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SWAC Announces 2024 Soccer Preseason Awards

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BIRMINGHAM, ALA. - The Southwestern Athletic Conference has announced its 2024 Preseason All-SWAC Soccer team and individual award winners as voted by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.

Offensive Player of the Year

Kendyl Terrell, a senior from Hattiesburg, MS., led Jackson State in every major statistical category this past regular season. She recorded a team leading 19 points with eight goals on 44 shots. Terrell led the team with 19 shots on goal and tied with teammate Kalia Uehara with three assists, and also led the team with three match winning goals. She played in 17 regular season matches while starting 14 with a total of 1,135 minutes played.

Defensive Player of the Year

Jailyn Ward, a senior psychology major  from Kitchener, Ontario, made 15 appearances for Alcorn State this past season. She was a key contributor for the Braves defensively. Offensively she recorded four goals on the season to go along with one assist.

Midfielder of the Year

Aria Whitney, a kinesiology graduate student from Austin, TX., was one of the leaders of the GSU soccer team, making numerous plays on the offensive and defensive sides of the field. She played in all 20 regular season games, scoring four goals and dishing out five assists. Defensively, she was a force, helping the Tigers hold nine opponents scoreless while ranking No. 2 in goals allowed (24).

Goalkeeper of the Year

Sydney Bellamy, a senior majoring in biology from Pembroke Pines, FL., was a key contributor to the Southern Jaguars soccer team that completed regular season competition with a 5-1-3 league mark. The Jaguars claimed the No. 3 seed in the 2023 SWAC Soccer Tournament in part due to the significant contribution of Bellamy inside the net. She tallied 76 saves while logging 1,421 minutes of action.

All-SWAC First Team

Defender: Adrianna Pratt, Grambling State

Defender: Victoria Mealing, Alabama A&M

Defender: Kaylen Jankans, Grambling State

Forward: Kendyl Terrell, Jackson State

Forward: Iyanah Hicks, Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Forward: Isabella Dillow, Texas Southern

Midfielder: Aria Whitney, Grambling State

Midfielder: Genesis Hernandez, Mississippi Valley State

Midfielder: Gia Johnson, Southern

Midfielder: Tori Thomas, Southern

Goalkeeper: Sydney Bellamy, Southern

All-SWAC Second Team

Defender: Jailyn Ward, Alcorn State 

Defender: Kalia Uehara, Jackson State

Defender: Kensley Simmons, Alabama State

Forward: Sophia Lezizidis, Grambling State

Forward: Kayla Reed, Grambling State

Forward: Mya Sheridan, Prairie View A&M

Midfielder: Victoria Pucci, Texas Southern

Midfielder: Liliane Baez, Texas Southern

Midfielder: Brooke Gonzalez, Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Midfielder: Karime Antonio-Lopez, Jackson State

Goalkeeper: Madison Covey-Taylor, Grambling State