University of Memphis Athletics
Nov 06, 2026 | Women's Soccer
IRVING, Texas – After capturing its fourth consecutive American Conference regular-season championship, the Memphis women's soccer team collected 10 All-Conference selections, highlighted by junior Ai Kitagawa earning Midfielder of the Year and sophomore Yuna Nagata claiming Defensive Player of the Year honors, the conference announced Friday.
Eight Tigers earned spots across the three All-Conference teams, while two freshmen were named to the All-Freshman Team. Memphis placed three players on the First Team, three on the Second Team and two on the Third Team. Kitagawa and freshman Abby Forsgren were unanimous selections to the First Team and All-Freshman Team, respectively.
With this year's honors, Memphis has now collected 35 conference Player of the Year awards in program history, including eight Offensive Player of the Year, eight Defensive Player of the Year, seven Midfielder of the Year, two Goalkeeper of the Year and 10 Freshman of the Year selections. The Tigers also pushed their all-time All-Conference selections to 150, consisting of 61 First Team, 41 Second Team, 10 Third Team and 38 All-Freshman Team honors.
Kitagawa earned her second consecutive Midfielder of the Year award, becoming just the second Tiger in program history to claim the honor twice, joining Vendula Strnadova (2008, 2010). The award marks the seventh time a Memphis player has been named Conference Midfielder of the Year.
The Itami City, Japan, native has continued to build an impressive collegiate résumé, progressing from Freshman of the Year and Second Team All-Conference recognition in 2024 to back-to-back Midfielder of the Year and First Team All-Conference honors in 2025 and 2026.
Kitagawa leads the American Conference and ranks 21st nationally in points per game (1.73), while sitting fourth in the league in both goals (nine) and assists (eight). Through 53 career matches, all starts, Kitagawa has amassed 25 goals, 19 assists and 69 points. She currently ranks ninth in Memphis history in goals and assists, 10th in points and sixth in game-winning goals.
Nagata enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign, earning Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference recognition after landing on the All-Freshman Team a season ago. The Takarazuka, Japan, native becomes the sixth different Tiger to win Defensive Player of the Year, marking the eighth time Memphis has claimed the honor.
A key piece of the Memphis defense, Nagata started every match during the regular season and logged 1,463 minutes, the fourth most among Tiger outfield players. She played an integral role in a defense that conceded just four goals throughout American Conference play. Nagata also contributed offensively with two assists, 14 shots and six shots on goal.
Joining Kitagawa and Nagata on the All-Conference First Team is junior Evelyn Mackay, who moves up from a Third Team selection last season. The Canadian proved to be one of Memphis' most versatile players, filling multiple positions and providing crucial minutes across the pitch.
Mackay leads all Tiger outfield players with 1,513 minutes played, having missed just 17 minutes throughout the regular season. She also contributed two goals, both match-winners, and an assist while recording 19 shots and nine shots on goal.
Junior defender Ally Casey earned Second Team All-Conference recognition for the second consecutive season after another standout campaign in the Memphis backline. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native ranks second among Tiger outfield players with 1,511 minutes played and has contributed one goal, a match-winner, and three assists for five points.
Casey has started 44 matches in the Memphis defense throughout her career, totaling four goals, four assists, 12 points, 14 shots and nine shots on goal.
Sophomore Ellis Kelly also landed on the All-Conference Second Team after a productive offensive season that saw her register six goals and four assists for 16 points. The reigning American Conference Freshman of the Year ranks fifth in the league in shots (58), third in shots on goal (28) and eighth in goals (six).
Kelly's 58 shots are the fifth most by a sophomore in program history. Through her first two seasons at Memphis, she has accumulated 11 goals, eight assists, 30 points, 74 shots and 33 shots on goal.
Rounding out the Second Team selections is freshman Abby Forsgren, who also earned unanimous All-Freshman Team recognition. The Castro Valley, California, native becomes the first Tiger since Kitagawa in 2024 to earn both All-Conference Second Team and All-Freshman Team honors in the same season.
Forsgren has made an immediate impact in her debut collegiate campaign, ranking 25th nationally and third in the American Conference with eight assists. She also leads all conference freshmen in shots, shots on goal and points (18).
Having started every match for Memphis, Forsgren has logged 1,486 minutes while contributing five goals, including two match-winners, and eight assists. Her eight helpers are just one shy of matching the Memphis freshman single-season record.
