Thomas Secures Fourth SEC Freshman of the Week Honor

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Tennessee redshirt freshman Jaida Thomas has earned Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week honors for the fourth time this season and second week in a row, as the league office announced its weekly awards Monday afternoon.

The forward from Irving, Texas, logged her fourth consecutive multi-goal outing in Tennessee's 2-0 victory over Wake Forest on Saturday, scoring twice to help the Vols extend their winning streak to four-straight matches. She has scored nine times this semester, recording a hat trick and back-to-back-to-back braces to begin the 2021 spring campaign.

"Jaida just keeps being Jaida," head coach Brian Pensky said. "Her will to score is pretty darn impressive. That's what both of those goals against Wake Forest were... sheer will, and that says a lot about what she's made of."

With 12 tallies on the 2020-21 season, Thomas took over sole possession of the SEC lead in goals scored and is one away from tying the current NCAA leader (Amanda West, Pittsburgh). Her total is tied for the fifth-most in a single season in Tennessee history and the second-most ever recorded by a Lady Vol freshman.

This marks the fourth SEC Freshman of the Week award for Thomas this season and her fifth weekly honor overall. She was tabbed as the league's Offensive Player of the Week on February 22 before claiming back-to-back Freshman of the Week accolades the last two weeks, in addition to claiming a pair of rookie weekly honors from the conference office in the fall.

The Vols wrap up a three-match home stand this weekend, taking on the North Carolina Tar Heels Saturday evening. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Regal Soccer Stadium.

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University of Tennessee Athletics

Players Mentioned

Jaida Thomas

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