SAA Announces 2012 Women’s Soccer All-Conference Award Winners
(ATLANTA, Ga.) –The Southern Athletic Association (SAA) has announced the 2012 Women's Soccer All-Conference award winners and, after exclusive voting conducted by the league's head coaches, Kelsey Keown of Rhodes was named Offensive Player of the Year, Centre's Amy Hebbeler was named Defensive Player of the Year and Centre's Alex Combs claimed Newcomer of the Year status. Centre's head coach Jay Hoffman received the Coach of the Year honor from his peers. A total of 47 student-athletes earned recognition as 13 claimed All-SAA First Team awards, 13 earned All-SAA Second Team awards and twenty-one were selected to the Honorable Mention Team.
Kelsey Keown, a sophomore center back from Atlanta, Ga., was a dominant force for Rhodes throughout the season en route to claiming the Offensive Player of the Year prize. She guided the Lynx to a 15-4-1 overall record with her array of skills that include being dangerous on the dribble and having the ability to take the game over. She ranked fourth in the league in goals (9) and was sixth in total points (21). She demonstrated her versatility by also finishing first overall in conference assists (3) and displayed a flair for the dramatic by producing two game-winning goals.
Centre's Amy Hebbeler, a senior defender from Wright, Ky., returned to the Colonels' campus this fall after being named to the All-Great Lakes Region team last season and produced another campaign in 2012 worthy of the SAA Defensive Player of the Year. A player with outstanding skills, Hebbeler spearheaded a Colonels defense that only allowed 9 goals all season long with a stellar 0.42 goals allowed average. She helped Centre return to the NCAA Tournament after Centre compiled a 19-1 record and also managed to tally two goals and three assists on the year from her defensive position.
Alex Combs of Centre College, a freshman forward from Danville, Ky., earned Newcomer of the Year status by demonstrating poise beyond her years. The first-year player led a loaded squad in points scored (21) which ranked 6th overall in the SAA. She tallied 5 goals in conference play to lead all student-athletes in that category and added five assists (6th in SAA) in an outstanding inaugural campaign on the pitch.
2012 Southern Athletic Association Women's Soccer All-Conference First Team
Name School Position Year Hometown
Kelsey Keown Rhodes C So. Atlanta, Ga.
Rachel Brannen Centre D Sr. Fort Mitchell, Ky.
Mel Roach Hendrix F Sr. Russellville, Ark.
Bailey Kimbell BSC F Jr. Vestavia Hills, Ala.
Amanda Babbin BSC F Jr. Carmel, Ind.
Anne Mitchell Centre F So. Fayetteville, Ark.
Alex Combs Centre F Fr. Danville, Ky.
Maddie Slattery Centre MF Fr. Cincinnati, Ohio
Amy Hebbeler Centre D Sr. Wright, Ky.
Bess Goodman Sewanee MF Sr. Greensboro, N.C.
Allison Cowling Rhodes GK Jr. Houston, Texas
Ellie Quinn Sewanee MF Jr. New Orleans, La.
Kim Fischer Berry D Jr. Augusta, Ga.
2012 Southern Athletic Association Women's Soccer All-Conference Second Team
Name School Position Year Hometown
Breanna Durbin Rhodes D So. Knoxville, Tenn.
Lib Lockett Berry D Sr. Marietta, Ga.
Emily Shaw Rhodes D Sr. Glenview, Ill.
Morgan Collins Centre F Jr. Utica, Mich.
Bobbe Chaffin Sewanee MF So. Oklahoma City, Okla.
Olivia Glascoe Sewanee GK So. Nashville, Tenn.
Clara St. Urbain Oglethorpe F Jr. Marietta, Ga.
Rebecca Rahn Hendrix MF Sr. Little Rock, Ark.
Jessie Sperry BSC F Fr. Powder Springs, Ga.
Mary Taylor Kersey Centre F Sr. Winchester, Ky.
Taylor Winslow Millsaps F So. Baton Rouge, La.
Katie Stevenson Centre MF So. Flat Rock, N.C.
Bailey Evans Oglethorpe GK Fr. Miami, Fla.
2012 Southern Athletic Association Women's Soccer Honorable Mention
Birmingham-Southern: Richelle Byrd, Melissa Sweeney, Avery Newcomb, M'Kayl Lewis
Centre: Liz Miller, Brittany Eisner, Catey Hunter
Millsaps: Kayleigh Redhead, Margaret Eggers, Jamie Blair Page
Oglethorpe: Lexie Craig, Jordan Weaver, Hannah Kuhn
Rhodes: Heidi Press, Beth Ann McCloskey, Sarah DiLella, Mae Casey, Betsy Peterson, Shannon Blair
Sewanee: Sam Hutton, Jamie Samociuk
