Soccer Earns Eight C-USA Academic Medals

DENTON – The North Texas soccer team's Hannah Ager, Kelsey Brann, Logan Bruffett, Lauren Frank Michelle Gonzalez, Madeline Guderian, Taylor Hunter and Dominique James earned Conference USA Academic Medals for achieving a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or better during the 2019-20 academic year, league commissioner Judy MacLeod announced Friday.

The Mean Green soccer team had the most honorees (eight) of all North Texas athletic teams. In total, 55 Mean Green student-athletes were awarded this year, which is 19 more than were named to the same list last year.

This is the second year in a row James and Bruffett — both captains during the 2019 season — have been awarded with the C-USA Academic Medal.

DOMINIQUE JAMES
Dominique James graduated from UNT in December of 2019 from the University of North Texas G. Brint Ryan College of Business. She left the Mean Green as one of the most successful soccer players in the program's 25-year-history.

A three-year captain, James was a 2018 NCAA All-American — the first in program history — and a 2019 Preseason MAC Herman Trophy Watch List honoree. A defensive centerback, James was a two-time C-USA Defensive Player of the Year honoree and the 2018 C-USA Player of the Year winner. She's the first two-time league defensive player of the year in UNT history. In total, James earned 12 C-USA preseason/ postseason awards.

She led the Mean Green to five league championships (regular season and/or tournament) and three trips to the NCAA Tournament. She never missed a match and made 80 career starts

Off the field, along with earning two C-USA academic medals, James was a three-time C-USA All-Academic honoree. She was also a 2019 CoSIDA All-Region Second Team All-Academic honoree. In 2018 she earned the C-USA Spirit and Service award.

LOGAN BRUFFETT
Logan Bruffett captained the Mean Green to a 2019 C-USA Tournament championship and its third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.

A three-year starter, Bruffett graduates from North Texas in May, which is a year early so she can pursue physician assistant school.

On the field, Bruffett played all over for the Mean Green who won four league titles (regular season and/or tournament) in her three years in Denton. She was voted all-conference in 2019 as she had a breakout offensive year scoring six goals.

Burffett scored the go-ahead goal in the Mean Green's 5-2 victory over FAU in the 2019 C-USA Tournament championship match.

Over the last three years, Bruffett was one of the most successful overall student-athletes at UNT. Along with her athletic success she was a constant recipient of the UNT President Award, which is given to a student with a perfect 4.0 G.P.A. every semester.

In 2019 she received the UNT Golden Eagle Award, which is the highest student-leadership award at North Texas.

She was also an academic all-American recipient in 2019.

MADELINE GUDERIAN
Over the last four years no Mean Green soccer player improved as much as 2020 graduate Madeline Guderian. The defensive outsideback, Guderian became a secret weapon for the champion Mean Green.

Guderian made just five starts in her first two and half years at North Texas and had recorded zero stats. But midway through her junior season in 2018 the Coppell native became an offensive spark.

In the final 11 matches of her junior season, Guderian made nine starts and recorded seven points (five assists and one goal).

Guderian earned 2018 C-USA All-Tournament recognition after assisting on two Mean Green goals and scoring a goal herself in the three-match tournament. Her amazing season reached a high-point when she assisted on UNT's championship-winning goal in the second overtime versus Southern Miss in the tournament finals.

Her success carried over to 2019 when she was an everyday starter for the repeat champion Mean Green.

Along with her C-USA Academic Medal, Guderian was named to the league's all-academic team following the 2019 season.

HANNAH AGER
Freshman Hannah Ager was awarded the team's spirit award for the 2020 North Texas Scrappys, which was voted by her teammates and coaches.

She played a season-high 22 minutes in the Mean Green's 5-0 win over Texas Southern on Aug. 25.

Ager entered UNT as a 2019 Texas Association of Soccer Coaches First Team All-State honoree. An all-district honoree as well, she led Round Rock High School to the UIL 6A Region II semifinal round and back-to-back regional tournament appearances. She scored 13 goals and had 17 assists as a senior.

MICHELLE GONZALEZ
One of the top freshmen in C-USA, Michelle Gonzalez started 21 of 22 matches for the Mean Green. She led the 2019 league champions in assists with six.

A midfielder, she played all 90 minutes versus Old Dominion and Western Kentucky, both wins. She also scored against the Lady Toppers. Gonzalez led all UNT freshmen in minutes played, starts, assists and shot on goal percentage.

TAYLOR HUNTER
Denton native Taylor Hunter finished her freshman season in 2019 proving she'll be a key piece to the Mean Green moving forward.

Hunter made seven starts and scored two goals and had two assists during the year. She played everything from defensive centerback to forward. Her two goals this year came in the first two matches of the year.

Her goal versus Texas Southern on Aug. 25 was from over 30 yards out and was the furthest North Texas goal on the year.

At 6-foot-1, Hunter is the tallest field player in the program's 25-year-history.

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Players Mentioned

Kelsey Brann

Logan Bruffett

Lauren Frank

Michelle Gonzalez

Madeline Guderian

Taylor Hunter

Dominique James

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