Four Gamecocks Given All-SEC Honors - Receive Goalkeeper and Defender of the Year
BIRMINGHAM, AL – Four Gamecocks have been given SEC honors, as the conference announced Sunday. Senior forward Catherine Barry, fifth-year keeper Heather Hinz, and sophomore defender Gracie Falla were named to the All-SEC First Team, while Hinz additionally earned Goalkeeper of the Year and Falla grabbed Defender of the Year.
Heather Hinz – SEC Goalkeeper of the Year, All-SEC First Team
Hinz continued her excellence in front of the net this season, tallying nine shutouts (six in conference play) to bring her to a career total of 31, placing her at the solo No. 3 spot in the South Carolina record books. Against Texas A&M (10/19) Hinz finished the game with a season-high of nine saves on the night – the most saves in a game in the conference this year. The fifth-year then began a four-game clean sheet streak, beginning with Ole Miss (Oct. 13) and continuing against Texas A&M, Georgia, and Florida.
Hinz sits at the No. 1 spot in the conference for shutouts (9, fourth most in the country), overall save percentage (.864, 24th in NCAA) and goals against average (.500, 14th in NCAA), and was named the SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 23). Hinz’s Goalkeeper of the Year and First Team honor is the first for her career, and the first for a South Carolina keeper since Mikayla Krzeczowski in 2019. Hinz was a member of this year’s SEC Preseason Watch List, and was named the 2022 SEC Tournament MVP last fall.
Gracie Falla – Defender of the Year, All-SEC First Team
Falla has had a fantastic season for the Gamecocks, scoring the game-winner in back-to-back games against Texas A&M and Georgia as a defender. Both goals were the result of set pieces off of corners, where Falla positioned herself perfectly for a shoulder chip-in against the Aggies and a header vs. the Bulldogs. Falla’s goals were the first two of her career, and her first two game-winners overall and in conference play. The sophomore has started in 17 of 18 games this season and has played the full 90 minutes for South Carolina in 11 games as the youngest member of the backline.
An SEC All-Freshman Team selection in 2022, Falla has now collected three conference honors in her first two seasons. Her Defender of the Year selection is the first for South Carolina since Grace Fisk in 2019.
Cat Barry – All-SEC First Team – Forward
Barry has been an offensive machine for South Carolina this year, leading the team in goals (9), assists (5) and points (23, 2nd in the SEC). The forward also leads the conference in shots (70) and sits at second overall for goals. Barry tied her career high of 10 shots in a game at home against Furman (Sept. 10) and Coastal Carolina (Sept. 3), which is the second most in a game within the conference. In the Gamecock record books, the senior’s 33 career goals places her at the No. 3 spot, and sits within the top-five for game-winning goals (16, No. 2), shots (241, No. 3) and points (85, No. 4). This is Barry’s second All-SEC First Team honor.
Reagan Schubach – SEC ALL-Freshman Team -Forward
Schubach has had a standout rookie season, picking up six goals along the way to sit at second overall on the team for the stat. The freshman has made 14 appearances in 18 games, with starts in two. In the home opener against Jacksonville (Aug. 20), Schubach scored twice on her birthday for her first collegiate goals, in addition to nabbing an assist. The following week, the rookie scored her first career game-winner on the road against UMass Lowell (Aug. 27), and continued her scoring streak versus Elon back at home (Aug. 31). Schubach has scored twice against SEC opponents (Auburn and LSU), and her six goals ties for ninth overall in the conference; second amongst all freshmen. Schubach was named SEC Freshman of the Week on Oct. 9 for her third career game-winner against the Tigers (Oct. 5).
