5 Francis Marion University women’s soccer players named to Academic All-District Team

FLORENCE — The Francis Marion University women’s soccer team placed five players on the 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team for the Southeast Region of NCAA Division II.

The Patriots’ All-Academic Team selections are Ainara Eizaguirre, Le’Landra Jarvis, Linsey Downey, Haley Sink and Izzy Ashley. 

Eizaguirre and Jarvis are receiving this award for the second consecutive year.

The College Sports Communicators All-America program recognizes soccer honorees in NCAA Division I, II and III, and NAIA. Academic All-District honorees are considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-American ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America honorees will be announced in early December.

Eizaguirre, a senior defender, owns a 3.769 cumulative grade point average as a visual arts major. She started all 18 matches and played all but 13 minutes this past season. The native of Nernani, Spain, is a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma national college athlete honor society. Eizaguirre earned a Division II ADA Academic Achievement Award for 2022 and 2023. She has been named to the FMU Swamp Fox Athletic-Academic Honor Roll for all six of her semesters and has been selected to the Conference Carolinas honor roll each of her three previous years.

Jarvis, a junior forward, has a 3.923 GPA as a psychology major. She started 17 matches this season and registered a goal and an assist with 13 shots on goal. She earned a Division II ADA Academic Achievement Award for 2023. Jarvis, a Jackson native, is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success. She is active in the Baptist Collegiate Ministries and has served as a writing center tutor and Student Athlete Advisory Committee member. Jarvis has been named to the FMU Swamp Fox Athletic-Academic Honor Roll each of her first four semesters and has been recognized on the Conference Carolinas Presidential Honor Roll on three occasions.

Downey, a junior midfielder, is from Little River. She has a 3.672 GPA as a management and marketing major. She appeared in 17 matches, making seven starts. She registered the winning score in a 1-0 victory in the quarterfinals of the Conference Carolinas women’s soccer tournament. She was named to the Conference Carolinas Academic All-Conference Team for 2023 and the 2023 All-Tournament squad. She also received a 2023 Division II ADA Academic Achievement Award and was named to the Conference Carolinas Presidential Honor Roll three times. She has been selected to the FMU Swamp Fox Athletic-Academic Honor Roll for all four of her semesters.

Sink, a junior midfielder, is a native of Moseley, Va. She has a 3.863 GPA as a marketing major. She started all 18 matches, recording a goal, an assist and nine shots. Sink was selected to the Academic All-Conference Team for 2023, earned a 2023 Division II ADA Academic Achievement Award and is a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society. She has been named to the FMU Swamp Fox Athletic-Academic Honor Roll and the Conference Carolinas Presidential Honor Roll on every possible occasion.

Ashley, a sophomore midfielder, is a native of Kannapolis, N.C. She has a 4.0 GPA as a biology major. She started all 18 matches this past season and recorded 19 shots, the third-highest total on the squad. She is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success and has been named to the Conference Carolinas Presidential Honor Roll and FMU Swamp Fox Athletic-Academic Honor Roll on every possible occasion.

These five players helped Francis Marion have its most successful season since joining Conference Carolinas. The Patriots posted an 8-6-4 record, finished in second place in the East Division standings and made the Carolinas Conference tournament semifinals.