MARTIN, Tenn. - Senior defenders Sophie Cox and Nuala Deans, as well as junior midfielder Jenni Duffy were named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Scholar All-South Region honorable mention team.

To be nominated, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) throughout her career; start more than 50 percent of all games and be a significant contributor to the team; be nominated by an institution that is a current NSCAA College Services member; and be a junior or above in academic standing at the current institution.

Cox maintained a 3.36 GPA as an exercise science major, Deans earned a 3.77 GPA in health and human performance and Duffy put together a 3.49 GPA while majoring in physical education.

Cox, from Rolla, Mo., started in all 16 games in 2009, compiling four points on one goal and two assists. She struck for a goal and an assist in UT Martin's 5-0 win over SIU Edwardsville on Sept. 20 and added an assist in the team's 3-0 win at Austin Peay on Oct. 25. For her career, she started 71 of 73 matches, and ends her four-year career ranking in the top-10 of five all-time individual career records - matches played (73, tied for third), matches started (71, sixth), points (23, tied for ninth), goals (nine, tied for eighth) and shots (95, sixth).

Deans blossomed in 2009, her third season in the Skyhawk program. She anchored a defensive back line that allowed just 13 goals all season - one shy of the lowest all-time mark in program history. She was one of the leaders on a dominant defense that had a season Goals Against Average of 0.81 - at one point rated as high as No. 20 in the NCAA Division-I statistical categories - and tied the all-time single season record for shutouts (eight). The Edinburgh, Scotland native started the last 15 matches of the season and played all but 83 total minutes this season - meaning she was on the field for 94.3 percent of the team's minutes in 2009.

A native of Middlesbrough, England, Duffy started all 16 matches for the Skyhawks in 2009. She earned seven points - tied for the second-most on the team - on two goals (at Belmont and against Murray State) and three assists (against Lipscomb, at Jacksonville State and against Eastern Illinois). With her three assists in 2009, she now ranks in a tie for fifth place on the all-time assists category in program history.

The Skyhawks went 9-7 last season and earned the program's first-ever Ohio Valley Conference championship.

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