The Florida soccer team met Monday at the Gator Room for its annual team banquet.
Gator Soccer Holds Annual Team Banquet
Monday, April 11, 2016 | Soccer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The University of Florida soccer team held its annual awards banquet Monday evening.
A trio of Gator All-Americans repeated as the team's Most Valuable Players. Gator seniors Claire Falknor and Christen Westphal again shared the team's Defensive MVP and junior Savannah Jordan claimed her third consecutive Offensive MVP award.
All three earned 2015 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-America honors and also appeared on the All-Southeastern Conference first team. They started every match, leading the team in minutes played. Jordan (offensive) and Westphal (defensive) were SEC Players of Year. Westphal also was the SEC Tournament MVP after scoring the game-winning goal in both the semifinal and final matches.
Jordan's 2015 totals of 24 goals and 55 points ranked second in 2015 NCAA Division I play. Her career total of 65 goals equals Gator Great Abby Wambach's total through her junior season.
Westphal was the third pick overall in the National Women's Soccer League draft and just signed with the Boston Breakers late last month. Falknor signed in early January with FC Bayern Münich and is playing with the team this season.
Falknor also received the 2015 Leadership and Players' Choice Awards. The Players' Choice honor is given to the athlete who makes the biggest impression both on and off the field, as voted on by the members of the team.
Junior midfielder Meggie Dougherty Howard is the 2015 recipient of the Erin Baxter Effort Award, which given to a player who pushes the team to higher levels. Dougherty Howard was an All-SEC second-team and SEC All-Tournament. She also received the Coaches' Award for effort and team impact.
The Karyn Hall Academic Excellence Award was shared by junior Betsy Middleton and senior Valerie Tysinger. Middleton has earned a 4.0 throughout her collegiate academic career and Tysinger received her bachelor's degrees for Spanish and sociology in December. The Robin Fulton Academic Achievement Award, given to the player who displays hard work and determination in the classroom, went to Jordan. The three were among the 14 Gators on the 2015 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll.
The Iron Gator Award also went to Middleton for her strength and conditioning work in- and off-season.
The 2015 Gators posted a 19-4-1 record in the program's 21st season. Florida swept the SEC regular-season and tournament titles and advanced to the NCAA Round of 16. The Gators were No. 8 on the final NSCAA rankings.
Play for the 2016 season opens Aug. 19 with a home match versus Florida International.
| 2015 Florida Soccer Team Awards | |
| Players' Choice | Claire Falknor |
| Offensive MVP | Savannah Jordan |
| Defensive MVP | Christen Westphal & Claire Falknor |
| Erin Baxter Effort Award | Meggie Dougherty Howard |
| Leadership Award | Claire Falknor |
| Iron Gator | Betsy Middleton |
| Coaches Award | Meggie Dougherty Howard |
| Karyn Hall Academic Excellence | Betsy Middleton & Val Tysinger |
| Robin Fulton Academic Achievement | Savannah Jordan |
Players Mentioned
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