Alcorn State coach Ken Kabiru was named Southwestern Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, and the Lady Braves collected nine postseason honors, the conference announced Wednesday. Grace Ambrose was named Offensive Player of the Year, and Annick Zouma earned Midfielder of the Year for the second time.
Alcorn State finished the regular season 7-4-5 overall and 4-0-4 in SWAC play, securing the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament. The team set a program record for wins in a season, according to the announcement, and had three players score at least 10 goals.
Ambrose, a forward, led the team with 17 goals and six assists for 40 points. She earned a place on the All-SWAC First Team and scored six goals in a game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, when Alcorn set a program record with 17 goals in a single match. The announcement said Ambrose ranked third nationally in goals entering the postseason.
Zouma had 14 goals and 14 assists for a team-high 42 points. Her assist total led the nation, according to the announcement. Defender Bridget Sakyi joined Ambrose and Zouma on the first team, with two goals and three assists in 14 appearances.
Defender Sophia Bobie, forward Larissa Joso Luma and midfielder Ainara Aldeano were named to the second team. Joso Luma recorded 10 goals and two assists, Aldeano had one goal and seven assists, and Bobie finished with two goals and one assist. Bobie’s contributions included an equalizer against Texas Southern.
The Lady Braves were set to begin their second consecutive SWAC tournament appearance against No. 6 seed Alabama State at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, at the PVAMU Soccer Complex in Prairie View, Texas, according to the tournament schedule.
