BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Army West Point, Bucknell, Holy Cross, Lafayette and Navy each collected one Patriot League women’s soccer weekly award when the League office announced the honors on Monday.
The Patriot League women’s soccer players of the week are selected in a vote by League head coaches, who are not eligible to vote for their student-athletes.
Patriot League Women’s Soccer Forward of the Week
Jessica Black, Navy, So., Forward, Cedaredge, Colo./Cedaredge
*Black collected her second straight weekly award after totaling six points on two goals and two assists in Navy’s 2-0 week.
*The sophomore gave the Mids a 1-0 lead over Lehigh in the 13th minute, before assisting on goals in the 21st and 57th minutes in the 3-1 victory.
*In Saturday’s 3-1 win over Holy Cross, Black added an insurance goal in the 60th minute.
*The Cedaredge, Colo. native leads the Patriot League in points (15), assists (5) and game-winning goals (3), while tied for third in goals (5).
Patriot League Women’s Soccer Midfielder of the Week
Nadia Zafanella, Lafayette, Sr., Midfielder, Ellington, Conn./Ellington
*Zafanella led Lafayette to a 2-1 come-from-behind victory at Boston University on Sunday as the senior tied the game in the 80th minute, before assisting on Plowright’s game-winner in the 86th minute.
*The Ellington, Conn. native is tied for third in the Patriot League in goals (5) and tied for fourth in points (12).
Patriot League Women’s Soccer Defender of the Week
Karenna Beckstein, Holy Cross, Sr., Defender, Tyngsborough, Mass./Groton School
*Beckstein carried Holy Cross to a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Colgate on Wednesday as she scored twice in less than a minute to earn the Crusaders their first Patriot League win.
*The senior tied the game at 1-1 at 87:19, before putting Holy Cross ahead 2-1 with 88:01 showing on the clock.
*The Tyngsborough, Mass. native is tied for sixth in the Patriot League in goals (4) and tied for ninth in points (8).
Patriot League Women’s Soccer Goalkeeper of the Week
Sarah McFarland, Bucknell, Fr., Goalkeeper, Middletown, Del./Middletown
*McFarland collected her second weekly award of the season after leading Bucknell to a 1-0-1 week, as the Bison blanked Lafayette (1-0) and Loyola Maryland (0-0).
*The freshman posted her fifth and sixth shutouts of the season after being credited with three saves against the Leopards and four against the Greyhounds.
*The Middletown, Del. native leads the Patriot League in shutouts (6), ranks third in goals-against average (1.08) and fourth in save percentage (.783).
Patriot League Women’s Soccer Rookie of the Week
Kamryn McWhinney, Army West Point, Fr., Forward, Macungie, Pa./Emmaus
*McWhinney found the back of the net in both of Army West Point’s road wins last week to help the Black Knights improve to 4-0 in the Patriot League.
*The freshman scored the game-winner just 62 seconds into the 2-0 win at Boston University on Wednesday and added an insurance goal in the 67th minute of Saturday’s 3-0 win at Colgate.
*The Macungie, Pa. native leads the Patriot League in goals (7) and game-winning goals (3) and is second in points (14).
Honorable Mentions
Bella Conti, Army West Point, Jr., Forward, Allentown, N.J./Allentown
*Conti scored in the 68th minute at Boston University on Wednesday to double Army West Point's lead in a 2-0 win over the Terriers.
*The junior is tied for 11th in the Patriot League with 7 points on three goals and one assist.
Karalyn Dail, Army West Point, Jr., Goalkeeper, Centennial, Colo./Arapahoe
*Dail posted shutouts in both of Army West Point’s road victories last week, making a total of 13 saves.
*The junior turned away a career-high nine shots in a 2-0 win at Boston University on Wednesday, before totaling four saves in a 3-0 victory at Colgate on Saturday.
*The Centennial, Colo. native is tied for the Patriot League lead in shutouts (6).
Ailyn Rowe, Army West Point, So., Defender, Marlton, N.J./Cherokee/USMAPS
*Rowe played all 90 minutes in both of Army West Point's wins last week, helping anchor two clean sheets.
*In Saturday’s 3-0 win at Colgate, the sophomore collected assists on McWhinney's 67th-minute goal and on Leila Castell's goal in the 80th minute.
Maddi Woodward, Army West Point, Sr., Midfielder, Macungie, Pa./Emmaus
*Woodward helped Army West Point to a 2-0 win at Boston University on Wednesday as she assisted on Conti’s goal in the 68th minute.
Emma Gavin, Bucknell, So., Defender, Easton, Pa./Oliver Ames
*Gavin spearheaded a Bucknell defense that posted two shutouts last week, a 1-0 road win at Lafayette on Wednesday and a 0-0 home draw with Loyola Maryland.
*The sophomore played the full 90 minutes in both games, as the Bison limited the Leopards to only five total shots and the Greyhounds to 10.
