Binghamton women’s soccer looks to build on recent success with 2023 signing class

VESTAL, N.Y. – Directly on the heels of the team’s regular season title and championship game appearance, Binghamton women’s soccer has fortified its team for 2023 and beyond by signing five recruits to National Letters of Intent.

America East Coach of the Year Neel Bhattacharjee announced the addition of Megan Baker (Jamesville, N.Y./Jamesville-DeWitt HS), Isabella Brown (Oreland, Pa./Springside Chestnut Hill Academy), Sophia Garofalo (Aberdeen, N.J./Matawan Regional HS), Rebecca Kessler (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood HS) and Paige Luke (Ilion, N.Y./Clinton HS).

“We are very excited to welcome these five young women into the Binghamton women’s soccer program,” Bhattacharjee said. “They display high character and coachability, a love for the game, a desire to compete, and will be outstanding fits to our overall team culture. Each of them will have a positive impact at Binghamton University in their pursuit of Excellence, Integrity and Service.”

The five newcomers will enhance a talented roster that is expected to return the majority of its starters and roster from this season’s 9-5-5 team that captured the America East regular season crown (6-1-1) and tied UNH in the championship game before being edged on penalty kicks.

See below for more on each recruit.

Graduation: 2023

Five-foot-5 forward from just up I-81 in Syracuse
Five-year starter for program that advanced to pair of state title games
School’s No. 2 all-time scorer with 93 career goals and 31 assists
Five-time all-league and two-time all-section honoree
All-Central New York and All-Section III Team selection
Captain of 2022 team and has 23 goals and 10 assists
Program won at 78% clip during her five years
Played eight years with Syracuse Development Academy
Member of U.S. Youth Soccer Eastern Regional Qualifier for two years
Played in the 2022 USYS National Championships
Also played basketball
National Honor Society and High Honor Roll member
Mom played college soccer at Villanova and sister played at Rochester

Graduation: 2023

Five-foot-3 midfielder from township outside of Philadelphia
Four-year letterwinner at three-time league champion private school
Program went 39-0-2 in league play during her four-year tenure (57-3-4 overall)
Led SCH to state championship in 2021 and are beginning 2022 playoff run
Starting center midfielder on Philadelphia Coppa Rage club team that are three-time USYS state champions
Member of two-time USYS Eastern Regional finalists
Led 2022 USYS team to 2022 national championship – first Philadelphia club team to win
Two-time ODP Region 1 Pool Member
Earned USYS National League Best XI season award in 2021-22
Won 2019 U.S. National Futsal Championship with five members of her club team
Selected for prestigious 2022 First Lieutenant Travis Manion & Corporal Michael Crescenz Award, given to two high-school-aged soccer players regionally who best exemplify the motto “If not me, then who…?”
Also competed in track and field
High Honor Roll student

Graduation: 2023

Five-foot-9 defender from borough in N.Y. Metro area
Four-year letterwinner at center back
Two-time all-conference selection
First team All-New England Conference in 2022
Member of Players Development Academy ECNL Blue
Helped lead team to ECNL national playoffs in 2021 and 2022
Member of National Honor Society

Graduation: 2023

Five-foot-6 goalkeeper from township in northern-central New Jersey
Four-year letterwinner
Frontrunner for 2022 New Jersey Goalkeeper of the Year
All-State selection as junior
Two-time all-county choice
This fall has 0.52 goals against average and 13 shutouts in 21 games
Recorded 10 shutouts in 2021 and in 2020, only allowed two goals all season
Led team to pair of N2G4 sectional titles and four sectional title game appearances
Member of Players Development Academy ECNL Blue
Helped lead team to 2019 ECNL national title and 2021 title game
Selected to ECNL Top XI National Playoff Team
High Honor Roll student every semester

Graduation: 2023

Five-foot-9 midfielder/forward from village two hours northeast of Binghamton
Four-year letterwinner at forward and midfield
Has 33 career goals, including 14 in senior season
Also has 21 career assists
Section III all-star and Offensive Team MVP in 2022
Two-time all-division selection
Helped lead Clinton to four straight conference titles and sectional finalist berth in 2021
Team had 45-3-1 combined record during 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons
Former high school teammate of current Bearcat Kaitlyn Williams
Played eight years with SDA ’04 Blasters, which captured three State Cups
Member of teams that won EDP Premier 1 title, U.S. Youth National League regional championship, Jeff Cup championship and PDA title
Standout member of track and cross country teams
Two-time all-star for sectional champion track team
Member of National Honor Society and Honor Roll
Sister Maddie plays at Bryant, so sisters will face each other as conference foes in 2023