By Jenny Chen, Photo Co-Editor • August 22, 2026

The 2025 season was a year of firsts for the Boston University women’s soccer team.

Head coach Megan Burke spent her first year at the helm of the team, and her coaching staff was recognized as Patriot League Coaching Staff of the Year for their efforts.

Then-senior midfielder Giulianna Gianino set the program record for assists in a single season and was named the conference’s Midfielder of the Year.

Then-senior defender Helene Tyburczy, who is now a graduate student at BU, was awarded Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year.

The Terriers led the conference in All-Patriot League First Team selections with four. 

BU finished as the No. 1 seed to the Patriot League tournament and won the regular season title.

But one “first” was missing: the Patriot League trophy. On home soil, BU lost 3-2 to Army West Point in the final, unable to defend their 2024 title.

“Obviously the goal every year is going to be to win the Patriot League Championship,” Burke said. “We fell a little short last year in the championship game, so the girls came back really hungry and just ready to go.”

The Terriers did exactly that to start the season in their home opener against Northeastern University on Aug. 13, generating 6 shots in the opening half compared to the Huskies’ 1.

Despite the strong start, the team could not round out the game and notched a 1-0 loss, conceding a goal to Northeastern eight minutes into the second half.

“It’s one of those losses that’s super frustrating. I thought we played really well,” Burke said. “We just have to be better about putting the ball in the back of the net at the end of the day.”

With another game three days later, the Terriers bounced back in dominant fashion, trouncing SUNY Albany 5-1. Not only did the team find itself back in the win column, they also scored the most goals in a non-conference game since 2003.

“I think that was a big focus coming in, to show some of the freshmen how we like to set a high standard for each other and play for each other as a whole,” junior forward Olivia Avellar said.

BU then fell short on the road against Fairfield on Thursday, the final score 5-2. 

The Terriers play nine non-conference matchups that make up the first half of their regular season, and the final nine games are all against Patriot League opponents.

Northeastern, UAlbany and Fairfield aside, BU will match up against the University of Connecticut, the University of San Francisco, Harvard University, Providence College, Boston College and Bryant University as non-conference opponents.

“This non-conference schedule is difficult, but I’m excited about it because I think it’s really going to set us up to get to Patriot League play and be really successful,” Burke said.

BU faced five of these nine teams last year as well — going 1-2-1 — with the game against the Huskies cancelled due to inclement weather.

Conference play begins Sept. 19 on Nickerson Field against the United States Naval Academy, and the championship rematch is scheduled for Sept. 30, once again at home. 

Expectations are high for the Terriers in the Patriot League. They finished second in preseason voting, receiving 76 points — just one less than Army West Point — and four first-place votes. Additionally, Avellar, Tyburczy and senior midfielder Ciara Kennedy were all honored as members of the preseason All-Patriot League.

Kennedy has steadily improved her presence in BU’s midfield over her collegiate career. Often operating in central midfield, her vision of the field carries the team’s transition game.

Avellar will be a key offensive weapon for the team. During her sophomore campaign, she was in the top five in all offensive categories — points, goals, assists, shots, shots on goal and game-winning goals. 

“[She] is so crafty. She’s really, really smart,” Burke said. “She does things with the ball sometimes that I never in my life would have imagined doing.”

Tyburczy has been the backbone of the Terrier defense since she transferred from Auburn University, and she was named the Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year preceding her fifth year of collegiate soccer.

“It’s very bittersweet coming into preseason,” Tyburczy said. “Just excited for another year.”

Six freshmen will don the scarlet and white for the first time in 2026, taking over the spots once filled by six seniors — a group that included four All-Patriot League players and a tournament MVP. 

However, a new season provides opportunities for new players to step up. 

Junior forward Jaiden Schultz scored twice against UAlbany after missing her entire sophomore season due to injury — and was named Patriot League Forward of the Week. Freshman midfielder Elle Ceres and Tyburczy received honorable mention recognition for their strong play in week two.

In the first two games, BU has already debuted five freshmen, returned a couple players from long-term injury and played all outfield players on its roster. In a season that averages more than a game per week, positional depth will be key.

While the Terriers record sits at 1-2, the stats book tells another story: one of a strong start to a 2026 campaign. Specifically, the team leads opponents across the board in offensive stats.

When the ball was kicked off against Northeastern, a new chapter in the story of BU women’s soccer also commenced.

“This is our fresh start, and it is important for us to go into it together,” Avellar said.

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