» SEC Forward of the Year (2023, 2024)
» All-SEC First Team (2023, 2024)
» All-SEC Second Team (2022)
» SEC All-Freshman Team (2020)
» SEC Watch List (2024)
» TopDrawerSoccer Postseason Women’s Freshman Top 100 (2021)
» SEC Co-Freshman of the Week (10/12/20)
» 4x SEC Offensive Player of the Week
» TopDrawerSoccer Team of the Week (11/10/20)
As a Graduate (2024)
Ava Tankersley, the 2024 SEC Forward of the Year and a First Team All-SEC selection, is coming off her best season yet with 12 goals and nine assists (33 points) to lead Arkansas back to the Sweet 16. The Saint Peters, Mo. native started in all 21 matches this season and ranks tied for fourth in program history with 102 career appearances. Tankersley sits among the top 10 in several career categories: T-No. 4 in Goals (38), T-No. 2 in Assists (32), No. 2 in Points (111), No. 7 in Game-Winning Goals (10), T-No. 4 in Games Played (102), No. 7 in Games Started (89).
Tankersley was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week three times this season and led the league in points (17), goals (7), points per game (1.70), and goals per game (.70), earning her the conference’s back-to-back choice as SEC Forward of the Year, the first player to do so since the award was created in 2019. Tankersley notched four multi-goal games and helped the Hogs tie the program record for most goals in a single season (71).
Aside from being an elite finisher, Tankersley showcased her ability as a key playmaker for the Razorbacks with a team-leading nine assists including important goals in the Hogs’ games against BYU, No. 24 South Carolina, LSU, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.
As a Junior (2022)
Got the start in all 22 matches and logged 1,585 minutes … Led the team in assists (12), shot on goal percentage (.627) … Provided nine goals, the second most on the team … Two of her goals were game-winners: at No. 9 South Carolina (Sept. 25) and the NCAA Tournament opener versus Missouri State (Nov. 11) … Three of her 12 assists came in the Hogs’ first win of the season, at Oklahoma on Aug. 25 … Led the SEC in SOG% (.627) and ranked 15th nationally … Ranked second in the league in assists (12) and sixth nationally … Her .55 assists per game were good for second in the conference and 10th in the NCAA … Recorded 60+ minutes in 17 matches.
As a Sophomore (2021)
Appeared in 21 of 24 matches, getting the start in nine, including six straight SEC matches … Netted five goals and tallied six assists for a total of 32 points … Scored her first goal of the season against Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 6 … Her fifth goal came against Northwestern State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament … Recorded 931 minutes … Fired off a season-high six shots and scored one goal in the match versus Stephen F. Austin … Four of her six shots in the NCAA Tournament were on target.
As a Freshman (2020-21)
Got the start in the final 15 matches, logging 1,087 minutes… Named the SEC Co-Freshman of the Week on Oct. 12 and was a member of the TopDrawerSoccer Team of the Week on Nov. 10… Racked up four goals and three assists for 11 points… Her four goals ranked fourth on the squad… Had a 91st-minute game-winner in OT at Alabama (Oct. 11) and in Arkansas’ 2-1 victory at Mississippi State that clinched the program’s second-straight SEC regular season title (Nov. 6)… Recorded an assist to Emilee Hauser in the 53rd-minute of the SEC Tournament semifinals victory against South Carolina… Played a season-high 90 minutes in Arkansas’ Sweet 16 matchup against Santa Clara (May 5).
Before Arkansas
Honored as ECNL All-Conference for the 2018-19 season… Named to the 2019 Missouri Class 3 All-State First Team… Selected to the Missouri All-District team as a sophomore and junior… Netted 32 goals and dished out nine assists in last two season at Ft. Zumwalt South HS… Was the only member of her SLSG MO club team to be named to the U16 ECNL Midwest All-Conference Team for the 2017-18 season.
Personal
Father, Dennis, played baseball for the San Diego Padres from 2002-04.