Catherine Apker, Lafayette, Sr., Goalkeeper, Homer, N.Y./Homer
*Apker totaled nine saves in Lafayette’s 1-1 week, which included a 2-1 win over Boston University on Sunday.
*The senior is second in the Patriot League in goals-against average (1.00) and save percentage (.842).
Heather Plowright, Lafayette, Sr., Forward, Wilton, Conn./Wilton
*Plowright scored the game-winning goal in the 86th minute to lead Lafayette to a 2-1 come-from-behind victory at Boston University on Sunday.
Reagan Mallia, Loyola Maryland, Gr., Midfielder, Severna Park, Md./Archbishop Spalding
*Mallia assisted on both of Loyola Maryland’s goals in a 2-2 tie with American on Wednesday.
*The graduate student is tied for third in the Patriot League in assists (3).
Helen Bonner, Navy, So., Defender, McLean, Va./Georgetown Visitation Prep
*Bonner led Navy's defense as part of its 2-0 week by holding Lehigh and Holy Cross to one goal each in back-to-back 3-1 victories.
*The sophomore sparked the Mids’ offense on Saturday against the Crusaders, scoring game-tying goal in the 44th minute.
Sophia Ryan, Navy, Fr., Midfielder, Solon, Ohio/Solon
*Ryan helped Navy to a 2-0 week as she had a hand in two of the three goals on Wednesday at Lehigh with an assist on Jessica Black's goal in the 13th minute, before finding the back of the net in the 57th minute.
*The reigning Midfielder and Rookie of the Week is tied for third in the Patriot League in assists (3).
Natasha Stramrood, Navy, Jr., Goalkeeper, Cypress, Texas/Tomball
*Stramrood guided Navy to a 2-0 week which included 3-1 wins over Lehigh and Holy Cross as she totaled 13 saves.
*The junior is third in the Patriot League in save percentage (.784) and fifth in goals-against average (1.26).
2026 Patriot League Women’s Soccer Standings (as of Oct. 5)
ONLINE SCHEDULE | ONLINE STATS
Forward of the Week
8.17 – Jaiden Schultz, Boston University, Jr., F
8.24 – Presley Sutter, Bucknell, Jr., F
8.31 – Abigail Cushing, Holy Cross, Sr., F
9.7 – Chiara Cosenza, Navy, Sr., F
9.14 – Sophia Henry, Army West Point, So., F
9.21 – Kamryn McWhinney, Army West Point, Fr., F
9.28 – Jessica Black, Navy, So., F
10.5 – Jessica Black, Navy, So., F
Midfielder of the Week
8.17 – Reagan Mallia, Loyola Maryland, Gr., M
8.24 – Sam Halligan, Holy Cross, 5th Year, M
8.31 – Kayana Adlam, Navy, Jr., M
9.7 – Nadia Zaffanella, Lafayette, Sr., M
9.14 – Grace Pohlidal, Army West Point, Jr., M
9.21 – Louisa Thomsen, Bucknell, Jr., M
9.28 – Sam Ryan, Boston University, Fr., M
10.5 – Nadia Zaffanella, Lafayette, Sr., M
Defender of the Week
8.17 – Geneve Pouliot, Loyola Maryland, Fr., D
8.24 – Ailyn Rowe, Army West Point, So., D
8.31 – Sofia Scalise, Holy Cross, Sr., D
9.7 – Karenna Beckstein, Holy Cross, Sr., D
9.14 – Clare Nemsick, Bucknell, Fr., D
9.21 – Daisy West, Army West Point, Jr., D
9.28 – Emma Gavin, Bucknell, So., D
10.5 – Karenna Beckstein, Holy Cross, Sr., D
Goalkeeper of the Week
8.17 – Hannah Goetzer, Loyola Maryland, Sr., GK
8.24 – Antriana Mila, Holy Cross, Jr., GK
8.31 – Natasha Stramrood, Navy, Jr., GK
9.7 – Antriana Mila, Holy Cross, Jr., GK
9.14 – Sarah McFarland, Bucknell, Fr., GK
9.21 – Karalyn Dail, Army West Point, Jr., GK
9.28 – Catherine Apker, Lafayette, Sr., GK
10.5 – Sarah McFarland, Bucknell, Fr., GK
Rookie of the Week
8.17 – Ingrid Murphy, Bucknell, Fr., M
8.24 – Kamryn McWhinney, Army West Point, Fr., M
8.31 – Stella Jones, Navy, Fr., M
9.7 – Francesca Curatolo, Loyola Maryland, Fr., D
9.14 – Sarah McFarland, Bucknell, Fr., GK
9.21 – Kamryn McWhinney, Army West Point, Fr., F
9.28 – Sam Ryan, Boston University, Fr., M
10.5 – Kamryn McWhinney, Army West Point, Fr., F
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.