BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The 2026 Gulf South Conference women's soccer yearly awards honored two separate duos from Lee and Montevallo, while the All-GSC teams include players from seven different programs. The All-GSC teams and yearly award winners were voted on by conference head coaches.
The Falcon duo includes midfielder Lainey Farabaugh, who captured her first career Offensive Player of the Year award and Trey Gregory voted as Coach of the Year. Lee's tandem of Isabella Valentine and Emma Nelson were honored as the Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, respectively.
The GSC regular season champion, Montevallo, had the most players selected as All-GSC with eight honorees. Lee followed close behind with seven honorees, AUM, Union, and Valdosta State each had three, while Spring Hill had two and UAH had one.
Farabaugh led the conference in nearly every major offensive category including goals (14), assists (9), points (37), shots (81) and shots on goal (54). The award is the second-ever for a Falcon and the first since Taylor Gonzales in 2019.
Valentine was an integral part of Lee's success on both ends of the pitch. The senior is among the GSC offensive leaders in shots (32), shots on goal (16) and game-winning goals (two). On defense she has helped Lee give up the fewest goals in the GSC, allow just 96 shots of the opposition, and helped the Flames pitch 10 shutouts on the year while playing over 900 minutes.
Nelson had a standout rookie campaign and was among the GSC leaders in a handful of categories including goals (6th/seven), points (7th/16), and shots on goal (9th/17, while starting all 16 games in the midfield She is the third Flame all-time to win GSC Freshman of the Year, and the first since LAura Thacker in 2011.
Gregory was tabbed GSC Coach of the Year in his first season in charge of the Montevallo program. Under his direction, the Falcons claimed its first GSC regular season title, and the No. 1-seed in the GSC Championship, with a conference record of 9-1-1, while going 15-2-1 overall. The Falcons outscored their opponents 62-17 and led the conference in goals scored (62), goals per game (3.44), assists (54), and points (178). Nationally, the Falcons rank second in total goals, goals per game and points per game (9.41), while being among the nation's elite in shots on goal per game (9.76), goal differential, and assist per game (2.82).
2026 GSC Women's Soccer Awards
Offensive Player of the Year: Lainey Farabaugh, Montevallo
Defensive Player of the Year: Isabella Valentine, Lee
Freshman of the Year: Emma Nelson, Lee
Coach of the Year: Trey Gregory, Montevallo
2026 Women's Soccer First Team All-GSC
GK: Abby Whitcomb, Lee
D: Isabella Valentine, Lee
D: Madysen Legere, Montevallo*
D: Shelby Irwin, Montevallo
D: Moa Ekman, Lee
M: Lainey Farabaugh, Montevallo^#
M: Megan Davis, Lee*
M: Irene Arias, Union
M: Aubrey Benfield, Lee
F: Ayla Ertekin, Montevallo*
F: Rebekah Jackson, Union
F: Sarah Hudson, Valdosta State
F: Emma Nelson, Lee
2026 Women's Soccer Second Team All-GSC
GK: Leslie Azouer, AUM
GK: Jolie Cazale, Montevallo
D: Tessa Erzen, Union
D: Prescott Hull, UAH
D: Tessa Harrington, Montevallo
D: Kyndal Smith, Valdosta State
M: Karsyn Ross, Montevallo
M: Sofia Jimenez Garcia, Spring Hill
M: Courtney Pigford, AUM
M: Kaitlyn Scherer, Valdosta State*
F: Addie Chapman, Lee
F: Felicia Ajayi, Spring Hill
F: Isabel Dillehay, Montevallo
F: Eva Hendriks, AUM
^ 2025 First Team All-GSC
* 2025 Second Team All-GSC
# 2024 Second Team All-GSC