Barry and Collins Named SEC Players of the Week
BIRMINGHAM, AL – Fifth-year Cat Barry and rookie Katie Shea Collins were named to the SEC weekly player awards list, with Barry receiving the Co-Offensive nod and Collins being named Freshman of the Week. This is the first conference award for Barry this season, and the second for Collins.
CAT BARRY - FORWARD
Barry was on a roll this week, highlighted by her first career hat-trick against Georgia State (Sept. 15). Against Georgetown (Sept. 12), Barry tallied the equalizer for the Gamecocks in the 86th minute to keep South Carolina’s undefeated streak alive. Against the Panthers of GSU, Barry first got South Carolina on the board after a successful penalty kick in the first half. In the second, the fifth-year scored two goals just 28 seconds apart to give the Gamecocks a 5-0 lead four minutes into the half for the first hat trick of her career. The three goals marked the eighth hat trick in program history.
Barry now has 41 career goals, placing her at the No. 2 spot in the South Carolina record books past Gamecock great Savannah McCaskill’s 40. Her now 18 game-winners also move her to the sole No. 1 spot for the category, previously tying with McCaskill’s 17. The fifth- year’s eight goals on the season mark nearly half of her team’s 19 on the year.
KATIE SHEA COLLINS - FORWARD
Collins made her mark once more this week as a rookie, scoring her fourth goal of the season against Georgia State to help the Gamecocks towards a 6-0 win, the fourth-most goals in a game in program history. After drawing a foul to set up Cat Barry for a successful penalty kick, Collins then found the back of the net herself just minutes later to give South Carolina a 2-0 lead heading into the second half. Against Georgetown, Collins put up a season-high of four shots with half on target. Collins’ four goals, nine points, and ten shots are the second-most on the team.
Collins was previously named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week (Aug. 19) for her explosive career debut against Furman, scoring a hat-trick in just 30 minutes of play and scoring the second-fastest goal in program history (34 seconds) on the way.
