Photo by: Clay Bollinger
Terriers Sweep Patriot League Preseason Women’s Soccer Awards
August 7, 2025 | Women's Soccer
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Beginning preparations to defend its Patriot League championship for the 2025 campaign, the Boston University women's soccer program dominated the league's preseason awards with the top ranking in the coaches poll and four Terriers earning major awards.
BU was projected to finish first in the preseason poll, garnering eight out of 10 possible first-place votes and 80 total points. This marks the first time since 2019 that the league's coaches ranked the Terriers first in the prognostication. Army West Point gathered the remaining two first-place votes to rank second in the poll, followed by Bucknell in third place.
Seniors Margy Porta, Giulianna Gianino and Helene Tyburczy as well as sophomore Bridget Carr each received a preseason major award. BU is the first program to represent every Patriot League preseason major award and rank first in the preseason poll since the conference moved to four individual awards before the 2022 season. All four also earned spots on the Preseason All-Patriot League Team; BU led the league with its four selections.
Porta was chosen as the Patriot League Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. She is the first Terrier to receive the nod since Jenna Oldham in 2021. The Northbrook, Ill. native broke out in 2024 with a career high eight goals and 17 points to earn first-team All-Patriot League recognition. Her 1.22 points per game in Patriot League play was fifth in the conference, and she was responsible for the game-winning goal in BU's double-overtime triumph over Army in the Patriot League semifinals. Across 59 career appearances, Porta has racked up 11 goals and three assists.
Gianino was awarded the Preseason Patriot League Preseason Midfielder of the Year honor, marking her first career preseason major award. She is the second Terrier in the last six years to earn the accolade, joining McKenna Kennedy from 2020-21. Gianino shared the team lead with Porta in goals last season with eight while pacing the squad with 21 points, averaging a point per game. She was selected to the All-Patriot League First Team and Academic All-Patriot League Team for the second straight year in 2024. The Norwell, Mass. product enters her senior campaign ranking 12th in program history with 18 goals and 46 points.
Tyburczy earned Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year recognition, becoming the first Terrier to do so since Oldham in 2022. Arriving to Terrier Town after two years at Auburn, she started in 18 of her 21 appearances in 2024, playing the full match in 14 games. The Ramsey, N.J. native recorded her first collegiate points with two assists in Patriot League competition, capping the regular season with a second-team All-Patriot League honor.
Finally, Carr was named the Patriot League Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year, the first Terrier in program history to earn the award and first netminder to earn a spot on the Preseason All-Patriot League Team. She was named to the All-Patriot League Third Team after posting a 6-2-6 record with a 1.25 goals-against average, .769 save percentage and three shutouts in her debut season. The Wyckoff, N.J. product posted all three clean sheets in the final four regular season games to help the Terriers secure the No. 2 seed in the Patriot League Tournament and later collected eight saves against No. 21 Texas in the NCAA Tournament for the most stops for a BU netminder in the event since 2005.
Overall, BU returns 23 letterwinners from its 2024 championship team, which secured the program's fifth Patriot League title and 14th conference championship. Six newcomers also join the Terriers under head coach Megan Burke, who is set for her first season at the helm.
2025 Patriot League Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
1. Boston University, 80 (8 first-place votes)
2. Army West Point, 70 (2 first-place votes)
3. Bucknell, 69
4. Navy, 49
5. Loyola Maryland, 48
6. Colgate, 41
7. Lafayette, 33
t-8. Holy Cross, 21
t-8. Lehigh, 21
10. American, 18
2025 Patriot League Preseason Women's Soccer Major Awards
Offensive Player of the Year - Margy Porta, Boston University, Sr., F
Midfielder of the Year - Giulianna Gianino, Boston University, Sr., M
Defensive Player of the Year - Helene Tyburczy, Boston University, Sr., D
Goalkeeper of the Year - Bridget Carr, Boston University, So., GK
2025 Preseason All-Patriot League Women's Soccer Team
Margy Porta, Boston University, Sr., F
Henna Andican, Bucknell, Sr., F
Katie Connell, Bucknell, So., F|
Katrina Santelli, Lafayette, Sr., F
Brigid Duffy, Army West Point, Sr., M
Giulianna Gianino, Boston University, Sr., M
Ari Bezanson, Colgate, Sr., M
Jordan Follenweider, Army West Point, Sr., D
Helene Tyburczy, Boston University, Sr., D
Zoe Willis, Loyola Maryland, Sr., D
Bridget Carr, Boston University, So., GK
BU was projected to finish first in the preseason poll, garnering eight out of 10 possible first-place votes and 80 total points. This marks the first time since 2019 that the league's coaches ranked the Terriers first in the prognostication. Army West Point gathered the remaining two first-place votes to rank second in the poll, followed by Bucknell in third place.
