Photo by: Conor Dillon/UGAAA
November 05, 2026 | Soccer
ATHENS, Ga. – University of Georgia senior midfielder Kiera Staude was named the Southeastern Conference Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year, highlighting several conference honors announced Thursday morning by the league office in Birmingham.
Staude, who currently holds a 3.92 GPA in Accounting, is only the second Bulldog in program history to earn the honor, joining Ashley Lindley, who received the first two SEC Scholar-Athlete Awards in 2003 and 2004. The Atlanta native was previously presented with the Joel Eaves Scholar-Athlete Award in September, awarded to the UGA student-athlete with the highest-grade point average entering their senior year. She has also been named twice to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team, received multiple UGA Presidential Scholars honors for 4.0 semesters, and was inducted into the Georgia Way L.E.A.D. Leadership Academy.
Staude has been a leader for Georgia Soccer over the past four seasons, appearing in 82 matches with 79 starts, including 49 consecutive caps for the Bulldogs. A two-time team captain, she is the active team leader in career appearances, starts, points, goals, shots, and minutes. This season, she is tied for second on the team in points and leads the team in shots. Last Sunday, she helped secure Georgia's No. 10 seed in the SEC Tournament with an 86th-minute equalizer at Florida.
Staude was also named to the Second Team All-SEC, marking her second-consecutive appearance on the team. She was joined on the Second Team by fellow senior midfielder Gabbi Ceballos. Ceballos, who joined the Bulldogs in January after transferring from LSU, has been the team's guiding force in the midfield, starting in 16 matches this season. During the year, the San Antonio native has played a full 90 minutes in six matches, along with seven additional shifts of over 75 minutes, ranking second on the team with 1,265 minutes. With her efforts, the Bulldogs have tallied 27 goals and 14.2 shots per game, while only allowing 20 goals on the season. This is Ceballos' first All-SEC regular season honor, although she was named to the SEC All-Tournament Team last season after leading LSU to the final.
Sophomore defender Maddy Herniter was named to the Third Team All-SEC, earning her first conference honor. Herniter has led the Bulldogs' backline throughout the season and leads the team in minutes with 1,389, including 11 full-time efforts. The Palos Verdes Estates, California native has helped the Bulldogs only allow 20 goals this season and hold teams to 11.2 shots per game, along with six shutouts. She has also been a valuable presence on the offensive end, scoring the first two goals of her career this season, including a critical 86th-minute equalizing header at LSU that earned a late draw.
Graduate goalkeeper Jordan Brown rounded out the honorees with a placement on the SEC Community Service Team. Brown has taken part in several community service opportunities during her five seasons in Athens. The Las Vegas native has volunteered with Extra Special People, a local organization dedicated to enriching the lives of children with disabilities. In her role, Brown has participated in physical activities and playing games with local children during meetups and special events. She has also volunteered with the Athens Humane Society, caring for and interacting with various animals in the adoption process, as well as assisting the organization with facility upkeep. Brown has worked with the Malcolm Mitchell Share the Magic Foundation, helping the former Georgia wide receiver in his effort to encourage and inspire children to read. She has also served as a volunteer coach in her hometown with Las Vegas Youth Soccer Clubs, providing skill instruction for young players.
On the field, Brown has earned a variety of honors during her career with the Bulldogs. In 2024, she was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region Fourth Team and Second Team All-SEC, racking up 120 saves for the season, the second-most in program history. She was also named to the SEC All-Tournament Team in 2022 and 2023, helping the Bulldogs win their first conference tournament title in 2023. For her career, she ranks third in program history in goals against average and shutouts, fourth in wins, sixth in minutes, and seventh in saves. Off the field, she was nominated for the 2025 Allstate/NACDA Fall Good Works Team and was inducted into the Georgia Way L.E.A.D. Leadership Academy in 2024. She has been named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll in each season of her career and the UGA Athletics Honor Roll in each semester, graduating in December 2025 with a bachelor's degree in psychology.
Georgia opens postseason play this Sunday against seventh-seeded Oklahoma in the SEC Soccer Tournament First Round in Pensacola, Florida. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. EST and the match will air live on SEC Network. The Bulldogs and Sooners faced off earlier this season, with Oklahoma earning a 3-1 win on Sept. 18 in Athens. The Bulldogs have advanced at least one round in the tournament in all four seasons under head coach Keidane McAlpine, including the program's first title in 2023.
