BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Freshman midfielder Tamami Nishio of the Alabama State University women's soccer team was named the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Newcomer of the Week, the league announced Tuesday afternoon.

Nishio, a rookie who has appeared in all six matches while making five starts, delivered a pivotal performance to earn the weekly honor, namely in the team's 2-2 draw against Arkansas State. The Takamatsu, Japan, native struck on both of her attempts, taking the game's first lead with a tally in the third minute and connecting again in the 66th minute for a total of four points in her effort.

The game-opening goal, the first of her career, was the fastest Alabama State goal since an eight-second strike in April of 2021. The second goal, one that solidified her breakout performance, was the first time a Lady Hornet achieved her first career goal in a two-goal performance since October 2022. The draw ended an eight-game skid for the Hornets, who now have a reliable option to look for on the attacking side of the ball.

The Sakuchousei HS alum has accumulated 514 total minutes on the season, while playing whistle to whistle in four of the team's first six games. She has a total of four shots, with the aforementioned goals representing the lone two on-target attempts of her young career.

Nishio and the rest of the Lady Hornets soccer team look to build off of what it accomplished over the weekend on Sunday, when it is set to take on the Mercer Bears at Betts Stadium in Macon, Ga. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m on Sept. 6.