11/6/2026 1:02:00 PM | Women's Soccer
LYNCHBURG, Va. – No. 1 Liberty was recognized with 12 individuals in the 2026 Conference USA Postseason Awards, the conference announced Tuesday. Headlining the honors were Player of the Year, Halle Engle, Defensive Player of the Year, Lauren Littleton, Goalkeeper of the Year, Ainsley Leja and Coach of the Year, Lang Wedemeyer.
Each of the superlative award winners was automatically selected to the All-Conference first team. In addition, the All-Conference second team consisted of three midfielders, Avenley Monteith, Haley Noblit and Isabella Wedemeyer and two defenders, Sallie Garner and Avery Paulson. The All-Conference third team featured forward Margaret Garner and defender Maddyson Kerley. Audrey Heustis was named to the All-Freshman team.
Liberty led all teams with the most individuals recognized, the most superlative awards and the most on the All-Conference second team. From Liberty's most used starting lineup, only one was left off the All-Conference team. Liberty's full midfield and back line were selected after giving up just a single goal in CUSA action.
Engle receives her first Player of the Year selection and Liberty's second in as many seasons (Ivy Garner). Littleton has now been selected the Defensive Player of the Year in consecutive seasons. Leja takes home her second CUSA Goalkeeper of the Year (2023) and her third conference Goalkeeper of the Year honor (ASUN, 2022).
Wedemeyer wins his first CUSA Coach of the Year honor after leading Liberty to a 14-2-2 (7-0-1 CUSA) record and the 2026 CUSA Regular Season Championship. He adds his third Coach of the Year (ASUN, 2021, 2022) while helming Liberty and his sixth overall (2001 North Central Conference, 2013/14 Summit League) when he led South Dakota State.
No. 1 Liberty seeks to defend its 2025 CUSA title at the 2026 Conference USA Women's Soccer Championships in Newark, Del., beginning on Sunday. Liberty (14-2-2, 7-0-1 CUSA) opens the tournament at 4:30 p.m., taking on Sam Houston (5-5-7, 1-3-4 CUSA). All games at the 2026 CUSA Championship will be broadcast live on ESPN+ with tickets found at BlueHens.com.
Halle Engle, CUSA Player of the Year
Lauren Littleton, CUSA Defensive Player of the Year
Ainsley Leja, CUSA Goalkeeper of the Year
Lang Wedemeyer, CUSA Coach of the Year
2026 Conference USA Postseason Awards
Player of the Year
Halle Engle, Liberty
Offensive Player of the Year
Anabel Orozco, Kennesaw State
Midfielder of the Year
Anabel Orozco, Kennesaw State
Defensive Player of the Year
Lauren Littleton, Liberty
Goalkeeper of the Year
Ainsley Leja, Liberty
Freshman of the Year
Ania Denham, MTSU
Coach of the Year
Lang Wedemeyer, Liberty
First Team All-Conference
F: Maggie Groh, Delaware
F: Halle Engle, Liberty
F: Ania Denham, MTSU
F: Makenna Egan, WKU
MF: Gabby Riley, Delaware
MF: Anabel Orozco, Kennesaw State
MF: Hannah Murphy, MTSU
D: Calista Collins, Delaware
D: Lauren Littleton, Liberty
D: Abby Wiedermann, WKU
GK: Ainsley Leja, Liberty
Second Team All-Conference
F: Adiat Olaogun-Dickson, Delaware
F: Mariana Barreto, FIU
F: Emma Reeder, Jax State
F: Danielle Lewin, WKU
MF: Avenley Monteith, Liberty
MF: Haley Noblit, Liberty
MF: Isabella Wedemeyer, Liberty
D: Madeline Oliver, FIU
D: Sallie Garner, Liberty
D: Avery Paulson, Liberty
GK: Mia Riddick, WKU
Third Team All-Conference
F: Taisiya Reid, Delaware
F: Margaret Garner, Liberty
F: Lillie Rasmussen, Missouri State
MF: Yuzu Tanida, FIU
MF: Ellie Neath, Missouri State
MF: Georgia Liapis, WKU
MF: Alyvia Walls, WKU
D: Maddyson Kerley, Liberty
D: Kendall Petoskey, Missouri State
D: Maggie Bellair, WKU
GK: Valery Restrepo, FIU
All-Freshman Team
Madeline Oliver, FIU
Yuzu Tanida, FIU
Nerina Waldhart, Jax State
Sian Kellier, Kennesaw State
Aaliyah McDiarmid, Kennesaw State
Audrey Heustis, Liberty
Ania Denham, MTSU
Filucca Daugaard, NM State
Zoey Gist, NM State
Tyler Roth, WKU
Reagan Thompson, WKU
Each of the superlative award winners was automatically selected to the All-Conference first team. In addition, the All-Conference second team consisted of three midfielders, Avenley Monteith, Haley Noblit and Isabella Wedemeyer and two defenders, Sallie Garner and Avery Paulson. The All-Conference third team featured forward Margaret Garner and defender Maddyson Kerley. Audrey Heustis was named to the All-Freshman team.
