Williams claims Freshman of the Week honors

FAYETTEVILLE – Freshman Britni Williams of the University of Arkansas Lady Razorback soccer team was named the Southeastern Conference’s Freshman of the Week on Monday morning by the league office in Birmingham, Ala.

Williams went 2-0 on the weekend as the Lady Razorbacks’ starting goalkeeper making six saves on 16 shots and not allowing a single opponent goal. She moved her career record to 5-2-0 on the weekend and is closing in on a pair of Lady Razorback school records for freshmen goalkeepers.

“This is wonderful news,” Arkansas head coach Gordon Henderson said. “We are certainly glad that Britni chose us over UCLA and I think that she’ll be one of the best goalkeepers in the SEC for years to come as she develops her technical and tactical repertoire.”

On the season, Williams, with the help of the Lady Razorback defense, has posted a 0.43 goals against average which ranks her third among SEC goalkeepers and should rank her among the nation’s top 30 goalkeepers when the NCAA releases its national statistics later this week. In seven starts this season, Williams has allowed just three scores, posted four shut outs and made 25 saves. She ranks among the SEC’s best in all categories.

Glancing at Williams’ potential place in the Arkansas history books, she is just ½ shutout behind Arkansas’ school record of 4 ½ set by Megan Bals during the 1999 season (the NCAA no longer recognizes combined shutouts) and is on pace to shatter the record for wins by a freshman which stands at eight. That record was set by Adrin Pedigo during the 1987 season. Other Arkansas freshman records that could fall this season include games started, minutes played, shots faced, saves and goals allowed.

Williams hails from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and has already etched her name in the Lady Razorback record books when she recorded her first shutout of the season in her first game. The feat was an Arkansas first, a telling stat when you consider the 22 years of Lady Razorback soccer history. She is also on pace to not just break, but shatter the Arkansas single-season record for goals against average which was set just last season by Carrie Dillsaver at 0.91.

The freshman of the week honor is the second ever earned by a Lady Razorback in the three years the award has been distributed by the SEC. Now junior Abbey Wilburn was the first to be recognized after she had a stellar weekend against Auburn and Alabama back in 2005.

The Lady Razorbacks are back in action Friday night when they take on Missouri State at Lady’Back Field beginning at 7:00 p.m. For more information about Lady Razorback soccer or about Arkansas women’s athletics, please go to www.ladybacks.com.