BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The Boston University women’s soccer team earned the top spot in the 2025 Patriot League Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll, while the Terriers captured all four major awards when the League office announced the preseason honors on Thursday.

Defending champion Boston University collected 80 points and eight first-place votes, while Army West Point received 70 points and a pair of first-place votes. Bucknell finished third with 69 points, while Navy (49) and Loyola Maryland (48) rounded out the top five. Colgate (41), Lafayette (33), Holy Cross (21), Lehigh (21) and American (18) completed the Patriot League Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll.

Boston University senior forward Margy Porta was tabbed as the 2025 Patriot League Women’s Soccer Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Porta, a First Team All-Patriot League selection a season ago, ranked tied for fourth in the Patriot League in goals (8) and tied for fifth in points (17).

Terriers senior Giulianna Gianino earned 2025 Patriot League Women’s Soccer Preseason Midfielder of the Year honors. The three-time All-Patriot League selection ranked fourth in the League in points (21), tied for fourth in goals (8) and tied for sixth in assists (5). Senior Helene Tyburczy collected 2025 Patriot League Women’s Soccer Preseason Defensive Player of the Year accolades after earning All-Patriot League Second Team in 2024.  

Boston University sophomore Bridget Carr claimed 2025 Patriot League Women’s Soccer Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year recognition after being selected third-team All-League last season. Carr ranked sixth in the Patriot League in goals-against average (1.24), saves (60) and save percentage (.769).

Boston University placed a League-high four student-athletes on the preseason All-League squad, with Army West Point and Bucknell each placing two student-athletes on the team. Colgate, Lafayette and Loyola Maryland were each represented by one student-athlete on the 11-member preseason team.

Voting for the Preseason All-Patriot League Women’s Soccer Team, major awards and the preseason poll was completed by Patriot League women’s soccer head coaches from the 10 League schools. They cannot vote for their team or student-athletes.

2025 Patriot League Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Margy Porta, Boston University, Sr., F, Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North
*2024 Stats: 21 GP, 8 goals, 1 assist, 17 points
*Porta started 19 games for the Terriers, earning First Team All-Patriot League honors after recording 17 points on eight goals and an assist.
*The Northbrook, Ill. native earned Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 30, 2024 after scoring three goals in a 2-0 week for the Terriers.
*Among Patriot League rankings last season, Porta was tied for fourth in goals (8) and tied for fifth in points (17).  
*Porta helped the Terriers capture the 2024 Patriot League Women’s Soccer championship after scoring the game-winning goal in double overtime against Army West Point in the semifinal round.
*She enters her senior season with 59 career appearances, totaling 11 goals and three assists for 25 points.

2025 Patriot League Preseason Midfielder of the Year
Giulianna Gianino, Boston University, Sr., M, Norwell, Mass./Norwell
*2024 Stats: 21 GP, 8 goals, 5 assists, 21 points
*Gianino started all 21 games for Boston University and earned All-Patriot League honors for the third time in her career, including back-to-back first-team selections.
*A native Norwell, Mass., she tied for the team lead with eight goals (tied for fourth in the Patriot League) while pacing the Terriers with five assists, 21 points, 53 shots and 28 shots on goal across 1,822 minutes.
*Gianino, a two-time Academic All-Patriot League honoree, was named Patriot League Midfielder of the Week twice in 2024 and earned a spot on the TopDrawerSoccer National Team of the Week on Oct. 1.
*The 2022 Freshman of the Year enters her senior season with 46 career points on 18 goals and 10 assists in 61 starts.

2025 Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Helene Tyburczy, Boston University, Sr., D, Hometown/High School
*2024 Stats: 21 GP, 2 assists, 2 points
*Tyburczy started 18 of her 21 appearances for the Terriers, recording two assists in 1,666 minutes to earn All-Patriot League Second Team recognition.
*The senior tallied her first collegiate point with an assist at Holy Cross (Oct.16).

2025 Patriot League Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Bridget Carr, Boston University, So., GK, Hometown/High School
*2024 Stats: 15 GP, 60 saves, 1.25 goals-against average, 0.768 save percentage, 3 shutouts
*Carr started 13 of her 15 appearances in goal, making her collegiate debut on Aug. 25, and was named to the All-Patriot League Third Team.
*The sophomore collected six wins while posting team-bests with a 1.25 goals-against average and .769 save percentage.
*The Wyckoff, N.J. native made seven saves at Bucknell in the Patriot League Championship, lifting the Terriers to the title, and stopped eight shots at No. 21 Texas in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

2025 Preseason All-Patriot League Women’s Soccer by the Numbers (2024 Stats)
Overall, eight of the 11 Preseason All-Patriot League Women’s Soccer honorees were selected to one of the three 2024 All-Patriot League Teams. Porta, Gianino, Colgate's Ari Bezanson and Loyola Maryland’s Zoe Willis were honored on the 2024 First Team.

Army West Point’s Brigid Duffy (Sr., M) and Tyburczy were 2024 second-team selections, while Bucknell’s Katie Connell (So., F) and Carr made the Third Team.

Army West Point’s Jordan Follenweider (Sr., D) and Bucknell’s Henna Andican earned a spot on the 2023 All-Patriot League Second Team, while Lafayette’s Katrina Santelli (Sr., F) has made 47 starts and record 21 points on nine goals and three assists over the past three seasons.

Preseason All-Patriot League Women’s Soccer by Class
Nine members of the 2025 Preseason All-Patriot League Women’s Soccer Team are entering their senior seasons, while the other two honorees are sophomores.

2025 Patriot League Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll
1. Boston University, 80 (8 first-place votes)
2. Army West Point, 70 (2 first-place votes)
3. Bucknell, 69
4. Navy, 49
5. Loyola Maryland, 48
6. Colgate, 41
7. Lafayette, 33
t-8. Holy Cross, 21
t-8. Lehigh, 21
10. American, 18

2025 Patriot League Preseason Women’s Soccer Major Awards
Offensive Player of the Year - Margy Porta, Boston University, Sr., F
Midfielder of the Year - Giulianna Gianino, Boston University, Sr., M
Defensive Player of the Year - Helene Tyburczy, Boston University, Sr., D
Goalkeeper of the Year - Bridget Carr, Boston University, So., GK

2025 Preseason All-Patriot League Women’s Soccer Team
Margy Porta, Boston University, Sr., F
Henna Andican, Bucknell, Sr., F
Katie Connell, Bucknell, So., F
Katrina Santelli, Lafayette, Sr., F
Brigid Duffy, Army West Point, Sr., M
Giulianna Gianino, Boston University, Sr., M
Ari Bezanson, Colgate, Sr., M
Jordan Follenweider, Army West Point, Sr., D
Helene Tyburczy, Boston University, Sr., D
Zoe Willis, Loyola Maryland, Sr., D
Bridget Carr, Boston University, So., GK

Note: Student-athletes are listed by positions; then alphabetically by institution

ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.