FRISCO, Texas — Nicholls forward Jezlyn Nelson was named Southland Conference Freshman of the Year, and fifth-year midfielder Alyssa Wheeler earned First Team All-Southland as the league released its 2026 women’s soccer awards Monday afternoon.
Nelson is the first Colonel in program history to win the conference’s rookie award. The Niceville, Fla., product finished her debut season with six goals and two assists for 14 points in 1,215 minutes. She scored in back-to-back games against Louisiana Tech and Arkansas-Pine Bluff to open her career, added a goal against UTRGV in league play, and scored the game-winner in the regular-season finale that punched Nicholls’ ticket to the Southland Tournament for the first time since 2014.
Wheeler, a Clovis, Calif., native, becomes the fifth Colonel ever named First Team All-SLC. She led Nicholls with eight goals and seven assists for 23 points in 1,427 minutes, tying for the Southland lead in points. She is the only player in the league with at least eight goals and seven assists. Wheeler scored the game-winner against UTRGV off a corner kick, assisted Nelson’s winner in the finale, and earned SLC Offensive Player of the Week once. Her 23 points rank fourth on the program’s single-season list, and her seven assists tie the school single-season record.
No other Colonels landed on the First or Second Team All-Conference lists released Monday. East Texas A&M’s Allyson Reed was named Newcomer of the Year and Judith Nandwa Defender of the Year, while Lamar swept Player, Forward, Midfielder, Goalkeeper and Coach of the Year honors.
No. 5 seed Nicholls (6-6-6, 4-3-3 SLC) opens the Southland Tournament on Tuesday, Nov. 10, against No. 4 UIW at noon in Commerce, Texas. The match streams on ESPN+.
Photo: Nicholls Athletics
