Herd Girls’s Soccer Has 4 Named to Sun Belt All-Conference Teams

NEW ORLEANS — Marshall Women’s Soccer has had a resurgent season in 2025, and the Sun Belt Conference Postseason Awards mirrored accordingly. Coach Rafa Simoes and the Herd had 4 gamers named to All-Sun Belt Conference Teams.

Seniors Bailey Fisher (F/Hurricane, W.Va.) and Marcella Alves (M/Lagoa Santa, Brazil) in addition to sophomore Fernanda Dantas (D/Salvador, Brazil) earned All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team accolades. Senior defender Kajsa Ekstrom (D/Umea, Sweden) was named an All-Sun Belt Conference Third Team member. 

Alves performed an important position for Marshall as a graduate switch in 2025, ending with 13 factors (T-Ninth in SBC). Alves has 5 objectives, together with a convention match-winner with three assists. She had the essential help to offer her crew the lead, in addition to a objective to place the match out of attain in an important 2-0 street victory at App State in October.

“Marcella has been a great addition for us this year,” Coach Rafa Simoes mentioned. “She made an instant impact, she is so versatile and can play anywhere. She is such a good person as well and we are so glad she has made a great impact in such a short time and we hope she makes an impact in the Tournament!”

In protection at Marshall’s fullback place, Dantas completed the common season because the Sun Belt Conference chief with 11 assists. She can be tied for eleventh Nationally throughout NCAA DI getting into the postseason. A set-piece specialist, Dantas delivered six assists off nook kicks with an “olympico” objective straight off a nook. 

“Fernanda has bought into our culture in her two seasons with us,” mentioned Coach Simoes. “In her second year with us, she has become one of the best players in the country ranking Nationally in assists. I am glad she is being recognized for the award because she has worked hard for her team. We are really glad to have a player like her who is so dangerous on set pieces and crosses.”

Fisher continued her scoring prowess as a Marshall senior striker, main the crew with seven objectives and 16 factors. With seven objectives, Fisher is tied for fifth within the Sun Belt Conference. A continuing risk across the internet, she is 2nd within the league with 58 pictures.  The Marshall senior is third all-time in program historical past with 19 objectives. 

“Bailey, what a career!” mentioned Coach Simoes. “Number seven for us with seven goals. She can strike with any foot, can take on one vs. one and is so dangerous with the ball. I am glad she is recognized in her final year. I am grateful to have her on our team and really proud to be her coach, she is going to be hard to replace.” 

Ekstrom has been essential to Marshall’s success in 2025 on protection, not leaving the sector the complete season till the ultimate match, taking part in a complete 1,410 of a potential 1,440 minutes. Spearheading the backline, she has performed a significant position in Marshall’s seven cleansheets, its most since 2016. For her work throughout a stretch of consecutive cleansheets towards ODU and South Alabama, she was named SBC Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 14. Ekstrom additionally contributed offensively with two objectives and two assists.

“Kajsa is one of our leaders and captains, a player who came to us with a lot of experience before last season,” Coach Simoes mentioned. “She has led by example from day one. I am excited for her to go on with her talents and play professionally. I am glad she has received this award, it means a lot for her and the team.”

The league’s full awards are listed under.

2025 Sun Belt Conference Women’s Soccer Awards

Player of the Year

Skylar Blaise, ULM (Sr., F, San Jose, Calif.)

Offensive Player of the Year

Ginny Lackey, James Madison (So., F, Manchester, England)

Midfielder of the Year

Miku Kurihara, Louisiana (Fr., M, Chigasaki, Japan)

Defensive Player of the Year

Ashlynn Kulha, Old Dominion (Jr., Holly Springs, N.C.)

Goalkeeper of the Year

Sierra Giorgio, South Alabama (R-Sr., GK, Vaughan, Ontario, Canada)

Newcomer of the Year

Salma Elhaimer, Louisiana (R-Jr., F, Tomball, Texas)

Freshman of the Year

Carson Glenn, Louisiana (R-Fr., F, Lewisville, Texas)

Coach of the Year

Will Roberts, ULM (third Season)

All-Sun Belt Conference First Team

F – Skylar Blaise, ULM (Sr., San Jose, Calif.)

F – Aaliyah Faddoul, Georgia State (Jr., Ontario, Canada)

F – Carson Glenn, Louisiana (R-Fr., Lewisville, Texas)

F – Ginny Lackey, James Madison (So., Manchester, England)

M – Helen Alormenu, Texas State (So., Accra, Ghana)

M – Andrea Iljkic, South Alabama (R-So., Littleton, Colo.)

M – Miku Kurihara, Louisiana (Fr., Chigasaki, Japan)

D – Libby Holmes, ULM (Jr. Shefford, England)

D – Ashlynn Kulha, Old Dominion (Jr., Holly Springs, N.C.)

D – Victoria Meza, Texas State (Jr., San Salvador, El Salvador)

GK – Sierra Giorgio, South Alabama (R-Sr., Vaughan, Ontario, Canada)

All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team

F – Bailey Fisher, Marshall (Sr., Hurricane, W.Va.)

F – Zamiyah Hill, South Alabama (R-Fr., Panama City, Fla.)

F – Mady Soumare, Texas State (Sr., Paris, France)

M – Marcella Alves, Marshall (Gr., Lagoa Santa, Brazil)

M – Jeanette Fieldsend, James Madison (R-So., Indiana Trail, N.C.)

M – Gry Boe Thrysoe, Old Dominion (Gr., Klarup, Denmark)

D – Fernanda Dantas, Marshall (So., Salvador, Brazil)

D – Eefje Botjer, Coastal Carolina (So., Schiffdorf, Germany)

D – Reese Gordon, Georgia State (Sr., Jacksonville, Fla.)

D – Jordan Yang, James Madison (Sr., Clifton, Va.)

GK – Jen Handy, ULM (So., Barnsley, England)

All-Sun Belt Conference Third Team

F – Ashley Economopoulos, Old Dominion (Fr., Grantville, Va.)

F – Salma Elhaimer, Louisiana (R-Jr., Tomball, Texas)

F – Izzi Wood, App State (Gr., Hickory, N.C.)

M – Andrea Balcazar Algarin, Old Dominion (Sr., Mexico City, Mexico)

M – Melina Descary, South Alabama (Sr., Montréal, Canada)

M – Yuliia Khrystiuk, Old Dominion (Sr., Vinnytsia, Ukraine)

M – Margret Edda Bjarnadottir, ULM (Sr., Reykjavik, Iceland)

D – Amelia Campanella, South Alabama (Jr., Ottawa, Canada)

D – Kajsa Ekstrom, Marshall (Sr., Umea, Sweden)

D – Beth Strutton, ULM (So., Thornton-Cleveleys, England)

GK – Ellie Goodrich, Old Dominion (Jr., Alexandria, Va.)

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—HerdZone.com—