ROCK HILL, S.C. – Carson-Newman senior midfielder Mikayla Gregg (Newport, Tenn.) and sophomore Helen Seed (Preston, England) were named to the preseason All-South Atlantic Conference first-team, the league announced Monday morning.
This is the first time since Trenna Howell's addition to the squad in 2011 that a Lady Eagle has been named preseason first-team and the first time since 2010 that multiple C-N players were named to the first team.
"I love Helen and I'm so excited I get to share this together and I think it's awesome that we are from two different parts of the field, having a strong defender and then me in the midfield. I'm just excited and glad for her, too," Gregg said.
"That's great for us both. She's a senior. I look up to her, so it's great to be sharing it with her," Seed said of the duo sharing first-team accolades.
Gregg, a three-year starter, appeared in all 17 games as a junior and tallied five goals and an assist to lead the team in scoring. The senior has scored 11 goals during her Carson-Newman career and can play in the middle and out wide in the midfield.
The Newport-native shot a career-high .611 shots on goal percentage in 2014 and ended the year as second-team All-SAC.
"It's an honor for sure to go from second-team to first-team and it makes me excited for this season and it makes me confident for what's coming and I'm just excited," Gregg said.
Gregg finished the last two games of the year with three goals, including two on the road at the University of Alabama – Huntsville. She also scored against Trevecca Nazarene, Lincoln Memorial and Anderson (S.C.).
"I think we have the players this year where we can go forward more and more, so I'm just hoping to get more goals than I did last year and more assists," Gregg said.
Seed was third on the team last season with five points on two goals and an assist. She tallied a goal against Lincoln Memorial and added the game-winner at home versus Mars Hall; she also added an assist against the Lions. Four of the sophomore's nine shots last year were on frame for a .444 shots on goal percentage. She was named first-team All-SAC at the end of the 2014 season.
"I was really happy to receive the award and the prediction for it again. I've still got a lot to work on this year, so hopefully be a successful for me personally this year, but as a team, we still have a long way to go," Seed said.
The Lady Eagles' two first-team selections are tied for second-most in the league with Anderson as both programs have two athletes on the team; Lenior-Rhyne and Wingate are tied for the most with three.
First Team All-Conference
F – Casey Marlin, Lenoir-Rhyne
F – Brooke Howell, Wingate
F – Lyssa Engle, Anderson
F – Taylor Lewis, Tusculum
MF – Garcelle Alequine, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF – Mikayla Gregg, Carson-Newman
MF – Caitlyn Rodrigues, Queens
MF – Kaitlyn Brunworth, Wingate
D – Macy Franklin, Wingate
D – Faith Johannes, Anderson
D – Briana Belsky, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Helen Seed, Carson-Newman
GK – Bethany Davis, Catawba
Second Team All-Conference
F – Leah Mullins, Lenoir-Rhyne
F – Michelle Hunter, Lincoln Memorial
F – Payton DeHart, Tusculum
F – Taylor Leyble, Wingate
MF – Emmi Dunn, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF – Gabrielle Whitt, Tusculum
MF – Naomi Matley, Wingate
MF – Alex Hulsey, Catawba
D – Erin Feldman, Catawba
D – Ashley Osiecki, Queens
D – Amber Madriaga, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Olivia Kilgore, Tusculum
GK – Alayna Morris, Lenoir-Rhyne
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