ATLANTA – North Florida women’s soccer saw three student-athletes earn All-Atlantic Sun Conference laurels and four honors overall as Paige McSwigan, Zara Siassi and Chloe Lynch were recognized by the league with postseason league accolades.
McSwigan took home both All-Atlantic Sun Second Team honors and all-freshman recognition, while Siassi joined her on the second team and Lynch was tabbed to the third team.
For Siassi it’s her second all-league postseason selection, with Lynch and McSwigan taking home their first-ever conference awards. North Florida’s three all-league selections is tied for the second-most in a single season in the program’s DI era.
“I am very happy for our three student-athletes who received ASUN postseason honors,” head coach Eric Faulconer said. “To be recognized by the coaches in our league is a great accomplishment and Zara, Paige and Chloe are well deserving of their selections.”
Paige McSwigan – Second Team & All-Freshman | Forward | R-Fr. | St. Johns, Fla.
The local product returned to the 904 after a shortened true freshman season at Cincinnati, making a huge impact for the Ospreys in 2023. McSwigan is the first freshman to earn both all-league and all-freshman honors in the same year since teammate Lauren Weiss did so in the fall of 2021. Weiss was also a second-team all-conference pick that season.
“I am so happy for Paige. Like Zara, Paige has been totally committed to this program and to improving every aspect of her game,” Faulconer said. “She is very coachable and wants to be the best version of herself that she can be. Paige is just getting started. I am excited to see her game improve and become a leader in our program.”
McSwigan was tied with Jersi Dadah for the team lead in goals with three, helping her to a team-best 10 points. McSwigan posted four assists, a mark tied for a team high alongside Lauren Weiss.
The versatile forward started 15 times, playing in all 18 games while logging 924 minutes and starting the final nine matches of the season.
All three of her goals were extremely timely as they were the equalizer in each instance. McSwigan scored her first goal on a cross at No. 22 UCF, helping tie up the game. She would help UNF earn a result at Bellarmine Oct. 1 with a game-tying score in the second half. Undoubtedly, her most clutch moment was in her 88th minute game-tying goal at Kennesaw State Oct. 8.
Two of her four assists came in a 3-0 rout of Austin Peay Sept. 24, while she also came through with helpers at Mercer Sept. 3 and against Central Arkansas Oct. 15.
Zara Siassi – Second Team | Defender | Sr. | Lake Worth, Fla.
Siassi bookended her season with conference awards after being named to the All-Atlantic Sun Preseason squad to start the season.
“Zara has performed at a high level from them moment she stepped on our campus,” Faulconer said. “She is professional in her approach to being the best she can be and does the little things that most aren’t willing to do. I am thrilled that she has earned her second Atlantic Sun All-Conference honor of her career.”
Unquestionably one of the toughest and most durable student-athletes across all positions in the league, Siassi started and played in all 18 games, logging a team-high 1,426 as a backline stalwart. Siassi came up with an assist in the win against Austin Peay, while posing as a threat on set pieces and headers.
The defender started off the season with a bang, being named ASUN Defensive Player of the Week Aug. 22 after helping UNF to consecutive shutouts, including a 3-0 win against Air Force.
Siassi’s preparation and consistency earned her 62 starts in 62 matches at North Florida over the past four seasons. All told she has logged 5,368 minutes and five points from three assists and a goal at Stetson Sept. 25, 2022.
Chloe Lynch – Third Team | Midfielder | Fr. | Holly Springs, Ga.
The well-deserving Lynch was honored by the league with postseason honors after influencing all areas of the game in her second year in the Navy and Gray.
“Chloe has the ability to change a game. She is technical, tactically understands the game and is very athletic. She wants to be the best in the ASUN and she took a huge step toward that goal this season. We are just starting to see what she really can do and I am excited to watch Chloe take that next step in the future.”
Lynch served as a glue piece in the midfield, starting 15 games while appearing in 18 as one of six Ospreys to log over 1,000 minutes played.
The sophomore posted five points, notching two goals and assisting on another. Lynch served up that assist in a 2-1 win against Troy, while scoring her first-career goal in the opening minutes of another 2-1 win, with this one being at Stetson Sept. 17. Her second goal came as an equalizer in the second half against Central Arkansas Oct. 15, a strike off the underside off the crossbar and in.
Lynch paced the team in shots, putting up 29. Over two seasons, Lynch has appeared in 33 matches, starting 23 of them while logging 1,751 minutes.