Liberty led all teams with the most individuals recognized, the most superlative awards and the most on the All-Conference second team. From Liberty's most used starting lineup, only one was left off the All-Conference team. Liberty's full midfield and back line were selected after giving up just a single goal in CUSA action.
Engle receives her first Player of the Year selection and Liberty's second in as many seasons (Ivy Garner). Littleton has now been selected the Defensive Player of the Year in consecutive seasons. Leja takes home her second CUSA Goalkeeper of the Year (2023) and her third conference Goalkeeper of the Year honor (ASUN, 2022).
Wedemeyer wins his first CUSA Coach of the Year honor after leading Liberty to a 14-2-2 (7-0-1 CUSA) record and the 2026 CUSA Regular Season Championship. He adds his third Coach of the Year (ASUN, 2021, 2022) while helming Liberty and his sixth overall (2001 North Central Conference, 2013/14 Summit League) when he led South Dakota State.
No. 1 Liberty seeks to defend its 2025 CUSA title at the 2026 Conference USA Women's Soccer Championships in Newark, Del., beginning on Sunday. Liberty (14-2-2, 7-0-1 CUSA) opens the tournament at 4:30 p.m., taking on Sam Houston (5-5-7, 1-3-4 CUSA). All games at the 2026 CUSA Championship will be broadcast live on ESPN+ with tickets found at BlueHens.com.
Halle Engle, CUSA Player of the Year
- Led Liberty with seven goals and 17 points
- Recorded three goals and three assists (nine points) in CUSA play
- Led CUSA with five game-winning goals (tied with MTSU's Ania Denham)
- Started all 18 games, playing over 1000 minutes
- Registered 51 shots with 29 on goal
- Ranks within top-10 of active Divion l athletes with 13 career game-winning goals
- Among the top-three in program history with 29 career goals (third), 77 points (third), game-winning goals (third)
- Also named on the 2026 CUSA All-Academic team, her third consecutive selection
Lauren Littleton, CUSA Defensive Player of the Year
- Led a Liberty back line that allowed a single goal in eight CUSA contests
- Liberty defense leads Division I (tied with Auburn and Villanova) with 12 shutouts
- Held opponents to five shots and two shots on goal or fewer in eight contests, five in CUSA play
- Team is currently on a stretch of six consecutive shutouts, not allowing a goal in the last 550 minutes of play
- Started 16 games, playing over 1,400 minutes with 15 90-minute performances
- Two-time CUSA Defensive Player of the Week this season (Oct. 20, Nov. 3)
- Prior to the season, was named the CUSA Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
- Receives the CUSA Defensive Player of the Year nod in back-to-back seasons; was also the 2025 CUSA Championship Defensive MVP
Ainsley Leja, CUSA Goalkeeper of the Year
- Recorded career-best averages of a 0.45 goals-against average (GAA) and a .868 save percentage
- Earned eight shutouts, contributing to 12 throughout the season
- Allowed seven goals on 130 shots faced with 46 saves
- Played in all 18 games with 15 starts and over 1,400 minutes recorded
