NEW YORK — Three Wildcats were recognized by the BIG EAST in its annual award announcement on Thursday morning. Ava Borkowski and Gemma Lysaght were each named to the All-BIG EAST First Team, while Colleen Finnan was part of the All-BIG EAST Second Team. 

The three nominations mark the most amount of players since 2024 to be named to a All-BIG EAST Team. Additionally, it is the first time since 2005 that Villanova has had two or more players named to the All-BIG EAST First Team. 

The selection marks the second straight season that Ava Borkowski has been named to the All-BIG EAST First Team. The graduate student was the focal point for Villanova's offense and set new career highs in goals, assists, points, shots, and shots on goal, in addition to tallying four BIG EAST Weekly Awards throughout the season. Her performance this season was highlighted by an eight-point performance against Queens in which she tallied four goals. She finished the regular season with 12 goals, two assists, 26 points, 44 shots and 29 shots on goal. 

She ranks atop Villanova in goals, points, and shots on goal, while each mark puts her inside the Top-10 in the BIG EAST for each statistic. Before postseason play begins, she sits tied for second in goals, third in points, fifth in shots and fourth in shots on goal. 

As for Lysaght, this marks her third straight season being named to an All-BIG EAST Team, but it is her first selection to the First Team. Like Borkowski, Lysaght set new career highs in goals, points, shots, and shots on goal, as well as collecting three BIG EAST Weekly Awards. 

During the season, she finished second on the team in points, which included a career-best eight goals and eight assists. The senior had a key performance against La Salle, where she tallied ten points off four goals and two assists to earn BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week. She heads into the BIG EAST Tournament sitting second among the BIG EAST in shots, tied for 11th in goals, tied for sixth in shots on goal, fifth in assists, and fourth in points. 

For Finnan, it marks her first selection to an All-BIG EAST Team following a strong surge offensively to close out the season. The hot streak had the senior collect four straight Weekly Honor Roll nods, only the sixth player in program history to be named to the Honor Roll four times in one season. In addition to being the first player in program history with four straight nominations.

The Forward tallied a new career high of nine goals and 22 points this season, which included a four-game scoring streak late in the season. Finnan had several key performances throughout the year that were capped off by scoring the game-winner against Providence to help Villanova make the BIG EAST Tournament. 

Finnan now sits second on VU in goals and third in points while she sits in the Top-10 in several categories across the BIG EAST. She currently ranks fifth in goals, seventh in points, ninth in shots on goal and eighth in total shots. 

All three players, along with the entire Villanova Field Hockey Team, will now shift their focus to the BIG EAST Tournament as they face the one-seeded UConn Huskies on Friday, November 6 at 1 p.m. from Howarth Field at Temple. For more information, please check out the Villanova Athletics Website. 

2026 BIG EAST Field Hockey Honors

BIG EAST Co-Offensive Players of the Year
Josefina Tomasi, Liberty, Jr., F
Lucy Zich, UConn, Fr., F


BIG EAST Co-Midfielders of the Year
Clarisa Iudicello, Liberty, Fr., M
Bo Martina, Providence, Sr., M

BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
Serena Langendoen, Old Dominion, Jr., D 

BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year
Natalie McKenna, UConn, Sr., GK

BIG EAST Freshman of the Year
Lucy Zich, UConn, Fr., F

BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year
UConn *

All-BIG EAST First Team
Natalie McKenna, UConn, Sr., GK
Fien Hollander, UConn, Jr., D
Olivia McKenna, UConn, Sr., M
Lucy Zich, UConn, Fr., F *
Julieta Tornati, Liberty, So., D
Clarisa Iudicello, Liberty, Fr., M
Josefina Tomasi, Liberty, Jr., F
Serena Langendoen, Old Dominion, Jr., D *
Bo Martina, Providence, Sr., M
Lucia Magro, Temple, So., M
Gemma Lysaght, Villanova, Sr., D
Ava Borkowski, Villanova, Gr., F


All-BIG EAST Second Team
Maya Everett, UConn, Sr., D/M
Elena Perez Alejandro, Georgetown, Sr., M
Mia Santana, Liberty, So., M
Paris-Gail Isaacs, Liberty, So., M
Sofia Marciano, Old Dominion, Jr., M
Josie Painter, Old Dominion, Jr., F
Ava Porter, Providence, So., GK
Carly van Benten, Providence, Sr., F
Lily Procaccianti, Providence, Sr., F
Lonneke Kerkhof, Temple, So., D
Colleen Finnan, Villanova, Sr., F

*denotes unanimous selection