINESVILLE, Florida – Five Gators appear on Southeastern Conference soccer teams announced today by the league office.
Two Gators are on the 2019 All-SEC first team – Julia Lester and Parker Roberts. A pair of forwards – Vanessa Kara and Kit Loferski – appear on the All-SEC second team. Kouri Peace is part of the SEC All-Freshman team.
Here’s a look at the season notes for Florida’s 2019 All-SEC honorees:
First team:
Defender – Julia Lester: Started every match at center back, playing the entirety of 16 of 18 matches…Second among Gator field players with average of 88.5 minutes per match…Provided assist on Deanne Rose’s goal versus No. 8 South Carolina…44 complete matches played is No. 15 all-time among Gator career leaders.
Midfielder- Parker Roberts: All-SEC first-team selection in 2017 and 2019…Set collegiate season-bests for goals (4), assists (4) and points (12) in 2019…Free kick from 19 yards was final goal in 4-2 win versus Kentucky…Provided game-winning goals versus Missouri and Auburn…Shares second among Gators with four assists…Started every match, playing the entirety of nine.
All-SEC Second Team:
Forward – Vanessa Kara: Fourth career all-conference honor as a three-time All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) selection (2016 and 2017 first team; 2015 season team) while with Drexel…Graduate transfer leads Florida with eight goals and 17 points…Two-time SEC Offensive Player of the Week…Shares fourth among SEC players with five goals in league play.
Forward – Kit Loferski: Scored Florida’s final goals in road wins at then No. 18 South Florida and LSU…Shares second among Gators with four assists, which is a career season-best…Started 17 matches.
All-Freshman Team:
Forward – Kouri Peace: Three goals in freshman season, including two in league play (versus Kentucky and Auburn)…Oct. 21 SEC Freshman of the Week after scoring in consecutive matches…Appeared in 17 matches.
In other awards announced Sunday, SEC champion Arkansas took three individual honors – Anna Podojil (Freshman of the Year), Haley VanFossen (Co-Defensive Player of Year) and Colby Hale (Coach of the Year). South Carolina’s Grace Fisk shared the Defensive Player of the Year award with VanFossen. Texas A&M’s Ally Watt is the SEC Forward of the Year and teammate Jimena Lopez claims the Midfielder of Year award. Three shared the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award – Nealy Martin (Alabama), MaKayla Waldner (Mississippi State) and Sarah Luebbert (Missouri).
The Gators now head to the SEC Tournament in Orange Beach, Ala<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.secsports.com_championship_soccer&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=OKH2ie_8rEKT9jDb4ZYZLh-96g9X4a4ROccHppHKPcs&s=Pb3Cb0SwDrUMz1TuBcZ_vH6dcbKDaix4JmNPCnBMD4A&e= >. Florida is the fifth seed and faces No. 4 seed Texas A&M in Tuesday’s SEC Tournament quarterfinal round. The Florida versus TAMU match begins at 8:30 p.m. ET at the Orange Beach Sportsplex in Orange Beach, Ala.
The Gators lead all programs with 12 SEC Tournament titles, with the last coming in 2016.
Follow Tuesday’s action on the SEC Network +<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.espn.com_watch-3Fid-3D8bdb2561-2D7ecc-2D403e-2Daa77-2D0a1b136840c8&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=OKH2ie_8rEKT9jDb4ZYZLh-96g9X4a4ROccHppHKPcs&s=QZOzEb1E3meNS_dJgs5Y7vfqocEIhZwnj5YjvtPGnKU&e= >.
Hear Ryan Urquhart’s call of Tuesday’s match beginning at 8:30 p.m. on GatorVision.com.
2019 Southeastern Conference Soccer Awards
Forward of the Year:
Ally Watt, Texas A&M
Midfielder of the Year:
Jimena Lopez, Texas A&M
Defender of the Year:
Grace Fisk, South Carolina
Haley VanFossen, Arkansas
Freshman of the Year:
Anna Podojil, Arkansas
Scholar-Athlete of the Year:
Sarah Luebbert, Missouri
Nealy Martin, Alabama
MaKayla Waldner, Mississippi Stat
Coach of the Year:
Colby Hale, Arkansas
All-SEC First Team
Position
Name
School
Forward
Parker Goins
Arkansas
Forward
Anna Podojil
Arkansas
Forward
Channing Foster
Mississippi
Forward
Sarah Luebbert
Missouri
Forward
Ally Watt
Texas A&M
Midfielder
Reyna Reyes
Alabama
Midfielder
Taylor Malham
Arkansas
Midfielder
Parker Roberts
Florida
Midfielder
Makayla Waldner
Mississippi State
Midfielder
Jimena Lopez
Texas A&M
Defender
Haley VanFossen
Arkansas
Defender
Julia Lester
Florida
Defender
Grace Fisk
South Carolina
Defender
Maya Neal
Tennessee
Goalkeeper
Mikayla Krzeczowski
South Carolina
At-Large
Kayla Bruster
Georgia
At-Large
MA Vignola
Tennessee
All-SEC Second Team
Forward
Casey Wertz
Alabama
Forward
Vanessa Kara
Florida
Forward
Kit Loferski
Florida
Forward
Haley Hopkins
Vanderbilt
Midfielder
Bri Folds
Auburn
Midfielder
Lauren Chang
South Carolina
Midfielder
Jyllissa Harris
South Carolina
Midfielder
Katie Cousins
Tennessee
Midfielder
Maddie Elwell
Vanderbilt
Midfielder
Grace Jackson
Vanderbilt
Defender
Brynn Martin
Alabama
Defender
Bryana Hunter
Arkansas
Defender
Anna Patten
South Carolina
Defender
Briana Alston
Texas A&M
Defender
Nia Dorsey
Vanderbilt
Defender
Ella Shamburger
Vanderbilt
Goalkeeper
Katie Lund
Arkansas
At-Large
Maddie Moreau
LSU
SEC All-Freshman Team
Carlee Giammona
Alabama
Midfielder
Reyna Reyes
Alabama
Midfielder/Defender
Anna Podojil
Arkansas
Forward
Sydney Richards
Auburn
Forward/Midfielder
Kouri Peace
Florida
Forward
Chloe Chapman
Georgia
Forward
Hannah Richardson
Kentucky
Forward
Maddie Moreau
LSU
Midfielder
Mo O’Connor
Mississippi
Forward
Samantha Chang
South Carolina
Midfielder
Lindsey Romig
Tennessee
Goalkeeper
Katie Smith
Texas A&M
Midfielder/Defender