Athens, GA - Georgia senior Carrie Patterson and freshmen Laura Eddy and Susannah Dennis earned 2009 All-SEC honors as voted on by the league coaches, it was announced Tuesday. Patterson was named first team All-SEC while Eddy was named to the second team, the freshman team and SEC Freshman of the Year. Dennis was also named freshman All-SEC.

“Our team has had a very good run this fall and with this type of season comes some individual accolades,” said head coach Patrick Baker. “We are all very proud of the three young ladies that earned all-conference recognition. Carrie has been fantastic since day one of her freshman year and we have known for some time that she is a special attacking player. Laura has adjusted so well to our backline and has been good at a very high level all season long. Sooz, after missing most of the non-conference season due to injury – is finding herself in great form as we enter post-season play.”

Patterson, a native of Atlanta, owns the Georgia career record for goals (42) and points (107) and is tied for the lead with 23 assists. She leads the team with nine goals, five assists and 23 points. Patterson becomes just the fourth player to earn first team All-SEC honors four times. Jennifer Burchett of Vanderbilt was the first from 1993-96, Kim LaBelle of Kentucky was the second from 1994-97, and Florida’s Abby Wambach was the third from 1998-2001. Patterson is also the 29th UGA student-athlete in all sports to earn four first team All-SEC honors.

“It’s a huge honor to know that the other coaches in the conference respect you that much,” Patterson said. “I didn’t have all the stats this year that I’ve had in the past, but to know that my performance got me on the first team is awesome. I can’t thank my teammates enough, because they play so well around me and it makes my job so much easier.”

“Carrie continues to break records every time she steps out onto the field and this latest achievement is no surprise,” Baker said. “The quality of her soccer this year has been her best and there is still a lot more to come. She has received help from so many of her teammates in the attacking third, but with the game on the line she is the one we want to be in position to score.”

Eddy, an Atlanta native, is the third Bulldog in the last four years to be named SEC Freshman of the Year; Patterson earned the honor in 2006 and Kelli Corless earned the honor in 2007. She has started all 18 of Georgia’s games as a defender, and helped the Bulldogs post seven shutouts. Eddy also scored the game-winning goal in the 2-1 win over Mississippi State. She was the only freshman in the league to be named to the first or second All-SEC teams. Eddy was a unanimous selection to the All-Freshman team.

“To follow in the footsteps of Kelli Corless and Carrie Patterson, two players that I look up to, means so much to me,” Eddy said. “When I found out, I was shocked and thrilled. It’s a big honor. It’s been a great year for the team, and I’m glad I could contribute to it.”

“Laura was regarded by many to be one of the best central midfielders in the country as a youth player, and her conversion to center back has helped us have another remarkable season to this point,” Baker said. “She has performed like an experienced college player from the first day of pre-season and we look forward to her continued development in our program.”

Dennis, a native of Franklin, Tenn., has played in 16 games with 10 starts as a midfielder for the Bulldogs. She had the game-winning goal in the 3-2 win at Charlotte. All 10 of Dennis’ starts have come in conference games after missing action the first part of the season with an injury.

“It’s a great honor to be recognized with other freshmen in the conference,” Dennis said. “We’ve had a good year, and the team was a big part of me getting the recognition. We are ready to make a good run in the postseason starting this week in Orange Beach.”

“Being the two-time Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year and a U-20 Youth National team member, Sooz came to Georgia as one of our most heralded freshmen ever,” Baker said. “As she recovered from her back injury, she has gotten more comfortable in our line-up and has impacted a number of games for us. She plays very well on both side of the ball and look forward to another three years together.”

Dating back to 2005 when Ali Williams was named SEC Offensive Player of the Year, Georgia has had a player earn one of the four major SEC postseason awards in each of the last five seasons including last season when Megan Tomlinson was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year.

Patterson, Eddy and Dennis helped lead Georgia to 14 wins for just the fourth time in school history. The Bulldogs (14-4-1, 7-4-0 SEC) will face South Carolina (15-3-1, 7-3-1 SEC) in the first round of the SEC Tournament Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. Eastern in Orange Beach, Ala.

2009 SEC Women’s Soccer Awards

First Team All-SEC
Katy Frierson M So. Auburn
Katie Fraine GK Jr. Florida
Lauren Hyde* D Sr. Florida
Carrie Patterson F Sr. Georgia
Chelsea Potts D Sr. LSU
Malorie Rutledge* M Sr. LSU
Danielle Johnson M Sr. Ole Miss
Kayla Grimsley* F So. South Carolina
Blakely Mattern* D Sr. South Carolina
Mick Imgram M Sr. Tennessee
Megan Forester D Sr. Vanderbily

Second Team All-SEC
Justine Bernier GK So. Alabama
Kim Schleif D Sr. Arkansas
Becca Howell F Sr. Auburn
Sammy Towne D Jr. Auburn
Lindsay Thompson F So. Florida
Laura Eddy D Fr. Georgia
Allysha Chapman D So. LSU
Melissa Clarke M Sr. LSU
Hannah Weatherly F Sr. Ole Miss
Samantha Diaz-Matosas D Sr. South Carolina
Kim Miller M Sr. South Carolina
Molly Kinsella M Jr. Vanderbilt

All-Freshman Team
Allie Chandler F Arkansas
Amy Howard GK Auburn

Brooke Thigpen M Florida
Erika Tymrak* M Florida
Kat Williamson D Florida
Susannah Dennis M Georgia
Laura Eddy* D Georgia
Carlie Banks F LSU
Arielle Cohen M Ole Miss
Amy Harrison M Tennessee
Chelsea Stewart M Vanderbilt

Coach of the Year
Shelley Smith, South Carolina

Offensive Player of the Year
Malorie Rutledge, LSU

Defensive Player of the Year
Lauren Hyde, Florida

Freshman of the Year
Laura Eddy, Georgia

Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Blakely Mattern, South Carolina

*unanimous selection