Four Gator Soccer Players Named to NSCAA All-South Region Teams
Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | Soccer
Four Gators are part of the 2012 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-South Region teams. Three Gators are part of the NSCAA All-South Region first team – Jo Dragotta (Tampa), Holly King (Ashburn, Va.) and Erika Tymrak (Bradenton, Fla.). Freshman Christen Westphal (Brecksville, Ohio) is a third-team selection.
This Gator quartet also earned All-Southeastern Conference honors in 2012, with Tymrak taking the SEC Offensive Player of the Year while King picked up the SEC Defensive Player of the Year award. Dragotta joined her fellow seniors on the All-SEC first team and Westphal earned a spot on the All-SEC second team.
Here's a look at the season notes for Florida's 2012 All-South Region recipients:
First team:
Midfielder – Jo Dragotta: All-SEC first team selection… Started every match but one at holding midfield… Tied for second among Gators with seven goals and third with 18 points – both career highs… Six goals shares sixth among SEC goal scorers in league matches… Part of SEC All-Tournament team… Named SEC Offensive Player of the Week and to the Top Drawer Soccer and Soccer America National Teams of the Week following her three-goal weekend which includes the game-winners versus then No. 14 Missouri and Mississippi State.
Midfielder – Holly King: NSCAA All-America third team… SEC Defensive Player of the Year… All-SEC first team… Started every match at holding midfield and second among the Gator field players with average of 85.4 minutes per match… Finished fifth among the 2012 Gators with a career season-high 14 points… Also had career-highs for goals (5) and assists (4)… Named to SEC All-Tournament team for second consecutive year… Four goals came on consecutive Sundays in September, including heading in the game-winner versus New Mexico and providing UF with the tying goal at Auburn.
Midfielder – Erika Tymrak: NSCAA All-America first team… Among the 15 semifinalists for the 2012 Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy, collegiate soccer's highest individual honor… SEC Offensive Player of the Year and named to All-SEC first team… SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player… Led Gators in goals (9), assists (12), points (30) and game-winning goals (5)… Third on the Gators' career charts in assists (40), sixth in points (104) and eighth for goals (32)… Named to various national teams of the week in 2012, including being named the Disney Soccer/NSCAA Player of the Week following golden goal at then No. 2 Duke in late August.
Third team
Defender - Christen Westphal: All-SEC second team and also named to SEC Freshman team… Started all but the season opener, appearing in every match at center back… Led Florida's field players with average of 87.2 minutes per match...Played the entirety of 20 matches, including overtime contests at then No. 14 North Carolina, versus then No. 2 Duke and at Auburn.
| 2012 NSCAA All-South Region | ||||
| First Team | ||||
| Pos. | Name | Year | School | Hometown |
| Jordan Day | So. | GK | Texas A&M | Gilbert, Ariz. |
| Arin Gilliland | So. | D | Kentucky | Lexington, Ky. |
| Rachel Lenz | Jr. | D | Texas A&M | Round Rock, Texas |
| Torri Allen | Jr. | D | Georgia | Stafford, Va. |
| Holly King | Sr. | MF | Florida | Ashburn, Va. |
| Meghan Streight | So. | MF | Texas A&M | McKinney, Texas |
| Jo Dragotta | Sr. | MF | Florida | Tampa, Fla. |
| Erika Tymrak | Sr. | MF | Florida | Brandenton, Fla. |
| Hannah Wilkinson | So. | F | Tennessee | Whangarei, N. Z. |
| Shea Groom | So. | F | Texas A&M | Liberty, Mo. |
| Rafaelle Souza | Jr. | F | Mississippi | Salvador, Brazil |
| Second Team | ||||
| Pos. | Name | Year | School | Hometown |
| Amy Howard | Sr. | GK | Auburn | Mandeville, La. |
| Alison Stahlke | Sr. | D | Western Kentucky | Naperville, Ill. |
| Kelsey Hodges | Jr. | D | North Texas | Denton, Texas |
| Ali Hall | Sr. | D | Tennessee | Hawthorn Woods, Ill. |
| Paige Goeglein | Sr. | MF | Middle Tennessee State | Fort Wayne, Ind. |
| Merel Van Dongen | Fr. | MF | Alabama | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Dominique Richardson | Jr. | MF | Missouri | Fullerton, Calif. |
| Chelsea Leiva | Jr. | F | Florida International | Royal Palm Beach, Fla. |
| Annie Kunz | So. | F | Texas A&M | Golden, Colo. |
| Michelle Young | Sr. | F | North Texas | Mesquite, Texas |
| Tatiana Ariza | Jr. | F | Austin Peay | Bogota, Colombia |
| Third Team | ||||
| Pos. | Name | Year | School | Hometown |
| Kaitlyn Savage | Sr. | GK | Florida International | Fox Island, Wash. |
| Sabrina D'Angelo | So. | K | South Carolina | Welland, Ont. |
| Hayley Abbott | Sr. | D | Southeast Missouri State | Naroom, Australia |
| Kala Faulkner | Jr. | D | Louisville | Alpharetta, Ga. |
| Christen Westphal | Fr. | D | Florida | Brecksville, Ohio |
| Courtney Rymer | Sr. | MF | Western Kentucky | Nashville, Tenn. |
| Clarissa Hernandez | Jr. | MF | South Alabama | Pensacola, Fla. |
| Alexandria Chandler | Sr. | MF | Arkansas | Mesquite, Texas |
| Regina Thomas | Sr. | F | Middle Tennessee State | Centennial, Colo. |
| Cheyna Williams | Fr. | F | Vanderbilt | Hampton, Ga. |
| Alyssa Diggs | Jr. | F | Missouri | Coppell, Texas |
