LATHAM, N.Y. – The United East Conference has announced its 2026 Men's Soccer All-Conference Teams and Major Award Winners. A total of 40 student-athletes earned All-Conference recognition across three teams, while four major awards were presented following a vote by the conference's head coaches.

Penn State Abington claimed three of the four major awards, with Frankie Rafferty earning Player of the Year honors and Aramis Shire being named Defensive Player of the Year. Lancaster Bible College's Riley Bills was selected as Rookie of the Year, while the Penn State Abington coaching staff, led by head coach Pat Morris, was recognized as Coaching Staff of the Year.

Penn State Abington led all institutions with eight All-Conference selections, including five First Team honorees. St. Mary's College of Maryland followed with seven selections, while Penn College earned five.

2026 Men's Soccer Major Award Winners
Player of the Year – Frankie Rafferty, Penn State Abington
Defensive Player of the Year – Aramis Shire, Penn State Abington
Rookie of the Year – Riley Bills, Lancaster Bible College
Coaching Staff of the Year – Penn State Abington

Player of the Year – Frankie Rafferty, Penn State Abington

Penn State Abington junior Frankie Rafferty has been named the 2026 United East Men's Soccer Player of the Year following an outstanding offensive campaign for the Nittany Lions. Rafferty started all 21 games in which he appeared, recording 13 goals and four assists for a total of 30 points. He established himself as a consistent offensive threat throughout the season, registering three game-winning goals while putting 37 of his 54 shots on target.
Rafferty was particularly effective against conference opponents, scoring seven goals and adding two assists for 16 points in eight United East contests. He recorded two game-winning goals during conference play while putting 19 of his 27 shots on target. His offensive production played an instrumental role in Penn State Abington's perfect 8-0-0 conference regular season, helping the Nittany Lions secure the top seed in the United East Championship.

Defensive Player of the Year – Aramis Shire, Penn State Abington

Penn State Abington sophomore Aramis Shire has been named the 2026 United East Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Year following an outstanding season for the Nittany Lions. Shire started all 21 games in which he appeared, logging 1,686 minutes while serving as a key contributor to one of the conference's top defensive units. With Shire anchoring the back line, Penn State Abington surrendered just 21 goals in 21 contests, averaging 1.00 goal allowed per game. The Nittany Lions were particularly dominant defensively during conference play, allowing only three goals in eight United East matches while completing a perfect 8-0-0 conference regular season.

In addition to his defensive responsibilities, Shire proved to be a dynamic offensive threat, recording seven goals and six assists for 20 points on the season. He was particularly effective during conference play, scoring five goals and adding four assists for 14 points in eight United East contests. Shire also registered a game-winning goal against a conference opponent, showcasing his ability to make an impact on both ends of the field. His combination of defensive contributions and offensive production made him an integral part of Penn State Abington's success throughout the season.

Rookie of the Year – Riley Bills, Lancaster Bible College

Lancaster Bible College's Riley Bills has been named the 2026 United East Men's Soccer Rookie of the Year following an impressive debut season for the Chargers. Bills made an immediate impact in his first collegiate campaign, starting all 19 games in which he appeared while recording six goals and one assist for 13 points. The first-year midfielder logged 1,434 minutes on the field, establishing himself as a consistent presence in Lancaster Bible's lineup throughout the season.

Bills continued to make his presence felt during conference play, starting all eight United East contests while recording three goals and one assist for seven points. He finished the season with 42 shots, including 22 on goal, and registered one game-winning goal. His offensive contributions and ability to establish himself as a regular starter in his first collegiate season made him a key part of the Chargers' midfield throughout the 2026 campaign.

Coaching Staff of the Year – Penn State Abington

The Penn State Abington men's soccer coaching staff, led by head coach Pat Morris, has been named the 2026 United East Men's Soccer Coaching Staff of the Year following an outstanding campaign for the Nittany Lions. Morris and his staff guided Abington to a 13-4-4 overall record and a perfect 8-0-0 mark in conference play, securing the United East regular-season title and the top seed in the conference championship.

Under Morris' leadership, Penn State Abington established itself as one of the conference's most dominant teams on both ends of the field. The Nittany Lions scored 61 goals while surrendering just 21 throughout the season, averaging 2.90 goals per game. Abington was particularly impressive against United East opponents, outscoring its competition 38-3 across eight conference contests while averaging 4.75 goals per game.

2026 Men's Soccer First Team All-Conference

Name	Institution	Position
Frankie Rafferty	Penn State Abington	Forward
Alijah Miller	Cairn University	Forward
Nick Haney	St. Mary's College of Maryland	Forward
Athanasios Ziliaskopoulos	Notre Dame of Maryland	Forward
Zach Blaum	St. Mary's College of Maryland	Midfield
Amerr Yagoub	Penn State Abington	Midfield
Riley Bills	Lancaster Bible College	Midfield
Hugh Nungesser	Penn State Abington	Midfield
Aramis Shire	Penn State Abington	Defender
Tai Bhalla	Penn State Harrisburg	Defender
Martin Rasiwala	Notre Dame of Maryland	Defender
Will Watson	Penn College	Defender
Hector Ortiz	Penn State Abington	Goalkeeper

2026 Men's Soccer Second Team All-Conference

Name	Institution	Position
Aiden Cummings	Keystone College	Forward
Josiah Shamberger	Penn State Harrisburg	Forward
Lucas Evans	St. Mary's College of Maryland	Forward
Diego Diaz	Penn College	Midfield
Terridine Grant	Penn State Berks	Midfield
Tassilo Lehmkuhl	Notre Dame of Maryland	Midfield
Shane Lachawiec	Penn State Abington	Midfield
Jace Williams	Wilson College	Midfield
Tyler Foti	St. Mary's College of Maryland	Defender
Nick Lachawiec	Penn State Abington	Defender
Elijah Isett	St. Mary's College of Maryland	Defender
Shawn Dixon	Penn State Abington	Defender
Justin Boring	Penn College	Defender
Justin Crismale	Penn College	Goalkeeper

2026 Men's Soccer Third Team All-Conference

Name	Institution	Position
Matthew Kuwik	St. Mary's College of Maryland	Forward
Gabe Bormolini	Lancaster Bible College	Forward
Elijah Ejiofor	Cairn University	Forward
Zach Coryell	Lancaster Bible College	Midfield
Kristopher Lage	Penn State Harrisburg	Midfield
Marco Mazzola	St. Mary's College of Maryland	Midfield
Scott Goldfeder	Penn College	Midfield
Marcos Louzada	Keystone College	Defender
Nathan Kalapala	Cairn University	Defender
Joel Walker	Lancaster Bible College	Defender
Brian Zungia	Penn State Brandywine	Defender
Trey Magnaye	St. Mary's College of Maryland	Defender
Jimmy Shensky	Penn State Harrisburg	Goalkeeper