Soccer Earns Four Southeastern Conference Honors
11/2/2014 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama senior forward Laura Lee Smith was named the Southeastern Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year and was one of three Crimson Tide players tabbed as All-SEC second team performers, as the league office announced its postseason awards on Sunday.
Joining Smith on the league's second team was senior midfielder Merel van Dongen and junior goalkeeper Emily Rusk giving the Tide three members on this year's all-conference team.
Smith became the second player in Alabama history to earn Scholar Athlete of the Year honors, joining former standout Libby Probst as the only other member of the Crimson Tide to be honored with the prestigious award (1995).
Smith has excelled in the classroom, earning a 3.98 grade point average over her four years at the Capstone and has already been accepted to medical school that she will begin upon graduation from UA. She was a National Merit Finalist and was twice named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll along with being named a part of the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll. Last week, Smith was selected to the CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-District 4 First Team for her academic and athletic achievements.
On the pitch, Smith has scored a team-leading seven goals and has produced 45 shots this season. She ranks among team leaders in minutes and has been a major contributor to an Alabama offensive attack that has accumulated 338 shots, the second-most in Alabama history.
Rusk has emerged as a record-setting goalie in her second season at Alabama, leading the SEC in save percentage (.817) and helping lead the Tide to a league-high-tying nine shutouts. The goalie became the first player in Alabama history to earn two SEC Defensive Player of the Week accolades for her efforts in goal in two separate weekend series, including helping the Tide earn its first ever win in Knoxville. Her seven shutouts are tied for the most all-time in a single season at Alabama and rank her tied for third in the SEC.
Van Dongen has been one of the Tide's top contributors this season, starting 18 matches and ranking among team leaders in total minutes played. She has produced an Alabama program record nine assists this season and added three goals to rank third on the team in points (15). The senior midfielder has maintained a 4.0 grade point average during her time in Tuscaloosa and was recognized with a CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-District 4 First Team honor earlier this season.
The awards mark the sixth consecutive season the Tide has had a player named to the league's all-conference team, which is the second-longest streak in Alabama history, just one short of the all-time record.
Texas A&M head coach G Guerrieri earned his second consecutive SEC Coach of the Year award, while coaching Aggie midfielder Shea Groom to Offensive Player of the Year. Kentucky defender Arin Gilliland was named Defensive Player of the Year while South Carolina's Savannah McCaskill was named conference Freshman of the Year.
The Tide earned the No. 7 seed in the 2014 SEC Tournament and will take on 10th-seeded Tennessee on Monday at 3:30 p.m. CT. The tournament will be held in Orange Beach, Ala., with the first three rounds airing on SEC Network and the championship game being shown on ESPNU.
Check out the complete release from the Southeastern Conference here: http://www.secsports.com/article/11810629/2014-sec-women-soccer-awards-announced
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