Two Big 12 women’s soccer standouts were honored with Senior CLASS Award Second Team recognition on Thursday. Amanda Hill (West Virginia) and Abby Smith (Texas) both garnered the honor after posting successful seasons on the pitch and in the classroom.
To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete in 10 NCAA sports and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. In total, five student-athletes were named to the second team.
A two-time team captain, Hill started all 88 career matches at defensive center midfield and ranks No. 3 on the all-time career starts list. Set to graduate this May with degrees in exercise physiology and animal and nutritional sciences, Hill also is minoring in sport and exercise psychology. A 2015 CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team honoree, she boasts a 3.97 grade point average and is a three-time Academic All-Big 12 Soccer First Team honoree.
Hill has accumulated more than 750 hours of community service during her WVU career. She has served as a dog walker for the Washington (Pa.) Area Humane Society, volunteered at Cheat Lake Animal Hospital and the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia, assisted with WVU women’s soccer camps and the annual 4v4 breast cancer tournament, and served as a volunteer handler for Hearts of Gold Service Dog Organization.
On the pitch Smith has managed quite a senior campaign, 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. Recently, the Plano, Texas, native reaped numerous accolades including both All-Big 12 First Team honors and ESPNW National Player of the Week nod. She was chosen as a CollegeSoccer360.com Primetime Performer of the Week after making 10 vital saves 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.
In the classroom, Smith has been outstanding throughout her career, boasting a 3.67 GPA while majoring in physical culture and sports with a minor in communication. A 2014 NSCAA University Division Scholar All-American and Scholar All-South Region choice, she was also named UT’s representative for the 2014-15 Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award. She’s a three-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection, a seven-time Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll inclusion and has been a nominee for CoSIDA Academic All-District and All-America honors.