Sophomore Mihiro Furuya earned Third Team All-Conference honors for the second consecutive season after also being named to the All-Freshman Team in 2025. The Ninomiya, Japan, native started all but one match for the Tigers, totaling 1,278 minutes while registering two goals, including one match-winner, two assists and six points.
Furuya also recorded 26 shots, including 11 on target, and has now accumulated four goals, six assists and 14 points in more than 2,000 minutes of action during her Memphis career.
Joining Furuya on the Third Team is sophomore goalkeeper Ava Galani, who earns her first career All-Conference recognition following her first full season between the posts for the Tigers.
The Jacksonville, Florida, native ranks second in the American Conference in goals-against average (0.89) and is tied for second with six shutouts. Galani surrendered just four goals throughout conference play, while her 0.89 goals-against average stands as the fourth lowest by a sophomore in program history.
Galani holds an 11-3-3 career record in net for Memphis and has recorded 43 saves across 18 career starts.
Rounding out the Tigers' postseason honorees is freshman defender Maira Boosman, who earned a spot on the All-Freshman Team. Boosman was the lone defender selected to the team and became the first Memphis defender to earn the recognition since Finley Lavin in 2023.
Boosman made her first collegiate start in Memphis' season opener and has started 15 of the Tigers' 17 matches this season, totaling 1,275 minutes. The freshman helped anchor a defensive unit that allowed just four goals in 10 American Conference matches.
The individual accolades follow another dominant conference campaign for Memphis, which finished the regular season unbeaten in American Conference play for the fourth consecutive year. The Tigers claimed their fourth straight regular-season conference championship and secured the No. 1 seed in the American Conference Tournament.
Memphis All-Conference Honors
Defensive Player of the Year
Yuna Nagata, So., D/M
Midfielder of the Year
Ai Kitagawa, Jr., M
All-Conference First Team
Ai Kitagawa, Jr., M*
Evelyn Mackay, Jr., D
Yuna Nagata, So., D/M
All-Conference Second Team
Ally Casey, Jr., D
Abby Forsgren, Fr., M
Ellis Kelly, So., F/M
All-Conference Third Team
Mihiro Furuya, So., F/M
Ava Galani, So., GK
All-Freshman Team
Maira Boosman, D
Abby Forsgren, M*
*Denotes unanimous selection.
UP NEXT
The Tigers will head to Lakewood Ranch, Fla. for the American Conference Championship where they will face No. 8 seeded North Texas in the first round at 6:30 p.m. CT on Sunday. The match will be available on ESPN+.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Soccer, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Eight Tigers earned spots across the three All-Conference teams, while two freshmen were named to the All-Freshman Team. Memphis placed three players on the First Team, three on the Second Team and two on the Third Team. Kitagawa and freshman Abby Forsgren were unanimous selections to the First Team and All-Freshman Team, respectively.
With this year's honors, Memphis has now collected 35 conference Player of the Year awards in program history, including eight Offensive Player of the Year, eight Defensive Player of the Year, seven Midfielder of the Year, two Goalkeeper of the Year and 10 Freshman of the Year selections. The Tigers also pushed their all-time All-Conference selections to 150, consisting of 61 First Team, 41 Second Team, 10 Third Team and 38 All-Freshman Team honors.
Kitagawa earned her second consecutive Midfielder of the Year award, becoming just the second Tiger in program history to claim the honor twice, joining Vendula Strnadova (2008, 2010). The award marks the seventh time a Memphis player has been named Conference Midfielder of the Year.
The Itami City, Japan, native has continued to build an impressive collegiate résumé, progressing from Freshman of the Year and Second Team All-Conference recognition in 2024 to back-to-back Midfielder of the Year and First Team All-Conference honors in 2025 and 2026.
Kitagawa leads the American Conference and ranks 21st nationally in points per game (1.73), while sitting fourth in the league in both goals (nine) and assists (eight). Through 53 career matches, all starts, Kitagawa has amassed 25 goals, 19 assists and 69 points. She currently ranks ninth in Memphis history in goals and assists, 10th in points and sixth in game-winning goals.
Nagata enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign, earning Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference recognition after landing on the All-Freshman Team a season ago. The Takarazuka, Japan, native becomes the sixth different Tiger to win Defensive Player of the Year, marking the eighth time Memphis has claimed the honor.
A key piece of the Memphis defense, Nagata started every match during the regular season and logged 1,463 minutes, the fourth most among Tiger outfield players. She played an integral role in a defense that conceded just four goals throughout American Conference play. Nagata also contributed offensively with two assists, 14 shots and six shots on goal.
