Florida’s Daviana Vaka and Megan Hinnenkamp earn All-SEC honors; SEC Freshman of the Year claimed by Hinnenkamp
GAINESVILLE, Florida – Two University of Florida soccer players – Daviana Vaka (Sandy, Utah) and Megan Hinnenkamp (Kearney, Mo.) – earned All-Southeastern Conference honors, the league office announced this morning.
Vaka earns All-SEC first team honors. Hinnenkamp is one of three league freshmen to collect All-SEC honors, with the freshman trio all earning second-team honors.
Hinnenkamp shares the SEC Freshman of the Year honor with Georgia’s Summer Denigan. She is the fifth Gator to earn the honor and first since Deanne Rose in 2017. Hinnenkamp led the league’s freshmen with eight goals through regular-season play. She is also part of the SEC All-Freshman Team.
Here’s a look at the season notes for Florida’s 2023 All-SEC honorees:
First team:
Daviana Vaka – Defender –
* Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of Week<https://www.secsports.com/article/38548949/week-7> after Florida’s sixth shutout of season at LSU
* Earned season opening TopDrawer Soccer National Team of the Week<https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer-articles/womens-team-of-the-week%20-august-21_aid52381> honors after playing entirety of shutout wins versus East Carolina and Maryland
* Earned first assist as a Gator off free kick put in by Lena Bailey versus Auburn<https://x.com/GatorsSoccer/status/1715146374147383501?s=20>
* Started every match at centerback, playing entirety of 16 matches
* Transferred to Florida from BYU for this season. 2023 was first season playing on backline.
All-SEC Second Team / SEC Co-Freshman of the Year / All-SEC Freshman Team:
Megan Hinnenkamp – Forward
* Leads Florida and SEC freshmen season high with eight goals through end of regular-season action
* Third Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week honor after scoring first<https://x.com/GatorsSoccer/status/1716159791024791754?s=20> and last goals<https://x.com/GatorsSoccer/status/1716185357106987386?s=20> in 3-3 tie at Vanderbilt
* Earned second SEC Freshman of the Week<https://www.secsports.com/article/38548949/week-7> honor after a goal in each<https://x.com/GatorsSoccer/status/1707903272768401591?s=20> half at Louisiana State<https://x.com/GatorsSoccer/status/1707921255075139668?s=20>
* Opened SEC play with a goal versus Missouri<https://x.com/GatorsSoccer/status/1702848131367600376?s=20>
* Two goals to open first half<https://twitter.com/GatorsSoccer/status/1695927080469635536?s=20> action versus Stetson were first scores of Gator career<https://twitter.com/GatorsSoccer/status/1695927419344236892?s=20>
* Scored opening goal of match in 1-1 tie at Kennesaw State<https://twitter.com/GatorsSoccer/status/1698465776234045653?s=20>, earning SEC Freshman of the Week honor<https://www.secsports.com/article/38328498/week-3>
* Started every match
* No. 20 on TopDrawerSoccer’s Freshman rankings<https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer/college-national-freshmen-top-100/women> (as of Oct. 9, 2023)
In other awards announced Sunday, SEC champion Arkansas took three individual honors – Ava Tankersley (Forward of Year), Bea Franklin (Midfielder of Year) and Colby Hale (Coach of the Year). South Carolina’s Heather Hinz is the SEC Goalkeeper of the Yea and teammate Gracie Falla is Defender of the Year.
Hinnenkamp shares the SEC Freshman of the Year honor with Georgia’s Summer Denigan. Co-SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors went to Franklin and Auburn’s Anna Haddock.
2023 Southeastern Conference Soccer Awards
Forward of the Year:
Ava Tankersley, Arkansas
Midfielder of the Year:
Bea Franklin, Arkansas
Defender of the Year:
Gracie Falla, South Carolina
Goalkeeper of the Year:
Heather Hinz, South Carolina
Freshman of the Year:
Megan Hinnenkamp, Florida and Summer Denigan, Georgia
Scholar-Athlete of the Year:
Bea Franklin, Arkansas & Anna Haddock, Auburn
Coach of the Year:
Colby Hale, Arkansas
All-SEC First Team
Position
Name
School
Forward
Gianna Paul
Alabama
Forward
Ava Tankersley
Arkansas
Forward
Jordyn Rhodes
Kentucky
Forward
Kylee Simmons
Missouri
Forward
Cat Barry
South Carolina
Midfielder
Felicia Knox
Alabama
Midfielder
Bea Franklin
Arkansas
Midfielder
Macey Hodge
Mississippi State
Midfielder
Jordan Fusco
Tennessee
Defender
Gessica Skorka
Alabama
Defender
Daviana Vaka
Florida
Defender
Gracie Falla
South Carolina
Defender
Carolyn Calzada
Texas A&M
Goalkeeper
Heather Hinz
South Carolina
All-SEC Second Team
Forward
Anna Podojil
Arkansas
Forward
Megan Hinnenkamp
Florida
Forward
Ava Galligan
LSU
Forward
Sizzy Lawton
Tennessee
Midfielder
Anna Haddock
Auburn
Midfielder
Croix Bethune
Georgia
Midfielder
Summer Denigan
Georgia
Midfielder
Mia Pante
Texas A&M
Midfielder
Abi Brighton
Vanderbilt
Defender
Ellie Podojil
Arkansas
Defender
Grace Phillpotts
Kentucky
Defender
Maya Antoine
Vanderbilt
Defender
Hannah McLaughlin
Vanderbilt
Goalkeeper
Shu Ohba
Ole Miss
Goalkeeper
Maddy Anderson
Mississippi State
SEC All-Freshman Team
Nadia Ramadan
Alabama
Midfielder
Avery Wren
Arkansas
Defender
Megan Hinnenkamp
Florida
Forward
Summer Denigan
Georgia
Midfielder
Kiera Staude
Georgia
Defender
Tanner Strickland
Kentucky
Midfielder
Ava Galligan
LSU
Forward
Avery Brown
Ole Miss
Defender
Reagan Schubach
South Carolina
Midfielder
Kate Runyon
Tennessee
Forward
Adysen Armenta
Texas A&M
Midfielder
Margo Matula
Texas A&M
Defender
Courtney Jones
Vanderbilt
Midfielder
Ella Eggleston
Vanderbilt
Forward
