Jade Montgomery is first three-time SAC Athlete of the Year in league history
Date Posted: 6/23/2015
Rock Hill, S.C.----Wingate University All-American soccer player Jade Montgomery (Monroe, N.C.) has firmly established herself as one of the greatest student-athletes in the history of the South Atlantic Conference. On Tuesday morning, Montgomery was named the SAC Female Athlete of the Year for the third consecutive year. She is the first athlete in league history, male or female, to earn the honor three times in a career.
"This honor for Jade is absolutely tremendous," head coach Chip Wiggins says. "She has been an overwhelmingly positive representative of Wingate University and the South Atlantic Conference during her career. We are all so proud of her and for the fact that she is the only athlete - male or female - to win this award three times.?"
During her senior season in 2014, Montgomery was named the SAC Player of the Year for the third consecutive year, while picking up NCAA Southeast Region Player of the Year accolades from Daktronics for the second straight season. Montgomery earned first team All-American honors from the NSCAA and third team accolades from Daktronics. She earned All-American honors in each of her final three seasons at Wingate. Montgomery earned All-SAC and All-Region accolades all four seasons of her career. She led the league in goals and points in each of the last three seasons.
"All of us in Bulldog athletics are extremely proud of this unique and well-deserved honor for Jade," Wingate University vice-president and Director of Athletics Steve Poston says. "She represents all that is good about intercollegiate athletics. She has excelled both on and off the soccer field as a teammate and a leader."
Montgomery started her Wingate career by scoring a team-best 13 goals in 2011, leading the team with 28 points as the Bulldogs compiled a 16-4 record, won their first ever SAC Tournament title and earned the first NCAA Tournament bid in program history. Montgomery piled up six goals in the three SAC Tournament victories, notching her first career hat trick in the 4-1 win over Catawba in the quarterfinals. Montgomery netted two goals, including the game-winner in the 5-2 semifinal win over Newberry, while adding a goal in the 4-2 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne in the title match. She earned first team All-SAC honors as a freshman, while picking up second team All-Region accolades.
In her sophomore season, Montgomery led the nation with 21 goals, adding six assists to rank second nationally in points. She became the first Wingate women's soccer player to earn first team All-American honors from Daktronics. She was named the league's Player of the Year, leading the 'Dogs to a 14-3-2 record, a third consecutive trip to the SAC Tournament title match and a second consecutive NCAA Tournament bid. Montgomery piled up seven game-winners in 2012, notching at least one point in 13 of her 18 games. She had six multi-goal games as a sophomore, notching three hat tricks. At the end of her sophomore year, Montgomery earned SAC Female Athlete of the Year honors for the first time in her career.
Montgomery collected 17 goals and 11 assists as a junior, piling up 45 points. She led the SAC in goals, assists and points, while ranking in the top 10 nationally in all three categories. Montgomery was named the SAC Player of the Year for the second straight year, while picking up Southeast Region Player of the Year honors for the first time. She earned second team All-American honors from Daktronics and third team accolades from the NSCAA. This made her the first player in program history to be named to multiple All-American teams in one year, and the first Bulldog to earn All-American recognition in consecutive years. She led the Bulldogs to a 16-3-4 record in 2013. Wingate won its second SAC Tournament title in three years, with Montgomery scoring both Bulldog goals in the 2-1 victory in the title game. The SAC Tournament MVP scored the game-winner in the final minute of the title match. Wingate would go on to host the NCAA Southeast Regionals, advancing past Columbus State in penalty kicks before defeating Belmont Abbey 2-0 to win the regional title and advance to the Elite Eight. Wingate would also host the Elite Eight in 2013. At the conclusion of the season, Montgomery became only the second student-athlete in league history to earn SAC Female Athlete of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons.
Montgomery piled up 15 goals and six assists in her final season at Wingate, leading the SAC with 36 points. She was once again named the SAC and Region Player of the Year. Montgomery became the first player in program history to pick up first team All-American honors from the NSCAA in 2014. She also collected third team All-American accolades from Daktronics. The Bulldogs went 13-3-4, advancing to the SAC title match for the fifth time, while picking up a third championship in four years. Wingate earned its fourth straight bid to the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the regional semifinals.