Seniors Margy Porta, Giulianna Gianino and Helene Tyburczy as well as sophomore Bridget Carr each received a preseason major award. BU is the first program to represent every Patriot League preseason major award and rank first in the preseason poll since the conference moved to four individual awards before the 2022 season. All four also earned spots on the Preseason All-Patriot League Team; BU led the league with its four selections.
Porta was chosen as the Patriot League Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. She is the first Terrier to receive the nod since Jenna Oldham in 2021. The Northbrook, Ill. native broke out in 2024 with a career high eight goals and 17 points to earn first-team All-Patriot League recognition. Her 1.22 points per game in Patriot League play was fifth in the conference, and she was responsible for the game-winning goal in BU's double-overtime triumph over Army in the Patriot League semifinals. Across 59 career appearances, Porta has racked up 11 goals and three assists.
Gianino was awarded the Preseason Patriot League Preseason Midfielder of the Year honor, marking her first career preseason major award. She is the second Terrier in the last six years to earn the accolade, joining McKenna Kennedy from 2020-21. Gianino shared the team lead with Porta in goals last season with eight while pacing the squad with 21 points, averaging a point per game. She was selected to the All-Patriot League First Team and Academic All-Patriot League Team for the second straight year in 2024. The Norwell, Mass. product enters her senior campaign ranking 12th in program history with 18 goals and 46 points.
Tyburczy earned Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year recognition, becoming the first Terrier to do so since Oldham in 2022. Arriving to Terrier Town after two years at Auburn, she started in 18 of her 21 appearances in 2024, playing the full match in 14 games. The Ramsey, N.J. native recorded her first collegiate points with two assists in Patriot League competition, capping the regular season with a second-team All-Patriot League honor.
Finally, Carr was named the Patriot League Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year, the first Terrier in program history to earn the award and first netminder to earn a spot on the Preseason All-Patriot League Team. She was named to the All-Patriot League Third Team after posting a 6-2-6 record with a 1.25 goals-against average, .769 save percentage and three shutouts in her debut season. The Wyckoff, N.J. product posted all three clean sheets in the final four regular season games to help the Terriers secure the No. 2 seed in the Patriot League Tournament and later collected eight saves against No. 21 Texas in the NCAA Tournament for the most stops for a BU netminder in the event since 2005.
Overall, BU returns 23 letterwinners from its 2024 championship team, which secured the program's fifth Patriot League title and 14th conference championship. Six newcomers also join the Terriers under head coach Megan Burke, who is set for her first season at the helm.
2025 Patriot League Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
1. Boston University, 80 (8 first-place votes)
2. Army West Point, 70 (2 first-place votes)
3. Bucknell, 69
4. Navy, 49
5. Loyola Maryland, 48
6. Colgate, 41
7. Lafayette, 33
t-8. Holy Cross, 21
t-8. Lehigh, 21
10. American, 18
2025 Patriot League Preseason Women's Soccer Major Awards
Offensive Player of the Year - Margy Porta, Boston University, Sr., F
Midfielder of the Year - Giulianna Gianino, Boston University, Sr., M
Defensive Player of the Year - Helene Tyburczy, Boston University, Sr., D
Goalkeeper of the Year - Bridget Carr, Boston University, So., GK
2025 Preseason All-Patriot League Women's Soccer Team
Margy Porta, Boston University, Sr., F
Henna Andican, Bucknell, Sr., F
Katie Connell, Bucknell, So., F|
Katrina Santelli, Lafayette, Sr., F
Brigid Duffy, Army West Point, Sr., M
Giulianna Gianino, Boston University, Sr., M
Ari Bezanson, Colgate, Sr., M
Jordan Follenweider, Army West Point, Sr., D
Helene Tyburczy, Boston University, Sr., D
Zoe Willis, Loyola Maryland, Sr., D
Bridget Carr, Boston University, So., GK
Players Mentioned
GK
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
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/ Women's Soccer
D
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