NEW ORLEANS – The University of South Alabama soccer program has been voted to defend its Sun Belt Conference title, junior Hannah Godfrey was picked as the Defensive Player of the Year, and four other student-athletes were voted to the all-league team, it was announced Wednesday.

The five honorees – Godfrey, Rio and Steffi Hardy, Chardé Hannah and Danielle Henley – are the most by any school; no other school had more than two.

In the coaches' poll, the Jaguars received 109 points – one more than second-place Coastal Carolina – and three first-place votes.

Godfrey, a Second Team all-Sun Belt selection a year ago, started 21 times while appearing in all 22 matches. The Thornton-Cleveleys, England native led the team with 2,022 minutes played and scored two goals with an assist. Her goal at Little Rock was the match winner, and she assisted on the winning goal vs. Texas State. Godfrey led the Sun Belt's stingiest defense with a 0.84 goals against average and 12 clean sheets.

Hannah is the team's second-leading returning scorer with four goals and 10 points. She was named to the SBC all-Tournament team last season and tallied game-winning goals against No. 1 Florida State and Georgia Southern. The two-time first-team all-conference pick is currently tied for second in school history in both goals (35) and points (84).

Rio Hardy is coming off her second first-team all-league season after ranking in the Sun Belt's top 10 in goals (8) and points (18). The Workington, England native was also tied for second in game-winning goals, with two of the three coming against conference opposition.

Steffi Hardy, the 2015 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year and two-time first-team selection, made 11 starts last year in limited action due to injury. Both of the Workington, England native's goals came in league play, and she started in two of the Jaguars' three Sun Belt Tournament matches, both of which were shutouts.

Henley is the only current Jaguar to be named to three all-Sun Belt teams, and was a second-team pick a season ago. She recorded three goals and three assists as a junior to rank fifth on the squad in both goals and points. The Hattiesburg, Miss. product started 21 of USA's 22 matches, and scored or assisted on three game-winning goals.

Coastal Carolina garnered four first-place votes and 108 points, and Little Rock received three first-place nods and 106 points. Appalachian State was picked fourth with 84, and Troy and Louisiana-Lafayette (one first-place vote) tied for fifth with 60 points. Texas State (52 points), Louisiana-Monroe (44), Georgia State (39), Arkansas State (36) and Georgia Southern (28) rounded out the poll.

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—

2017 Sun Belt Preseason All-Conference Team
Arola Aparicio (Little Rock, Junior, Forward)
Daniella Famili (Coastal Carolina, Senior, Forward)
Chardé Hannah (South Alabama, Senior, Forward)
Rio Hardy (South Alabama, Senior, Forward)
Quin Wilkes (Little Rock, Senior, Midfielder)
Sarah Price (Georgia Southern, Senior, Midfielder)
Danielle Henley (South Alabama, Senior, Midfielder)
Hannah Godfrey (South Alabama, Junior, Defender)
Steffi Hardy (South Alabama, Senior, Defender)
Haley Roberson (Troy, Senior, Defender)
Kelsey Ponder (Arkansas State, Junior, Goalkeeper)
 
2017 Sun Belt Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Daniella Famili (Coastal Carolina, Senior, Forward)
 
2017 Sun Belt Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Hannah Godfrey (South Alabama, Junior, Defender)
 
2017 Sun Belt Women's Soccer Preseason Poll (first-place votes in parentheses)
1. South Alabama (3) - 109 pts
2. Coastal Carolina (4) - 108 pts
3. Little Rock (3) - 106 pts
4. Appalachian State - 84 pts
5. Louisiana (1) - 60 pts
5. Troy - 60 pts
7. Texas State - 52 pts
8. ULM - 44 pts
9. Georgia State - 39 pts
10. Arkansas State - 36 pts
11. Georgia Southern - 28 pts