The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Soccer’s Smith reaps NSCAA All-Region & Senior CLASS All-American honors
12.03.2015 | Soccer
Goalkeeper completed her stay at Texas as the UT leader in career shutouts and goals-against-average
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas standout senior goalkeeper Abby Smith has earned third team National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Central Region honors and been named a second team Senior CLASS Award Senior All-American according to a pair of Thursday announcements.
The NSCAA honor marks the third all-region accolade of the Plano, Texas, native's career following a first-team selection as a junior in 2014 and a second-team nod as a sophomore in 2013. UT now owns 46 overall NSCAA All-Central Region selections in program history and has had at least one player honored as part of the teams in 15 of the last 16 seasons.
On the pitch Smith managed quite a senior campaign for the Orange & White, registering a 0.94 goals-against-average, six shutouts, a Big 12 Conference-leading 96 saves on a league-high total of 5.33 saves-per-match and a .842 save percentage. After making 10 vital stops and registering an assist on junior forward Jasmine Hart's match-winning goal with 21 seconds left to top No. 17 Texas Tech on the road on Oct. 16, 2-1 (2OT), Smith reaped numerous accolades including both ESPNW National Player of the Week and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week nods and was chosen as a CollegeSoccer360.com Primetime Performer of the Week.
The 5-9 net minder even reached the scoring column for the third consecutive campaign on Aug. 23 as her 90-plus yard goal off a punt proved the match winner as the Longhorns knocked off Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) foe Miami (FL), 1-0. The play even came in at No. 10 on that night's edition of ESPN SportsCenter's "Top 10 Plays" segment. Smith completed her career as the program's all-time leader in GAA, and with a 3-0 blanking of Montana on "Senior Night" on Oct. 30, posted her 30th career shutout to break former UT net minder Dianna Pfenninger's Texas career shutout record.
