NEW ORLEANS – Senior Rio Hardy was named player of the year, junior Hannah Godfrey was voted defender of the year, and seven University of South Alabama student-athletes were tabbed to the all-Sun Belt Conference Women's Soccer teams, the league announced Tuesday morning.

The Jaguars placed four – Rio and Steffi Hardy, Danielle Henley and Godfrey – on the first team, and three – Kory Dixon, Selma Bjorgvinsdottir and Chelsea Followwell – on the second. The seven honorees are a league high.

Since the 2013 season, USA has had at least one player win a major award, and can boast the last four defenders of the year and the last two players of the year.

Rio Hardy, who receives first-team recognition for the third time, leads the conference in both points (1.59) and goals (0.71) per game, and game-winning goals (5). She recorded multiple goals on four occasions – three times against Sun Belt opposition – and has a point in 10 of her last 13 outings. Earlier this season, the Workington, England native became the school's all-time leader in game-winning goals and currently ranks second in both career goals (39) and points (93).

Godfrey, a Thornton-Cleveleys, England native, has played all but 10 minutes this season, and anchors a defense that is second in the league in goals against average (0.96). The preseason player of the year and 2016 Second Team all-Sun Belt honoree was credited with an assist at Georgia Southern and played a key role in the team's five shutouts, which are tied for fifth in the league. The Jaguars haven't allowed multiple goals in a school-record 13 consecutive games.

Steffi Hardy played alongside Godfrey in the Jaguar back four that held 10 of their last 13 opponents to single-digit shots. The senior from Workington, England played a major part in five shutouts and in keeping eight teams to fewer than four shots on goal. Hardy, who was the 2015 Sun Belt Defender of the Year and a first-team all-Sun Belt honoree in 2014 and 2015, recorded her 13th career goal on Sept. 24 against Georgia State.

Henley is the second player in school history to be named to four all-Sun Belt teams, and the first to receive first-team distinction in one of those seasons. The native of Hattiesburg, Miss. is third on the team in both goals (3) and points (7), and has one game-winning goal. Two goals came during league play, including one that tied the game vs. Appalachian State with 93 seconds left, and another that was the double-overtime winner at Coastal Carolina.

Dixon has made both of her goals this season count, as she found the back of the net in double overtime vs. Appalachian State, and with less than five minutes left in regulation in a 1-0 win over Little Rock. A sophomore from Roanoke, Texas, Dixon started 10 of the last 11 games of the season.

Bjorgvinsdottir, one of two freshmen on the all-Sun Belt teams, recorded two assists which ranked tied for third on the team. Both assists, against Louisiana and Texas State, were game winners. The defensive midfielder from Reykjavik, Iceland was on the field for all five Jaguar clean sheets.

Followwell, a senior from Sachse, Texas, recorded two goals and two assists this season and earns a spot on an all-Sun Belt team for the second time (2015). Both of her assists led to match-winning goals; she helped on the Jaguars' only score in a 1-0 victory over ULM, then fed Henley on her match winner in double overtime at Coastal Carolina.

The top seed in the Sun Belt Tournament, South Alabama opens play Wednesday against Appalachian State at 1 p.m. at the Foley Sports Tourism Complex.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Upper 90 Club, the soccer specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund.  All gifts to the Upper 90 Club go directly to support the South Alabama soccer program.  For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/upper90

—USA—

First Team All- Sun Belt
Arola Aparicio Gili (Little Rock, Junior, Forward)
Kaylee Davis (Texas State, Sophomore, Forward)
Rio Hardy (South Alabama, Senior, Forward)
Kassi Hormuth (Texas State, Senior, Forward)
Doro Greulich (Little Rock, Sophomore, Midfielder)
Rachel Grout (Texas State, Senior, Midfielder)
Danielle Henley (South Alabama, Senior, Midfielder)
Chandler Cooney (Texas State, Senior, Defender)
Hannah Godfrey (South Alabama, Junior, Defender)
Steffi Hardy (South Alabama, Senior, Defender)
Heather Martin (Texas State, Sophomore, Goalkeeper)
 
Second Team All-Sun Belt
Kory Dixon (South Alabama, Sophomore, Forward)
Daniella Famili (Coastal Carolina, Senior, Forward)
Sarah Sodoma (Arkansas State, Freshman, Forward)
Selma Bjorgvinsdottir (South Alabama, Freshman, Midfielder)
Chelsea Followwell (South Alabama, Senior, Midfielder)
Jordan Kondikoff (Texas State, Sophomore, Midfielder)
Julia Winter (Troy, Sophomore, Midfielder)
Riley Ebenroth (Arkansas State, Junior, Defender)
Haley Roberson (Troy, Senior, Defender)
Liesa Seifert (Little Rock, Junior, Defender)
Kelsey Ponder (Arkansas State, Junior, Goalkeeper)
 
2017 Player of the Year
Rio Hardy (South Alabama, Senior, Forward)
 
2017 Offensive Player of the Year
Kassi Hormuth (Texas State, Senior, Forward)
 
2017 Defensive Player of the Year
Hannah Godfrey (South Alabama, Junior, Defender)
 
2017 Freshman of the Year
Sarah Sodoma (Arkansas State, Freshman, Forward)
 
2017 Newcomer of the Year
Kaylee Davis (Texas State, Sophomore, Forward)