Soccer lands four on Southland Conference preseason award list
NATCHITOCHES — The Southland Conference released its women’s soccer preseason All-Conference teams Wednesday. Northwestern State was well represented on both first- and second-teams.
Junior defensemen Nicole and Natalee Henry both earned first-team honors. Sophomore defensemen Hallie Field and junior forward Jalen Donaldson each earned second-team recognition.
Nicole Henry is fresh off a 2019 season that saw her garner the Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year award. She was a constant force defensively for the Lady Demons who only allowed 1.27 goals per contest, which was fourth best in the conference. Henry started all 22 games, recorded one goal and logged 1,916 minutes, ranking her second on the team.
Natalee Henry reeled in second-team All-Conference recognition a season ago. She started 20 of NSU’s 22 contests, netting a pair of goals.
Field — who started every game — topped the Lady Demons in minutes played with 1,945, while also adding one goal. Donaldson started 18 contests and was second on the squad with four goals to go alongside two assists.
Four players earning All-Conference designation is the second-most of any team in the league. Lamar was the only member to receive more than four, collecting five All-Conference honorees.
The Lady Demons begin the 2021 spring season with a non-conference affair at Louisiana Tech on Feb. 3. After a non-conference game at Louisiana-Monroe on Feb. 6, NSU opens conference play at Sam Houston on Feb. 12. Northwestern State welcomes Nicholls in its home opener on Feb. 26.
First Team
| Position | Name | School | Class | Hometown |
| D | Nicole Henry | Northwestern State | Jr. | Tomball, Texas |
| D | Juana Plata | Lamar | Jr. | Houston, Texas |
| D | Natalee Henry | Northwestern State | Jr. | Tomball, Texas |
| D | Sophia Manibo | Lamar | Sr. | Beaumont, Texas |
| MF | Abby Deakin | Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | Sr. | Broomfield, Colo. |
| MF | Natalie Jones | Abilene Christian | So. | Lubbock, Texas |
| MF | Kaisa Juvonen | Lamar | So. | Tampere, Finland |
| MF | Hannah Walsh | Incarnate Word | So. | Preston, England |
| F | Esther Okoronkwo | Lamar | R-Sr. | Richmond, Texas |
| F | Katelyn Termini | Stephen F. Austin | Sr. | Frisco, Texas |
| F | Christina Artega | Abilene Christian | Sr. | Pflugerville, Texas |
| F | Keeley Ayala | Incarnate Word | Jr. | Wichita Falls, Texas |
| GK | Kyleigh Hall | Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | Sr. | Mansfield, Texas |
Second Team
| Position | Name | School | Class | Hometown |
| D | Alana Mangan | Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | So. | Bedford, Texas |
| D | Keely Morrow | McNeese | Sr. | Nevada, Texas |
| D | Alyssia Anuat | Abilene Christian | Jr. | San Diego, Calif. |
| D | Hallie Field | Northwestern State | So. | Frisco, Texas |
| MF | Isabelle Beletic | Incarnate Word | Sr. | Corpus Christi, Texas |
| MF | Kalynn Bickford | Sam Houston | So. | Mansfield, Texas |
| MF | Emma Hawkins | Central Arkansas | So. | Forney, Texas |
| MF | Jade Piper | Incarnate Word | Sr. | Corpus Christi, Texas |
| F | Caylen Wright | Abilene Christian | So. | Joshua, Texas |
| F | Madison Ledet | Lamar | Sr. | Nederland, Texas |
| F | Havana Johnson | McNeese | Sr. | Coeur d’Alene, Idaho |
| F | Jalen Donaldson | Northwestern State | Jr. | Richmond, British Columbia |
| GK | Madeline Talbot | Stephen F. Austin | R-Jr. | Shreveport, La. |
