EDISON, NJ (Aug. 11, 2022) – Quinnipiac University was voted as the top choice in the 2022 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll and the Bobcats star striker, Rebecca Cooke has been named Preseason Player of the Year, as voted on by the league’s 11 head coaches.
The Bobcats tallied 116 points and 10 out of the 11 first-place votes, making them the favorite to win their program’s first MAAC crown in 2022. Quinnipiac tied for a league-best overall record of 15-5-1 last season and finished second in the MAAC standings for the second consecutive year with a 9-3 conference mark. In the postseason, the Bobcats defeated Marist and Siena, before falling in the 2021 MAAC Championship final to Monmouth. Quinnipiac has made six straight appearances in the MAAC tournament and has qualified for postseason play seven times total since joining the MAAC in 2013. Of the seven appearances, the Bobcats have advanced to the championship game twice, also doing so in 2016.
Niagara University finished second in the poll, earning 99 points and Fairfield University was a close third, picking up 96 votes. Following the Purple Eagles and Stags in fourth-place was Siena College, claiming 81 votes and both Iona University and Marist College tied for fifth-place, earning 70 points to round out the league’s top-five.
The MAAC’s top returning scorer, Cooke, was named 2022 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year. The rising junior forward played and started in 18 games for the Bobcats during the 2021 stanza, scoring 28 points and netting 13 goals. Here 13 goals were tied for the league-best, while her 28 points ranked third. Cooke also ranked second on the conference leaderboard in goals per game and points per game, leading to an All-MAAC First Team selection. A scoring threat every time she touches the pitch, Cooke was one of just two players in the MAAC to record multiple hat tricks last season, scoring three goals against Maine (Sep. 5) and Saint Peter’s (Oct. 9). Moreover, she was a three-time MAAC Offensive Player of the Week choice in 2021 and was also voted to the 2021 NEWISA All-New England Second Team.
The rest of the Preseason All-MAAC Team and full Preseason Coaches’ Poll can be found below.
| 2022 Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll |
| 1 |
Quinnipiac |
116 (10) |
| 2 |
Niagara |
99 |
| 3 |
Fairfield |
96 |
| 4 |
Siena |
81 |
| T5 |
Iona |
70 |
| T5 |
Marist |
70 |
| 7 |
Rider |
61 (1) |
| 8 |
Manhattan |
45 |
| 9 |
Mount St. Mary’s |
33 |
| 10 |
Canisius |
28 |
| 11 |
Saint Peter’s |
27 |
| Preseason Player of the Year |
| Rebecca Cooke – Quinnipiac |
| Preseason All-MAAC Team |
| Player |
Position |
Year |
Institution |
| Elle Scott |
Forward |
Jr. |
Fairfield |
| Faith Preziosi |
Forward |
Gr. |
Iona |
| Djeynaba Thiam |
Forward |
Sr. |
Niagara |
| Rebecca Cooke |
Forward |
Jr. |
Quinnipiac |
| Chloe Fisher |
Forward |
Sr. |
Rider |
| Kedarjah Lewis |
Midfield |
So. |
Iona |
| Amanda Caldarelli |
Midfield |
Jr. |
Marist |
| Markela Bejleri |
Midfield |
Sr. |
Quinnipiac |
| Mackenzie Meixner |
Back |
Gr. |
Iona |
| Samantha Sturno |
Back |
Sr. |
Marist |
| Ida Miceli |
Back |
Gr. |
Niagara |
| Natalie Kelchner |
Goalkeeper |
Gr. |
Marist |
The 2022 MAAC Women's Soccer Championship will take place from October 30 through November 6. The six-team, single-elimination championship will be hosted by the higher seed of each match. The opening round will take place on Sunday, October 30, followed by the semifinals on Thursday, November 3, and concluding with the championship match on Sunday, November 6. For all information regarding the 2022 MAAC Women’s Soccer Championship, please visit
maacsports.com/wsoc.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 42nd year of competition during the 2022-23 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
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