Allison, Foncham earn SEC honors

FAYETTEVILLE – Two members of the Arkansas soccer team have earned spots on All-Southeastern Conference teams, the league announced on Tuesday.

Senior Kelsey Allison is a second-team all-conference selection while Melanie Foncham earned a spot on the all-freshman squad.

Allison, a 5-4 midfielder from Keller, Texas, led the team in 2010 with seven goals and 16 points. She also tied for second with two assists, helping the Razorbacks score 17 goals in SEC play after getting just five goals in conference action in 2009.

Allison scored seven times on 40 shots and had 15 shots on goal for a .375 shots on goal percentage. She’s tied for seventh overall in the SEC with her seven goals, but in conference play only, she’s tied for second with six. She is also third in SEC play with 14 points and 0.55 goals per game, and fifth with 1.27 points per game.

She had the game-winning goal at Ole Miss on Oct. 17.

"Kelsey is a wonderful player and person," head coach Erin Aubry says. "She is completely deserving of SEC recognition and I am ecstatic for her. Kelsey has worked very hard on the mental side of scoring goals over the past year. For her to finish second in the SEC for goals is a testament to that hard work. It has been a pleasure to have Kelsey as a part of the Razorback program. The two things we will miss most next year are Kelsey’s daily work ethic and her fantastic sense of humor. She made training a fun environment for everyone this year and it translated to the games for her."

A transfer from Oklahoma, Allison played two years for Aubry. She played in all 38 games with 31 starts, and ended her career with eight goals and 18 points.

Foncham, a 5-6 defender from Plano, Texas, began her career at Texas but transferred to Arkansas this season.

One of the anchors of Aubry’s back line, she started all 19 games. She was the only Razorback to play every minute of every game in 2010, including three double-overtime ties and three other overtime games.

"Mel has been a great addition to the team and our back line this year," Aubry says. "She is one of the most coachable players I have ever worked with and that was evident by her daily growth throughout the season. Like Kelsey, Mel brought a fun factor to the daily grind this season and her personality flourished on the field. She is a fighter both in life and in the competitive arena, and I am so happy that the SEC recognized her ability. She will continue to help this program build in the right direction over the next three years."

This is the second season for two Razorbacks to receive All-SEC honors. In 2009, Kim Schleif was named to the second team and Allie Chandler earned all-freshman honors.