11/10/2026 1:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
NEW YORK – Three Pirates earned All-BIG EAST honors as the conference announced its postseason awards Tuesday afternoon. Sophomore goalkeeper Kate Kleinsmith (Monument, Colo.) was named to the All-BIG EAST First Team, senior defender Cassidy Brown (Caldwell, N.J.) earned Second Team honors and senior midfielder Brianna Azevedo (Oradell, N.J.) landed on the Third Team. Seton Hall's three All-Conference recipients are its most since the 2013 season when the squad had four honorees.
Kleinsmith becomes just the second Pirate goalkeeper to earn All-BIG EAST First Team honors, joining Seton Hall Athletics Hall of Famer Stacey Nagle who earned the honor in 1995 and 1996. Kleinsmith has been among the best goalkeepers in the nation this season, as she currently leads the country in save percentage (.910) and sits in the top-10 nationally in goals against average (.414, 6th) and shutouts (10, 7th). All of those totals lead the BIG EAST.
In BIG EAST matches, Kleinsmith led the conference in every single goalkeeping category. Among the 11 BIG EAST goalkeepers, Kleinsmith faced the second-most shots on target (60) and stopped 55 of them, good enough for a .917 save percentage in league action. Kleinsmith has already set a new single-season program mark in shutouts and is currently on track to set a new mark in goals against average.
Brown was part of Seton Hall's elite backline which helped contribute to the team's 12 shutouts, also a new single-season team record. Brown has been a mainstay at the centerback position alongside Tuva Norell (Stockholm, Sweden), starting all 16 matches and playing 1,375 out of a possible 1,440 minutes so far this season. Brown has logged the full 90 minutes in all but three matches this season.
In the midfield, Azevedo came on strong in her first season of action in a Pirate uniform. The senior scored two goals this season, both of which came at crucial times. Azevedo buried the game-winning penalty kick in the 90th minute to defeat Drexel, 1-0 back on Aug. 23. Just a few weeks ago, Azevedo's goal gave Seton Hall a 1-0 win at Georgetown in what was the Pirates' first win over the Hoyas since 2011.
Offensive Player of the Year: Dez Zapata, Villanova, Jr., F
Midfielder of the Year: Regan Dancer, Xavier, Gr., M
Defensive Player of the Year: Meredith Palmer, Villanova, Jr., D
Goalkeeper of the Year: Hannah Dickinson, Villanova, Gr., GK
Freshman of the Year: Jocy Koffi, Providence, Fr., F
Coaching Staff of the Year: Villanova
All-BIG EAST First Team *
Abby Droner, Georgetown, So., F
Jocy Koffi, Providence, Fr., F
Morgan Kotch, Villanova, Jr., F
Dez Zapata, Villanova, Jr., F
Peyton Kohls, Xavier, Sr., F
Chloe Brecht, Butler, Jr., M
Lizzie Heller, Georgetown, Jr., M
Regan Dancer, Xavier, Gr., M
Stephanie Schoeley, Providence, Jr., D
Meredith Palmer, Villanova, Jr., D
Nastassja Garrett, Xavier, So., D
Kate Kleinsmith, Seton Hall, So., GK
Hannah Dickinson, Villanova, Gr., GK
All-BIG EAST Second Team
Olivia Duray, Creighton, Sr., F
Katelyn Haiser, DePaul, Fr., F
Caroline Spengler, Georgetown, Jr., F
Avrie Nelsen, Villanova, So., F
Frances Reuland, Xavier, Fr., F
Anaya Johnson, UConn, Sr., M
Emma Gregorski, Providence, So., M
Gabby Koluch, Villanova, Sr., M
Cassidy Brown, Seton Hall, Sr., D
Brooklynn Miltenberger, Xavier, Sr., D
Mia Hurd, Marquette, Fr., GK
All-BIG EAST Third Team *
Se-Hanna Mars, UConn, Jr., F
Aliza Mannon, Georgetown, So., F
Megan Murray, Marquette, Jr., F
Amaya Coffie, Providence, R-So., F
Shayna da Silva, DePaul, Sr., M
Signe Tingager, Providence, Fr., M
Bri Azevedo, Seton Hall, Sr., M
McKinley Berry, Xavier, Jr., M
Breanna Dardano, Xavier, Jr., M
Shea Boyle, UConn, Jr., D
Olivia Sides, Creighton, So., D
Clare Shea, Marquette, So., D
Addison Ash, Butler, So., GK
* Due to a tie, there are 13 players on the first and third teams.
