Six Lady Vols Named To SEC Preseason Watch List

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Six Tennessee players were named to the 2022 SEC Soccer Preseason Watch List as announced by the conference on Wednesday.

Fifth-year seniors Abbey Burdette and Mackenzie George, senior Lindsey Romig, redshirt-junior Jaida Thomas, junior Lawson Renie and sophomore Taylor Huff were all named players to watch this season. This is Romig's third straight appearance on the watch list, while George and Thomas are making their second straight appearances.

Burdette, the 2021 SEC Tournament MVP, returns for a fifth year having started all 23 games during UT's record-breaking 2021 campaign while tallying two goals and two assists. In exhibition play this season, Burdette scored a pair of goals against #16 Notre Dame.

George dished out a team-high 10 assists in 2021 and finished third on the team in total points with 22. She started all 23 games, adding six goals on the season. In UT's 5-1 exhibition win over Dayton on Sunday, George scored from close range in the 54^th minute.

Romig sits at third all-time in the Tennessee record book with a career goals against average of .904 and a save percentage of .802. She logged 17 wins in 2021, nine of which were shutouts.

Thomas earned Second Team All-America honors following a redshirt-sophomore campaign in which she scored a team-high 13 goals and added six assists. Through two seasons she has amassed 25 goals, landing in a tie for 10th all-time in career goals scored by a Lady Vol. She trails No. 1 Kylee Rossi by 18 goals and No. 2 Hannah Wilkinson by just eight.

Renie led the team in minutes played during the 2021 season with 1,970. She started all 23 matches and was on the field for 525 minutes of UT's program-best shutout streak of 633:53 set over the first seven games of the season last year.

Huff, the 2021 SEC Freshman of the Year, had a breakout rookie campaign, scoring 10 goals, three of which were game winners. She led the team in shots on goal and also managed five assists to finish second on the team in total points with 25. In the Lady Vols' exhibition win over Dayton this season, she scored the game winner in the 26^th minute and added a second goal on a penalty kick in the second half.

UT will open the season on the road at No. 10 UNC on Thursday. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET, and the contest will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.

University of Tennessee Athletics

Players Mentioned

Abbey Burdette

Mackenzie George

Taylor Huff

Lawson Renie

Lindsey Romig

Jaida Thomas

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