Staude, who currently holds a 3.92 GPA in Accounting, is only the second Bulldog in program history to earn the honor, joining Ashley Lindley, who received the first two SEC Scholar-Athlete Awards in 2003 and 2004. The Atlanta native was previously presented with the Joel Eaves Scholar-Athlete Award in September, awarded to the UGA student-athlete with the highest-grade point average entering their senior year. She has also been named twice to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team, received multiple UGA Presidential Scholars honors for 4.0 semesters, and was inducted into the Georgia Way L.E.A.D. Leadership Academy.
Staude has been a leader for Georgia Soccer over the past four seasons, appearing in 82 matches with 79 starts, including 49 consecutive caps for the Bulldogs. A two-time team captain, she is the active team leader in career appearances, starts, points, goals, shots, and minutes. This season, she is tied for second on the team in points and leads the team in shots. Last Sunday, she helped secure Georgia's No. 10 seed in the SEC Tournament with an 86th-minute equalizer at Florida.
Staude was also named to the Second Team All-SEC, marking her second-consecutive appearance on the team. She was joined on the Second Team by fellow senior midfielder Gabbi Ceballos. Ceballos, who joined the Bulldogs in January after transferring from LSU, has been the team's guiding force in the midfield, starting in 16 matches this season. During the year, the San Antonio native has played a full 90 minutes in six matches, along with seven additional shifts of over 75 minutes, ranking second on the team with 1,265 minutes. With her efforts, the Bulldogs have tallied 27 goals and 14.2 shots per game, while only allowing 20 goals on the season. This is Ceballos' first All-SEC regular season honor, although she was named to the SEC All-Tournament Team last season after leading LSU to the final.
Sophomore defender Maddy Herniter was named to the Third Team All-SEC, earning her first conference honor. Herniter has led the Bulldogs' backline throughout the season and leads the team in minutes with 1,389, including 11 full-time efforts. The Palos Verdes Estates, California native has helped the Bulldogs only allow 20 goals this season and hold teams to 11.2 shots per game, along with six shutouts. She has also been a valuable presence on the offensive end, scoring the first two goals of her career this season, including a critical 86th-minute equalizing header at LSU that earned a late draw.
Graduate goalkeeper Jordan Brown rounded out the honorees with a placement on the SEC Community Service Team. Brown has taken part in several community service opportunities during her five seasons in Athens. The Las Vegas native has volunteered with Extra Special People, a local organization dedicated to enriching the lives of children with disabilities. In her role, Brown has participated in physical activities and playing games with local children during meetups and special events. She has also volunteered with the Athens Humane Society, caring for and interacting with various animals in the adoption process, as well as assisting the organization with facility upkeep. Brown has worked with the Malcolm Mitchell Share the Magic Foundation, helping the former Georgia wide receiver in his effort to encourage and inspire children to read. She has also served as a volunteer coach in her hometown with Las Vegas Youth Soccer Clubs, providing skill instruction for young players.
On the field, Brown has earned a variety of honors during her career with the Bulldogs. In 2024, she was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region Fourth Team and Second Team All-SEC, racking up 120 saves for the season, the second-most in program history. She was also named to the SEC All-Tournament Team in 2022 and 2023, helping the Bulldogs win their first conference tournament title in 2023. For her career, she ranks third in program history in goals against average and shutouts, fourth in wins, sixth in minutes, and seventh in saves. Off the field, she was nominated for the 2025 Allstate/NACDA Fall Good Works Team and was inducted into the Georgia Way L.E.A.D. Leadership Academy in 2024. She has been named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll in each season of her career and the UGA Athletics Honor Roll in each semester, graduating in December 2025 with a bachelor's degree in psychology.
Georgia opens postseason play this Sunday against seventh-seeded Oklahoma in the SEC Soccer Tournament First Round in Pensacola, Florida. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. EST and the match will air live on SEC Network. The Bulldogs and Sooners faced off earlier this season, with Oklahoma earning a 3-1 win on Sept. 18 in Athens. The Bulldogs have advanced at least one round in the tournament in all four seasons under head coach Keidane McAlpine, including the program's first title in 2023.
Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
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Midfielder
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Defender
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Midfielder
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Sunday, October 18
Friday, October 09
Saturday, October 03