HADLEY, Mass. – The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) announced its women's basketball awards for the 2025-26 season on Wednesday, and Connecticut College first year Sofia Tavarez (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.) took home one of the top honors.

Tavarez was selected as NESCAC Rookie of the Year—just the second Camel to ever earn the distinction—and also landed a spot on the All-NESCAC Second Team. She becomes the first Conn rookie to ever earn all-league honors, and is the program's first all-league selection since 2019. All awards were determined by a vote of the league's head coaches.

Tavarez played in all 25 games and made six starts in her debut season with the Camels. She led the team and ranked third in the NESCAC in scoring at 15.2 points per game, and she also paced Conn in assists (66) and steals (34) for the season.

One of the top point guards in the NESCAC, Tavarez scored in double figures in 19 of 25 games and netted 20 points or more in seven. She tallied a season-high 31 points against both Wesleyan and Bates, and was the only player in the conference to record multiple 30-point games.

Tavarez helped lead the Camels back to the NESCAC Championship for the first time since 2022. She finished with 13 points, three rebounds and three assists as sixth-seeded Conn fell by a 77-55 final at third-seeded Amherst.

Conn finished the season with an overall record of 14-11, the most wins for the program since the 2017-18 season. The Camels also finished tied for fourth place in the NESCAC standings with a 5-5 record, the most league wins since 2015-16.

2026 NESCAC Women's Basketball Awards

Player of the Year: Elsa Daulerio, Bates
Defensive Player of the Year: Elsa Daulerio, Bates
Rookie of the Year: Sofia Tavarez, Conn. College
Coaching Staff of the Year: Bates College (Alison Montgomery, Jackie Luckhardt, Jack Stannard, Mike Seltzer)

All-NESCAC First Team
C, Elsa Daulerio, Bates, Sr., Harpswell, Maine
G, Kendall Harris, Hamilton, Jr., Chapel Hill, N.C.
G, Sarah Hughes, Bates, Sr., Rumson, N.J.
G, Grace Kinum, Bowdoin, So., New Providence, N.J.
G, Kate Olenik, Colby, Jr., Medfield, Mass.
F, Abbie Quinn, Bowdoin, Jr., Bangor, Maine
G, Micah Walton, Williams, So., Austin, Texas

All-NESCAC Second Team
F, Taylor Lambo, Hamilton, Sr., Watertown, Mass.
G, Avery Marzo, Trinity, Jr., Shrewsbury, Mass.
G, Annie McCarthy, Amherst, Sr., Medfield, Mass.
G, Laura Mendell, Amherst, Sr., Westport, Mass.
G, Olivia Quinn, Wesleyan, Sr., Franklin, Mass.
C, Marlo Simms, Trinity, Jr., Decatur, Ga.
F, Kathleen Smith, Williams, Jr., Plaistow, N.H.
G, Sofia Tavarez, Conn. College, Fy. Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.