Prater Selected SBC Preseason Co-Offensive Player of the Year

NEW ORLEANS – On Tuesday, the Sun Belt Conference announced the preseason women’s soccer poll, all-conference team and specialty award honorees. Representing the Bobcats was senior forward Lauren Prater being named Co-Offensive Player of the Year and selected to the all-conference squad.

Prater broke out in 2015 with a conference-high 12 goals and five game-winning scores. She totaled 28 points last season, tied for the most among all the returners in the SBC, to be named to the 2015 all-conference second team. The Arlington, Texas native shared the preseason specialty award with South Alabama’s Charde Hannah.

In the preseason poll, Texas State was picked to finish sixth after a 12-6 season and third straight appearance in the SBC Tournament last year. The Bobcats totaled 76 points, one fewer than Little Rock.

South Alabama was the near favorite earning 10 of the 11 first-place votes for a total of 120 points. Troy was picked second, followed by conference newcomer Coastal Carolina. Appalachian State was selected fourth followed by the Trojans and Bobcats. Coming in seventh and eighth, respectively, was Georgia Southern and Georgia State while UL Lafayette was ninth and received a first-place vote. Rounding out the poll was Arkansas State (10th) and UL Monroe (11th).

The Bobcats begin their 18th season, all under head coach Kat Conner, on Friday at Lamar with kickoff set for 7 p.m. Sunday is the home opener at the Bobcat Soccer Complex at 1 p.m. against Prairie View A&M.

Admission to all home soccer games are free of charge. For more information on the Texas State soccer team, visit the official website of Texas State Athletics at www.txstatebobcats.com, like on Facebook at Texas State Soccer and follow on Twitter at @TxStateSoccer.

Sun Belt Preseason All-Conference Team

Jennifer Wittick (Georgia Southern, Senior, Forward)

Yazmin Montoya (UL Lafayette, Senior, Forward)

* Chardé Hannah (South Alabama, Junior, Forward)

** Lauren Prater (Texas State, Senior, Forward)

** Caitlyn Eddy (Little Rock, Sophomore, Midfielder)

* Suzanne Arafa (Georgia State, Senior, Midfielder)

* Danielle Henley (South Alabama, Junior, Midfielder)

* Lindsey Tully (Appalachian State, Junior, Defender)

* Steffi Hardy (South Alabama, Junior, Defender)

** Jemma Purfield (South Alabama, Sophomore, Defender)

* Mikki Lewis (Troy, Junior, Goalkeeper)

 * –  denotes 2015 First-Team All-Conference | ** denotes 2015 Second-Team All-Conference

2016 Sun Belt Preseason Co-Offensive Players of the Year

Chardé Hannah (South Alabama, Sophomore, Forward)

Lauren Prater (Texas State, Senior, Forward)

2016 Sun Belt Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

Steffi Hardy (South Alabama, Junior, Defender)

2016 Sun Belt Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll (first-place votes in parentheses)

1. South Alabama (10) – 120 pts
2. Troy – 102 pts
3. Coastal Carolina – 86 pts
4. Appalachian State – 81 pts
5. Little Rock – 77 pts
6. Texas State – 76 pts
7. Georgia Southern – 53 pts
8. Georgia State – 49 pts
9. UL Lafayette (1) – 46 pts
10. Arkansas State – 20 pts
11. UL Monroe – 16 pts

SBC Release: http://sunbeltsports.org/news/2016/8/16/WSOC_0816164540.aspx