NEC Player of the Week: Rebecca Devereux, CCSU
NEC Defensive Player of the Week: Rosemarie Leblanc, FDU & Trinity Knox, HU
NEC Rookie of the Week: Ellie Westcott, CCSU

Previous NEC Releases: August 17 | NEC Preseason Poll

NEC WOMEN'S SOCCER PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Rebecca Devereux, Second Year., F., Central Connecitcut
County Dublin, Ireland/Aodan de Paor
Devereux continued her strong start to the 2026 campaign by aiding Central Connecticut in its 2-0 win over UAlbany on Sunday night. The Irish forward netted the first goal of the match for the Blue Devils in the 30th minute. Devereux put both of her shots in the contest on net, proving a dangerous threat in front of goal. She has three points from a goal and an assist through her first three matches of the season.

NEC WOMEN'S SOCCER CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK 
Rosemarie Leblanc, Jr., GK, FDU
Repentigny, Quebec, Canada/École Saint-Gabriel
Leblanc's presence in goal proved to be important for FDU last week. The junior made 17 saves in two matches, including 13 in a 2-1 setback to Maryland. The junior made an additional four saves and kept a clean sheet in a scoreless draw against Penn on Sunday. In the latter match, Leblanc made several key saves and interventions to keep the Knights level, including an outstanding kick save with just 10 minutes to play. Leblanc has kept an impressive .818 save percentage through FDU's opening three matches.

Trinity Knox, Sr., GK, Howard
Atlanta, GA/Woodward Academy
Knox was busy between the woodwork during the opening week of Howard's 2026 season. The two-time NEC Goalkeeper of the Year tallied 17 saves in Howard's two draws against George Washington and Hampton last week. Knox made nine saves and kept a clean sheet against George Washington on Thursday, and followed that up with an eight-save effort in a 1-1 result against Hampton in the HBCU Invitational on Sunday. Knox is the league's early leader in save percentage, maintaining a .944 percentage through two matches.

NEC WOMEN'S SOCCER ROOKIE OF THE WEEK 
Ellie Westcott, First Year., GK, Central Connecticut
Southwick, MA/Miss Porter's
Westcott impressed in her collegiate debut and maintained Central Connecticut's strong goalkeeping standard. The rookie kept a clean sheet and made 10 saves in the Blue Devil win on Sunday. Westcott seamlessly integrated into a CCSU defense that has not allowed a goal over its last 209 minutes of play.
 
NEC PRIME PERFORMERS

Rebecca Devereux, Second Year., F., Central Connecitcut
NEC Player of the Week.

Ellie Westcott, First Year., GK, Central Connecticut
NEC Rookie of the Week.

Amina Brown, Fr., D, FDU
Brown posted two strong efforts last week for the reigning NEC regular season champions. The Glassboro, NJ native scored her first career goal against Maryland on Thursday and fllowed it up with a sensational defensive effort against Penn. Brown made multiple important plays in the Knights' clean sheet, including a cruicial intervention deep in their own defensive third that stopped a dangerous Penn scoring opportunity midway through the second half. 

Rosemarie Leblanc, Jr., GK, FDU
NEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week.

Trinity Knox, Sr., GK, Howard
NEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week.

Kayla Cassidy, Sr., F, Stonehill
Cassidy's performance against Holy Cross on Wednesday showed why she was an All-NEC Second Team selection a season ago. Cassidy tallied three points from a goal and an assist in a wild affair that Stonehill dropped 3-2. Cassidy's goal came in the 34th minute, leveling the match at one. Late in the second half, just two minutes after falling behind 2-1, Cassidy assisted another equalizing goal with an excellent through pass to Annie Renz.

Annie Renz, Sr., F, Stonehill
Renz posted identical numbers to Cassidy in Stonehill's lone match of the week. Renz assisted Stonehill's first goal by finding Cassidy wide open on the left wing. Renz evened things at two in the 82nd minute. Renz made an excellent run in behind Holy Cross' defense and tapped the ball in after receiving Cassidy's pass.

2026 NEC WOMEN'S SOCCER WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS

NEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Aug. 17: Riley Powers, CCSU
Aug. 24: Rebecca Devereux, CCSU

NEC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Aug. 17: Jenna Hamel, STO & Abigail Marcello, WAG
Aug. 24: Rosemarie Leblanc, FDU & Trinity Knox, HU

NEC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Aug. 17: Emma Sousa, LEM
Aug. 24: Ellie Westcott, CCSU