New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz women's soccer team announced its incoming class for the 2026 season today.

After 39 seasons of women's soccer play in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) the Hawks begin 2026 embarking on new challenges as members of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC).

The 2025 Hawks closed their SUNYAC account with their fifth straight trip to the SUNYAC Tournament, finishing at 7-4-6 overall and 3-1-5 in SUNYAC play, their fifth consecutive winning seasons. New Paltz has appeared in the SUNYAC Tournament 13 times and has captured the SUNYAC Women's Soccer Championship twice, first in 2011 and then in 2024 and appearing in the NCAA DIII tournament each of those years.

Read more about each incoming recruit and new player below:

Jessica Avila '30
Defense
Wallkill, NY
Wallkill Senior High School
Hudson Valley Youth Soccer League

Jessica Avila was a three year varsity and two year starter for Wallkill at center back, helping the Panthers to three consecutive Section IX Class AA playoffs, including the 2024 quarterfinals. In 2024 she was listed among the Varsity 845's Section IX Large Schools Watch List as one of the premier center backs in the section.

Avila earned NYSPHSAA and Mid Hudson Athletic League Scholar-Athlete recognition for three straight years, as well as being a High Honor Roll student at Wallkill.

Avila played three years of lacrosse for the Panthers, named team captain as a senior and being listed on the Varsity 845 Section IX Girls Lacrosse Watch List.

Breanna Casey '30
Forward
Bainbridge, NY
Bainbridge-Guilford High School
WNY Flash Academy

Breanna Casey was a five year starter for the Bobcats of Bainbridge-Gilford High School. Over her five year career, she earned All Conference honors five years in a row, Midstate Athletic Conference (MAC) honors twice, was the MVP of the 2025 MAC Championship and was a third team NYPHSAA All State pick in her senior year. Casey led the Bobcats to four consecutive Section IV,Class C playoffs, reaching the semifinal round in 2025. In the 2025 MAC championship game, she netted a hat trick with one assist.

Playing club soccer for the WNY Flash-Binghamton G08/07, she was named to play in the Elite ECNL Regional League and participated in the CASL College and SUSA/Loudoun College Showcase events.

Casey was a multi-sport athlete, not only playing varsity soccer, but also volleyball, basketball and softball, where she earned All MAC honors as an infield player.

Academically, she scored NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete honors for four straight years.

Mia Dahlhaus '30
Midfield
New York, NY
Academy of American Studies High School
Gotham Girls FC

Mia Dahlhaus was a four year starter for the Eagles of the Academy of American Studies. She was selected to play in the 2025 PSAL Exceptional Senior Game and was the PSAL Senior MVP representing Queens and Brooklyn.

Her career statistics include 53 goals and 51 assists, landing her consistently in the top of the city-wide and Queens points list. Dahlhaus led the Eagles to four PSAL Girls 2A playoff berths and into the 2022 city-wide tournament and the 2025 PSALGirls 2A city-wide finals. Playing with Gotham Girls FC, a New York City, girls only, premiere soccer club, she was an ODP for Eastern NY selection playing in the National Academy League.

Dalhhaus carried a perfect 4.0 grade point average for all four years of high school.

Grace Hochheiser '30
Defense
Centerport, NY
Harborfields High School
Long Island Soccer Club

Grace Hochheiser played three years for Harborfields HS, starting as a junior and senior. She was team captain as a senior. While she did not earn any individual honors, she was instrumental in the Tornadoes' three playoff appearances in the Section XI, Class AA playoffs, including the 2024 Class AA quarterfinals and the 2025 Class AA finals. During her career she contributed six goals and one assist as a defender.

With the Long Island Soccer Club-Girls 08 Academy Aspire, she earned a spot on the LISC HS Honor Roll and played in the EDP Cup Fall Showcase, CDS Showcase (team champions) and other elite showcase tournaments. Hochheiser also played three years of both varsity basketball (captain in senior year) and lacrosse (2025 Suffolk finalists).

A member of the National Honor Society, Hochheiser was a NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete for three years and earned the Harborfields HS FERN Athlete Award and Senior Leadership Plague.

Brielle (Brie) Loize '30
Midfield
Freehold, NJ
Freehold Borough High School
South White U19 Girls

Brielle Loize was a three year starter for the Colonials, primarily as a center midfielder, but also as a goalkeeper.

As a senior she earned three preseason notices: Asbury Park Press Top 40 Shore Conference Goalkeepers to Watch and Asbury Park Press Top 40 Shore Conference Midfielders to Watch, as well as NJ.com's Shore Midfielders to Watch. She earned All Monmouth County 2nd Team honors, Shore Conference Coaches' Association All Shore 3rd Team honors and B North All Division 1st Team honors. She was also selected to play in the Shore Conference Senior All Star Game.

As a junior she was named B North Division 1st Team, All Monmouth County 2nd Team and All Shore Conference Coaches' Association 3rd Team.

Her return as a starter in 2023 came after recovering from spinal fusion surgery to fix severe scoliosis, diagnosed when she was 13 years old. After more than 12 months of extended
training to regain former speed, agility and overall on-field confidence she was cleared for full contact soccer. Loize's career statistics include seven goals and nine assists. Loize helped lead the Colonials to three straight Shore Conference Coaches Cups and two consecutive NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 3 tournaments, including the sectional semifinals in 2025.

As a senior she was part of Freehold Borough's inaugural varsity flag football team, and playing for the BNA Elite Herricanes Blue team was selected BNA Tournament MVP and for the US 15U Junior Flag National Team.

