BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southwestern Athletic Conference has announced weekly awards following opening week action on the pitch where Texas Southern had Juliette Gomez, Alessandra Bastidas and Jiselle Caffey earn Defensive, Goalkeeper and Newcomer of the Week. Alcorn State’s Grace Ambrose was named the SWAC Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the week following her outstanding week.
 
SWAC Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week: Grace Ambrose, Alcorn State
The Junior Forward from Aba, Nigera opened the week appearing and starting in two matches where led the Lady Braves with three points while scoring one goal and adding an assist. In the opening match of the season against McNesse, Ambrose assisted the first goal of the season to Larissa Josa Luma at the 69^th minute, pushing for a second half comeback. Ambrose followed with the lone goal in the Sunday matchup against Louisiana-Monroe, scoring in the 86^th minute to help Alcorn State avoid a shutout. Grace Ambrose finished the week with three total shots, .333 shot percentage and a .667 shot on goal percentage.
 
SWAC Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week: Juliette Gomez, Texas Southern
The Freshman Midfielder from Eastville, California opened her collegiate career, helping Texas Southern record a shutout win over UTRGV and kept Houston Christian’s offense neutralized to one goal in the Sunday matchup. In the Thursday matchup versus UTRGV, Gomez broke up many one on one scoring opportunities, limiting the opponent to five shots on frame. Gomez tallied 180 minutes through both matches and now opens her collegiate career with her first SWAC weekly honor.
 
SWAC Women’s Soccer Goalkeeper of the Week: Alessandra Bastidas, Texas Southern
The Senior from Arlington, Texas opened the season starting in goal against UTRGV, recording a shutout win while adding four saves. Bastidas leads the SWAC with the lone shutout along with a 1.000 save percentage while earning her first win in goal. With nine shots faced, Alessandra Bastidas was an integral part of the victory on the defensive end for Texas Southern. Bastidas earns her first weekly award of the season following a stellar opening week.
 
SWAC Women’s Soccer Newcomer of the Week: Jiselle Caffey, Texas Southern
The Freshman from Chicago, Illinois opened her collegiate career starting and appearing in two matches where she recorded a goal, added two points and recorded the game-winning goal for the Tigers in the matchup against UTRGV. Setting the tone offensively, Caffey quickly struck from the numbers’ advantage for a goal at the 10^th minute. Caffey finished the week with 118 minutes played, .333 shot percentage and a .667 shot on goal percentage. Jiselle Caffey enters the new week with her first weekly honor of her collegiate career.
 
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
 
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, and Tennis.

Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, and Volleyball.
 
Follow the SWAC
For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at www.swac.org.