August 11, 2026
OKLAHOMA CITY (August, 11, 2026)– The WPSL named its All-Conference Best XI selection for the East Region, recognizing 66 players from 30 teams; 43 additional players earned honorable mention recognition.
Thirteen repeat winners are among the recipients including former Bowling Green State (2021) standout Nikki Cox , who earned the honor for a fourth time (2023-2026) and FC Dayton’s Taylor Thomas (Xavier, Jr.) and Real Central NJ’s Allison Gilbert (Cincinnati, Sr.) who each made the Best XI for a third time.
Back-to-back Lake Erie Division winners Internationals SC saw the most players earning Best XI honors with five, while Columbus Eagles FC, FC Dayton, RI Rogues, and SJEB FC each saw four players receive the honor.
GK Taylor Thomas, FC Dayton (Xavier, Jr.) – 2-Time (2023 & 2026)
D Kendall Petoskey, Michigan Rangers FC (Missouri State, Jr.)
D Norah Roush, Columbus Eagles FC (Louisville, Sr.) – 3-Time (2024-2026)
D Brylee Schermerhorn, Greater Toledo Futbol Club (Columbus State, Fr.)
D Emma Schut, Michigan Rangers FC (Southern Indiana, Jr.)
MF Audrey Baer, Columbus Eagles FC (South Carolina Upstate, 2025)
MF Jaimason Brooker, Columbus Eagles FC (Ohio, Sr.)
MF Lillian Weller, FC Dayton (Ohio, Jr.)
F McKenzie Carle, FC Dayton (Purdue, Jr.)
F Savannah Conner, FC Dayton (Lehigh, So.)
F Nikki Cox, Columbus Eagles FC (Bowling Green State, 2021) – 4-Time (2023-2026)
Honorable Mention: GK Olivia Alford, Columbus Eagles FC; MF Mallory Smucker, Greater Toledo Futbol Club; MF Lydia Smucker, Greater Toledo Futbol Club; F Angela Boyce, Columbus Eagles FC
GK Gracie Brink, Internationals SC (Nova Southeastern, Fr.)
D Ella Bard, Internationals SC (Louisville, So.)
D Reese Dunaway, Beadling Soccer Club (Florida Gulf Coast, Sr.)
D Olivia Murray, Erie FC (Mcdowell H.S. (2026))
MF Gracie Brown, Beadling Soccer Club (Auburn, Jr.)
MF Emme Kline, Beadling Soccer Club (Old Dominion, Fr.)
MF Kayla Perfect, Internationals SC (Miami of Ohio, Sr.)
MF Amelia Swinarski, Internationals SC (Louisville, Jr.)
F Maggie Cregan, Rochester New York FC (Canisius, Sr.)
F Jordanne Oberhaus, Internationals SC (Akron, Sr.)
F Jenna Popowski, Erie FC (Mercyhurst, Fr.)
Honorable Mention: GK Gabby Green, Erie FC; GK Ali Hughes, Beadling Soccer Club; D Abriella Whatmore, Erie FC; D Caitlin Parker, Niagara 1819; MF Hannah Lindenberger, Erie FC; F Adrienne Altizer, Beadling Soccer Club
GK Lena Perry, Brooklyn City F.C. (Pacific, 2017)
D Lily Bandel, Force FC New York (Manhattan, Jr.)
D Charlotte Keenan, Clarkstown Soccer Club (Notre Dame, 2027)
D Carmen Reinerink, Brooklyn City F.C. (Adelphi, Sr.)
D Aoife Turner, New York Athletic Club (Columbia, Jr.)
MF Aoi Kataoka, STA (George Washington, Sr.) – 2-Time (2023 & 2026)
MF Julia Lombardo, Clarkstown Soccer Club (St. John's, So.)
MF Stephanie Tator, SUSA FC (Buffalo, Fr.)
F Jess Beck, Clarkstown Soccer Club (Elon, Jr.)
F Dylan Jovanovic, New York Athletic Club (Princeton, Jr.) – 3-Time (2024 & 2026)
F Isabell Kronow, New York Dutch Lions FC (Montclair State, Jr.)