Kleinsmith becomes just the second Pirate goalkeeper to earn All-BIG EAST First Team honors, joining Seton Hall Athletics Hall of Famer Stacey Nagle who earned the honor in 1995 and 1996. Kleinsmith has been among the best goalkeepers in the nation this season, as she currently leads the country in save percentage (.910) and sits in the top-10 nationally in goals against average (.414, 6th) and shutouts (10, 7th). All of those totals lead the BIG EAST.
In BIG EAST matches, Kleinsmith led the conference in every single goalkeeping category. Among the 11 BIG EAST goalkeepers, Kleinsmith faced the second-most shots on target (60) and stopped 55 of them, good enough for a .917 save percentage in league action. Kleinsmith has already set a new single-season program mark in shutouts and is currently on track to set a new mark in goals against average.
Brown was part of Seton Hall's elite backline which helped contribute to the team's 12 shutouts, also a new single-season team record. Brown has been a mainstay at the centerback position alongside Tuva Norell (Stockholm, Sweden), starting all 16 matches and playing 1,375 out of a possible 1,440 minutes so far this season. Brown has logged the full 90 minutes in all but three matches this season.
In the midfield, Azevedo came on strong in her first season of action in a Pirate uniform. The senior scored two goals this season, both of which came at crucial times. Azevedo buried the game-winning penalty kick in the 90th minute to defeat Drexel, 1-0 back on Aug. 23. Just a few weeks ago, Azevedo's goal gave Seton Hall a 1-0 win at Georgetown in what was the Pirates' first win over the Hoyas since 2011.
Offensive Player of the Year: Dez Zapata, Villanova, Jr., F
Midfielder of the Year: Regan Dancer, Xavier, Gr., M
Defensive Player of the Year: Meredith Palmer, Villanova, Jr., D
Goalkeeper of the Year: Hannah Dickinson, Villanova, Gr., GK
Freshman of the Year: Jocy Koffi, Providence, Fr., F
Coaching Staff of the Year: Villanova
All-BIG EAST First Team *
Abby Droner, Georgetown, So., F
Jocy Koffi, Providence, Fr., F
Morgan Kotch, Villanova, Jr., F
Dez Zapata, Villanova, Jr., F
Peyton Kohls, Xavier, Sr., F
Chloe Brecht, Butler, Jr., M
Lizzie Heller, Georgetown, Jr., M
Regan Dancer, Xavier, Gr., M
Stephanie Schoeley, Providence, Jr., D
Meredith Palmer, Villanova, Jr., D
Nastassja Garrett, Xavier, So., D
Kate Kleinsmith, Seton Hall, So., GK
Hannah Dickinson, Villanova, Gr., GK
All-BIG EAST Second Team
Olivia Duray, Creighton, Sr., F
Katelyn Haiser, DePaul, Fr., F
Caroline Spengler, Georgetown, Jr., F
Avrie Nelsen, Villanova, So., F
Frances Reuland, Xavier, Fr., F
Anaya Johnson, UConn, Sr., M
Emma Gregorski, Providence, So., M
Gabby Koluch, Villanova, Sr., M
Cassidy Brown, Seton Hall, Sr., D
Brooklynn Miltenberger, Xavier, Sr., D
Mia Hurd, Marquette, Fr., GK
All-BIG EAST Third Team *
Se-Hanna Mars, UConn, Jr., F
Aliza Mannon, Georgetown, So., F
Megan Murray, Marquette, Jr., F
Amaya Coffie, Providence, R-So., F
Shayna da Silva, DePaul, Sr., M
Signe Tingager, Providence, Fr., M
Bri Azevedo, Seton Hall, Sr., M
McKinley Berry, Xavier, Jr., M
Breanna Dardano, Xavier, Jr., M
Shea Boyle, UConn, Jr., D
Olivia Sides, Creighton, So., D
Clare Shea, Marquette, So., D
Addison Ash, Butler, So., GK
* Due to a tie, there are 13 players on the first and third teams.
Players Mentioned
M
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
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/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
D
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