ROCK HILL, SC - On Thursday afternoon the Big South Conference named its 2019 Women's Soccer All-Big South teams, and four Winthrop Eagles were honored for their season achievements, as seniors Natalie Royaards and Dylan Patterson were named First Team selections and seniors Gabi Hull and Keeley Leising were named Second Team. Leising was also honored Thursday as a member of the 2019 Big South All-Academic Team. 

First Team selection Natalie Royaards played in and started all 15 matches for the Eagles this season. Royaards was tied for the most goals scored with six on the season, including scoring in three straight matches from 8/31 vs. Wofford to 9/12 at South Carolina State. Her 13 points for the season were also tied for the team high, having six matches in 2019 with two points recorded. Royaards netted two game-winning goals, the first coming 10/9 against Presbyterian and the second the very next match at Hampton (10/12). 

First Team selection Dylan Patterson started all 15 games on the back line for the Eagles, anchoring a defensive unit that allowed only 1.33 goals per contest in 2019. She proved to be irreplaceable for Spencer Smith this year, as Patterson logged the most minutes of any Eagles player with 1313. Patterson went the distance playing all 90 minutes of a match 11 times in 2019, including logging all 110 minutes of a double overtime contest against Campbell 9/28. 

Named a Second Team selection, Gabi Hull started all 15 games in the midfield for Winthrop, tying fellow senior Natalie Royaards for the team lead in goals with six on the season. Hull netted goals in three consecutive matches spanning between 9/25 at Gardner-Webb  to 10/2 at Charleston Southern, and netted two game winning goals in her senior season - 9/12 at South Carolina State and 10/23 vs. UNC Asheville. Hull finished with 13 points on the season, tied for the team high. She recorded two points or more in six different matches, including three against Presbyterian 10/9. 

Named a Second Team selection and All-Academic Team selection, Keeley Leising recorded 10 assists in 2019, the second most in a season in program history (12, Grace Radler, 2012). Leising recorded multiple assists in three matches, including three assists at South Carolina State 9/12. Leising also netted one goal this season, coming against Longwood 10/5. Leising totaled 12 points in her senior season, one of four Eagles with double digit points on the year.

The four Eagle All-Big South selections and the rest of the Winthrop squad will take on Gardner-Webb Friday evening in the quarterfinals of the Big South Tournament at Greene-Harbison Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. and can be streamed live via ESPN+ here. 

2019 Big South Conference Women's Soccer Award Winners
 
First-Team All-Conference
F:  Alexa Genas, Sr., Campbell
F:  Nelia Perez, Sr., Radford
F:  Maddie Turlington, Soph., Gardner-Webb
F:  Natalie Royaards, Sr., Winthrop
MF:  Stina Kleppe, Sr., Gardner-Webb
MF:  Katie Lockwood, Sr., Campbell
MF:  Chloe Le Franc, Jr., High Point
MF:  Gabi Paupst, Jr., Radford
D:  Kayla Thomas, Soph., Radford
D:  Keegan Bragg, Fr., High Point
D:  Taylor Alvey, Sr., Longwood
D:  Dylan Patterson, Sr., Winthrop
GK:  Talia Klimes, Sr., High Point
 
Second-Team All-Conference
F:  Morgan Hutchison, Jr., Presbyterian College
F:  Sam Gerhart, Fr., High Point
F:  Rosie O'Neal, Sr., Campbell
F:  Emma Schossler, Fr., High Point
MF:  Juliette Vidal, Jr., High Point
MF:  Gabi Hull, Sr., Winthrop
MF:  Madison Lockamy, Jr., Longwood
MF:  Bri Oliver, Jr., Radford
D:  Callie Beckwith, Sr., Campbell
D:  Carrie Reaver, Jr., Longwood
D:  Keeley Leising, Sr., Winthrop
D:  Delaney Baumbick, Fr., Campbell
GK:  Courtenay Kaplan, Sr., Radford
 
Honorable Mention All-Conference
F:  Kennedy Culbreath, Jr., Longwood
F:  Jada Newton, Soph., Gardner-Webb
F:  Zari Hayes, Fr., Charleston Southern
F:  Jessica Donald, Soph., Campbell
MF:  Carsyn Gold, Soph., High Point
MF:  Gillian Oyos, Soph., UNC Asheville
MF:  Elyssa Nowowieski, Fr., Campbell
MF:  Dakota Feidler, Soph., Charleston Southern
D:  Kristen Bane, Jr., Presbyterian College
D:  Jaasiel Forde, Soph., Gardner-Webb
D:  Kylie Ameres, Sr., Gardner-Webb
D:  Grace Sloan, Soph., UNC Asheville
GK:  Madison Van Dyke, Jr., Longwood
 
All-Academic Team
Jessica Donald, F, Soph., Campbell
Juliana Barbaccia, D, Jr., Charleston Southern
Stina Kleppe, MF, Sr., Gardner-Webb
Isobel Finnegan, MF, Jr., Hampton
Talia Klimes, GK, Sr., High Point
Carrie Reaver, D, Jr., Longwood
Preston Robinette, MF, Jr., Presbyterian College
Natacha Rangel-Ribiero, MF, Sr., Radford
Grace Kwiatkowski, D, Jr., UNC Asheville
Emma Honis, F, Sr., USC Upstate
Keeley Leising, D, Sr., Winthrop
 
Attacking Player of the Year
Alexa Genas, F., Sr., Campbell
 
Defensive Player of the Year
Kayla Thomas, D, Sr., Radford
 
Freshman of the Year
Sam Gerhart, F, Fr., High Point
 
Coach of the Year
Brandi Fontaine, High Point
 
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Carrie Reaver, D, Jr., Longwood