IWLCA Names 2026 Division III Players of the Year

Four student-athletes honored
By IWLCA Admin, 5-26-26, 3:30pm ET


Photo courtesy of IWLCA Admin.

IWLCA Names 2026 Division III Players of the Year

Four student-athletes honored

NORTHBOROUGH, MASS. – The IWLCA has named four All-Americans from Division III as positional Players of the Year. The Division’s selection committee has also chosen one of the positional honorees as the Player of the Year.

DIVISION III

Division III Player of the Year

Caroline

Adams

Middlebury College

Senior

Division III Positional Players of the Year

Attacker of the Year

Caroline

Adams

Middlebury College

Senior

Midfielder of the Year

Lindsey

Diomede

Wesleyan University

Senior

Defender of the Year

Caroline

Messer

Middlebury College

Senior

Goalkeeper of the Year

Izzy

Weintraub

Wesleyan University

Senior


Caroline Adams earns Division III Attacker and Player of the Year honors after a terrific outing this season. A three-time All-American and First-Team selection this spring, the senior became the fourth Panther in a row to nab NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year honors. She is also the fifth-straight Panther to be tabbed the IWLCA Player and Attacker of the Year, joining Jane Earley (2022, 2023) and Hope Shue (2024, 2025). The all-conference first team honoree paced Middlebury in goals (72), assists (45), points (117) and draw controls (124). She spearheaded the league in points and markers and slots eighth nationally in total points. Adams has been efficient from the eight-meter arc, ranking 12th across Division III in free-position tallies per game (0.91) and eighth in free-position percentage (.724). She became the first Panther to eclipse 400 career draw controls and finished her senior year with 473. Adams was named an IWLCA Offensive Player of the Week twice this season as well as the NESCAC Player of the Week on two occasions.

Lindsey Diomede broke out in 2026 with the best single-season performance of any Wesleyan defensive player in program history. The senior midfielder has shattered the single-season team records in both caused turnovers (84) and ground balls (67) while adding 54 draw controls and 14 points. She has at least two caused turnovers in 20-of-23 games this season. Heading into the Final Four, Diomede had been named the IWLCA Defensive Player of the Week two weeks straight.

Caroline Messer claims this year’s Defender of the Year honors after anchoring one of the nation’s stingiest scoring defenses, which surrendered just 5.17 goals per contest this season. Messer headlines her program with 59 ground balls and 47 caused turnovers, as both totals rank second in Middlebury’s single-season record books. Her rate of 2.04 induced cough-ups per game slots fourth in the NESCAC. The All-American, All-Region and All-NESCAC First-Team selection has also contributed 24 draw controls this season. Messer was named an IWLCA Defensive Player of the Week on May 5.

Izzy Weintraub, now a three-time All-American, graduates as one of the most-decorated Cardinals in program history. A stalwart in the cage for Wesleyan all four years, Weintraub had the best season of her career in 2026. Through 23 games, Weintraub holds a 5.98 goals against average and .526 save percentage, both of which are the best single-season numbers of her career. She has started 64 consecutive games for Wesleyan and helped lead the Cardinals to their first NCAA Championship game appearance.