Tyburczy Leads Three Terriers in Women’s Soccer Preseason All-PL Honors
August 6, 2026 | Women's Soccer
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Boston University women's soccer senior Helene Tyburczy was highlighted as the 2026 Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, the league announced on Thursday morning.
Tyburczy was one of three Terriers to garner Preseason All-Patriot League recognition; senior Ciara Kennedy and junior Olivia Avellar earned their first-career spots on the list.
As a team, the Terriers were picked to finish second in the Patriot League Women's Soccer Preseason Poll, earning four first-place votes.
Entering her third season with the Terriers, Tyburczy comes off a 2025 campaign where she was voted as the Defensive Player of the Year. The center back was a first team All-Patriot League and All-ECAC selection after starting all 19 matches, recording two goals in nearly 1,700 minutes of action. She helped anchor a Terrier defense that recorded 10 shutouts in 18 games, allowing just five goals in 10 home contests. BU's defense allowed a paltry five goals in nine games against Patriot League opponents.
Kennedy received her first All-Patriot League accolade with the preseason nomination. One of four team captains, in addition to Tyburczy, the Huntington Beach, Calif. product set career marks with 19 appearances, 10 starts and 960 minutes played in 2025. She tallied one assist on the year with a helper in the road victory at Maine on Aug. 24, giving her two assists in her career.
Avellar made an appearance on the All-Patriot League Third Team and All-Tournament Team a season ago. She exploded for five goals and three assists for 13 points, all career-bests with the former ranking third on the Terriers. She concluded her sophomore year with a five-match points streak and 10 points in her final eight games. The Cape Cod native has six goals and four assists as a Terrier.
The Terriers were voted second following their sixth Patriot League regular season championship in 2025. BU posted a 7-1-1 record in conference action, its most league victories in eight years, and reached the Patriot League title game for the eighth time in 12 seasons as a league member.
BU ignites 2026 with a home match against local rival Northeastern on Thursday (Aug. 13) at 6 p.m.
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, Sr., 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, Sr., D
Karenna Beckstein, Holy Cross, Sr., D
Helen Bonner, Navy, So., D
Ella Poppinga, Colgate, Sr., GK
Tyburczy was one of three Terriers to garner Preseason All-Patriot League recognition; senior Ciara Kennedy and junior Olivia Avellar earned their first-career spots on the list.
As a team, the Terriers were picked to finish second in the Patriot League Women's Soccer Preseason Poll, earning four first-place votes.
Entering her third season with the Terriers, Tyburczy comes off a 2025 campaign where she was voted as the Defensive Player of the Year. The center back was a first team All-Patriot League and All-ECAC selection after starting all 19 matches, recording two goals in nearly 1,700 minutes of action. She helped anchor a Terrier defense that recorded 10 shutouts in 18 games, allowing just five goals in 10 home contests. BU's defense allowed a paltry five goals in nine games against Patriot League opponents.
Kennedy received her first All-Patriot League accolade with the preseason nomination. One of four team captains, in addition to Tyburczy, the Huntington Beach, Calif. product set career marks with 19 appearances, 10 starts and 960 minutes played in 2025. She tallied one assist on the year with a helper in the road victory at Maine on Aug. 24, giving her two assists in her career.
Avellar made an appearance on the All-Patriot League Third Team and All-Tournament Team a season ago. She exploded for five goals and three assists for 13 points, all career-bests with the former ranking third on the Terriers. She concluded her sophomore year with a five-match points streak and 10 points in her final eight games. The Cape Cod native has six goals and four assists as a Terrier.
The Terriers were voted second following their sixth Patriot League regular season championship in 2025. BU posted a 7-1-1 record in conference action, its most league victories in eight years, and reached the Patriot League title game for the eighth time in 12 seasons as a league member.
BU ignites 2026 with a home match against local rival Northeastern on Thursday (Aug. 13) at 6 p.m.
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, Sr., 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, Sr., D
Karenna Beckstein, Holy Cross, Sr., D
Helen Bonner, Navy, So., D
Ella Poppinga, Colgate, Sr., GK
Players Mentioned
Monday, July 20
Monday, June 29
Tuesday, December 16
Saturday, December 13
