Lamar’s Okoronkwo Tabbed Southland Soccer Student-Athlete of the Year
FRISCO, Texas – Lamar forward Esther Okoronkwo is the Southland Conference Soccer Student-Athlete of the Year, the league announced Tuesday in conjunction with the All-Academic First and Second Teams. Student-Athlete of the Year awards are presented by
GEICO.
A Richmond, Texas native, Okoronkwo graduated with a 3.26 grade point average in general studies and is now enrolled in LU’s MBA program. She follows in the footsteps of Lucy Ashworth as the second-straight Lamar student-athlete to sweep the league’s top two awards after taking home Player of the Year honors.
Okoronkwo was also named Forward of the Year after pacing the Southland in every offensive category in conference play, including goals (eight), assists (six) and game-winning goals (four). She became the ninth player in league history to reach three career hat tricks with three scores in a win over Central Arkansas on March 21.
Abilene Christian and Northwestern State lead the way with five honorees each, followed by Central Arkansas, Southeastern Louisiana and Stephen F. Austin with three each. UIW earned a pair of selections while Houston Baptist, Lamar, McNeese, Sam Houston and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi each collected one all-academic spot.
Seven members of this year’s selections are repeat honorees from past all-academic teams, including four-time selection Megan Rickert of HBU. UCA’s Hadley Dickinson and SFA’s Carli Arthurs each pick up their third recognition, and SLU’s Megan Gordon, NSU’s Nicole Henry, MCN’s Havana Johnson and SHSU’s Courtney Pawlik grab their second honor.
Southland Conference All-Academic Teams are voted upon by the head coach, sports information director and an academic/compliance staff member from each school. Student-Athletes of the Year are voted upon by an awards committee which consists of one administrator from each member school. Voting for one’s own athletes is not permitted.
To be eligible for all-academic distinction, an athlete must hold a minimum 3.00 cumulative grade point average through the semester prior to the sport’s championship, completed at least one full academic year at the nominating school prior to the current season, and participated in at least 50 percent of the team’s competitions during the most recently completed season. Student-Athlete of the Year nominees must have held at least a 3.20 GPA and have completed at least two years of athletic competition at the nominating school, including the current season.
First Team All-Conference athletes who meet all-academic nomination criteria are automatically named all-academic.
2020 Southland Soccer Student-Athlete of the Year: Esther Okoronkwo, Lamar
2020 Southland Soccer All-Academic First Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown |
GPA |
Major |
| F |
Esther Okoronkwo*^ |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Richmond, Texas |
3.26 |
General Studies |
| F |
Emma Hawkins* |
Central Arkansas |
So. |
Forney, Texas |
3.28 |
Exercise Science |
| F |
Katelyn Termini* |
Stephen F. Austin |
Sr. |
Frisco, Texas |
3.20 |
Kinesiology |
| F |
Mya Guillory |
Southeastern La. |
So. |
Prairieville, La. |
3.73 |
Health Sciences |
| MF |
Isaballa Beletic* |
UIW |
Sr. |
Corpus Christi, Texas |
3.67 |
Computer Info. Systems |
| MF |
Megan Gordon*2 |
Southeastern La. |
Sr. |
Clophill, England |
3.89 |
Kinesiology |
| MF |
Alexis Weaver* |
Northwestern State |
Sr. |
Venice, Fla. |
3.69 |
Accounting |
| MF |
Natalie Jones |
Abilene Christian |
So. |
Lubbock, Texas |
3.87 |
Marketing/Management |
| D |
Hallie Field* |
Northwestern State |
So. |
Frisco, Texas |
4.00 |
Accounting/Computer Info. Systems |
| D |
Dalton Fish* |
Southeastern La. |
Jr. |
Pflugerville, Texas |
3.56 |
Marketing |
| D |
Nicole Henry*2 |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
Tomball, Texas |
3.35 |
Industrial Engineering Tech. |
| D |
Jamie Jezierski* |
Stephen F. Austin |
Sr. |
Spring, Texas |
3.30 |
Kinesiology |
| GK |
Acelya Aydogmus* |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
Cape Coral, Fla. |
3.78 |
Health & Exercise Science |
2020 Southland Soccer All-Academic Second Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown |
GPA |
Major |
| F |
Carli Arthurs3 |
Stephen F. Austin |
Sr. |
Lewisville, Texas |
4.00 |
Mathematics |
| F |
Olivia Draguicevich |
Northwestern State |
So. |
Pflugerville, Texas |
3.34 |
Communications |
| F |
Havana Johnson2 |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Couer D’Alene, Idaho |
3.61 |
Nursing |
| F |
Caylen Wright |
Abilene Christian |
Jr. |
Joshua, Texas |
3.79 |
Kinesiology |
| MF |
Hadley Dickinson3 |
Central Arkansas |
Gr. |
Cabot, Ark. |
4.00 |
MBA |
| MF |
Larissa Fagundes |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
Sr. |
Joinville, Brazil |
3.95 |
Media Arts |
| MF |
Courtney Pawlik2 |
Sam Houston |
Sr. |
Missouri City, Texas |
3.97 |
Health Care Administration |
| MF |
Megan Paul |
Abilene Christian |
Gr. |
Wylie, Texas |
4.00 |
MBA |
| D |
Eve Clarkson |
UIW |
So. |
Whalley, Lancashire, U.K. |
3.87 |
Government |
| D |
Gracie Hair |
Central Arkansas |
Jr. |
Tulsa, Okla. |
3.85 |
Health Sciences |
| D |
Megan Rickert4 |
Houston Baptist |
Sr. |
Round Rock, Texas |
4.00 |
Nursing |
| D |
Gabby Symmank |
Abilene Christian |
Gr. |
McKinney, Texas |
4.00 |
Conflict Resolution |
| GK |
Erin Smith |
Abilene Christian |
Gr. |
Wichita Falls, Texas |
4.00 |
Conflict Resolution |
^ Southland Conference Student-Athlete of the Year
* Automatic selection; First Team All-Conference
2 Two-time All-Academic selection
3 Three-time All-Academic selection
4 Four-time All-Academic selection