11/7/2026 2:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Abilene Christian soccer garnered 10 United Athletic Conference postseason accolades, the conference announced Saturday. Addison Briscoe was named the Freshman of the Year while Gracie Kelly was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Year to lead the recognition for the conference champions.
Briscoe and Kelly represented the Wildcats with First Team All-UAC honors while Shakira Kafero-Roberts, Charlise Smith and Bella Medrano earned Second Team All-UAC status. Briscoe, Audrey Coppinger and Sophia Saludares kicked off their promising college careers on the UAC All-Freshman Team.
The seven Wildcats to collect all-conference distinction powered ACU to an undefeated conference title with a 5-0-5 mark in UAC action. The program's historic 2026 campaign featured its most wins since 2020-21 and its first undefeated run through conference play since 2011's Lone Star Conference crown. ACU hasn't lost in its last 12 matches, its longest streak since 2011's 20-2-1 campaign.
Briscoe is the first Wildcat to be named the conference Freshman of the Year since 2019, when Natalie Jones was the last of four straight ACU freshmen to receive the honor in the Southland. Kelly is the program's first Defensive Player of the Year since Kelsie Roberts was recognized in 2016 in the Southland. It's the most First Team All-Conference selections for the Wildcats since 2019 in the Southland.
ACU opens the postseason at the UAC Championship in the semifinal round at 4 p.m. Wednesday. The Red division's No. 1 seed takes on the winner of North Alabama and Central Arkansas in Conway, Ark. at the Bill Stephens Track/Soccer Complex. The Championship match is set for Saturday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.
Briscoe has made an instant impact for the Wildcats while rewriting the program's record book. The forward has started each of ACU's 18 matches and established its Division I freshman goals record with a team-best nine this season. Two of Briscoe's scores were game-winners, including in a 1-0 road conference victory at North Alabama on Oct. 8.
The Spring Branch, Texas product led the UAC with 3.72 shots per game and 33 shots on goal. Briscoe's nine goals and average of 0.5 per match were each second in the conference. In UAC play, she led the way with 50 shots, good for 5.00 per match, and 22 shots on goal. Her six goals and 13 points each ranked second.
Briscoe was perfect on each of her four penalty kick attempts to go with three assists. She scored goals in six matches across a seven-match stretch from Sept. 20 to Oct. 16. In the match without a goal during that run, Briscoe assisted on the third goal scored in ACU's 3-2 win at Tarleton State on Sept. 27.
Briscoe was named the UAC Player of the Week on Oct. 12.
Kelly was in ACU's lineup for the season opener versus Jackson State and has never slowed down. The captain defender has played all 90 minutes in each of the Wildcats' 18 matches to total 1,620 minutes this season. Kelly has started each of ACU's past 51 matches dating back to her freshman year in 2024 without being substituted out once.
The junior Kelly anchored a stout Wildcat backline that led the UAC with just 12 goals allowed this season, good for 0.67 per match. ACU topped the conference with eight shutouts, including three in UAC action. In conference play, the Wildcats surrendered just eight goals. They allowed more than one goal on just two occasions.
Kelly scored her first two career goals in the final five matches of the season, finding the net against West Georgia and Little Rock. The Corona, Calif. product assisted on the game-winning goal versus East Texas A&M on Aug. 30 and the game-tying score at Central Arkansas on Oct. 25. She got off 12 shots, six of which were on goal.
Kelly was tabbed the UAC Defensive Player of the Week on Aug. 31.
Kafero-Roberts started each of the 10 matches she appeared in for the Wildcats and notched a pair of goals. The junior forward from London delivered the game-winner versus East Texas A&M before knotting the score at 1 versus Central Arkansas in a crucial UAC draw on the road. Nine of Kafero-Roberts' 17 shots were on goal.
Smith was a critical piece to the ACU backline as a junior transfer from Green Bay. She started every match and logged over 1,500 minutes for the top defense in the conference. Smith played all 90 minutes on 12 occasions. She scored her first career goal in the regular season finale versus Little Rock on Nov. 1, sending a rocket into the back of the net. Smith added an assist at Tarleton State.
Medrano established herself as one of the top goalkeepers at the mid-major level. The sophomore ranks third nationally with an .896 save percentage and 12th with 103 saves. Medrano leads the UAC in allowing just 0.68 goals per match and posting six shutouts. She earned Second Team All-UAC honors as a freshman last season.
The Lubbock, Texas native tallied 103 saves, third-most in program history and within six of her team record set in 2025. In conference action, Medrano posted a league-best 60 saves at an .882 clip with three shutouts. The Wildcats ranked second in the country with an .899 save percentage and were in the top 30 for goals-against average.
Coppinger was quick to make an impact on ACU's defense, playing in every match with 14 starts to total over 1,250 minutes. She played all 90 minutes six times. The Kansas City, Mo. native found the net twice with goals against East Texas A&M and Texas Southern.
Saludares appeared in each match for the Wildcats with a trio of starts and a pair of goals in conference matchups. The midfielder from Spring, Texas notched her first goal at Tarleton State. In the next match, she assisted on the tying goal versus Central Arkansas. Saludares wrapped up the regular season on a high note with a goal and an assist against Little Rock. Ten of her 16 shots this season were on target.
