Players of the Week
Offensive Player of the Week
Astrid Borglund (Mercy)
Fr., F, Stockholm, Sweden, Hersby Gymnasium
Borglund recorded her first career hat trick and scored the game-winning goal in Mercy’s 7-0 win over St. Thomas Aquinas on Saturday. The freshman scored three goals in just 48 minutes of play and on five shots.
Defensive Player of the Week
Sophia Hobson (D'Youville)
Fr., D, Duvall, Wash. Cedarcrest
Hobson was an integral part in keeping the clean sheet at American International on Wednesday and played the important role of shutting down CSI's momentum after their first goal on Saturday. The Freshman led the Saints backline, winning the most balls in the air in both of the Saints victories while playing all 180 minutes.
Goalkeeper of the Week
Alegra Black (D'Youville)
Jr., GK, Toronto, Ontario, Rabun Gap
Black had a stellar week in goal recording a clean sheet on Wednesday in the Saints 2-0 road win against AIC. The junior recorded 13 saves on the week and only allowing one goal in 26 shots faced.
Rookie of the Week
Emily Stefik (D'Youville)
Fr., F, Lewiston, N.Y., Lewiston-Porter Senior
Stefik had a breakout week in her first week of action recording two goals, including the go-ahead at AIC and the first goal of the game in the Saints win against CSI.
Weekly Honor Roll
Gabrielle Giesing (D'Youville)
Fr., M, North Tonawanda, N.Y., North Tonawanda
Giesing was a standout for the Saints this week netting the game-winner against AIC on a perfectly placed free kick goal in the top right corner.
Mia Hanson (Queens)
Fr., M, Seattle, WA, Lakeside School
Rookie Mia Hanson recorded her ECC-leading fourth and fifth assists of the season as No. 10 Queens defeated No. 9 and defending ECC Champion Roberts Wesleyan, 3-0. Hanson assisted Tavantzis’ game-winning goal in the 48th minute before setting up Tavantzis again in the 67th minute to complete the brace. Hanson’s two-assist performance helped the Knights earn their first victory over the Redhawks since 2014 and snap Roberts Wesleyan’s 18-match unbeaten streak.
Samantha Hines-Hirsch (Queens)
Jr., GK, Plainview, NY, Plainview Old Bethpage JFK
Senior Samantha Hines-Hirsch recorded her fifth shutout of the season as No. 10 Queens defeated No. 9 and defending ECC Champion Roberts Wesleyan, 3-0. Hines-Hirsch made three saves to earn her fifth clean sheet of the season as the Knights secured their first victory over the Redhawks since 2014 and snapped Roberts Wesleyan’s 18-match unbeaten streak.
Bella Juliano (Molloy)
Jr., M, West Sayville, N.Y., Bayport Blue Point
Juliano scored the first goal of Molloy's 3-0 victory over Daemen on Saturday. The junior collected an assist in the latter part of the first half to secure a three-point afternoon.
Ashley Kieblesz (Queens)
Sr., M, Middle Village, NY, Monsignor McClancy High School
Senior Ashley Kieblesz recorded her team-leading seventh goal of the season and extended her team-best point total to 14 in No. 10 Queens’ 3-0 victory over No. 9 and defending ECC Champion Roberts Wesleyan. Kieblesz added an insurance goal in the 60th minute as the Knights earned the shutout victory.
Connor Leahy (Mercy)
Fr., F, Bayport, N.Y., Bayport-Blue Point
Leahy scored her first two collegiate goals and added an assist in Mercy’s 7-0 win over St. Thomas Aquinas on Saturday.
Jana Strait (Molloy)
Jr., F, Millersburg, Pa., Millersburg
Strait tied a career-high two goals and four points in Molloy's 3-0 victory over Daemen on Saturday.
Casey Szczotka (Mercy)
So., D, Mattituck, NY, Mattituck
Szczotka had an assist in the Mavericks' 7-0 win over STAC on Saturday and helped lead a Mercy backline that did not surrender a shot to the Spartans.
Anna Tavantzis (Queens)
Sr., M, Holbrook, NY, Sachem High School
Senior Anna Tavantzis recorded her first brace of the season as No. 10 Queens defeated No. 9 and defending ECC Champion Roberts Wesleyan, 3-0. Tavantzis scored her second game-winning goal of the season in the 48th minute before completing her brace in the 67th minute. The victory marked the Knights’ first win over the Redhawks since 2014 and snapped Roberts Wesleyan’s 18-match unbeaten streak.
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)
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)
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)
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)
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.