Hyde, five other soccer players earn SEC honors

Florida Gators senior All-American Lauren Hyde has been named the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year. One of six Florida soccer players to earn honors Tuesday, Hyde is the first Gator to win the award since the SEC began handing it out in 2004. She was also named to the All-SEC first team along with junior goalkeeper Katie Fraine; sophomore forward/midfielder Lindsay Thompson earned an All-SEC second team selection. The Gators also placed three players on the SEC All-Freshman team – F/MF Brooke Thigpen, MF Erika Tymrak and D Kathryn Williamson. Florida led the SEC in freshman selections for the second consecutive year.

The Gators (14-4-2, 8-1-2 SEC) have earned the top seed in the SEC Championship Tournament and will face the defending champion No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers (8-8-3, 4-5-2 SEC) on Wednesday, Nov. 4 in Orange Beach, AL. Meeting earlier this season in Knoxville, TN, Florida and Tennessee tied 2-2 after two overtimes.