NEW ORLEANS – University of South Alabama sophomore Jemma Purfield was named the Sun Belt Conference Women's Soccer Player of the Year and six Jaguars were voted to the all-conference teams, the league announced Tuesday afternoon.

Purfield was also tabbed the defensive player of the year, and Alexis Jordan was voted the freshman of the year.

Voted to the first team are Purfield, Jordan and Rio Hardy. Monique Autmon, Hannah Godfrey and Danielle Henley were named to the second team. The six honorees are the most by any school.

Purfield is the third straight Jaguar to earn defender of the year honors after Nini Rabsatt-Smith (2014) and Steffi Hardy (2015). Purfield led the team with eight goals, seven assists and 23 points – ranking in the top three in the conference in all three categories – and recorded at least one point in all but one Sun Belt game.

In the season finale at Appalachian State, Purfield posted her first career brace and sent the game into overtime on a goal with 1:32 left in regulation. The Cottingham, England native scored two game-winning goals and assisted on two others. One of two players to start every game, she was on the field for the second-most minutes on the team.

South Alabama has had a player named freshman of the year in each of the last four seasons. Jordan led all Sun Belt freshmen in assists with five, was tied for fourth in the league in assists per game (0.31), and three of those assists were match winners. A native of Mesquite Texas, Jordan was part of a defense that led the SBC in goals allowed (0.83, tie) and goals against average (0.80).

Joining Purfield and Jordan on the first team is Hardy (Workington, England). A first-team pick as a freshman, Hardy is seventh in Sun Belt in points per game (0.88), sixth in goals per game (0.41) and tied for third in game-winning goals (3), while ranking second on the team in goals (7) and points (15). The junior recorded game-winning goals in back-to-back outings vs. Coastal Carolina and Georgia State, and had a brace against Jacksonville State and Georgia Southern.

Making her third straight appearance on the second team is Autmon (Ocean Springs, Miss.). The senior started all 18 games and both her goal and assist came during league play, scoring against Louisiana-Lafayette and dishing out an assist vs. Georgia Southern. She played a key role on a USA defense that compiled nine shutouts on the year.

Accompanying Autmon on the all-conference team for the first time is Godfrey (Thornton-Cleveleys, England). Leading a defense that held nine teams to single-digit shot totals, including five total in back-to-back wins over Georgia Southern and Arkansas State, and twelve opponents to five shots on goal or fewer. She made her one goal and assist on the season count, scoring the match winner in a 1-0 win at Little Rock and assisting the game winning score against Texas State. Godfrey, a sophomore, has played a team-high 1,662 minutes.

The final member of the second team is Henley (Hattiesburg, Miss.). She is tied for third on the team in points (9) and tied for fourth in goals (3) and assists (3), and dished out a pair of helpers – a career best – against Georgia Southern. Henley scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory at Austin Peay, and assisted match winners against Georgia Southern and No. 1 Florida State. The junior, who is a three-time all-league selection, helped the Jaguars rank tied for second in the conference in goals per game and tied for first in goals allowed.

The top seed in the Sun Belt Tournament, South Alabama opens play Wednesday against Troy at 7 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).

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First Team All-Conference
Jane Cline (Appalachian State, Senior, Forward)
Arola Aparicio (Little Rock, Sophomore, Forward)
Amber Adams (Coastal Carolina, Senior, Forward)
Daniella Famili (Coastal Carolina, Junior, Forward)
Sarah Price (Georgia Southern, Junior, Forward)
Yazmin Montoya (UL Lafayette, Senior, Forward)
Brooke-Lynn Scroggins (UL Monroe, Sophomore, Goalkeeper)
Rio Hardy (South Alabama, Junior, Forward)
Alexis Jordan (South Alabama, Freshman, Defender)
Jemma Purfield (South Alabama, Sophomore, Defender)
Lauren Prater (Texas State, Senior, Forward)
 
Second Team All-Conference
Kelsey Ponder (Arkansas State, Sophomore, Goalkeeper)
Doro Greulich (Little Rock, Freshman, Midfielder)
Mikayla Uyokpeyi (Little Rock, Senior, Midfielder)
Quin Wilkes (Little Rock, Junior, Midfielder)
Becca Austin (Coastal Carolina, Senior, Goalkeeper)
Monique Autmon (South Alabama, Senior, Midfielder)
Hannah Godfrey (South Alabama, Sophomore, Defender)
Danielle Henley (South Alabama, Junior, Midfielder)
Alex Huynh (Troy, Senior, Defender)
Abby Reynolds (Troy, Senior, Forward)
Haley Roberson (Troy, Junior, Defender)

2016 Player of the Year
Jemma Purfield (South Alabama, Sophomore, Defender)

2016 Offensive Player of the Year
Jane Cline (Appalachian State, Senior, Forward)

2016 Defensive Player of the Year
Jemma Purfield (South Alabama, Sophomore, Defender)

2016 Freshman of the Year
Alexis Jordan (South Alabama, Freshman, Defender)

2016 Newcomer of the Year
Taylor Schneider (Arkansas State, Sophomore, Midfielder)

2016 Coach of the Year
Keyton Wheelock, UL Monroe