Zoey Manzo '30
Defense
Niskayuna, NY
Niskayuna High School
Albany Alleycats FC

Zoey Manzo was a two year defender at Niskayuna High School, part of the Silver Warriors defensive "brick wall." During her three year varsity career Niskayuna was Section II, Class AA championship finalists twice and was Section II, Class AA champions in 2025, their first title since 2016, but losing in the NYSPHSAA Class AA sub-regional. In her two starting years as a member of the"brick wall", Manzo helped the Silver Warriors allow just 23 goals in 32 games with 20 clean sheets.

With the Albany Alleycats, Manzo was a member of their 2024-25 ECNL All Regional League team.

A high honor roll student, Manzo was a four year NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete.

Manzo ran varsity track in eighth and ninth grades, and was a Section II State Qualifier in 2023.

Sole' O'Hara '30
Midfield
Vestal, NY
Vestal High School
Vestal Youth Soccer Association

Playing two years, one as a starter, Sole' O'Hara earned STAC Metro All Division honors as a senior. She was part of two Vestal teams which had significant playoff success. In 2024, the Golden Bears won the Southern Tier Athletic Conference (STAC) championship, won the Section IV, Class AA championship, the NYSPHSAA Regional championship but bowed out in the
NYSPHSAA Class State semifinals. In 2025, Vestal reached the Section IV, Class A finals.

Academically, O'Hara was a two-time Section IV and NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete.

Lexie Pederson '30
Goalie
Cambridge, NY
Cambridge Central School
Saratoga Wilton SC U19

Lexie Pederson started all three of her varsity years at goalie for the Tigers. As a senior, Pederson was the Wasaren League Goalkeeper of the Year, also earning Wasaren League 1st
Team honors. Her 335 saves were tops for the region. She also was Wasaren League 1st Team in 2024 with 237 saves, and earned Wasaren Honorable Mention as a first-year player in
2023. She led Cambridge Central School to three consecutive Section II, Class C playoff berths.

A member of the National Honor Society, she was a three year NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete selection.

Pederson also played three years of varsity basketball for the Tigers.

Sophie Scanlon '30
Midfield
Syracuse, NY
Syracuse United/Nottingham High School
Syracuse Rush

Sophie Scanlon was a four year starter at midfield for the Syracuse HS United soccer team. During that time she led the Orange to the 2024 and 2025 Section III, Class AAA playoffs. Scanlon earned All Central New York 1st Team honors, was twice named All Section III, Class AAA and was a three time All Onondaga High School League-Liberty Division pick, twice to the first team. For her career she has scored eight goals with 25 assists.

With the Syracuse Rush, Scanlon was named Player of the Week multiple times in her career, predominantly for her multi-assist performances at regional college showcase tournaments. Scanlon is a four time Section IV and NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete.

She was also a varsity bowler for three years, earning a spot as a Section III Bowling Championship qualifier and has been a Salt City Athletic Conference top average league bowler in 2023 and 2024.

Jamie Seccafico '30
Forward
Center Moriches, NY
St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School
Long Island Slammers

Jamie Seccafico started all four years at St. John the Baptist. She was team captain as a senior and earned Nassau-Suffolk Cathloic High School Athlete Association All League honors in 2024 and 2025. She led the Cougars to the 2023 NSCHSAA playoffs in 2023.

Playing with the Long Island Slammers, Seccafico was selected to the 2024-25 ECNL Elite Clubs Regional League All Regional team.

Seccafico was on the St. John the Baptist Honor Roll for her entire high school career.

She also played varsity basketball for the Cougars.

Siani Urbano - Transfer
Midfield
Wappingers Falls, NY
Roy C. Ketcham High School
University of Delaware
East Fishkill Elite Strikers

Siani Urbano transfers to SUNY New Paltz from the University of Delaware, where she was not a member of the Blue Hens women's soccer program. Urbano's soccer career centered on her play at Roy C. Ketcham High School and with the Trinidad & Tobago U20 Women's National team.

At Roy C. Ketcham Urbano was a three time All League A 1st team selection and earned All Section I honors as a senior in 2023. She helped lead the Storm to two Section I, Class AA playoff berths.

In 2024 she was called up to play on the Trinidad & Tobago U20 Women's National-White Angels team at the First Citizens Jewels of the Caribbean Tournament, starting against St. Vincent & the Grenadines and Jamaica.

Academically at Roy C. Ketcham Urbano was a member of the National Honor Society, spent all four years on the High Honor/Honor Roll and was a four year NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete. At the University of Delaware she was a Dean's List student and the top "academic weapon" of the Delta Pi Chapter-Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc. Current New Paltz students new to the program

Allison Beattie - Senior
Defense
East Greenbush, NY
Columbia High School

Allison Beattie, a three year lacrosse player for the New Paltz Hawks, joins the women's soccer team as a senior.

Playing soccer at Columbia High School, Beattie, playing three years, two as a starter, was an All Suburban Council All Star and was the team MVP in her senior year. She helped lead the
Blue Devils to the 2021 and 2022 Section II, Class A finals.

She was a three year NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete and received the Suburban Council Excellence in Leadership Award in her senior year.

Chiara Rutigliano - Junior
Midfield
East Norwich, NY
Oyster Bay High School
Long Island Soccer Club

Chiara Rutigliano, a two year member of the Hawks' women's lacrosse team, begins her first year as a member of the Hawks soccer team.

As a three year varsity soccer player, two as a starter, at Oyster Bay High School, Rutigliano was named All Nassau County Honorable Mention as a senior, while earning All Conference honors as a sophomore and junior. She was part of the Baymen's three appearances in the Nassau County, Class B playoffs, reaching the county final in her senior year.

Academically at Oyster Bay, she was a member of the Natinal Honor Society and a four year selection as a NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete.

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