Monmouth University’s women’s soccer side heads into the 2026 campaign with clear recognition of its talent after senior midfielder Chloe Messer and junior defender Grace Notarfrancesco were named to the All‑CAA preseason squad by the conference.
Preseason plaudits reflect ground made under coach
The selections, announced by the Colonial Athletic Association on Monday, underline the expectations around a Monmouth side that was picked to finish second in the CAA North Division in the coaches’ preseason poll. Messer and Notarfrancesco join two team-mates listed as preseason honourable mentions—senior midfielder Emily De Almeida and forward Ashley Lavrich—as the Hawks prepare for another competitive run.
Messer earns her first career preseason recognition after securing All‑CAA First Team honours following the 2025 season. The Jackson, New Jersey, native contributed three goals last season, including consecutive game‑winners against Drexel and Hofstra, and has made 49 appearances across her three years in West Long Branch, registering nine career points.
“Messer’s pace and eye for a decisive goal have been important to Monmouth’s midfield,” reads the conference release announcing the team selections.
Notarfrancesco has been a consistent presence in the Hawks’ back line since her arrival, starting all 38 team games over two seasons. The Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, defender was a 2025 All‑CAA Second Team selection and was second on the team in minutes last season, completing every 90 minutes in 14 matches and helping Monmouth record seven shutouts.
Supporting cast recognised
Monmouth’s supporting cast also received acknowledgement. Senior Emily De Almeida earned preseason honourable mention after starting all 18 games in 2025, scoring three goals and bagging the game‑winner at Towson on 12 October. Forward Ashley Lavrich, the 2024 CAA Rookie of the Year and a 2025 All‑CAA Third Team pick, joins De Almeida as an honourable mention after a season in which she scored three goals and set up six more—that total the team high for assists.
- All‑CAA preseason selections: Chloe Messer (First team preseason), Grace Notarfrancesco (First team preseason)
- Honourable mentions: Emily De Almeida, Ashley Lavrich
- Coaches’ poll: Monmouth picked second in CAA North Division
The conference poll, voted on by the 12 CAA head coaches, put Stony Brook top of the North Division by a single point, with Monmouth close behind. In the South, reigning champions Elon were narrowly favoured to lead again.
| North Division (First‑place votes) | Points |
|---|---|
| Stony Brook (6) | 59 |
| Monmouth (6) | 58 |
| Hofstra | 44 |
What this means for Monmouth
The preseason recognitions and poll placing will do much to sharpen focus around the Hawks as they approach the season. Such honours are a barometer of the squad’s depth and continuity—Messer’s established creativity in midfield and Notarfrancesco’s reliability at the back give Monmouth a spine on which to build.
Local supporters—students, alumni and followers of Monmouth football—will hope the momentum from last season’s run to the CAA Championship game carries through. With key performers returning and younger players stepping up, the club appear positioned to contest at the top of the North Division once more.
Match dates and the full season schedule will determine how these preseason expectations translate on the pitch, yet for now the selection of Messer and Notarfrancesco provides a clear signal: Monmouth possesses recognised performers capable of influencing outcomes in tight conference contests.
