Two members of the Coastal Carolina women’s soccer team have garnered Big South postseason awards, according to an announcement from the conference office. Alyssa Clark was named a second team All-Big South defender while Jessie Benchley earned All-Big South academic team honors.
Clark recorded one goal and a team leading three assists to tally five points from her outside back position. The Waxhaw, N.C., native appeared in all 19 games for the Chanticleers making 15 starts. Clark anchored the Coastal backline that recorded back-to-back shutout victories over Big South opponents VMI and UNC Asheville. She scored against Charleston Southern with 24 seconds remaining to send the match to overtime. The sophomore tallied two assists via free kick this season: one against High Point and one at Presbyterian College. Her third assist of the year came by way of a corner kick against Winthrop. She totaled a career-high four shots against VMI on her way to attempting a career-best 13 total shots.
Benchley holds a 3.86 overall GPA and a perfect 4.00 GPA in the Coastal Carolina Exercise and Sports Science program. The senior has earned a pair of President’s List and four Dean’s List honors through her six semesters in Conway. She is a three-time member of the Big South Conference Presidential Honor Roll. A native of Hudson, Ill., Benchley returned from a season-ending injury a year ago to start 11 of 13 games played in 2011. She helped record back-to-back shutouts in Coastal’s two wins. She finished the season with seven shot attempts from her defensive midfield position, three of which fell on frame.
Since the program’s inaugural season in 2000, the Chanticleers have totaled 41 All-Big South Conference honorees with 22 student-athletes earning first team honors and 19 garnering second team recognition.