Joining Kitagawa and Nagata on the All-Conference First Team is junior Evelyn Mackay, who moves up from a Third Team selection last season. The Canadian proved to be one of Memphis' most versatile players, filling multiple positions and providing crucial minutes across the pitch.
Mackay leads all Tiger outfield players with 1,513 minutes played, having missed just 17 minutes throughout the regular season. She also contributed two goals, both match-winners, and an assist while recording 19 shots and nine shots on goal.
Junior defender Ally Casey earned Second Team All-Conference recognition for the second consecutive season after another standout campaign in the Memphis backline. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native ranks second among Tiger outfield players with 1,511 minutes played and has contributed one goal, a match-winner, and three assists for five points.
Casey has started 44 matches in the Memphis defense throughout her career, totaling four goals, four assists, 12 points, 14 shots and nine shots on goal.
Sophomore Ellis Kelly also landed on the All-Conference Second Team after a productive offensive season that saw her register six goals and four assists for 16 points. The reigning American Conference Freshman of the Year ranks fifth in the league in shots (58), third in shots on goal (28) and eighth in goals (six).
Kelly's 58 shots are the fifth most by a sophomore in program history. Through her first two seasons at Memphis, she has accumulated 11 goals, eight assists, 30 points, 74 shots and 33 shots on goal.
Rounding out the Second Team selections is freshman Abby Forsgren, who also earned unanimous All-Freshman Team recognition. The Castro Valley, California, native becomes the first Tiger since Kitagawa in 2024 to earn both All-Conference Second Team and All-Freshman Team honors in the same season.
Forsgren has made an immediate impact in her debut collegiate campaign, ranking 25th nationally and third in the American Conference with eight assists. She also leads all conference freshmen in shots, shots on goal and points (18).
Having started every match for Memphis, Forsgren has logged 1,486 minutes while contributing five goals, including two match-winners, and eight assists. Her eight helpers are just one shy of matching the Memphis freshman single-season record.
Sophomore Mihiro Furuya earned Third Team All-Conference honors for the second consecutive season after also being named to the All-Freshman Team in 2025. The Ninomiya, Japan, native started all but one match for the Tigers, totaling 1,278 minutes while registering two goals, including one match-winner, two assists and six points.
Furuya also recorded 26 shots, including 11 on target, and has now accumulated four goals, six assists and 14 points in more than 2,000 minutes of action during her Memphis career.
Joining Furuya on the Third Team is sophomore goalkeeper Ava Galani, who earns her first career All-Conference recognition following her first full season between the posts for the Tigers.
The Jacksonville, Florida, native ranks second in the American Conference in goals-against average (0.89) and is tied for second with six shutouts. Galani surrendered just four goals throughout conference play, while her 0.89 goals-against average stands as the fourth lowest by a sophomore in program history.
Galani holds an 11-3-3 career record in net for Memphis and has recorded 43 saves across 18 career starts.
Rounding out the Tigers' postseason honorees is freshman defender Maira Boosman, who earned a spot on the All-Freshman Team. Boosman was the lone defender selected to the team and became the first Memphis defender to earn the recognition since Finley Lavin in 2023.
Boosman made her first collegiate start in Memphis' season opener and has started 15 of the Tigers' 17 matches this season, totaling 1,275 minutes. The freshman helped anchor a defensive unit that allowed just four goals in 10 American Conference matches.
The individual accolades follow another dominant conference campaign for Memphis, which finished the regular season unbeaten in American Conference play for the fourth consecutive year. The Tigers claimed their fourth straight regular-season conference championship and secured the No. 1 seed in the American Conference Tournament.
Memphis All-Conference Honors
Defensive Player of the Year
Yuna Nagata, So., D/M
Midfielder of the Year
Ai Kitagawa, Jr., M
All-Conference First Team
Ai Kitagawa, Jr., M*
Evelyn Mackay, Jr., D
Yuna Nagata, So., D/M
All-Conference Second Team
Ally Casey, Jr., D
Abby Forsgren, Fr., M
Ellis Kelly, So., F/M
All-Conference Third Team
Mihiro Furuya, So., F/M
Ava Galani, So., GK
All-Freshman Team
Maira Boosman, D
Abby Forsgren, M*
*Denotes unanimous selection.
UP NEXT
The Tigers will head to Lakewood Ranch, Fla. for the American Conference Championship where they will face No. 8 seeded North Texas in the first round at 6:30 p.m. CT on Sunday. The match will be available on ESPN+.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Soccer, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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