The University of Maine women's soccer program has become synonymous with dominance in the America East Conference, and the upcoming season promises another chapter in that legacy.
Chasing a historic four‑peat
Preseason coaches' poll released this week places the Black Bears at the top, with four first‑place votes and 60 points, narrowly ahead of Binghamton, which earned four first‑place votes but only 58 points. Vermont received the remaining vote and 53 points, rounding out the top three.
Head coach Scott Atherley, now in his tenth season, returns eight starters from a squad that captured the 2024 regular‑season title and finished fourth in the league the year before. The roster includes senior midfielder Luise Reinwald and junior midfielder Olivia Grisdale, both named to the preseason all‑conference team, as well as Elena Barenberg, the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player last year.
A demanding slate
The Black Bears open the season on August 12 at the University of Rhode Island before hosting Mercer University on August 20. Their conference slate will see them travel to face Vermont, New Hampshire, Bryant and UMBC, while welcoming Binghamton, UMass Lowell, NJIT and Albany to Orono.
Beyond the familiar rivals, Maine will also test itself against out‑of‑conference opponents such as Boston University, Central Florida, Oklahoma State, the University of Connecticut and others, a schedule designed to sharpen the team for the tournament run.
If the Black Bears can translate their regular‑season success into the postseason, they stand on the cusp of becoming only the second program in league history to win more than three consecutive tournament championships, a feat last achieved by Boston University from 2007 to 2011.