Marshall University Athletics
Herd Women’s Soccer Has Four Named to Sun Belt All-Conference Teams
11/2/2025 12:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
NEW ORLEANS — Marshall Women's Soccer has had a resurgent season in 2025, and the Sun Belt Conference Postseason Awards reflected accordingly. Coach Rafa Simoes and the Herd had four players named to All-Sun Belt Conference Teams.
Seniors Bailey Fisher (F/Hurricane, W.Va.) and Marcella Alves (M/Lagoa Santa, Brazil) as well as 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 played a crucial role for Marshall as a graduate transfer in 2025, finishing with 13 points (T-9th in SBC). Alves has five goals, including a conference match-winner with three assists. She had the crucial assist to give her team the lead, as well as a goal to put the match out of reach in a crucial 2-0 road victory at App State in October.
"Marcella has been a great addition for us this year," Coach Rafa Simoes said. "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 defense at Marshall's fullback position, Dantas finished the regular season as the Sun Belt Conference leader with 11 assists. She is also tied for 11th Nationally across NCAA DI entering the postseason. A set-piece specialist, Dantas delivered six assists off corner kicks with an "olympico" goal directly off a corner.
"Fernanda has bought into our culture in her two seasons with us," said 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, leading the team with seven goals and 16 points. With seven goals, Fisher is tied for 5th in the Sun Belt Conference. A constant threat around the net, she is 2nd in the league with 58 shots. The Marshall senior is 3rd all-time in program history with 19 goals.
"Bailey, what a career!" said 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 crucial to Marshall's success in 2025 on defense, not leaving the field the entire season until the final match, playing an entire 1,410 of a possible 1,440 minutes. Spearheading the backline, she has played a major role in Marshall's seven cleansheets, its most since 2016. For her work during a stretch of consecutive cleansheets against ODU and South Alabama, she was named SBC Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 14. Ekstrom also contributed offensively with two goals 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 said. "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 below.
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 (3rd 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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