BIG EAST Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll: Georgetown voted as unanimous favorite

NEW YORK – For the second straight year, Georgetown received all 10 first-place votes and 100 points to sit atop the 2024 BIG EAST Preseason Women’s Soccer Coaches’ Poll. The Hoyas head into the season as defending conference champs after defeating Xavier to earn their fourth straight BIG EAST title.

The UConn Huskies, who received one first-place vote and 91 points to earn the second spot in the preseason poll, finished last year with a 6-1-3 record in conference play. Xavier took the third spot with 72 points, followed by Butler (70) and Providence (66) in fourth and fifth place, respectively. St. John’s recorded 57 points for sixth, Creighton tallied 44 points for seventh and Seton Hall closely followed for eighth with 43 points. Marquette and Villanova earned 22 points to tie for ninth, while DePaul rounded out the poll with 19 points for last place.

Reigning BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year, Seton Hall senior midfielder Natalie Tavana was named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Xavier junior defender Natalie Bain earned Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors, while UConn graduate student goalkeeper Kaitlyn Mahoney rounded out the major awards as Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year.

Tavana, Bain and Mahoney were voted to the 13-member Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. They were joined by Butler graduate student forward Abigail Isger, graduate student defender Caitlin O’Malley and junior midfielder Talia Sommer, Creighton Azumi Manriki, Georgetown junior Natalie Means and senior midfielder Eliza Turner, Providence sophomore forward Kayla Briggs, UConn graduate student defender Lucy Cappadona and junior forward Chioma Okafor, and Xavier junior goalkeeper Maria Galley.

Tavana enters senior year after leading the conference with 12 goals to go with two assists for 26 points last season. Her 26 points rank fourth at Seton Hall in single season points. She scored the team’s first hat trick since 2006 with three goals against Binghamton. Tavana was the Pirates’ second-ever BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year honoree and was named to the 2023 All BIG-EAST First Team. She also earned United Soccer Coaches All-East Region Third Team recognition.

Bain was part of a defensive unit that totaled a conference-leading 13 shutouts and allowed just 11 goals in 22 games. The Musketeers’ .591 shutout percentage was tied for eighth in the nation, while their goals-against average mark was fifth (.495). She was named to the 2023 All-BIG EAST First Team, the All-BIG EAST Tournament Team, and the United Soccer All-American Second Team.

Mahoney, the 2023 BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year, posted a career-best 0.53 goals-against average mark, good for 12th in the country. The graduate student also had 10 shutouts, tied for eighth most in UConn single-season history and 14th in NCAA DI.

The poll, major awards, and Preseason All-BIG EAST Team are voted on by league’s head coaches, who are not permitted to vote for their teams.

BIG EAST Preseason Women’s Soccer Coaches’ Poll
(first-place votes)
1. Georgetown – 100 (10)
2. UConn – 91 (1)
3. Xavier – 72
4. Butler – 70
5. Providence – 66
6. St. John’s – 57
7. Creighton – 44
8. Seton Hall – 43
T9. Marquette – 22
T9. Villanova – 22
11. DePaul – 19

Preseason BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year
Natalie Tavana, Seton Hall, Sr., F

Preseason BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
Natalie Bain, Xavier, Jr., D

Preseason BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year
Kaitlyn Mahoney, UConn, Gr., GK

Preseason All-BIG EAST Team