With a 2-1 win over third-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson University on Sunday, November 10, Howard University’s Women’s Soccer Team (11-4-5) clinched its first-ever Northeast Conference (NEC) title, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Soccer Tournament. The team faced top-seeded Duke University (14-2-1) in the first round on November 15.  

The NCAA tournament appearance is just one several highlights of a stellar season for the Bison, who earned all but one of the NEC’s 2024 Women’s Soccer Awards: Defensive Player of the Year junior Rachel Suttle; Midfielder of the Year sophomore Samantha James; Goalkeeper of the Year sophomore Trinity Knox; Rookie of the Year freshman Gabriella Garcia-Terrell; and Coach of the Year Brent Leiba. The team is also led by senior striker Melea Earley, who was named the Northeast Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player.  

“I am immensely proud of the way these ladies have played all season,” said Brent Leiba, head coach of the women’s soccer team for the last 15 years.  

In 2014 - the team’s first season in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) - Leiba coached the Bison to regular season and tournament champions, beginning an impressive run of three SWAC regular season championships, three SWAC Tournament championships and two NCAA appearances over a six-year span. The 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19, and, in 2021, the University’s men’s and women’s soccer teams joined the NEC along with the women’s lacrosse and golf teams.  

The soccer team reaching the top of the NEC just three seasons since joining speaks volumes about the quality of student athletes within the program, said Leiba, whose father, Trevor, was the starting goalkeeper for Howard University’s men’s historic soccer team that, in 1974, went 19-0 and became the only HBCU to win an NCAA title.  

“It’s been a lot of hard work and it’s nice to get back to this level of success,” Leiba said. “Howard University is a phenomenal academic institution and now people can see yet again that our athletics programs are just as impressive. It’s an exciting time to be a Bison right now.” 

Team captain Melea Earley agreed with Leiba. 

“This is a once and lifetime opportunity and I’m so happy to be doing this with my teammates,” said Earley, who earned NEC All-Rookie honors during her freshman year in 2021. Admittedly, the California native wasn’t sure if she even wanted to play soccer on the college level, but now understands that leading the team to the NCAA Tournament can raise Howard athletics’ profile.  

“Howard may not be viewed as a top contender by some, but if we play hard and compete with Duke, we absolutely can win this game,” Earley said. “Winning at this level will allow us to make an impact by showing other young ladies who look like us that they can win here. It would be amazing to put Howard on the map like that.” 

More news:

• Fox 5 Washington | Howard women’s soccer wins first NEC championship; set to face Duke in NCAA Tournament
• WUSA CBS 9 Washington | Howard women's soccer to face Duke in NCAA tournament in quest to continue historic season
• WTOP | Howard U. women’s soccer team wins first NEC Tournament, heads to NCAA’s
• Afro | Howard women’s soccer wins first NEC conference title, qualifies for NCAA tournament