ST AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Senior forward Lauren Wade has been named the Southeast Region Player of the Year for the second-consecutive season as announced by the Conference Commissioners Association on Wedneday. She also joined three of her teammates who were named to the D2CCA All-Southeast Region teams.
She is the only player in program history to have earned region player of the year.
"It's a bit of an achievement and one I'm very proud of," Wade claimed. "If you had told me I would have won that, I would have taken your hand off, but it's absolutely great."
���� Round of applause for @LaurenW17 who has been named the Southeast Region Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons pic.twitter.com/9gnFE3fMDV
— C-N Athletics (@CNathletics) November 15, 2017
In collecting her second-consecutive first-team All-Region accolade, Wade also joins Herrity as the only players in program history to be named to the first-team in back-to-back seasons. She has collected 44 points so far in 2017, with 16 goals and 12 assists.
The All-Region teams acknowledged four Eagles from the 2017 program in Jackie Burns, Helen Seed, Averi Williams and the aforementioned Wade. The recognition sits runner-up to the program record of five C-N players who were named all-region just a year ago.
Defender Helen Seed accompanied Wade on the first-team which marked the first time the Preston, England native received a regional honor. It is just the second time in the history of the program that two C-N players have been named to first-team All-Region when Wade and Julianne Herrity were selected in 2016.
Seed ranks third all-time in minutes played in four years at Carson-Newman, collecting a career-high three goals and one assist so far this season. It's the fourth-time she has been recognized this year after being named preseason first-team All-SAC, first-team All-SAC and All-Tournament team.
"It's great to be recognized and there's a bunch of teammates who could have easily made the team as well," Seed mentioned.
First-Team Southeast All-Region lands two Eagles for the second-consecutive season! pic.twitter.com/Gw7sdoA8VP
— C-N Athletics (@CNathletics) November 15, 2017
Junior Averi Williams (Powell, Tenn.) has been named second-team All-Region for the second-straight season as she joins Jackie Burns (Cookstown, Northern Ireland) who earned a spot on the all-region team for the first time despite a stellar season as a freshman last year.
Seed's backline mate also added to her list of accolades during the '17 campaign which included both preseason and regular season All-SAC second-team honors. She has tallied a goal and an assist on the year but has been a key part of a defense who has allowed just 10 goals in 19 games.
"Between us we just get each other and understand one another," Seed added. "If one of us does one thing then we know how to work off of it. It goes all the way across the backline along with Jackie as well."
Behind Williams and Seed sits sophomore Jackie Burns who is already the winningest goalkeeper in the history of the program with 35 wins. Her 23.3 shutouts over the past two seasons are second to Christine Furman who collected 23.6 from 1997-99.
"All three of them are fantastic players," Wade stated. "They've been absolutely immense and our whole team has as well. These things don't happen without them."
The most impressive of Burns' performances came this past weekend in the NCAA Division II Southeast Region Semifinal vs. Queens in which she collected seven saves including an unbelievable stop on an Alana Jefferson penalty kick near the end of the first half.
"She saved me on that one pretty well, she is unreal," Seed exclaimed. "She is one of the better goalkeepers I've ever played with. She always communicates so well and it's solid having her behind us."
The Division II Conference Commissioners Association encourages and promotes Division II athletics and high standards of sportsmanship as important elements of higher education. The CCA is a key communications link among the conferences as they discuss views, policies and regulations that impact Division II intercollegiate athletics and works closely with the NCAA as a communications channel to NCAA Division II member colleges and universities.
"Delighted for the four girls and have representation for Carson-Newman across the region," Coach Simon Duffy said. "There are some others on the team who could have very well received awards, but happy for those four."
2017 D2CCA ALL-SOUTHEAST REGION TEAMS
Southeast Region Player of the Year – Lauren Wade, Carson-Newman University
First-Team
GK Gina Ryan UNC Pembroke So.
D Helen Seed Carson-Newman Sr.
D Tehgan Anguilm Columbus State So.
D Hugrun Elvarsdottir Columbus State Sr.
D Jasmine Senecal-Guzman UNC Pembroke Sr.
MF Cassandra Wade Columbus State Sr.
MF Alana Jefferson Queens (N.C.) Sr.
MF Holly Rawcliffe Limestone Jr.
MF Fio Spano Columbus State So.
F Lauren Wade Carson-Newman Sr.
F Olivia Jarrell Columbus State Jr.
F Carolina Lucci Chowan Fr.
F Amanda Bartholomew Georgia Jr.
Second-Team
GK Jackie Burns Carson-Newman So.
D Mariah Lewis Queens (N.C.) Sr.
D Averi Williams Carson-Newman Jr.
D Madeline Goodfellow Columbus State Fr.
D Lea Hippauf Limestone Jr.
MF Abbie Brown Lenoir-Rhyne Jr.
MF Taylor Leyble Wingate Sr.
MF Ann-Cathrin Zabel Clayton State Fr.
MF Kimmi Moore Wingate Jr.
F Charlène Nowotny Flagler So.
F Riley Clark Columbus State So.
F Renee VanHorn North Georgia Jr.
F Alex Mathis Limestone Jr.
-CN-
