Ali Lord announced as a member of 2024 SoCon Hall of Fame Class
 
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference (SoCon) Hall of Fame week kicked off Monday, as the league is announcing one member of the 2024 induction class each day from May 13-17. Ali Lord, who competed at UNCG from 1995-98, is the next to join the class of 2024.
 
Student-athletes who competed for a minimum of two seasons in the SoCon were eligible for consideration, along with coaches and administrators who spent at least five years in the league. A pool of more than 200 candidates from the conference's current and former member institutions were nominated for consideration. The pool of former student-athletes, coaches and administrators was cut down to 40 individuals who comprised the final ballot. A voting panel of 19 media members and league administrators along with fan voting made the selection of the induction class.
 
Ali Lord played women's soccer at UNCG from 1995-98, earning first-team All-American honors in 1996.
 
Lord is the Spartans' all-time leader in points (185) and goals (78). The 1998 SoCon Player of the Year led the Spartans to back-to-back SoCon titles in 1997 and 1998, which included a perfect 15-0 mark in conference games. Lord ranks fifth in SoCon history in career goals (46) and is tied for ninth in points (106) despite playing in the SoCon just two years.
 
In 1997, the Farmington Hills, Michigan, native had 56 points and 24 goals, which are fourth and second, respectively, in a single season in SoCon history. She concluded that season leading the Spartans to a first-round upset of Duke in the NCAA Tournament, giving the program its first NCAA victory. In total, the Spartans went to three NCAA Tournaments during Lord's tenure.
 
Following her collegiate career, Lord played professionally for Charlotte in the USISL W-League.

2024 Induction Class
Paul Chelimo, UNCG Cross Country/ Track & Field
Terry Holland, Davidson Men's Basketball/Admin
Ali Lord, UNCG Women's Soccer
TBA
TBA
 
Prior SoCon Hall of Fame Inductees from UNCG
2020 - Lynne Agee, UNCG, Women's Basketball
   
ABOUT THE SOUTHERN CONFERENCE
The Southern Conference, in its 103rd season of intercollegiate competition, is a national leader in emphasizing the development of the student-athlete and helping build lifelong leaders and role models. The conference has been on the forefront of innovation and originality in developing creative solutions to address issues facing intercollegiate athletics. From establishing the first conference basketball tournament (1921), to tackling the issues of freshman eligibility (1922), to developing women's championships (1984) to becoming the first conference to install the 3-point goal in basketball (1980), the Southern Conference has been a pioneer. The Southern Conference is the nation's fifth-oldest NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association.
 
The conference currently consists of 10 members in six states throughout the Southeast and sponsors 20 varsity sports and championships that produce participants for NCAA Division I Championships.