- Currently ranks No. 1 in career GAA (0.63) among active Division I goalkeepers
- Ranks No. 3 (tied) among active Division I goalkeepers with 29 career shutouts
- Receives third Conference Goalkeeper of the Year honor (ASUN 2022, CUSA 2023/2026)
- Leads Liberty goalkeepers all-time in career GAA (0.63)
Lang Wedemeyer, CUSA Coach of the Year
- Led Liberty to a 14-2-2 (7-0-1 CUSA) record, securing the 2026 CUSA Regular Season Championship; Liberty's winning percentage (.833) ranks as the seventh-best in Division l
- The Lady Flames lead Division I (tied with Auburn and Villanova) with 12 shutouts
- Liberty is currently on a 13-game unbeaten streak (12-0-1). Its last loss this season was a 2-0 loss at Pitt (Aug. 27)
- Liberty is currently on a stretch of six consecutive shutouts, not allowing a goal in the last 550 minutes of play
- Earned six straight CUSA Defensive Player of the Week awards, marking the first time in CUSA history a team has been honored with the same award in six consecutive weeks
- Recorded a perfect 9-0 home record at Osborne Stadium
- Earned his first CUSA Coach of the Year nod and the sixth Coach of the Year honor in his career between South Dakota State and Liberty
- Liberty (14-2-2, .833) is on pace for one of its best seasons in program history. Under Wedemeyer, the Lady Flames' best season was in 2023, when Liberty compiled a 16-3-1 (.825) record on the way to its first CUSA Championship title
2026 Conference USA Postseason Awards
Player of the Year
Halle Engle, Liberty
Offensive Player of the Year
Anabel Orozco, Kennesaw State
Midfielder of the Year
Anabel Orozco, Kennesaw State
Defensive Player of the Year
Lauren Littleton, Liberty
Goalkeeper of the Year
Ainsley Leja, Liberty
Freshman of the Year
Ania Denham, MTSU
Coach of the Year
Lang Wedemeyer, Liberty
First Team All-Conference
F: Maggie Groh, Delaware
F: Halle Engle, Liberty
F: Ania Denham, MTSU
F: Makenna Egan, WKU
MF: Gabby Riley, Delaware
MF: Anabel Orozco, Kennesaw State
MF: Hannah Murphy, MTSU
D: Calista Collins, Delaware
D: Lauren Littleton, Liberty
D: Abby Wiedermann, WKU
GK: Ainsley Leja, Liberty
Second Team All-Conference
F: Adiat Olaogun-Dickson, Delaware
F: Mariana Barreto, FIU
F: Emma Reeder, Jax State
F: Danielle Lewin, WKU
MF: Avenley Monteith, Liberty
MF: Haley Noblit, Liberty
MF: Isabella Wedemeyer, Liberty
D: Madeline Oliver, FIU
D: Sallie Garner, Liberty
D: Avery Paulson, Liberty
GK: Mia Riddick, WKU
Third Team All-Conference
F: Taisiya Reid, Delaware
F: Margaret Garner, Liberty
F: Lillie Rasmussen, Missouri State
MF: Yuzu Tanida, FIU
MF: Ellie Neath, Missouri State
MF: Georgia Liapis, WKU
MF: Alyvia Walls, WKU
D: Maddyson Kerley, Liberty
D: Kendall Petoskey, Missouri State
D: Maggie Bellair, WKU
GK: Valery Restrepo, FIU
All-Freshman Team
Madeline Oliver, FIU
Yuzu Tanida, FIU
Nerina Waldhart, Jax State
Sian Kellier, Kennesaw State
Aaliyah McDiarmid, Kennesaw State
Audrey Heustis, Liberty
Ania Denham, MTSU
Filucca Daugaard, NM State
Zoey Gist, NM State
Tyler Roth, WKU
Reagan Thompson, WKU
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