JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (September 6, 2025) – The University of North Alabama soccer team earned its second Atlantic Sun weekly award of the 2025 season on Tuesday, as Alice Bussey was selected the Player of the Week. This follows the ASUN Defender of the Week award that Adelyn Speight won a week ago.
 
This is Bussey's third weekly award all-time.
 
The graduate captain is back on the pitch after missing the entirety of the 2024 season. She showed it in a big way this past week during the consecutive wins that the Lions racked up.
 
Bussey nabbed her first goal since 2023 against Troy off an assist, beating out the goalkeeper one-on-one to net it. This sparked the second half comeback for the Lions that saw two goals and their first win of the season.
 
Against SEMO, Bussey was all over the place. She constantly beat out defenders to set up teammates and place good shots. She also laced her second goal of the season as she took a defender one on one and scored in the top left of the goal. She then set up her teammate for the second goal of the game with a beautifully placed assist — all happening within seven minutes of each other.
 
She helped spark an offensive onslaught against SEMO as the team set their season-highs for points, goals, shots and shots on goal in the 3-0 win.
 
This week alone, Bussey led the Lions to two wins, totaled two goals, an assist, five shots and four shots on goal in 110 minutes played – another restful Sunday for the captain with 40 on the field. The graduate leads the Lions in every offensive statistic during the young season.
 
North Alabama has won four ASUN Player of the Week awards to date, with Bussey owning three of the four. She now has one in 2022, 2023 and 2025 while Kylie Huey was the other one winner in 2018.
 
The Hythe, England native has been the focal point of a team that has grown offensively as they have continued to gel. The Lions put their best two offensive games together in the previous week as Bussey kickstarted the comeback against Troy and opened early with a goal against SEMO to cruise to another win.
 
The team put up a total of 29 shots with 16 on goal between the pair of wins. Prior to this, UNA totaled 23 shots with eight on goal amongst the first three games.
 
"I am really proud of Alice," said head coach Chris Walker. "The last 12 months have been tough for her, but she has kept a positive attitude and worked through it. All that hard work is now starting to pay off, and now she is getting rewarded for it."

North Alabama brings Alabama State to Florence, Ala. on Thursday, Sept. 4 at the Cox Creek Sports Complex at 7 p.m.
 
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.