ROCK HILL, S.C. — Belmont Abbey junior defender Sarah Schumacher was named the South Atlantic Conference Defensive Player of the Year as the Crusaders had a program-best five student-athletes earn All-Conference honors Thursday by the league office.

Schumacher was named the Defensive Player of the Year and first team all-conference honors. Goalkeeper Lily Willard and forward Hailey Leatherman also earned spots on the first team while defender Cecilia Müller and midfielder Chloe Kiser were second team selections. These are the first all-conference honors for all five student-athletes and it is the most the program has had in team history.

Schumacher put together an outstanding regular season for Belmont Abbey, anchoring the Crusader backline while also contributing as one of their top offensive threats. The defender from Cologne, Germany started all 16 games, posting six goals and two assists and tallied two game-winning goals. She played a key role on penalty corners, while also serving as a dependable defender in critical match situations. She is the second Crusader in program history to earn Defensive Player of the Year after Chloe Parker earned the award in 2023.

Lily Willard was an integral part of the defensive unit for the Crusaders. In her first year as the starting goalkeeper, the redshirt junior from Coatesville, Pennsylvania earned seven wins and finished with a .722 save percentage. She additionally recorded two solo shutouts and made 14 starts with 15 appearances. She had six games with five or more saves, including two contests with double-digit saves.

Hailey Leatherman was a key part of the Crusader offensive attack, sharing the team lead in goals with Schumacher. The senior from Pine Beach, New Jersey started all 16 games for the Abbey had the go-ahead goal in wins against Lander and Converse. She finished with six goals and an assist over the course of the 2025 season.

Cecilia Müller was another valuable piece of the back line, starting in 13 games for the Crusaders this season. The senior defender from Santiago, Chile finished with two assists and part of a stingy defense that allowed just nine goals on 80 penalty corners defended.

Chloe Kiser was another key contributor for Belmont Abbey this season, leading the team with seven assists. She appeared in all 16 games and helped facilitate a Belmont Abbey attack that finished with 34 goals over the regular season. The sophomore from Chesapeake, Virginia, had a pair of two-assist games in wins over Wingate and Coker earlier this year.

The full all-conference teams can be found below.

No. 2 seed Belmont Abbey will face No. 3 seed Lander in the semifinals of the conference tournament at 5 p.m. Friday at Setzler Field in Newberry. Prior to the contest, the Crusaders will be recognized as all-conference honorees by the SAC in a pre-match ceremony.

Offensive Player of the Year
Parker Keeler, Newberry

Defensive Player of the Year
Sarah Schumacher, Belmont Abbey

Co-Freshman of the Year
Laela Brown, Wingate
Cayla Wiggins, Lincoln Memorial

Coach of the Year
Hannah Dave, Newberry

First Team
Parker Keeler, Newberry
Emma Westbrook, Newberry
Victoria Hulst, Lander
Payton Keeler, Newberry
Amparo Figueroa, Converse
Wibien Dahmen, Newberry
Laela Brown, Wingate
Olivia Bond, Lander
Sarah Schumacher, Belmont Abbey
Isabel Elenga, Lander
Lily Willard, Belmont Abbey
Hailey Leatherman, Belmont Abbey
Chelsy Bunse, Converse
Cayla Wiggins, Lincoln Memorial

Second Team
Amber Tozana, Newberry
Kilee Bradeen, Converse
Lieke Varenkamp, Newberry
Emma Hulsmeyer, Newberry
Erika Neuhoff, Wingate
Leira Van Tilburg, Lander
Ayanda Mangenah, Newberry
Sage Pilarski, Converse
Cecilia Müller, Belmont Abbey
Olivia Rosini, Lincoln Memorial
Chloe Kiser, Belmont Abbey
Kelcie Gannon, Coker
Makenna West, Wingate