Brooke Thigpen is SEC Freshman Soccer Player of the Week

Gainesville, Fla. - Monday September 14, 2009

University of Florida's Brooke Thigpen is the Southeastern Conference’s Freshman Soccer Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday afternoon. Other award winners this week include Tennessee senior Mick Imgram (SEC Offensive Player of the Week) and South Carolina senior defender Blakely Mattern (SEC Defensive Player of the Week).

Thigpen (Jacksonville, Fla./The Bolles School) turned in a goal and two assists in Florida’s wins last weekend versus Duke (2-1) and No. 20 Colorado (3-1). Thigpen broke a 1-1 tie to score the game-winning goal against Duke in the 64th minute. She also provided an assist on Florida's first goal of the match. In Sunday's 3-1 win over Colorado, Thigpen again was involved in the game-winning goal, this time providing the assist on roommate Erika Tymrak's 18-yard strike in the 48th minute. Thigpen shares Florida's 2009 points lead at six off of two goals and two assists.

Thigpen is 2009 ESPN RISE Winter High School All-American and was named the 2009 Florida High School 3A Dairy Farmer’s Player of the Year. She was named the 2009 Florida Times Union All-First Coast Player of the Year after turning in 43 goals and 27 assists as a senior at The Bolles School.

Next up, the Gators play host to No. 4 Florida State (6-1, 0-0 ACC) on Friday, Sept. 18. Match time is set for 7 p.m. at the James G. Pressly Stadium. The first 1,000 fans at Friday’s match receive “Beat FSU” t-shirts, compliments of Gatorade. Check out the Gator Outlook for a list of all promotions for Friday’s match. Admission is free for all Gator soccer regular-season matches.

Streaming audio and video of Friday’s match is available at www.GatorZone.com – the official website of the Florida Gators. Click on the GatorVision link to get complete information about streaming video for Friday’s match. The match can also be heard on WRUF AM 850 with Adam Schick and Matthew Stubbington covering the action