SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced its 2026 Women’s Soccer All-Conference Team and postseason awards Thursday, with the six major individual awards distributed among four schools.

Chattanooga junior Paige Thomas was named Forward of the Year and The Citadel senior forward Jasiah Pack was voted the Newcomer of the Year. Samford senior Caroline Smith and redshirt junior Peyton Hull were named the Defender of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year, respectively. Furman senior Bri Pinasco was voted the Midfielder of the Year, while her coach, Andrew Burr, was named Coach of the Year.

The league coaches voted on a pair of all-conference teams and the six individual awards. They were not allowed to vote for themselves or their own players. The first and second teams each include 11 players, selected by position. Due to a tie in the voting, the second team has an additional midfielder.

Furman led the way with six all-conference team selections. Samford followed closely behind with five, while Chattanooga had four selections. ETSU finished with three picks and The Citadel had a pair. Mercer, UNC Greensboro and Tennessee Tech each had one apiece.

Thomas led the conference in shots (69) and scored eight of her nine goals this season during SoCon play. Her most impressive stretch came from Sept. 17-Oct. 4, when she scored seven goals in four games, including a hat trick against Western Carolina. The junior from Green Book, New Jersey, was named SoCon Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 6.

Pack finished the regular season first in the SoCon in points (27) and goals (11). The senior transfer from Dalzell, South Carolina, played in all 18 games this season, with 16 starts. Pack scored two or more goals in a game three times this season, most recently at Western Carolina on Oct. 11, which was a hat trick. That performance led to Pack being named the SoCon Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 13.

Smith anchored a back line that helped the Bulldogs record 11 shutouts. The senior also scored two goals and had eight assists this season. The product of Woodstock, Georgia, concluded the season with an assist and the game-winning goal in a 6-0 victory at VMI on Nov. 1.

Hull leads the conference in shutouts (10), goals against average (.401) and save percentage (.896), all of which are ranked in the top five in the NCAA. The redshirt junior was the SoCon Defensive Player of the Week on three occasions this season. The South Bend, Indiana, native was also tops in the SoCon in goalie minutes played (1570:29).

Pinasco scored eight goals and had a pair of assists over 19 games played and started. The senior from Columbia, South Carolina, is tied for the league-lead in game-winning goals (4). Pinasco’s best offensive stretch of the season came from Sept. 17-Oct. 4, when she scored four goals in as many games.

Burr, in his 22nd season at the helm of the Paladins, earns coach of the year honors for the third time in his career. Furman finished the season 13-3-3 overall and 8-0-2 in conference play. The Paladins have not suffered a defeat in their last 10 outings. Burr led Furman to a share of its first regular season conference title in seven years and the No. 2 seed in the upcoming SoCon Tournament.

Three of the six Furman players who were all-conference selections were first-team picks. All of Samford’s selections were on the first team. Chattanooga had two on the first team, and The Citadel finished with one. Pinasco was joined on the first team by forward Norah Roller and defender Ellie Herrmann. Roller was fifth in the SoCon in points ger game (1.20), and Herrmann completed the regular season tied for fifth in assists in the league (5).

Samford was represented by Smith, Hull, forward Sam De Luca, midfielder Brinley Murphy and defender Avery Stevens. De Luca, who was the 2025 SoCon Player of the Year, and Stevens were all-tournament selections last season. De Luca had four game-winning goals this season, tying her for first in the SoCon. In her first season with Samford, Murphy was in the top 10 in the league in shots and shots on goal.

Thomas and her teammate Quinn Johnson were both selected as forwards on the first team. The Citadel midfielder Samantha Grantham rounded out the first team. Johnson, the 2025 SoCon Freshman of the Year, logged nine goals and six assists, placing her third in the league in both categories. Grantham was second in the league in goals (10) and points (25).

ETSU and Furman both had three selections on the second team. Chattanooga had two representatives on the second team. The Citadel, Mercer, UNCG and Tennessee Tech all had one selection. The Bucs had forward Reagan Fitzgerald, midfielder Natalie Capannelli and defender Ella Parker make the team. Midfielder Maddie Massie, defender Sarah Sexton and goalkeeper Reese DeJong represented Furman on the second team.

The two spots for the Mocs were claimed by midfielder Emma Reeves and defender Reese Wilson. Pack, Mercer midfielder Payton Nutzman, UNCG midfielder Rina Ogimoto and Tennessee Tech forward Kayla Childs rounded out the second team.

Three first round games highlight Friday’s Southern Conference Women’s Soccer Championship. No. 6 UNCG plays No. 11 VMI, No. 7 Mercer takes on No. 10 Wofford and No. 8 The Citadel faces No. 9 Western Carolina. The top three seeds, ETSU, Furman and Samford, await the winners of those contests, respectively, in the quarterfinals on Sunday. No. 4 Tennessee Tech and No. 5 Chattanooga will also play during the quarterfinals. The top remaining seed will host the semifinals and finals on Nov. 12 or 13 and Nov. 15.

2026 Women's Soccer All-Conference Team

Forward of the Year – Paige Thomas, Jr., Chattanooga
Midfielder of the Year – Bri Pinasco, Sr., Furman
Defender of the Year – Caroline Smith, Sr., Samford
Goalkeeper of the Year – Peyton Hull, R-Jr., Samford
Coach of the Year – Andrew Burr, Furman
Newcomer of the Year – Jasiah Pack, Sr., The Citadel
 
First Team
F – Norah Roller, Furman
F – Sam De Luca, Samford
F – Quinn Johnson, Chattanooga
F – Paige Thomas, Chattanooga
M – Samantha Grantham, The Citadel
M – Bri Pinasco, Furman
M – Brinley Murphy, Samford
D – Ellie Herrmann, Furman
D – Caroline Smith, Samford
D – Avery Stevens, Samford
GK – Peyton Hull, Samford
 
Second Team
F – Jasiah Pack, The Citadel
F – Reagan Fitzgerald, ETSU
F – Kayla Childs, Tennessee Tech
M – Natalie Capannelli, ETSU
M – Maddie Massie, Furman
M – Payton Nutzman, Mercer
M – Rina Ogimoto, UNCG
M – Emma Reeves, Chattanooga
D – Ella Parker, ETSU
D – Sarah Sexton, Furman
D – Reese Wilson, Chattanooga
GK – Reese DeJong, Furman