2024 Women’s Soccer NAIA Scholar-Athletes
SEWARD, Neb. – As announced by the NAIA on Nov. 25, a group of 15 Bulldogs from the Concordia University, Nebraska Women’s Soccer program landed on the 2024 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete honor roll. The list includes repeat award winners in Savannah Andrews, Lilley Barber, Emily Howard, Hannah Kile, Niah Kirchner, Zoe Lavigne, Senna McMullen, Molly Roberts, Taylor Slaymaker and Katelyn Smith. First time honorees are Savannah Andrews, Hannah Kile, Niah Kirchner, Zoe Lavigne, Molly Roberts, Taylor Slaymaker and Katelyn Smith. First time Scholar-Athletes include Camryn Higer, Olivia Kohl, Sadie Mares, Olivia Pyle and Grady Smith.
The 2024 list of women’s soccer honorees nationally includes 1,328 student-athletes. In order to be nominated by an institution’s head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, must appear on the eligibility certificate for the sport and have attended one full year at said institution.
The 15 Scholar-Athletes is an increase from the 11 the women’s soccer program earned in 2023-24. Head Coach Nick Smith’s squad also enjoyed a fine season on the field while notching the program’s first-ever win at the national tournament. The Bulldogs finished the 2024 season at 14-7-1 overall. In addition to being named NAIA Scholar-Athletes, five Concordia student-athletes were also recently tabbed Academic All-District honorees: Andrews, Kirchner, Mares, McMullen and Slaymaker.
Concordia University, Nebraska ranks as the NAIA’s all-time leader in number of Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes with 2,526 entering the 2024-25 academic year. The school record for number of Scholar-Athletes in one academic year is 226 achieved in 2019-20. Concordia has been a regular national leader for both Scholar-Athletes and Scholar-Teams.
2024 Concordia Women’s Soccer Scholar-Athletes
· Savannah Andrews (Gretna, Neb.)
· Lilley Barber (Overland Park, Kan.)
· Camryn Higer (Savannah, Mo.)
· Emily Howard (Overland Park, Kan.)
· Hannah Kile (Lincoln, Neb.)
· Niah Kirchner (Omaha, Neb.)
· Oliva Kohl (Springfield, Neb.)
· Zoe Lavigne (Anaheim, Calif.)
· Sadie Mares (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
· Senna McMullen (Olathe, Kan.)
· Olivia Pyle (Blaine, Minn.)
· Molly Roberts (Columbus, Neb.)
· Taylor Slaymaker (Kearney, Neb.)
· Grady Smith (Richmond, Va.)
· Katelyn Smith (Omaha, Neb.)