DAHLONEGA – The University of North Georgia (UNG) women's soccer team had five players selected to the 2024 United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region Teams as announced by the association Tuesday afternoon. 

Junior midfielder Adleigh Wheeler was UNG's lone selection to the All-Region First Team. Joining Wheeler with all-region selections were four of her teammates in senior goalkeeper Sierra Fowler, junior midfielder Alex Clark, junior forward Bailey Oetinger and senior midfielder Darby Olive who were all named to the All-Southeast Region Second Team.

Wheeler had a phenomenal season in the middle of the field for the Nighthawks. With four goals, three assists and 11 points starting every game in the midfield this season for UNG, Wheeler earned her the second all-region nod from the United Soccer Coaches of her career. The Cumming, Ga. native also earned second team honors as a sophomore last season. This season, her leadership and goal-scoring ability were on full display as she was named to the Peach Belt Conference All-Conference Second Team prior to the year's end.

Fowler, an all-American last season, earned a spotlight from the United Soccer Coaches for the second consecutive season after another sensational season in goal. In 17 games, the Johns Creek, Ga. native racked up 43 saves at an .811 save percentage. She recorded six shutouts which are the second-most of any season in her career despite playing in five fewer games due to injury in 2024. Not only did Fowler post six shutouts, she became a brick wall at the end of the season, helping UNG make a run to the Southeast Regional Championship for only the second time in program history. Five of her six scoreless outings came in the last eight games of the season. In that span she's faced 31 shots on goal and stopped 26 of them. 

Clark had a strong season in the midfield in her third season in a Nighthawk uniform. The Lynn Haven, Fla. native totaled seven points on two goals and three assists for UNG in another successful season for the team. On a team that had high expectations but was forced to battle injury during the season, Clark was a leader on both ends of the field and helped the Nighthawks navigate a testy season.

Oetinger joined UNG last spring and made an immediate impact in her first season in Dahlonega. The former Lipscomb forward scored in her third game with her new team and never looked back. The winger was second on the team with six goals and 16 points after adding four assists as well. Oetinger's impact was perhaps felt most when she recorded a pair of game-winning goals this year against Clayton State and USC Beaufort. Oetinger's efforts earned her a spot on the Peach Belt Conference All-Conference Second Team before this recent award from the United Soccer Coaches.

Olive was perhaps the least-surprising all-region selection after the senior closed out her playing days with the best season of her career. Olive helped the Nighthawks to a 13-4-3 this season while totaling new career highs with seven goals, six assists and 20 points on the year. She led UNG in all three categories.

Olive closed the campaign on a tear in the back half of the season, scoring six goals in the final nine games of the season which included two game winners, one of which came against No. 9 Lenoir-Rhyne. From the final game of the regular season through the Peach Belt Conference Tournament, Olive scored a goal in three consecutive games.In the last 11 games this season, Olive recorded either a goal, an assist or both in seven of them.  

This performance not only earned her a spot on the PBC All-Conference Second Team, but Olive was also named to the PBC All-Tournament Team and eventually the D2CCA All-Southeast Region Team as well.

The five selections this season add to an already impressive run of all-region players for head coach Kayley Ralton and the UNG women's soccer program. Since 2009, the Nighthawks have had 47 players named to an all-region team in program history. Since Ralton took over in 2020, UNG has seen 14 players make the list, six of which have been first team selections.