Soccer Recognized by Arkansas Senate

State of Arkansas
95th General Assembly
Regular Session, 2025 SR 19

By: Senator Irvin

SENATE RESOLUTION
TO RECOGNIZE THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT FAYETTEVILLE RAZORBACKS WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM FOR THEIR  ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2024.

Subtitle
TO RECOGNIZE THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT FAYETTEVILLE RAZORBACKS WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2024.

WHEREAS, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Razorbacks women’s soccer team finished the 2024 season with sixteen wins, two losses, and three tied games (16-2-3), including an undefeated eleven wins, zero losses, and two tied games (11-0-2) at home; and

WHEREAS, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Razorbacks women’s soccer team achieved the number one (1) ranking in both college soccer polls for the first time in program history; and

WHEREAS, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Razorbacks women’s soccer team earned a number two (2) seed in the 2024 National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament, the highest seed in program history, for the third time in the past four (4) years; and

WHEREAS, Coach Colby Hale recently completed his thirteenth season at Arkansas, and he has a record of one hundred eighty-nine wins, eighty-two losses, and thirty-one tied games (189-82-31) in Fayetteville; and

WHEREAS, Coach Colby Hale led the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Razorbacks women’s soccer team to all eleven (11) of its National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament appearances; and

WHEREAS, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Razorbacks women’s soccer team advanced to the “Sweet Sixteen” of the women’s soccer (16) teams in the 2024 National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament for the fourth time in program history and the third time in the past four (4) seasons; and

WHEREAS, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Razorbacks women’s soccer team advanced to the Southeastern Conference tournament semifinals for the eighth time in the past nine (9) Southeastern Conference tournaments; and

WHEREAS, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Razorbacks women’s soccer team boasted a total attendance of twenty-nine thousand seven hundred thirty-four (29,734) in 2024, the fourth highest attendance among all National Collegiate Athletic Association women’s soccer teams, and an average attendance of two thousand two hundred eighty-seven (2,287), the fifth highest average attendance among all National Collegiate Athletic Association women’s soccer teams; and

WHEREAS, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Razorbacks women’s soccer team set a school single match record with attendance of four thousand (4,000) when playing the South Carolina women’s soccer team in 2024; and

WHEREAS, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Razorbacks women’s soccer team hosted three (3) rounds of postseason play in front of capacity crowds at Razorback Field in Fayetteville; and

WHEREAS, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Razorbacks women’s soccer team member Ava Tankersley was named first team All-American by United Soccer Coaches; and

WHEREAS, Ava Tankersley was named as semifinalist for the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy, a trophy which is the pinnacle award in college soccer; and

WHEREAS, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Razorbacks women’s soccer team members Ava Tankersley and Kiley Dulaney were named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region team; and

WHEREAS, Ava Tankersley was named the Southeastern Conference Forward of the Year for the second straight season; and

WHEREAS, six (6) members of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Razorbacks women’s soccer team were named to All-Southeastern-Conference Teams:
(1) Ava Tankersley (first);
(2) Kiley Dulaney (second);
(3) Kate Doyle (third);
(4) Kelsey Oyler (third);
(5) Anaiyah Robinson (third); and
(6) Jailyn Brownlee (third); and

WHEREAS, three (3) members of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Razorbacks women’s soccer team were named to the All-Southeastern Conference Freshman Team:
(1) Keegan Smith;
(2) Anaiyah Robinson; and
(3) Jailyn Brownlee; and

WHEREAS, two (2) members of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Razorbacks women’s soccer team were named to the Southeastern Conference All-Tournament Team:
(1) Ava Tankersley; and
(2) Avery Wren; and

WHEREAS, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Razorbacks women’s soccer team’s seventy-one (71) goals on the season tied a program record from 2021; and

WHEREAS, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Razorbacks women’s soccer team led the nation in:
(1) Scoring average at three and thirty-eight hundredths (3.38) per game;
(2) Total goals at seventy-one (71);
(3) Total points at two hundred nineteen (219);
(4) Points per game at ten and forty-three hundredths (10.43);
(5) Assists per game at three and sixty-seven hundredths (3.67);
(6) Corner kicks per game at eight and sixty-seven hundredths (8.67); and
(7) Shots on goal per game at eleven and fifty-two hundredths (11.52); and

WHEREAS, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Razorbacks women’s soccer team ranked:
(1) Second in the nation in shots per game at twenty and sixty-seven hundredths (20.67) and in assists at seventy-seven (77);
(2) Fifth in the nation in shot accuracy at five hundred fifty-eight thousandths (0.558); and
(3) Sixth in the nation in won-lost-tied percentage at eight hundred thirty-three thousandths (0.833),

NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:

THAT the Senate recognize the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Razorbacks women’s soccer team for superlative achievements in 2024.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT upon adoption, a copy of this resolution be presented to Coach Colby Hale by the Secretary of the Senate.