Conley named CSC Academic All-American
PERKINSTON — Mississippi Gulf Coast's Laurel Conley helped led the Bulldogs women's soccer team to new heights in 2025 and excelled in the classroom. Those achievements combined to earn her a prestigious award.
The keeper from Ocean Springs has been named to the 2025-26 College Sports Communicators Academic All-American Women's At-Large Team for the College Division. She graduated with a 3.87 grade-point average in criminology to earn a spot on the Second Team.
"It's really special with all the hard work we put in on and off the field to be recognized," Conley said. "I think it's pretty cool."
The CSC Academic All-American program was established in 1952. It is the longest-running and premier award for athletic and academic success across college sports. Former winners include Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Candace Parker and Katie Ledecky.
Conley makes eight Bulldogs named to the women's Academic All-American team since 2019. There were 20 named to the College At-Large Division team this year. The College Division includes two-year schools, Canadian institutions and other schools not affiliated with the NCAA or NAIA.
The award criteria include athletic performance, and Conley backstopped Gulf Coast's first-ever run to the NJCAA Women's Soccer Championship. Conley posted a 9-4-1 record with a 0.97 goals-against average on her way to NJCAA All-American First Team honors. She earned the same award from the United Soccer Coaches, helping Gulf Coast to within one win of the NJCAA semifinals.
Conley earned NJCAA All-Academic and Academic All-MACCC twice.
"Having our set practice times every day and then some required study hall hours always helped me," she said. "I had to make sure that I was in the (Learning Resources Center) getting my work done on time. You just have to put in extra work to make sure I get good grades."
For more information on MGCCC's 12 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.
