BOSTON – The 2026 #AEWSOC season is winding down with just three play dates remaining, however, lots remain at stake with none of the six America East Championship bids yet secured. Seven teams picked up key points last week with UAlbany, Maine and UMass Lowell earning victories while four teams earned draws.
Binghamton still sits atop the league standings with 11 points, followed by Maine and UMBC tied for second place with 10. UAlbany and Vermont are next with nine points apiece while Bryant sits with seven. UMass Lowell (6), NJIT (4) 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
- In a battle of the top two teams in the league standings entering the week, Binghamton and UMBC battled to a scoreless draw on Thursday. Goalkeepers Rebecca Kessler and Amara Codd had four and three saves, respectfully, in shutout performances.
- Nora Belin’s brace led UMass Lowell to its first league win on Sunday, a 2-0 shutout of UMBC. The win snapped the Retrievers’ four game unbeaten streak and Belin earned America East Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors for her efforts.
- Isabella Meadows scored twice to lead Maine to a 2-1 victory at UNH. She earned America East Co-Offensive Player of the Week accolades and has three goals and an assist in her last two games.
- Maddie Edy’s goal in the 40th minute lifted UAlbany to a 1-0 win over Bryant on Sunday.
- NJIT and Vermont played to a scoreless draw. The Catamounts controlled play, outshooting the Highlanders, 20-5 but Kaele Smith stopped all eight shots she faced for NJIT.
- Vermont is unbeaten in its last eight games (4-0-4).
- Kessler’s nine shutouts are tied for the most nationally and she is also tied for sixth nationally with a .385 goals-against average
- Meadows and Binghamton’s Jahkaya Davis are tied for the league lead in goals with seven.
- Eight more games take place this week, highlighted by Maine hosting Binghamton in a battle of two of the league’s top teams on Sunday.
- 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. 19
Co-Offensive Player of the Week
Isabella Meadows, Maine – Jr., Forward, Springfield, Mass.
- Scored twice in Maine’s 2-1 win over UNH on Sunday.
- This is Meadows’ second-straight #AEWSOC Offensive Player of the Week honor.
Co-Offensive Player of the Week
Nora Belin, UMass Lowell – So., Forward, Stockholm, Sweden
- Scored both of UMass Lowell’s goals in a key 2-0 win over UMBC.
- This is Belin’s first career #AEWSOC Offensive Player of the Week honor.
Defensive Player of the Week
Märta Sundberg , UMass Lowell – Fr., Defender, Stockholm, Sweden
- Led a defensive unit that shut out UMBC, 2-0, on Sunday.
- Played 87 minutes as the back line held strong against the Retrievers, making her 12th start of the year.
- This is Sundberg's first career #AEWSOC Defensive Player of the Week honor.
Goalkeeper & Rookie of the Week
Kaele Smith, NJIT – So., Goalkeeper, Bradenton, Fla.
- Stopped all eight shots she faced and earned her first career shutout in a scoreless draw with Vermont.
- This is Smith’s first career #AEWSOC Goalkeeper or Rookie of the Week honor.
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
Oct. 19 – Co-Offensive Player: Isabella Meadows, Maine & Nora Belin, UMass Lowell; Defensive Player of the Week: Märta Sundberg, UMass Lowell; Goalkeeper & Rookie of the Week: Kaele Smith, NJIT
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.
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