NEC Player of the Week: Ana Salas, FDU
NEC Defensive Player of the Week: Rosemarie Leblanc, FDU
NEC Rookie of the Week: Isabel Kyprislidis, LIU

Previous NEC Releases: September 14 | September 8 | August 31 | August 24 | August 17 | NEC Preseason Poll

NEC WOMEN'S SOCCER PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ana Salas, Sr., M/F., FDU
Madrid, Spain/Liceo Italiano
Salas has been one of the NEC's best midfielders for several years and she showed why in FDU's 2-0 start to conference play last week. The Madrid native and two-time All-NEC first team honoree tallied an assist in FDU's 5-0 win over Le Moyne on Thursday, as well as the decisive goal in FDU's 1-0 victory over Stonehill. Salas now has six points from two goals and two assists this season, and has been one of the driving forces behind an FDU attack that leads the NEC with 1.56 goals per game in 2026. The Knights are now unbeaten in their last seven matches.

NEC WOMEN'S SOCCER DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK 
Rosemarie Leblanc, Jr., GK, FDU
Repentigny, Quebec/École Saint-Gabriel
Leblanc continued her outstanding 2026 campaign by securing her third NEC Defensive Player of the Week nod. The junior kept two clean sheets to help FDU start their NEC schedule with two wins, and has now kept opposing attacks off the board in five of FDU's nine matches this season. Leblanc shined in the win over Stonehill, making six saves in the contest. She leads the NEC in clean sheets, goals against average (0.78) and save percentage (.870). Leblanc has been the focal point of an FDU defense that has been the NEC's best, having conceded just seven goals all season thus far.

NEC WOMEN'S SOCCER ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Isabel Kyprislidis, Fr., F., LIU
Woodside, NY/St. John's Prepatory
Kyprislidis scored the second goal of her career in a big moment for an LIU side that went 1-1 last week. LIU trailed Mercyhurst 1-0 with less than four minutes remaining on Sunday, but managed to find two goals in just over two minutes to complete a dramatic comeback for the Sharks. Kyprislidis netted the game winner in the 89th minute and it was a great effort. Emma Panagiotakopoulos made an excellent tackle in Mercyhurst's defensive third, then sent in an arching cross to Kyprislidis, who headed the ball into the back of the net and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. The Woodside, NY product is tied for the LIU team lead in goals (2) and points (4).
 
NEC PRIME PERFORMERS

Marina Burzaco, Jr., F, FDU
The current leader in the NEC golden boot race was a potent attacking threat once again last week, bagging a brace in FDU's win over Le Moyne. Burzaco scored the third and fifth Knight goals of the afternoon and brought her tally to six for the season. Burzaco also sits atop the NEC scoring charts with 12 points from her six goals. 

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

Ana Salas, Sr., M/F, FDU
NEC Player of the Week.

Nadia Wojcik, Sr., D, FDU
Wojcik tallied a goal and an assist in FDU's win over Le Moyne, posting a Goal of the Year contender in the process. The senior hit a thunderbolt from nearly 30 yards out and placed it straight into the top left corner to extend FDU's lead to 2-0.

Sinclaire Green, Jr., F, Howard
Green scored the game winner in Howard's 2-1 win over New Haven on Sunday. In the 79th minute, an errant clearance attempt found the foot of Green, who hit a volley past the goalkeeper to give the Bison a lead they would not surrender.

Isabel Kyprislidis, Fr., F., LIU
NEC Rookie of the Week. 

Kayla Cassidy, Sr., F, Stonehill
Cassidy kept her name in the NEC golden boot race with a first-half brace in an eight-goal explosion from Stonehill on Thursday against Delaware State. The senior forward scored the fourth and fifth goals just 10 minutes apart to slam the door shut. Cassidy has netted four goals so far in 2026, putting her second in the league in tallies. She also sits second in points with nine on the year and has been the taliswoman in a Stonehill attack that has scored more goals than any other NEC squad this year.

Annie Renz, Sr., F, Stonehill
Renz had three goal contributions against Delaware State, scoring once and assisting twice. All three of Renz' goal involvements came in the first half and within 10 minutes of each other. The Skyhawk forward is now tied for the conference lead in assists with three and her seven points also ranks third. 

Allie Sougaris, Jr., GK, Stonehill
Sougaris was great between the woodwork for Stonehill last week, keeping a clean sheet against Delaware State and made 10 saves on 11 shot attempts for a .909 save percentage. Since making her season debut three matches ago, Sougaris has maintained a 0.70 goals against average and a .867 save percentage. 

Alana Goldsmith, Jr., M, Wagner
Wagner grinded out a 2-1 win over Central Connecticut in its conference opener on Sunday and Goldsmith was a key reason why the Green and White are 1-0. In just the fourth minute, the Nanuet, NY native delivered a dangerous ball into the box from a corner kick that found the foot of Megan Knapp and gave Wagner an early lead. Goldsmith once again provided a great service into the box from a corner in the 49th minute, this time finding Hailey Knapp for the game winner.

Hailey Knapp, Jr., D, Wagner
Knapp netted the game-winning goal in Wagner's rematch of the 2025 NEC final against CCSU. The 2025 All-NEC First Team selection headed home a goal from a corner kick to give the Seahawks a lead they would hold until the final whistle blew.

2026 NEC WOMEN'S SOCCER WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS

NEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Aug. 17: Riley Powers, CCSU
Aug. 24: Rebecca Devereux, CCSU
Aug. 31: Marina Burzaco, FDU
Sept. 8: Candela Espana, FDU
Sept. 14: Grace Simpson, NHVN
Sept. 21: Ana Salas, FDU

NEC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Aug. 17: Jenna Hamel, STO & Abigail Marcello, WAG
Aug. 24: Rosemarie Leblanc, FDU & Trinity Knox, HU
Aug. 31: Mikayla McPheron, LEM
Sept. 8: Rosemarie Leblanc, FDU
Sept. 14: Abigail Marcello, WAG
Sept. 21: Rosemarie Leblanc, FDU

NEC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Aug. 17: Emma Sousa, LEM
Aug. 24: Ellie Westcott, CCSU
Aug. 31: Jenna Popowski, MU
Sept. 8: Candela Espana, FDU
Sept. 14: Candela Espana, FDU
Sept. 21: Isabel Kyprislidis, LIU