Briscoe and Kelly represented the Wildcats with First Team All-UAC honors while Shakira Kafero-Roberts, Charlise Smith and Bella Medrano earned Second Team All-UAC status. Briscoe, Audrey Coppinger and Sophia Saludares kicked off their promising college careers on the UAC All-Freshman Team.
The seven Wildcats to collect all-conference distinction powered ACU to an undefeated conference title with a 5-0-5 mark in UAC action. The program's historic 2026 campaign featured its most wins since 2020-21 and its first undefeated run through conference play since 2011's Lone Star Conference crown. ACU hasn't lost in its last 12 matches, its longest streak since 2011's 20-2-1 campaign.
Briscoe is the first Wildcat to be named the conference Freshman of the Year since 2019, when Natalie Jones was the last of four straight ACU freshmen to receive the honor in the Southland. Kelly is the program's first Defensive Player of the Year since Kelsie Roberts was recognized in 2016 in the Southland. It's the most First Team All-Conference selections for the Wildcats since 2019 in the Southland.
ACU opens the postseason at the UAC Championship in the semifinal round at 4 p.m. Wednesday. The Red division's No. 1 seed takes on the winner of North Alabama and Central Arkansas in Conway, Ark. at the Bill Stephens Track/Soccer Complex. The Championship match is set for Saturday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.
Briscoe has made an instant impact for the Wildcats while rewriting the program's record book. The forward has started each of ACU's 18 matches and established its Division I freshman goals record with a team-best nine this season. Two of Briscoe's scores were game-winners, including in a 1-0 road conference victory at North Alabama on Oct. 8.
The Spring Branch, Texas product led the UAC with 3.72 shots per game and 33 shots on goal. Briscoe's nine goals and average of 0.5 per match were each second in the conference. In UAC play, she led the way with 50 shots, good for 5.00 per match, and 22 shots on goal. Her six goals and 13 points each ranked second.
Briscoe was perfect on each of her four penalty kick attempts to go with three assists. She scored goals in six matches across a seven-match stretch from Sept. 20 to Oct. 16. In the match without a goal during that run, Briscoe assisted on the third goal scored in ACU's 3-2 win at Tarleton State on Sept. 27.
Briscoe was named the UAC Player of the Week on Oct. 12.
Kelly was in ACU's lineup for the season opener versus Jackson State and has never slowed down. The captain defender has played all 90 minutes in each of the Wildcats' 18 matches to total 1,620 minutes this season. Kelly has started each of ACU's past 51 matches dating back to her freshman year in 2024 without being substituted out once.
The junior Kelly anchored a stout Wildcat backline that led the UAC with just 12 goals allowed this season, good for 0.67 per match. ACU topped the conference with eight shutouts, including three in UAC action. In conference play, the Wildcats surrendered just eight goals. They allowed more than one goal on just two occasions.
Kelly scored her first two career goals in the final five matches of the season, finding the net against West Georgia and Little Rock. The Corona, Calif. product assisted on the game-winning goal versus East Texas A&M on Aug. 30 and the game-tying score at Central Arkansas on Oct. 25. She got off 12 shots, six of which were on goal.
Kelly was tabbed the UAC Defensive Player of the Week on Aug. 31.
Kafero-Roberts started each of the 10 matches she appeared in for the Wildcats and notched a pair of goals. The junior forward from London delivered the game-winner versus East Texas A&M before knotting the score at 1 versus Central Arkansas in a crucial UAC draw on the road. Nine of Kafero-Roberts' 17 shots were on goal.
Smith was a critical piece to the ACU backline as a junior transfer from Green Bay. She started every match and logged over 1,500 minutes for the top defense in the conference. Smith played all 90 minutes on 12 occasions. She scored her first career goal in the regular season finale versus Little Rock on Nov. 1, sending a rocket into the back of the net. Smith added an assist at Tarleton State.
Medrano established herself as one of the top goalkeepers at the mid-major level. The sophomore ranks third nationally with an .896 save percentage and 12th with 103 saves. Medrano leads the UAC in allowing just 0.68 goals per match and posting six shutouts. She earned Second Team All-UAC honors as a freshman last season.
The Lubbock, Texas native tallied 103 saves, third-most in program history and within six of her team record set in 2025. In conference action, Medrano posted a league-best 60 saves at an .882 clip with three shutouts. The Wildcats ranked second in the country with an .899 save percentage and were in the top 30 for goals-against average.
Coppinger was quick to make an impact on ACU's defense, playing in every match with 14 starts to total over 1,250 minutes. She played all 90 minutes six times. The Kansas City, Mo. native found the net twice with goals against East Texas A&M and Texas Southern.
Saludares appeared in each match for the Wildcats with a trio of starts and a pair of goals in conference matchups. The midfielder from Spring, Texas notched her first goal at Tarleton State. In the next match, she assisted on the tying goal versus Central Arkansas. Saludares wrapped up the regular season on a high note with a goal and an assist against Little Rock. Ten of her 16 shots this season were on target.
Players Mentioned
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