The start of the semester is rapidly approaching at Montclair State University, and with that, the women’s soccer team is preparing for another season.
Back in 2025, the Red Hawks went nearly undefeated, winning 12 games, recording five draws, and suffering zero losses throughout the regular season. It was a dominant campaign led by forward Kylie Prendergast, who scored 14 goals for MSU over the course of last season.
The regular-season success was followed by an NJAC Championship and then an appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament, where Montclair State was ultimately defeated by Colby College, handing the Red Hawks their first loss of the entire season.
While Montclair saw lots of success in 2025, the Red Hawks will be losing two big names in 2026:
Kylie Prendergast, the senior forward who scored 14 goals in the 2025 season and 41 goals throughout her collegiate career, graduated in May, leaving her mark on the team’s history. Now, the Red Hawks will have to look for other goal scorers to step up.
Salange Bell, the starting goalkeeper for Montclair in 2025, has transferred to Valparaiso University. Bell was a key contributor, scoring the fourth penalty kick during the shootout to secure the Red Hawks’ NJAC Championship win over Rowan University.
So, who does Montclair turn to now?
At the goalkeeper position, Montclair currently has two options. Rising senior Maddie Schill played some minutes during the 2025 season against Penn State Berks and William Paterson and is a veteran goalkeeper who was part of the squad before Bell. Also on the squad is rising sophomore Nadya Doscher, who did not play during her freshman year but may get the opportunity this year to learn from Schill and become the starter.
Returning as head coach, Patrick Naughter will enter his 17th season in charge of the Red Hawks. During his tenure at Montclair State, he has found an incredible amount of success, including four NJAC Championships and eight NCAA Tournament appearances. The biggest challenge for Naughter this year may not be rebuilding the squad, but rather elevating the players who are currently on his squad or coming in as recruits to play at their best this season.
For a program with an established winning culture, the season expectations should fall no further than another NJAC Championship appearance and an NCAA Tournament appearance as well.
The season begins for Montclair on Tuesday, September 1, with a matchup against Penn State-Berks. This will be the second time these two teams have competed against each other. The last time the two teams met, Montclair State won 5-1. This will also be the home opener for the Red Hawks, and it will be a game that will tell us a lot about how the Red Hawks may do this season.
For the full Montclair State Women’s soccer schedule visit: https://montclairathletics.com/sports/womens-soccer/schedule/2026
