Nov. 4, 2013
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Junior goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year, the conference announced today. Redshirt junior defender Taylor Leach was selected to the All-SEC First Team alongside D’Angelo, while midfielder Chelsea Drennan was named to the All-Freshman Team.
The 2011 SEC Co-Defensive and Freshman Player of the Year, D’Angelo has thus far produced one of the best season’s for a keeper in program history. Her 10 shutouts more than doubled her mark set two years ago and moved her into second place all-time at South Carolina. The 10 shutouts currently ranks fourth in the NCAA this year. Playing every minute in goal, the Welland, Ontario native has allowed 11 goals in 19 games. Only twice has she given up more than one goal in a match.
Leach has anchored one of the top defenses in the country this season. As a team, the Gamecocks boast the 15th best goals against average in the nation at 0.559. In the SEC, the defense has allowed the least goals (11), points (30), shots on goal (57), while also posting the second most shutouts at 10. After scoring the game-winner in a 2-1 double overtime victory at then-No. 8 Florida on Oct. 4, the native of Maumee, Ohio was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week and listed on TopDrawerSoccer’s Team of the Week.
The team’s top distributor since her first match as a Gamecock where she tallied two assists against UNC-Wilmington, Drennan has been a threat all season in the attacking third. Her 10 assists ranks as the best in program history by a freshman and her five game-winning assists this year is tied for the school’s single season record. Against Vanderbilt on Oct. 25, the Anderson, S.C. native tied the school record for most assists in game with three, recording each in the first 16 minutes of the match.
South Carolina is the No. 3 seed in this week’s SEC Tournament and will face No. 6-seeded Georgia on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. ET at the Orange Beach Sportsplex in Orange Beach, Ala.
2013 SEC Women’s Soccer Awards
First Team All-SEC
Forward: Arin Gilliland, Kentucky
Forward: Savannah Jordan, Florida
Forward: Rafaelle Souza, Ole Miss
Forward: Cheyna Williams, Vanderbilt
Midfielder: Kaysie Clark, Missouri
Midfielder: Shea Groom, Texas A&M
Midfielder: Mandy McCalla, Ole Miss
Midfielder: Havana Solaun, Florida
Defender: Taylor Leach, South Carolina
Defender: Kala Faulkner, Auburn
Defender: Meghan Streight, Texas A&M
Defender: Christen Westphal, Florida
Goalkeeper: Sabrina D’Angelo, South Carolina
Second Team All-SEC
Forward: Caroline Brown, Tennessee
Forward: Summer Clarke, LSU
Forward: Pia Rijsdijk, Alabama
Forward: Elisabeth Sullivan, Mississippi St.
Midfielder: Ashleigh Ellenwood, Arkansas
Midfielder: Emma Fletcher, LSU
Midfielder: Kelley Monogue, Texas A&M
Midfielder: Stuart Pope, Kentucky
Defender: Torri Allen, Georgia
Defender: Leigh Edwards, Texas A&M
Defender: Cara Ledman, Kentucky
Defender: Megan Lee, LSU
Defender: Allie Sirna, Tennessee
Goalkeeper: Jordan Day, Texas A&M
All-Freshman Team
Pam Begić, Florida
Simone Charley, Vanderbilt
Summer Clarke, LSU
Marion Crowder, Georgia
Chelsea Drennan, South Carolina
Emma Fletcher, LSU
Gretchen Harknett, Ole Miss
Savannah Jordan, Florida
Liz Keester, Texas A&M
Casie Ramsier, Auburn
Zoe Swift, Kentucky
Coach of the Year
G Guerrieri, Texas A&M
Offensive Player of the Year
Savannah Jordan, Florida
Defensive Player of the Year
Sabrina D’Angelo, South Carolina
Freshman of the Year
Savannah Jordan, Florida
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Rafaelle Souza, Ole Miss
