Former Northridge High, UWA Soccer Standout Named GSC Champion Scholar Athlete

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Tuscaloosa native and University of West Alabama senior Aileen Charles was honored Thursday as the Gulf South Conference (GSC) Champion Scholar Athlete prior to the Tigers’ GSC Semifinal match against West Florida.

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The award is presented annually at each GSC Championship Tournament to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average among all participating teams.

Charles, a finance major who maintains a perfect 4.0 GPA, is an alumna of Northridge High School, where she stood out on both the soccer pitch, the basketball court and football field as the Jaguars record-breaking kicker.

As a kicker on her high school football team, she set the Alabama record for the most points scored by a female football player with a total of 108 points from 2018-22.

Playing soccer for Northridge High coach Sean Gibson, she was an important part of the Jaguars finishing as 6A state runner-up and area champions in 2022.

On the pitch at UWA, she has appeared in 69 career games, starting 65, and scored 12 goals for the Tigers. During the 2025 campaign, Charles logged a career-high 1,453 minutes, while being credited with playing a key role in UWA’s program turnaround and postseason run.

Charles is set to graduate this year and UWA says she leaves behind a legacy of excellence and leadership that reflects the university's values of achievement in both academics and athletics.

She is the daughter of Randy and Jerelind Charles.

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