Nov. 30, 2017
KANSAS CITY, Mo. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" After advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight season, Kristen Dodson, Caroline Bado and Sarah Le Beau represented Auburn soccer as 2017 United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region honorees.
Dodson becomes a member of the second team for the second straight season, while Bado and Le Beau have been named to the third team. Le Beau also earned second team honors in 2015.
It marks the third straight season and seventh overall that three Tigers have earned all-region recognition.
"These three ladies were key components to our team's success this season," said head coach Karen Hoppa. "We're very excited to see them recognized by the United Soccer Coaches."
A year after setting the single-season program record with 38 points, Dodson led the Tigers with eight goals and 20 points in 2017. She went on to be named First Team All-SEC for the second straight season and became the eighth player in program history to accomplish the feat.
After turning in her sixth career brace and third of the season in Auburn's fifth straight Iron Bowl win and scoring the game-winning goal against then-No. 10 Florida, Dodson not only earned SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors, but also became the first player in program history to be named the Top Drawer National Player of the Week twice.
The Aurora, Ill., native concluded her Auburn career ranked fourth in program history in assists (28), points (86) and game-winning goals (10) and fifth in goals (29).
Joining Dodson as a First Team All-SEC honoree, Bado made an immediate impact as a member of the Tigers' back line that turned in eight shutouts, including five in SEC play. The team's five conference shutouts were not only tied for second in the league, but also matched a program record.
The UCF graduate transfer, who played in every minute of every match this season, was constantly tasked with shutting down the opposing team's top attacking player. She stymied the Tennessee and Kentucky attacks at the end of September and went on to be named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week and a member of the Top Drawer National Team of the Week.
Le Beau, who joined Bado in playing every minute of every match in goal this season, was the Tigers' last line of defense and turned in a career best eight shutouts in 2017.
The two-time all-region honoree turned in double digit saves in games against North Carolina (10) and Stanford (11). Le Beau pitched a shutout against eventual SEC Tournament Champion Texas A&M to start conference play and went on to be named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week. She also turned in arguably her best performance of the season in a shutout win against Florida in the regular season.
With one season remaining on The Plains, the Crystal Lake, Ill., native ranks third in program history in goals against average (1.07), fourth in shutouts (21) and fifth in saves (233).