Southland Conference Announces 2014 Soccer Preseason Teams
Southland Conference
FRISCO, Texas – Stephen F. Austin, the defending Southland Conference regular-season, places six student-athletes on the 2014 preseason all-conference teams, including four on the first team, the league office announced Wednesday.
The Ladyjacks won their third consecutive and eighth overall regular-season league title last season after posting a 10-1-1 conference mark and a 16-3-3 overall record. SFA places a league-high four student-athletes on the preseason all-conference first team led by senior forwards Chelsea Raymond and Zuri Prince and sister defenders Megan Dunnigan, a senior, and Brooke Dunnigan, a sophomore. Earning a spot on the second team for the Ladyjacks are junior defenders Rachel Owens and Chantal Curry.
Megan and Brooke Dunnigan along with Owens and Curry will anchor the SFA defense, which topped in the conference and was one of the toughest in the country last season. The Ladyjacks ranked ninth nationally with a .636 shutout percentage, posting 14 shutouts, and 10th nationally with a .520 goals against average, giving up only 12 goals all season. Raymond led the Ladyjacks’ offense in 2013 with 10 goals and two assists for 22 points. Raymond also led the league with eight game-winning goals. Prince is the returning assist leader for SFA, recording five assists in 2013.
Southeastern Louisiana places six on the all-conference teams with three first-team selections. Reigning freshman of the year and the conference tournament’s most outstanding player Hope Sabadash, a sophomore goalkeeper, headlines the first team for the Lady Lions. Sabadash led the conference with nine shutouts and notched an impressive .881 save percentage, giving up only 16 goals while saving 119 shots. Also earning first-team honors for Southeastern are senior defender Chelsea Villaescusa and junior defender Erin Christ.
Nicholls’ junior Spencer Valdespino highlights the preseason first team. The 2013 conference player of the year finished the 2013 season first in the league in shots (112), shots per game (5.89), points (37), points per game (1.95), goals (16) and goals per game (0.84), was second in game-winning goals (six), eighth in assists (five) and ninth in assists per game (0.26). Her single-season totals in goals, points and game-winning goals are the best in Nicholls’ history and she currently sits in second in the Nicholls’ record book in goals and points heading into her junior season.
Rounding out the first-team all-conference selections are Sam Houston State junior midfielder Mariah Titus, Lamar senior midfielder Kristin Bos and Central Arkansas senior midfielder Vanessa Randall.
SFA and Southeastern places six student-athletes on the two teams followed by Sam Houston with three and Nicholls and Lamar with two each. UCA, Houston Baptist and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi each have one representative.
Players named to the 2013 All-Southland Conference soccer teams who are returning for the 2014 season are automatic selections to the 2014 preseason all-conference soccer teams. The remaining positions are nominated and voted on by league head coaches.
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2014 All-Southland Conference Soccer Preseason Teams |
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First Team |
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Name |
University |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
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Spencer Valdespino1 |
Nicholls |
Forward |
Jr. |
Spring Hill, Fla. |
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Chelsea Raymond1 |
Stephen F. Austin |
Forward |
Sr. |
Irving, Texas |
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Zuri Prince |
Stephen F. Austin |
Forward |
Sr. |
Beaumont, Texas |
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Mariah Titus1 |
Sam Houston State |
Midfielder |
Jr. |
Bedford, Texas |
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Kristin Bos |
Lamar |
Midfielder |
Sr. |
Valencia, Calif. |
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Vanessa Randall |
Central Arkansas |
Midfielder |
Sr. |
Dallas, Texas Academy |
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Megan Dunnigan1 |
Stephen F. Austin |
Defender |
Sr. |
Round Rock, Texas |
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Chelsea Villaescusa1 |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Defender |
Sr. |
Cypress, Calif. |
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Erin Christ1 |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Defender |
Jr. |
Irvine, Calif. |
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Hope Sabadash1 |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Goalkeeper |
So. |
Mississauga, Ontario |
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Brooke Dunnigan* |
Stephen F. Austin |
Defender |
So. |
Round Rock, Texas |
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Second Team |
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Name |
University |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
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Kimmy Albeno |
Lamar |
Forward |
Sr. |
Bellflower, Calif. |
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Kayla Vera |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Forward |
Jr. |
Vancouver, Wash. |
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Natalie Hager |
Houston Baptist |
Forward |
Sr. |
Port Neches, Texas |
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Shelby McDaniel |
Sam Houston State |
Midfielder |
Jr. |
League City, Texas |
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Yvette Franco |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
Midfielder |
So. |
Corpus Christi, Texas |
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Jess Coates |
Nicholls |
Midfielder |
Jr. |
Sydney, Australia |
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Rachel Owens |
Stephen F. Austin |
Defender |
Jr. |
Houston, Texas |
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Chantal Curry |
Stephen F. Austin |
Defender |
Jr. |
Austin, Texas |
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Jennifer Babcock |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Defender |
Sr. |
Canton, Mich. |
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Kylie Hambleton |
Sam Houston State |
Goalkeeper |
Jr. |
Katy, Texas |
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Bri Singh* |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Forward |
So. |
Lancaster, Calif. |
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*At-large selections
1Returning All-Conference Southland Selection |
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