ARLINGTON, Texas. (November 7, 2026) – The United Athletic Conference announced three University of North Alabama soccer players earned all-conference postseason awards Saturday.
Senior center back Adelyn Speight was voted the UAC Defensive Player of the Year and subsequently earned First Team All-UAC honors. Speight was also named the UAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, a first-time honor for North Alabama.
Junior midfielder Gizelle El Assal was given the nod for Second Team All-UAC, while freshman forward Catherine Schneiderhan was named to the UAC All-Freshman Team.
"Extremely proud of Addie, Gizelle and Catherine for their well-deserved recognition," said head coach Chris Walker. "Addie earning Defensive Player of the Year and First Team honors, Gizelle making Second Team and Catherine earning All-Freshman Team honors is a testament to their hard work, commitment and impact on our program. We had an extremely successful season these three and the team around them. We, as a coaching staff, could not be prouder of them. Well-deserved by all three!"
Speight is the first Defensive Player of the Year winner for UNA in the 30-year program history. This is now the third superlative award for UNA at the Division I level as Adriana Wright and Madison Vukas were each named ASUN Goalkeeper of the Year in 2023 and 2025, respectively.
All three players were selected to these teams in a vote of the league's head coaches. Since moving to Division I for the 2018 season, North Alabama now has 19 all-conference selections.
Speight earns the fourth first team honor for UNA at the Division I level and the first as a member of the UAC. The senior defender anchored a back line that produced six shutouts with three-straight to close the regular season. She was named UAC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 28 after two wins with a shutout against West Georgia and Austin Peay.
Speight was the 39th first team selection in program history and the 27th unique player to be named a first-team member. Speight, named captain for the second consecutive season by her teammates, provided a brick wall at the center back position that denied opponents scoring opportunities throughout the season. A consistent top of the conference player, she was named a Second Team All-ASUN member in 2025.
El Assal, a first-time honoree, was a mainstay when it came to corner kick or set piece distribution for the Lions to help initiate the offense. Offensively, led the team in shots this season with 34 with the third most on-frame. She was a midfield maestro with three assists on the season, best for third-most on the team. The junior from California logged 986 of disruption for the Lion defense as she broke down opposing offenses with her defensive play.
The junior from Torrance, Calif. is the seventh selection at the Division I level for second-team honors.
Bursting onto the scene was St. Louis native and forward, Schneiderhahn. She played in all 17 games for the Lions this season with 342 minutes of action. She scored two goals this season with one assist.
Schneiderhahn becomes the second consecutive all-freshman team member after Lion midfielder Avery Stojakovich was honored in 2025. The forward is the fifth honoree all-time at the Division I level alongside Stojakovich, Giada Aldini (2023), Kate Wiseman (2018) and Anna Bove' (2018).
This seasons' three UAC Postseason Awards ties both 2018 and 2023 for the second-most during the Division I era — trailing only the five from 2023.
2026 Women's Soccer Postseason Honors
Offensive Player of the Year: Jessica Baires, Tarleton State
Defensive Player of the Year: Gracie Kelly, Abilene Christian & Adelyn Speight, North Alabama
Goalkeeper of the Year: Jordan LeVasseur, EKU
Freshman of the Year: Addison Briscoe, Abilene Christian
Coach of the Year: Matt Cosinuke, EKU
First Team All-UAC
F - Addison Briscoe, Abilene Christian
F - Avery May, EKU
F - Jessica Baires, Tarleton State
F - Zahra Friess, Tarleton State
MF - Sakiko Manabe, Central Arkansas
MF - Chiara Premoli, EKU
MF - Avery Mendez, Tarleton State
D - Gracie Kelly, Abilene Christian
D - Rachel Phifer, EKU
D - Adelyn Speight, North Alabama
GK - Jordan LeVaasseur, EKU
Second Team All-UAC
F - Shakira Kafero-Roberts, Abilene Christian
F - Jama Akpanudo, Central Arkansas
F - Caroline Billings, Central Arkansas
F - Maggie Turner, Little Rock
MF - Rachel Robinson, EKU
MF - Peyton Smith, EKU
MF - Gizelle El Assal, North Alabama
D - Charlise Smith, Abilene Christian
D - Anna Drexel, Austin Peay
D - Emerson Kercher, Central Arkansas
D - Juliet Strange, EKU
GK - Bella Medrano, Abilene Christian
All-Freshman Team
Addison Briscoe, Abilene Christian
Audrey Coppinger, Abilene Christian
Sophia Saludares, Abilene Christian
Sadie Yapp, Austin Peay
Liza Dugan, Central Arkansas
Ronnie Ariel, EKU
Calista Everson, EKU
Laney Palmer, Little Rock
Catherine Schneiderhahn, North Alabama
Ava D'Costa, Tarleton State
Avery Mendez, Tarleton State
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
