RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Senior Alex Laing's GAC/MIAA Defender of the Year honor highlighted No. 13 men's soccer's nine All-GAC/MIAA selections, as announced by the league office on Wednesday afternoon.

"Alex has been an exceptional player for our program for a number of years now, and I am thrilled that he has been recognized for just how good he is," head coach Jake Simpson commented on Laing's accomplishment. "He is a top level defender and is also a huge threat going forward, creating a number of huge chances for us. He is a truly phenomenal footballer and is fully deserving of this honor, I am extremely proud of him and grateful he is a Hillcat!"

Laing, an All-GAC/MIAA Second Team honoree in 2024, received First Team recognition and was named the Defensive Player of the Year. The defender from London, England, played a crucial role for the Hillcat defense, contributing to 10 shutouts and limiting opponents to just 72 shots on goal so far this season. In his senior season, Laing has logged 1,071 minutes on the pitch over 16 appearances, including 14 starts. He also scored a goal against Southern Nazarene on Oct. 11 and provided an assist against SNU on Oct. 29. Laing has also been named GAC/MIAA Defender of the Week once this season.
 
Fellow defender Artur Carvalho was named to the All-GAC/MIAA First Team, bringing his total all-conference selections to three after being named to the second team in 2023 and 2024. The native of Faro, Portugal, played a crucial role in RSU's strong defense throughout the season. He has appeared in 15 matches, including 11 starts, logging a total of 1,108 minutes. This season, the senior has recorded two points with assists against Southern Nazarene on Oct. 29 and Harding on Nov. 8. His dominance on the defensive side of the pitch has helped him collect a pair of Defensive Player of the Week honors.
 
Louis Bassett, who earned All-GAC/MIAA Second Team honors in 2024, made it back-to-back seasons with all-conference honors with his first team selection this season. The Leicester, England, native has been impressive offensively this season, scoring 12 points in 16 games, including 15 starts. The sophomore has contributed three goals and provided six assists while taking 39 shots, with 16 on target. His consistent performance at forward has earned him two GAC/MIAA Offensive Player of the Week awards.
 
Senior Brandon O'Rourke was named to the All-GAC/MIAA Second Team and received the prestigious GAC/MIAA Elite Scholar Student-Athlete Award for achieving a perfect 4.0 grade point average. The Bartlesville, Oklahoma, native has played in 18 matches this season, making 16 starts as a forward. He has recorded 13 points, including five goals and three assists, and has taken 33 shots, with 12 on target. This marks O'Rourke's second All-MIAA section after being named first team in 2024.
 
Junior Jaxon Kendall has had a record-breaking season in goal for the Hillcats, culminating in his selection to the All-GAC/MIAA Second Team. The Owasso, Oklahoma, native has recorded 10 shutouts, the most by an RSU goalkeeper in a single season. Heading into the postseason, he boasts a 0.61 goals-against average and has tallied 60 saves so far. Kendall has also been named MIAA Goalkeeper of the Week three times this season.
 
Oliver Hemlin was named to the All-GAC/MIAA Second Team. The midfielder from Tring, England, has appeared in 18 matches, including 12 starts, for the Red and Navy. The junior has recorded 10 points, scoring four goals and providing two assists, while taking 20 shots, with 14 on target.
 
Hayden Parker earned All-GAC/MIAA Second Team honors for Rogers State in his first season. The redshirt freshman from Owasso, Oklahoma, scored goals against UT Tyler on Sept. 17 and Southern Nazarene on Oct. 11. He has recorded 17 shots, with seven on target.
 
Sophomore Ashton Medina and junior Tom Dixon were named All-GAC/MIAA Honorable Mention. Medina has recorded eight points (3 goals, 2 assists), while Dixon has tallied three points (1 goal, 1 assist). This marks the first time the duo has received all-conference honors in their careers.
 
The conference released its GAC/MIAA Academic Honor Roll, recognizing student-athletes with at least one year of enrollment and a 3.5 GPA. The Hillcats had 14 players honored for their academic excellence: Artur Carvalho, Carson Copenhaver, Casey Copenhaver, Tom Dixon, Alex Fletcher, Oliver Hemlin, Matthew Hepner, Grayson Horsley, Jaxon Kendall, Conor Mills, Hayden Parker, Sam Ryder, Grainger Scott and Kaleb Trussell.