CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Six Illini soccer student-athletes earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors, the organization announced on Tuesday (Nov. 25).
Sixth year midfielder Sydney Stephens (recreation, sport, and tourism), senior defender Ellen Persson (natural resources & environmental sciences) graduate student midfielder Sarah Hiestand (health communication) and sophomore midfielder Ashley Stellon (industrial design) earned the award for their first time while senior forward Sarah Foley (advertising) and senior forward Lia Howard (double major, communication & psychology) each earned the distinction for their second year.
Foley started all 21 matches for the Illini and ended her senior season tied for the most goals and points on the team at seven and 17, respectively. She also set new career-high marks in shots (48), shots on goal (30) and minutes played (1,475).
Stephens started all 21 matches for Illinois. She scored her fourth goal of the season in the NCAA Tournament against Memphis on Nov. 15, the Illini's first NCAA Tournament goal since 2013. She posted new career highs in shots on goal (13), game-winning goals (two) and minutes played (1,505).
Persson was a constant in the Illini's lineup starting all 21 matches and playing the most minutes on the team playing 1,863 out of a possible 1,890 minutes. She posted new career highs in goals (two), points (four), shots (seven), shots on goal (five) and scored her first career game winner against Kentucky on Aug. 31.
Howard was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team where she scored the game-winning goal against No. 8 seed Ohio State to give Illinois its first Big Ten Tournament win since 2018. She finished the season starting in all 21 matches with new career highs in shots (30), shots on goal (13) and minutes played (1,515).
Stellon started in all 21 matches for the Orange and Blue and led the team in assists with four. Her four points on the season are a new career high, and she set a new career best in minutes played by almost 1,000 exactly playing in 1,659 minutes this season.
Hiestand appeared in 20 matching this season with her first appearance at Bowling Green. She scored her first point of the season with an assist at Michigan on Oct. 26 and set a new career high in shots on goal percentage (.750).
ABOUT THE AWARD
The 2025 Academic All-District Women's Soccer Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.
All-District honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America honorees will be announced in early December.
