BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The Army West Point women’s soccer team claimed the top spot in the 2026 Patriot League Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll, and the Black Knights joined Boston University, Colgate and Lafayette in securing a major award when the League office announced the preseason honors on Thursday.
Defending champion Army West Point totaled 77 points and six first-place votes, while Boston University trailed closely with 76 points and four first-place votes. Colgate finished third with 62 points, while Loyola Maryland (51) and Holy Cross (43) rounded out the top five. Navy (41), Bucknell (35), Lafayette (35), American (16) and Lehigh (14) completed the Patriot League Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll.
Black Knights’ junior forward Bella Conti was honored as the 2026 Patriot League Women’s Soccer Preseason Forward of the Year. Conti, a Second Team All-Patriot League selection a season ago, led Army West Point with eight assists, which ranked second in the Patriot League in 2025.
Lafayette senior midfielder Nadia Zaffanella claimed 2026 Patriot League Women’s Soccer Preseason Midfielder of the Year honors. The First Team All-Patriot League selection a season ago ranked tied for third in the League in goals (9), fifth in points (19) and tied for fifth in game-winning goals (2).
Boston University graduate student defender Helene Tyburczy was selected as the 2026 Patriot League Women’s Soccer Preseason Defender of the Year after earning the postseason honors in 2025. The two-time All-Patriot League selection anchored a Terrier defense that posted 10 shutouts, which included seven consecutive from Oct. 4 to Nov. 6. The Ramset, N.J. native scored twice, including her first collegiate goal.
Colgate senior Ella Poppinga received 2026 Patriot League Women’s Soccer Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year recognition after being selected Third Team All-Patriot League last year. Among Patriot League rankings, the New York, N.Y. native was fourth in saves (87), fourth in saves per game (4.58), fifth in goals-against average and sixth in shutouts (4).
Army West Point featured a League-high four student-athletes on the preseason All-League Team, while Boston University placed three student-athletes on the squad. Colgate had two members, while Bucknell, Holy Cross, Lafayette and Navy were each represented by one student-athlete on the 13-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.
2026 Patriot League Preseason Forward of the Year
Bella Conti, Army West Point, Jr., F, Allentown, N.J./Allentown
*2025 Stats: 16 GP, 8 assists, 8 points
*Conti played in 16 games and started 13 for the Black Knights, earning Second Team All-Patriot League honors.
*The junior led Army West Point with eight assists, which ranked second in the Patriot League.
*The Allentown, N.J. native helped the Black Knights capture the 2025 Patriot League Women’s Soccer championship after assisting on a goal in Army West Point’s semifinal round victory.
*The 2024 Patriot League Women’s Soccer Rookie of the Year enters her junior campaign with 35 career appearances, totaling 17 points on four goals and nine assists.
2026 Patriot League Preseason Midfielder of the Year
Nadia Zaffanella, Lafayette, Sr., M, Ellington, Conn./Ellington
*2025 Stats: 20 GP, 9 goals, 1 assist, 19 points
*Zaffanella started all 20 games for Lafayette and was a First Team All-Patriot League selection.
*The senior recorded a team-high 19 points, which ranked fourth in the Patriot League, on a career-high nine goals and one assist.
*The Ellington, Conn. native ranked third in the Patriot League in goals and tied for fifth in game-winning goals (2).
*The 2023 Rookie of the Year enters her senior season with 39 career points on 17 goals and five assists in 51 starts.
2026 Patriot League Preseason Defender of the Year
Helene Tyburczy, Boston University, Gr., D, Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey
*2025 Stats: 19 GP, 2 goals, 4 points
*Tyburczy collected her second straight Preseason Defender of the Year honors after being named the Defensive Player of the Year in 2025.
*The graduate student anchored a Terrier defense that posted a League-high 10 shutouts, which included seven consecutive games between Oct. 4 to Nov. 6.
*She scored two goals, including the first of her collegiate career.
*The two-time All-Patriot League selection enters her third season at Boston University with six points on two goals and two assists, having played 3,356 minutes across 40 games.
2026 Patriot League Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Ella Poppinga, Colgate, Sr., GK, New York, N.Y./West End Secondary
*2025 Stats: 19 GP, 87 saves, 1.26 goals-against average, 0.784 save percentage, 4 shutouts
*Poppinga, a Third Team All-Patriot League selection last year, started all 19 games in goal for the Raiders.
*The senior totaled 87 saves, a 1.26 goals-against average, a 0.784 save percentage and four shutouts.
*The New York, N.Y. native made a career-high 12 saves at Boston College (9/4) and was named the Goalkeeper of the Week on Sept. 15.
*Poppinga enters her fourth season at Colgate with a career 1.50 goals-against average and 0.725 save percentage across 33 games.
2026 Preseason All-Patriot League Women’s Soccer by the Numbers (2025 Stats)
Overall, 11 of the 13 Preseason All-Patriot League Women’s Soccer honorees were selected to one of the three 2025 All-Patriot League Teams. Army West Point’s Sophia Henry (So., F) joined Tyburczy and Zaffanella as First Team selections.
Army West Point’s Grace Pohlidal, Colgate’s Josie Tunney (Jr., F) and Holy Cross senior defender Karenna Beckstein (Sr., F) and Conti were 2025 Second Team selections. Four student-athletes landed on the Third Team, including Army West Point’s Daisy West (Jr., D), Boston University’s Olivia Avellar (Jr., F), Navy’s Helen Bonner (So., D) and Poppinga.
Bucknell’s Katie Connell (Jr., F) earned a spot on the 2024 Second Team All-Patriot League, while Boston University’s Ciara Kennedy (Sr., M) has played in 54 matches, which includes 14 starts, over her last three seasons.
Preseason All-Patriot League Women’s Soccer by Class
Six members of the 2026 Preseason All-Patriot League Women’s Soccer Team are entering their senior seasons and five student-athletes being their junior campaigns, while the remaining two honorees are sophomores.
2026 Patriot League Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll
1. Army West Point, 77 (6 first-place votes)
2. Boston University, 76 (4 first-place votes)
3. Colgate, 62
4. Loyola Maryland, 51
5. Holy Cross, 43
6. Navy, 41
t-7. Bucknell, 35
t-7. Lafayette, 35
9. American, 16
10. Lehigh, 14
2026 Patriot League Preseason Women’s Soccer Major Awards
Preseason Forward of the Year – Bella Conti, Army West Point, Jr., F
Preseason Midfielder of the Year – Nadia Zaffanella, Lafayette, Sr., M
Preseason Defender of the Year - Helene Tyburczy, Boston University, Gr., D
Goalkeeper of the Year – Ella Poppinga, Colgate, Sr., GK
2026 Preseason All-Patriot League Women’s Soccer Team*
Bella Conti, Army West Point, Jr., F
Sophia Henry, Army West Point, So., F
Olivia Avellar, Boston University, Jr., F
Katie Connell, Bucknell, Jr., F
Josie Tunney, Colgate, Jr., F
Grace Pohlidal, Army West Point, Jr., M
Ciara Kennedy, Boston University, Sr., M
Nadia Zaffanella, Lafayette, Sr., M
Daisy West, Army West Point, Jr., D
Helene Tyburczy, Boston University, Gr., D
Karenna Beckstein, Holy Cross, Sr., D
Helen Bonner, Navy, So., D
Ella Poppinga, Colgate, Sr., GK
Note: Student-athletes are listed by positions; then alphabetically by institution
*Due to a tie in voting, there are 13 members on the Preseason All-Patriot League Women’s Soccer Team
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.