MARLBOROUGH, Mass. — 

Ellie Millner (Woodbridge, Va.) of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy women's soccer team was revealed as a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Second Team All-Conference selection on Thursday in recognition of her stellar freshman season. Honorees are selected alongside major award winners by the league's 12 coaches following the conclusion of regular season play.

"We are incredibly proud of Ellie for earning All-Conference recognition. It's an exceptional achievement, especially for a freshman," says Coast Guard Head Women's Soccer Coach Susan Grant. "It's well-deserved and reflects Ellie's consistent hard work, dedication, and impact throughout the season."

Millner tallied five points in her debut campaign by scoring two goals and recording an assist. Both of those goals were game-winners, with the first coming as the opening score of the Bears' 2-0 victory over DeSales University on September 6th, the team's first win of the year; the second ended up being the lone goal in Coast Guard's 1-0 defeat of Salve Regina University on October 22nd, which claimed a crucial NEWMAC win that moved the Bears up the league table late in the season.

The freshman also established herself as one of the conference's most versatile athletes. "Ellie was asked to play three different positions at different points in the season due to team needs and injuries to regular starters" says Grant, "but she excelled in every role and held a team-first attitude." Millner is a primary midfielder, but she was known to be placed at forward when the team needed a spark. She also saw considerable time on the back line as the season wound down due to multiple Bears defenders falling victim to injuries.

It's a historic feat for Millner, who is just the second freshman in Coast Guard women's soccer history to earn All-NEWMAC honors. She joins program great Olivia Grant '04 in that regard, whose 2000 season resulted in her being the first award honoree in program history. Millner is also the first Bear to make the All-Conference lists since Karagan Bulger '24 did it in 2022.

"Ellie had an exceptional freshman season, and we're excited to see how she impacts the team over her next three years at the Academy," says Grant.