Players of the Week
Offensive Player of the Week
Marisa Rickard (Daemen)
So., F, North Tonawanda, N.Y., Niagara-Wheatfield HS
Rickard logged a career-best five points with two goals and an assist to lead Daemen past rival D'Youville in a non-conference game last Wednesday. She scored the first two goals in the first half to put her team ahead 2-0. It was Rickard's first career multi-goal game. The sophomore also assisted Daemen's fourth goal.
Ileana Cheruiyot (Roberts Wesleyan)
Jr., D, Spencerport, NY, Spencerport
Junior Ileana Cheruiyot was a major factor in the scoreless tie with Molloy Saturday to end the regular season. She played all 90 minutes with several key stops on defense and three headers to clear balls on corner kicks. The tie kept the unbeaten at home streak alive as Roberts did not lose at home all season and have not dropped a home game since Oct. 1 of last season. (6-0-7 during the streak).
Goalkeeper of the Week
Rebecca Hoffman (Roberts Wesleyan)
Sr., GK, Youngstown, NY, Lewiston-Porter
Senior Rebecca Hoffman capped the regular season with another clean sheet as she made six saves in the 0-0 tie with Molloy. She ends the regular season with the conference lead in goals against average (0.67) and save percentage (.877). For the year, she is 6-2-7 with seven shutouts.
Rookie of the Week
Astrid Borglund (Mercy)
Fr., F, Stockholm, Sweden, Hersby Gymnasium
Borglund had a team-high five points on the week with two goals and an assist as Mercy went 2-0 to secure their second straight ECC Regular Season Championship. The freshman opened the week, assisting on the game-tying goal, in Mercy's 2-1 win over Queens on Wednesday. The forward ended the week with a game-high two goals, including the game-winning goal in the 86th minute, in the Mavericks' 3-1 win at Staten Island on Saturday, clinching the ECC Regular
Season Championship for Mercy.
Weekly Honor Roll
Sarah Lill Hanks (Mercy)
Sr., D, Skedsmokorset, Norway, High Point University
Hanks scored the game-winning goal in the 76th minute of Mercy's 2-1 come-from-behind win over Queens on Wednesday. The senior helped lead a Mercy backline that allowed just two goals in a 2-0 week, playing all 90 minutes in both games, securing the ECC Regular Season Championship.
Rylee Kumer (Daemen)
Jr., GK, Ambridge, Pa., North Catholic
Kumer stopped 11 shots in Daemen’s non-conference victory over D’Youville last Wednesday. She made three saves and held the Saints scoreless in the first half. The junior then stopped eight shots in the second half, helping Daemen secure the win.
2026 ECC Women’s Soccer Weekly Award Winners
Offensive Player of the Week
Aug. 31 – Ashley Kieblesz (Queens)
Sep. 7 – Isabella Muro (Molloy)
Sep. 14 – Ana Impellizzeri (Queens)
Sep. 21 – Astrid Borglund (Mercy)
Sep. 28 – Astrid Borglund (Mercy) (2x)
Oct. 5 – Riley Hammond (Staten Island)
Oct. 12 – Jana Strait (Molloy)
Oct. 19 – Connor Leahy (Mercy)
Oct. 26 – Marisa Rickard (Daemen)
Defensive Player of the Week
Aug. 31 – Ava Lekanides (Queens)
Sep. 7 – Madison Keenan (Molloy)
Sep. 14 – Femke Demets (Mercy)
Sep. 21 – Sophia Hobson (D'Youville)
Sep. 28 – Keeley Harden (Queens)
Oct. 5 – Femke Demets (Mercy)
Oct. 12 – Olivia Holet (Roberts Wesleyan)
Oct. 19 – Femke Demets (Mercy) (3x)
Oct. 26 – Ileana Cheruiyot (Roberts Wesleyan)
Goalkeeper of the Week
Aug. 31 – Samantha Hines-Hirsch (Queens)
Sep. 7 – Elyse Munoz (Molloy)
Sep. 14 – Anneliese Becker (Mercy)
Sep. 21 – Alegra Black (D'Youville)
Sep. 28 – Samantha Hines-Hirsch (Queens)
Oct. 5 – Oksana Zahirna (Staten Island)
Oct. 12 – Elyse Munoz (Molloy) (2x)
Oct. 19 – Samantha Hines-Hirsch (Queens) (3x)
Oct. 26 – Rebecca Hoffman (Roberts Wesleyan)
Rookie of the Week
Aug. 31 – Roslyn Almodovar (Mercy)
Sep. 7 – Ysabelle Perillo (Molloy)
Sep. 14 – Mackenzie Truman (Roberts Wesleyan)
Sep. 21 – Emily Stefik (D'Youville)
Sep. 28 – Astrid Borglund (Mercy)
Oct. 5 – Emily Stefik (D'Youville) (2x)
Oct. 12 – Ysabelle Perillo (Molloy) (2x)
Oct. 19 – Astrid Borglund (Mercy)
Oct. 26 – Astrid Borglund (Mercy) (3x)
2026 ECC Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll
1. Mercy - 62 points (6 first-place votes)
2. Molloy - 52 points (1 first-place vote)
3. Daemen - 45 points
4. Roberts Wesleyan - 40 points
5. Queens - 37 points (1 first-place vote)
6. D'Youville - 27 points
7. St. Thomas Aquinas - 14 points
8. Staten Island - 11 points
***
Founded as the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference in 1989 and rechristened the East Coast Conference in July 2006, the ECC was formed to enhance intercollegiate athletic competition among member institutions and to assist them in integrating athletics into their academic program in a fiscally sound way. The ECC is committed to the highest standards of scholarship, sportsmanship, teamwork, and citizenship. Its mission is to promote the total person concept in its student-athletes, which stresses the abilities to excel in academic achievement, athletic competition, and positive character traits. East Coast Conference members include: Daemen University (Amherst, N.Y.); University of the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.); D'Youville University (Buffalo, N.Y.); Mercy University (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.); Molloy University (Rockville Centre, N.Y.); Queens College (Flushing, N.Y.); Roberts Wesleyan University (Rochester, N.Y.); College of Staten Island (Staten Island, N.Y.); and St. Thomas Aquinas College (Sparkill, N.Y.). The ECC also is home to 13 associate members in the sports of women’s bowling (3), men’s and women’s indoor track & field (3), men's volleyball (2), field hockey (1), and men’s lacrosse (1).
The ECC sponsors the following championship sports: baseball; men’s and women’s basketball; women's bowling; men’s and women’s cross country; field hockey; men’s and women’s lacrosse; men’s and women’s indoor track and field; men’s and women’s outdoor track and field; men’s and women’s soccer; softball; and men's and women’s volleyball.
The East Coast Conference is a proud member of the NCAA and Division II. Division II is a dynamic and engaging group of colleges, institutions and conferences of varying sizes and educational missions. Division II members encourage and support diversity; value sportsmanship, fairness and equity; and place the highest priority on the overall educational excellence of the student-athlete.