Despite posting just a 5-10-3 record and only notching two conference wins, Maryland women’s soccer ended the season on a high note, with multiple players deserving recognition for their impact this season.
Here are our awards for the team.
Forward of the Year
Redshirt sophomore Jolie Farmer
Farmer proved to be Maryland’s best goalscoring threat right away. Farmer scored four goals in the Terps’ first three games this season and added an assist on Ella Petry’s game-tying goal against Virginia Tech. Farmer’s best game came
in her last, with a brace against Rutgers in a 3-2 win to close out the season.
Farmer ended the season with a team-high six goals and three assists, with her 15 points being the most by any Terp since 2019. The offense ran through Farmer all year, and she rewarded that trust and developed into a high-level scoring threat.
Defender of the Year
Junior Ella Bulava
Bulava was the most consistently available defender for Maryland this season, leading all defenders with 1,275 minutes played across 14 starts and 18 appearances. The Terps’ defense struggled at times, but Bulava was one of the bright spots on the backline.
Bulava also scored the first goal of her career against Iowa and totaled four shots and two shots on goal to showcase unrealized offensive ability.
Midfielder of the Year
Sophomore Lilly Bane
Despite starting in just half of Maryland’s games this season, Bane made a big impact and finished as the Terps’ second-leading point producer with four. Bane’s two assists ranked second on the team, and she added a goal this season as well.
Bane’s best game came in Maryland’s first conference win against Northwestern, where she scored the Terps’ first goal in Big Ten play after a scoreless first eight games. Bane also added an assist on a corner kick that led to Lisa McIntyre’s game-winning goal.
Freshman of the Year
Freshman defender Paige Foye
Despite coming off the bench in Maryland’s first six games, once Foye made her first start, she was an immediate staple. Foye was slated in the Terps’ backline throughout conference play and looked like a seasoned veteran instead of a true freshman. Foye also scored her first career goal this season, evening the score against Michigan to earn Maryland the 1-1 draw.
Foye’s impact could be shown by Maryland’s performance in her absence, allowing six goals during her suspension for a red card against UCLA. Foye played all 90 minutes in four of the Terps’ last six games.
Most Improved Player
Junior defender Dani Gichner
Before injury ended Gichner’s season after just 12 games, she was a crucial defender for the Terps, starting in every game she appeared in. Gichner averaged 77.5 minutes in the 11 games she was fully available and totaled three shots.
Gichner played just 11 minutes as a freshman and missed her entire sophomore campaign with injury. In 2026, Gichner proved to be a pivotal piece of the Terps’ defense despite two previous seasons with barely any action.
Impact Player of the Year
Sophomore Forward Mckinley Heaven
After emerging onto the scene as a freshman last season, Heaven developed into a pivotal piece of Maryland’s offense in 2026. She ranked third on the team with three points, scoring a goal and adding an assist. Her lone goal this season came against Binghamton, a 2-1 Terps’ victory.
Heaven was Maryland’s most consistently available player as well, with a team-high 1,362 minutes played. She started all 18 games this season and played over 70 minutes in 15 matches.
Most Valuable Player
Redshirt junior goalkeeper Faith Luckey
Luckey has been a stalwart between the pipes for Maryland this season and was a huge reason for the Terps’ strong finish to the season. She made 84 saves this season, including 30 in Maryland’s last three games. Her best performance was in Maryland’s season-finale against Rutgers, where she made 13 saves and led the Terps to a win despite being outshot 33-11.
Throughout Big Ten play, Luckey ranked top of the conference in saves (73) and saves per game (6.08), and she ranked first in the conference in saves per game over the entire season with 4.9. As a redshirt junior, Luckey could return for another season and would be a huge piece as head coach Michael Marchiano works to build next season’s roster.
Stat leaders
Points: Jolie Farmer (15), Lilly Bane (4), Mckinley Heaven (3)
Goals: Jolie Farmer (6), Lilly Bane (1), Mckinley Heaven (1), Peyton Bernard (1), Ella Bulava (1), Paige Foye (1), Lisa McIntyre (1), Mia Mitchell (1), Ella Petry (1)
Assists: Jolie Farmer (3), Lilly Bane (2), Mckinley Heaven (1)
Shots: Mckinley Heaven (35), Jolie Farmer (25), Peyton Bernard (20)
Shots on goal: Jolie Farmer (17), Mckinley Heaven (11), Peyton Bernard (7)
Minutes: Mckinley Heaven (1362), Ella Bulava (1275), Faith Luckey (1242)