Honorable Mention: GK Reese Dolan, Force FC New York; D Grace Hillis, SUSA FC; D Julia Arbelaez, Clarkstown Soccer Club; MF Olivia Wojie, New York Dutch Lions FC; MF Rachel Rouse, New York Athletic; F Nicolette Caneda, Brooklyn City F.C.
GK Araba Abanyie, Kensington Soccer Club (Widener, So.)
D Allison Gilbert, Real Central NJ (Cincinnati, Sr.) – 3-Time (2024-2026)
D Adrianna Pepe, SJEB FC (USC Upstate, 2025) – 3-Time (2024-2026)
D Jailyn Parrotte, Love City FC (Saint Joseph's, Sr.)
D Dani Stuart, SJEB FC (Saint Joseph's, GS) – 2-Time (2024 & 2026)
MF Liv Brocious, SJEB FC (Drexel, Sr.)
MF Lea Kemp, Love City FC (Drexel, 2025)
MF Gabby Miller, FC Monmouth (UConn, So.)
F Olivia McMaster, SJEB FC (Manhattan, Sr.)
F Bella Miller, Real Central NJ (American, Sr.) – 2-Time (2024 & 2026)
F Sage Stelzer, Penn Fusion SA (Pittsburgh, Sr.)
Honorable Mention: GK Chelsea Mohammed, SJEB FC; GK Makenzie Van Arsdale, Real Central NJ; D Ava Gialanella, FC Monmouth; D Natalia Croce, Real Central NJ; D Casey Forman, Penn Fusion SA; MF Ava McCloskey, Penn Fusion SA; MF Carley Slavin, Fever SC; MF Gabby Riley, Delaware Ospreys; F Naomi Nnewihe, SJEB FC; F Nina Cantor, Penn Fusion SA; F Carly Fox, Fever SC
GK Lauren Lebo, Keystone FC (Saint Joseph's, Fr.)
D Anna Buckwalter, Reading United A.C. (Binghamton, Jr.) – 2-Time (2025 & 2026)
D Kaitlyn DiCandilo, HEX FC Tempest (Shippensburg, 2025)
D Maria Franjicic, Keystone FC (George Mason, Sr.)
MF Annie McCaffrey, Reading United A.C. (UMass, Jr.)
MF Lisa Suydam, Pennsylvania Classics (Louisville, Sr.) – 2-Time (2025 & 2026)
MF Joey Tomlinson, HEX FC Tempest (Robert Morris, Sr.)
F Ashley Economopoulos, Pennsylvania Classics (Old Dominion, So.)
F Elena Esh, Hershey FC (Houghton, Sr.)
F Loren Gehret, Reading United A.C. (Monmouth, Sr.)
F Lindsey Husic, Pennsylvania Classics (Monmouth, Sr.)
Honorable Mention: GK Sarah Gatz, Reading United A.C.; GK Katie Henchy, HEX FC Tempest; D Ava Sallee, Reading United A.C.; D Haley Midgley, Hershey FC; D Brooke Roumy, LVU Rush; MF Ella Webb, Hershey FC; F Ellie Leffler, Reading United A.C.; F Lily Black, LVU Rush
GK Jessica Kasacek, RI Rogues FC (Maine, GS)
D Alex Chang, Sporting CT (Yale, Sr.)
D Giovanna Dionicio, Sporting CT (Uconn, 2023)
D Grace Petrie, CT Rush (Louisville, So.)
D Julianne Ross, RI Rogues FC (Northeastern, 2021)
MF Gabby DelPico, RI Rogues FC (Harvard, 2023)
MF Logan Nicholson, Merrimack Valley Hawks FC (New Mexico, 2025)
MF Christina Stone, Sporting CT (Hartford, 2024) – 2-Time (2025 & 2026)
F Ryann Denecour, RI Rogues FC (LSU, So.) – 2-Time (2025 & 2026)
F Jillian Gregorski, CT Rush (Kansas, Jr.)
F Annie Maguire, CT Rush (Fordham, Jr.)
Honorable Mention: GK Chrysi Gabriel, CT Rush; GK Abby Ytzen-Handel, Merrimack Valley Hawks FC; D Mackenzie Reid, CT Rush; MF Juliana Dane, CT Rush; MF Jess Carr, Vale SC; MF Sydney Malaga, Vermont Wild FC; F Tiffany Weimer, Sporting CT; F Ayla Sahin, RI Rogues FC
