Hogs Rack Up SEC Soccer Awards

October 29, 2023

FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas, the SEC regular season champion, had multiple Hogs win SEC awards, the league announced Sunday.

Head coach Colby Hale was named the conference’s Coach of the Year for the third time in his career. Senior Ava Tankersley was named SEC Forward of the Year and First Team All-SEC. Graduate Bea Franklin picked up three honors; SEC Midfielder of the Year, First Team All-SEC and Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year. Sisters Anna and Ellie Podojil earned Second Team All-SEC honors and defender Avery Wren was placed on the SEC All-Freshman Team.

Colby Hale – SEC Coach of the Year

Guided the Razorbacks to their fourth SEC regular season title in the last five years
Picked up his 150th career win after Arkansas defeated Texas A&M, 1-0, on September 24
The Hogs’ eight wins in league play this year were also enough to take the Western Division crown and earn the No. 1 seed at the SEC Tournament
Received the award in 2019 and 2020

Ava Tankersley – SEC Forward of the Year, All-SEC First Team

Tankersley is Arkansas’ first forward of the year since 2020
The senior has started every match this season and scored five of her six goals in SEC play which ranks second in the conference
Leads the Arkansas front line that has scored a league-best 43 goals
On September 28, Tankersley started a four-match scoring streak that included two game-winning goals: at Missouri and versus Georgia
Makes her first appearance on the first team, was named All-SEC Second Team last season

Bea Franklin – SEC Midfielder of the Year, Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year, All-SEC First Team

Started in all 17 of the Hogs’ matches this season as the engine in the midfield
Leads Arkansas with seven goals and assists, and 21 points
Racked up 15 points in SEC play, which also leads all SEC midfielders
Netted three SEC game-winners this season: at Tennessee, versus then-No. 9 Alabama and Mississippi State
Named to College Soccer News’ National Team of the Week in September for her brace at Tennessee and assist versus Grand Canyon
Named SEC Defensive Player of the Week for scoring the game-winner against the Crimson Tide and assisting in the game-winner at Texas A&M
Named the season’s final SEC Offensive Player of the Week for tapping in the game-winner against Mississippi State
The finance major has a 4.00 GPA and is a two-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll. Franklin is sharing the award with Auburn’s Anna Haddock
Named Second Team All-SEC last season
Arkansas’ last SEC Midfielder of the Year was Parker Goins in 2021

Anna Podojil – All-SEC Second Team

Has four goals and five assists this season and ranks fourth on the team in points (13)
Netted two goals in SEC play: against then-No. 9 Alabama and Ole Miss
Division I’s active career points leader with 131
Currently sits at 49 career goals which ranks second in Division I
Named All-SEC every season of her five-year career

Ellie Podojil – All-SEC Second Team

The linchpin on the Hogs’ backline that allowed the second-fewest goals allowed (6) in SEC play
Played every second of five SEC matches this season: at Auburn, against Florida, at LSU, against Ole Miss and Mississippi State
Named SEC Defensive Player of the Week for playing every second of Arkansas’ 3-0 shutout win over Florida
Podojil and the Razorback defense ranked third in shutouts (4) in conference play
Named to the second team last season

Avery Wren – Freshman All-SEC

Has logged 1,031 minutes, which leads Arkansas freshman
Started in 14 of 17 matches this season
Netted first collegiate goal against then-No. 9 Alabama
Recorded three assists
Played a career-high 90 minutes against Mississippi State

No. 10 Arkansas will begin postseason play on Tuesday, October 31 as the No. 1 seed in the SEC Tournament. The Hogs will face the winner of Auburn vs. Tennessee at 5 p.m. on SEC Network.

For more information on Arkansas Soccer, follow @RazorbackSoccer on Twitter.