CONWAY, Ark. – The UAC's postseason women's soccer awards continue to roll out, with the athletic honors being published this afternoon. Central Arkansas, for its part, received five spots across the two All-UAC teams and the All-Freshman team.
 
"We're incredibly proud of the accomplishments of all of our players, but especially the ones that have been included on the postseason lists, they are very deserving," Head coach Derek Nichols said of the honorees. "To be a part of the first All-UAC Teams is something special and something to be proud of! We wouldn't have nearly the amount of success we did this year without their efforts."
 
The lone First Team All-UAC honor went to Sakiko Manabe, the senior midfielder from Japan. She finished the season tied for team-lead in points and was second in both goals and assists. She tallied 17 points on six goals and five assists, and was one of three players in the UAC to tally at least six goals and five assists on the year. Her 17 points were tied for fifth in the UAC, and her two game-winners were tied for second in the UAC. In UAC matches, she logged four goals and three assists, totaling 11 points during the conference slate. She was one of two players to tally at least four goals and three assists during UAC matches, and she finished fourth in the UAC in points during conference games.
 
Central Arkansas received three nods to the Second Team All-UAC, claiming two spots at forward and one at defender. Jama Akpanudo and Caroline Billings, two more of the team's offensive hubs, earned selections at the forward positions, while Emerson Kercher was named a Second Team defender.
 
Akpanudo started all 19 matches for the Bears this season, and proved to be one of the most dangerous players with the ball at her feet and in open space. She tallied 15 points on the year, scoring four goals and adding seven assists. Her seven assists were second in the UAC, and her four goals were tied for tenth. She had three games this year contributing at least one goal and one assist, and her speed and footwork in the box produced three PKs for Central Arkansas. In UAC play, she added one goal and three assists, which were tied for third in the UAC.
 
Billings led the Bears in goals and points this season, tallying seven goals and three assists, totaling 17 points. She registered a point in six matches this season, scored multiple goals in two games, and tallied five points in two individual matches. In UAC games, she collected three goals and two assists, including a two-goal, one-assist effort against West Georgia.
 
Kercher, also team captain for much of the year, led the Bears in minutes played with 1,680, starting all 19 matches this season. She led a back line that has produced seven shutouts and held six other opponents to a single score, including a streak of nine-straight matches to close out the regular season. In UAC play, she was the center back for a defense that gave up more than one goal only once, and closed the regular season as the best scoring defense in the UAC, surrendering 0.7 goals per match in conference games.
 
Central Arkansas also has a strong future ahead, and that was evident from the play of Liza Dugan this season. The Wichita, Kansas native stepped into a bigger and bigger role as the season progressed, and shifted into the starting lineup after some injuries to the Bears. In 19 games played, with eight starts, she logged 825 minutes in the midfield and defense. She has three goals on the season, scoring in the season opener, scoring against SEMO, and scoring against Abilene Christian. 
 
"Kiko has been a constant all year long in the midfield with her ability on the ball and creativity, and feel we have a couple others that play alongside her that are deserving as well. Carol and Jama up top have been a good forward combination and are very difficult to deal with for any defense. Emmy has had a tremendous year at centerback and has been a great leader for our group this year.  It's great to see Liza get recognized on the All-Freshman team for the work she has put in!  She grew throughout the year and was ready to step into the starting role when called upon." – Coach Nichols
 
Central Arkansas will take on North Alabama on Sunday at 1 p.m. to open its run in the UAC Championship, having finished the regular season as the No. 3 seed out of the Red Division.