In her illustrious career, Montgomery has been named to five All-American teams, which includes two first team honors. She is the only soccer player, male or female, to earn SAC Player of the Year honors three times. The Bulldogs compiled a 59-13-14 record in Montgomery's four-year career. Wingate played in the SAC title match all four years of her career. Before her arrival, the Bulldogs had never earned an NCAA Tournament bid. Wingate earned a bid every year of her career. Montgomery finished her career with 66 goals and 25 points, ranking fourth on the league's all-time charts in goals and points (157). She had 19 career multi-goal games and five hat tricks.
The first SAC Athlete of the Year awards were handed out after the 1992-93 season. Montgomery's three victories give the Bulldogs a total of six Female Athlete of the Year awards. Wingate also has four Male Athletes of the Year in SAC history. Wingate has had eight winners of the awards since the 2006-07 season. Five of the last eight Female Athlete of the Year award winners have been Bulldogs.
Montgomery's soccer career will continue overseas. Last week, she signed a contract to play for Kokkola Futis 10, a professional soccer team in the Finnish women's premier division Naisten Liiga.
SAC Athlete of the Year history
2014-15
Craig Brooks, Catawba, Baseball (M)
Jade Montgomery, Wingate, Soccer (W)
2013-14
Michael Green, Lenoir-Rhyne, Football (M)
Jade Montgomery, Wingate, Soccer (W)
2012-13
Chris Dula, Catawba, Baseball (M)
Jade Montgomery, Wingate, Soccer (W)
2011-12
Jonas Randolph, Mars Hill, Football (M)
Kate Griewisch, Lenoir-Rhyne, Cross Country (W)
2010-11
Dodson McPherson, Wingate, Baseball (M)
Stormi Gale, Wingate, Volleyball (W)
2009-10
Kyle Moore, Tusculum, Basketball (M)
Jasmine Gunn, Tusculum, Basketball (W)
2008-09
Corey Russell, Tusculum, Football (M)
Melissa Powers, Catawba, Volleyball (W)
2007-08
Sean Barnette, Wingate, Basketball (M)
Anna Atkinson, Wingate, Basketball (W)
2006-07
Sean Barnette, Wingate, Basketball (M)
Rebecca Angus, Carson-Newman, Soccer (W)
2005-06
Walt Baxley, Mars Hill, Basketball (M)
Paige Haverty, Catawba, Golf (W)
2004-05
Roman Davis, Lenoir-Rhyne, Basketball (M)
Rebecca Angus, Carson-Newman, Soccer (W)
2003-04
Ricardo Colclough, Tusculum, Football (M)
Lesley Murray, Tusculum, Tennis (W)
2002-03
Guy O'Connell, Tusculum, Baseball (M)
Marci Mitchell, Carson-Newman, Softball (W)
2001-02
Todd Cunningham, Presbyterian, Football (M)
Denise Shelton, Mars Hill, Basketball (W)
2000-01
Daniel Willis, Lenoir-Rhyne, Basketball (M)
Rachel Sloan, Presbyterian, Basketball (W)
1999-2000
Brandon Hughes, Newberry, Basketball (M)
Traci Hyman, Lenoir-Rhyne, Softball (W)
1998-99
Marvin Moore, Catawba, Basketball (M)
Rachel Sloan, Presbyterian, Basketball (W)
1997-98
Clay Hall, Presbyterian, Baseball (M)
Kimberly Hampton, Presbyterian, Tennis (W)
1996-97
Mike Clowney, Carson-Newman, Football (M)
Elizabeth Roe, Presbyterian, Soccer (W)
1995-96
Danny Colangelo, Elon, Tennis (M)
Heather Randolph, Carson-Newman, Softball (W)
1994-95
Darren Hayes, Wingate, Baseball (M)
Heather Randolph, Carson-Newman, Softball (W)
1993-94
Cedric Mansell, Mars Hill, Basketball (M)
Tonya Roper, Wingate, Basketball (W)
1992-93
Peter Lindstrom, Elon, Tennis (M)
Amy Peters, Catawba, Volleyball/Basketball (W)