WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - The University of Hartford women's soccer team will take on Suffolk University on Saturday in the Conference of New England (CNE) Championship. The Hawks are looking to complete a three-peat after winning the championship in 2024 and 2025 previously.  

No. 1 University of Hartford Hawks (12-3-1 Overall, 8-2-0 CNE)
No. 2 Suffolk University Rams (11-2-4 Overall, 7-2-1 CNE)

Game Headlines:

• Hartford comes into the contest with a 3-1 overall record against the Rams with this being the first time the two teams will meet in the postseason. 
• Suffolk University have never hoisted a conference championship and this is the first time they will compete for a conference crown since 2013. 
• The Hawks will be looking to earn a NCAA Tournament bid for the second-consecutive season while also looking to complete their three-peat with each previous championship victory coming at Al-Marzook Field at Alumni Stadium. 

Hartford Headlines:

• The Hawks were well represented in the CNE All-Conference Teams released on Thursday afternoon claiming a conference-high nine selections. Hartford would have five first team all-conference choices, one second team selection and three third team representatives. Senior Mia Mangalji (Toronto, Ontario) and freshman Madelyn Nunnemacher (Sutton, Mass.) were both major award winners with Mangalji being named the CNE Defensive Player of the Year and Nunnemacher being named the CNE Goalkeeper of the Year. 
• Hartford's offense erupted for three goals on Tuesday night in the CNE Semifinal win over Gordon College with goals coming for sophomore Anastasia Nerney (Glocester, R.I.), freshman Taylor Freimuth (Terryville, Conn.) and freshman Olivia Fuimara (Trumbull, Conn.). Overall the Hawks have outscored opponents 41-13 this season. 
• Senior Kathleen Brush (Wethersfield, Conn.) will be the one to watch as the reigning CNE Tournament Most Valuable Player has totaled two goals and two assists in her four previous CNE Tournament games. Brush finished this year with eight goals and three assists and a team-leading four game-winners. Freimuth contributed 11 goals this season with a single assist and two game-winners. Fuimara is another Hawk to watch who has been in tremendous form scoring three goals in her last four games. 
• The Hartford midfield has been dominant all year with three All-Conference selections in the group. Senior Reese Sadler (Newington, Conn.) is the leader of the group ans the captain ended the regular season with three goals and three assists. Junior Angela Chávez (Glastonbury, Conn.) had a breakout year for the Hawks scoring two goals while dishing five assists all in CNE play. Most notably on Tuesday night Chávez had a goal-line clearance to keep the score at 2-0 at that point. Nerney who was the player of the game on Tuesday is up to three goals and seven assists on the year. The defense is led Nunnemacher  and Mangalji who were both deserving of their major award honors. Nunnemacher now sits 12-3 in her career as a goalkeeper and has seven shutouts on the year. Mangalji leads a stellar back line featuring three all-conference selections. 
• Head coach John Natale is looking to win his fourth conference title in his tenure and make his third NCAA tournament. Natale and the Hawks hold a 22-7-2 record at home in the past three seasons. 

Suffolk University Highlights:

• The Rams are in a Cinderella run as the school has made its first CNE title game in program-history. Head Coach Ellie McDougall was recently named the CNE Coach of the Year and has led Suffolk to six-straight wins. The Rams are also unbeaten this season on the road holding a 4-0-2 record away from East Boston. 
• Suffolk would earn five CNE All-Conference selections with Isa Peraza making the First Team, Avery Porter was selected to the second team and Olivia Sharkansky, Sinclaire Hart and Jaiden Wilds grabbed spots on the third team. 
• The Rams would outscore opponents 43-11 this season with eight shutouts as a team. The offense is led by Peraza who scored eight goals to go with nine assists so far this season. Sharkansky was next with 22 points and a team-best nine goals.
• Avery Porter leads the defense as the senior led the back line. Jaiden Wilds has been on a surreal run holding a 7-0-1 overall record with five shutouts to her name. Wilds has made 29 saves and has a 0.44 goals against average. 

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE OF NEW ENGLAND:
Originally founded in 1984 as the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), and reconstituted as the Conference of New England (CNE) in 2024, the CNE is an NCAA Division III athletic conference composed of 11 full member and five associate member institutions throughout the New England region. Its membership aims to provide student-athletes with a positive experience in their pursuit of excellence through high academic standards, quality competition, and a meaningful student life. The Conference administers championships in 21 intercollegiate sports.

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