BOSTON – The 2026 #AEWSOC season crossed the midway point for several teams as all nine squads make their push towards the conference championship. UAlbany and Maine both picked up big wins while Bryant and Vermont played to a scoreless draw. The Binghamton at UMBC game scheduled for Sunday was postponed due to unplayable field conditions caused by rain. The game, which will determine first place in the conference standings, will take place on
Binghamton still sits atop the league standings with 10 points, followed by UMBC in second place with nine. Vermont has eight while Bryant and Maine are tied with seven. UAlbany (6), UMass Lowell (3), NJIT (3) and UNH (0) round out the field.
Every game matters with three points being awarded to the winning team, one point to each team in the event of a tie and zero points to the losing team. The top six teams in the standings at the end of the season will qualify for the 2026 America East Women’s Soccer Championship, set to take place Nov. 5-15.
Need to Know
- Maine got a goal an assist from Isabella Meadows in a 2-0 win over NJIT. Meadows earned America East Offensive Player of the Week honors for her efforts.
- Claudia Volino made 10 saves in a 1-0 shutout victory for UAlbany over UMass Lowell. The 10 saves are the most in a winning shutout performance by an America East goalkeeper this season.
- Bryant and Vermont played to a scoreless draw. The Catamounts controlled play, outshooting the Bulldogs, 16-2, but Shannon Mejia stopped all seven shots she faced for Bryant.
- Vermont is unbeaten in its last seven games (4-0-3).
- The #AEWSOC preseason poll and All-Conference teams were announced on July 30. Three-time defending league champion Maine was chosen the 2026 favorite while last year’s regular-season champion Binghamton was second - link.
Weekly Award Winners – Oct. 12
Offensive Player of the Week
Isabella Meadows, Maine – Jr., Forward, Springfield, Mass.
- Had a goal and an assist in Maine’s 2-0 win over NJIT on Sunday.
- This is Meadows’ first career #AEWSOC Offensive Player of the Week honor.
Defensive Player of the Week
Olivia Grisdale, Maine – Jr., Defender, Calgary, Alb.
- Led a defensive unit that held NJIT to a 2-0 shutout victory over NJIT.
- The Black Bears held the Highlanders to just three shots and zero corner kicks in the win.
- Ahmed also had a goal and an assist in a 5-0 win over UAlbany on Sunday.
- This is Grisdale’s second career #AEWSOC Defensive Player of the Week honor (9/21)
Goalkeeper of the Week
Claudia Volino, UAlbany – So., Goalkeeper, East Brunswick, N.J.
- Stopped all 10 shots she faced in a 1-0 win over UMass Lowell on Sunday.
- The 10 saves are the most in a shutout win by an America East goalkeeper this season.
- This is Volino’s first career #AEWSOC Goalkeeper of the Week honor.
Rookie of the Week
Lila Algarin, UAlbany – Fr. Defender, Miami, Fla.
- Played all 90 minutes on a back line that shut out UMass Lowell, 1-0.
- This is Algarin’s first career #AEWSOC Rookie of the Week award.
2026 #AEWSOC Weekly Award Winners
Aug. 17 - Offensive Player & Rookie of the Week: Brooke Clagett, UMBC; Defensive Player of the Week: Sophia Garofalo, Binghamton; Goalkeeper of the Week: Amara Codd, UMBC
Aug. 24 - Offensive Player: Paige Luke, Binghamton; Defensive Player of the Week: Ale Victoriano, Binghamton; Goalkeeper of the Week: Sonja Zeepvat, New Hampshire; Rookie of the Week: Taylor Stuart, NJIT
Aug. 31 - Offensive Player: Samantha Zaslaw, Bryant; Defensive Player of the Week: Sophia Garofalo, Binghamton; Goalkeeper of the Week: Rebecca Kessler, Binghamton; Rookie of the Week: Oluchi Njoku, UAlbany
Sep. 8 - Offensive Player: Aja Turner, Maine; Defensive Player of the Week: Olivia Nardone, UMBC; Goalkeeper of the Week: Amara Codd, UMBC; Rookie of the Week: Eleni Stowell, Vermont
Sep. 14 - Offensive Player: Isabella Meadows, Maine; Defensive Player of the Week: Meghan Bernetti, Maine; Goalkeeper of the Week: Rachel Welch, UMass Lowell; Rookie of the Week: Paige Eckert, NJIT
Sep. 21 - Offensive Player: Aubrey Bough, Vermont; Defensive Player of the Week: Olivia Grisdale, Maine; Goalkeeper of the Week: Elena Barenberg, Maine; Rookie of the Week: Alyssa Reiter, NJIT
Sep. 28 - Offensive Player: Paige Luke, Binghamton; Defensive Player of the Week: Sophia Garofalo, Binghamton; Goalkeeper of the Week: Sophia Kling, Vermont; Co-Rookies of the Week: Brooke Clagett, UMBC & Chelsea Donaldson, Binghamton
Oct. 5 - Offensive Player: Jahkaya Davis, Binghamton; Defensive Player of the Week: Hailey Ahmed, UMBC; Goalkeeper of the Week: Shannon Mejia, Bryant; Rookie of the Week: Brooke Clagett, UMBC
Oct. 12 - Offensive Player: Isabella Meadows, Maine; Defensive Player of the Week: Olivia Grisdale, Maine; Goalkeeper of the Week: Claudia Volino, UAlbany; Rookie of the Week: Lila Algarin, UAlbany
Links
Info
Fans will once again be able to watch nearly every #AEWSOC contest this season with the majority of games airing on ESPN+ and the ESPN app while others will air on AmericaEast.TV. Those games will be available on computers, OTT devices and the America East app, which is available on all IOS and Android devices and can be found by searching ‘America East Conference’ in app stores.
Follow the @AmericaEast channels on Instagram and X to stay up-to-date on America East women’s soccer news all season long and use #AEWSOC to join the conversation.
ABOUT AMERICA EAST
Founded in 1979, the America East Conference is an elite NCAA Division I athletic conference that fosters an environment for student-athletes to become champions. Comprised of academically renowned, like-minded member institutions located in the Northeast region of the United States, America East is committed to broad-based excellence and progressive in its approach to supporting its more than 3,500 student-athletes across 18 sponsored sports. For more information, visit www.AmericaEast.com and follow the America East Conference and its social media channels, @AmericaEast.
- America East Conference – Where Champions Rise -