PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Few individuals have made their mark on Little East Conference (LEC) women’s soccer in as many ways as Amy Zombeck. From an All-America playing career at Keene State College to more than two decades leading the women’s soccer program at UMass Boston, Zombeck’s connection to the LEC has spanned generations.
Her accomplishments as a student-athlete ultimately earned her induction into the Little East Conference Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2023.
A STANDOUT CAREER AT KEENE STATE
Zombeck established herself as one of the top players in Keene State women’s soccer history during the late 1990s, helping the Owls make an immediate impact after becoming a full member of the Little East Conference for the 1997-98 academic year.
A midfielder, Zombeck earned First Team All-LEC and National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Region honors in each of her two seasons competing in the conference. Her career reached another level during her senior season in 1998, when she scored 18 goals and added five assists for 41 points on her way to being named the LEC Player of the Year.
Her performance also earned recognition on the national stage. Zombeck was named First Team All-Region and Second Team All-America by the NSCAA in 1998, placing her among the premier players in NCAA Division III women’s soccer.
Despite playing just three seasons at Keene State, Zombeck finished her career with 107 points on 42 goals and 23 assists. At the time of her LEC Hall of Fame induction, her 107 points and 42 goals each ranked fourth in program history, while her 23 assists were tied for 11th.
Her accomplishments earned her a place in the Keene State College Athletics/Alumni Hall of Fame in 2015 before she was selected for induction into the LEC Hall of Fame eight years later.
FROM PLAYER TO COACH
Zombeck’s impact on Keene State women’s soccer continued after her playing career ended. Following her graduation in 1999, she spent four years as an assistant coach with the Owls before eventually taking over as head coach of a familiar LEC opponent, UMass Boston.
When Zombeck took charge of the Beacons in 2005, she inherited a program that had struggled to establish itself within the conference. UMass Boston had not posted a winning season since the program began competing in 1995 and had never won more than one LEC contest in a season prior to her arrival.
Over the next two decades, Zombeck helped transform the Beacons into a consistent conference contender.
BUILDING A CHAMPIONSHIP PROGRAM IN BOSTON
By the end of the 2000s, UMass Boston was consistently in contention for the LEC regular season and tournament championships. The Beacons won 14 games in three consecutive seasons from 2009-11, posting an overall record of 42-19-7. UMass Boston advanced to the LEC semifinals in each of those years, went to the conference title match for the first time in program history in 2010, and advanced to the ECAC New England Division III semifinals in 2010 and 2011.
In 2012, Zombeck guided UMass Boston to an 18-3-0 overall record and 6-1-0 mark in conference play. The Beacons captured both the LEC regular-season and tournament championships, the first in program history, and made their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship.
UMass Boston followed with LEC regular-season championships in 2013 and 2014, further establishing the program among the conference’s best.Another milestone season came in 2019. The Beacons went 19-3-1 overall and 7-0-1 in LEC play, capturing both the conference regular-season and tournament championships and returning to the NCAA Division III Championship.
Under Zombeck, UMass Boston has won four LEC regular-season titles and two conference tournament championships. She has also been named LEC Coach of the Year three times and became the winningest head coach in UMass Boston women’s soccer history.
Her influence has extended beyond wins and championships. During her tenure, Zombeck has coached numerous All-LEC and All-Region selections along with conference major award winners and an All-American, helping establish a standard of individual and team success that had not existed within the program before her arrival.
A CAREER DEFINED BY THE LITTLE EAST
Zombeck’s career provides a unique connection between two eras and two of the Little East’s women’s soccer programs.
She first made her mark as one of the conference’s premier student-athletes at Keene State, earning LEC Player of the Year and All-America honors before eventually earning induction into both the Keene State and Little East Conference halls of fame.
Zombeck then built a second chapter from the sideline, turning UMass Boston into a championship program and becoming the winningest coach in its history. She entered her 21st season guiding the Beacons with a career record of 201-158-46, and recorded her milestone 200th career victory with a 3-0 decision over Plymouth State October 25, 2025.
From standout student-athlete to championship-winning coach, Zombeck’s two-decade-plus career association with the Little East Conference has left an indelible mark on LEC women’s soccer history.
LEC 40th Anniversary
The Little East Conference is celebrating its 40th anniversary during the 2026-27 academic year with its “LEC 40 for 40 Series,” featuring 40 installments highlighting the people, programs and moments that have helped shape the conference’s history.