NEW YORK – For the second consecutive year, Georgetown received all 10 first-place votes and 100 points to top the 2024 BIG EAST preseason poll for women’s soccer coaches. The Hoyas enter the season as defending conference champions after defeating Xavier to claim their fourth consecutive BIG EAST title.
The UConn Huskies, who received one first-place vote and 91 points to secure second place in the preseason poll, finished last year with a 6-1-3 record in the conference. Xavier finished third with 72 points, followed by Butler (70) and Providence (66) in fourth and fifth, respectively. St. John’s scored 57 points to finish sixth, Creighton scored 44 points to finish seventh, and Seton Hall followed closely behind in eighth place with 43 points. Marquette and Villanova scored 22 points to finish ninth, while DePaul rounded out the poll in last place with 19 points.
Reigning BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year, Seton Hall senior midfielder Natalie Tavana was named Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Xavier junior defender Natalie Bain was named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, while UConn sophomore goalkeeper Kaitlyn Mahoney took home the top honors as Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year.
Tavana, Bain and Mahoney were selected to the 13-person Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. They were joined by Butler forward Abigail Isger, 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 defender Lucy Cappadona and junior forward Chioma Okafor and Xavier junior goalkeeper Maria Galley.
Tavana enters her senior year after leading the conference last season with 12 goals and two assists for 26 points. Her 26 points rank fourth on Seton Hall in a season. She scored three goals against Binghamton for the team’s first hat trick since 2006. Tavana earned the Pirates’ BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year honors for the second time and was named to the 2023 All BIG-EAST First Team. She was also named to the United Soccer Coaches All-East Region Third Team.
Bain was part of a defensive unit that totaled 13 shutouts and allowed just 11 goals in 22 games. The Musketeers’ shutout percentage of .591 was eighth in the nation, while their goals-against average ranked fifth (.495). She was named to the 2023 All-BIG EAST First Team, All-BIG EAST Tournament Team and United Soccer All-American Second Team.
Mahoney, the 2023 BIG EAST Goaltender of the Year, posted a personal-best 0.53 goals-against average, which ranks 12th nationally. The graduate student also posted 10 shutouts, ranking 8th in UConn history in a season and 14th in the NCAA DI.
The poll, major awards and Preseason All-BIG EAST Team are voted on by the league’s head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their teams.
BIG EAST Preseason Women’s Soccer Coaches Survey
(Votes for the first places)
1. Georgetown – 100 (10)
2.UConn – 91 (1)
3. Xavier – 72
4. Butlers – 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
- Abigail Isger, Butler, Gr., F
- Caitlin O’Malley, Butler, Gr., D
- Talia Sommer, Butler, Jr., M/F
- Azumi Manriki, Creighton, Sr., M
- Natalie Means, Georgetown, Jr., F
- Eliza Turner, Georgetown, Sr., M
- Kayla Briggs, Providence, So., F
- Natalie Tavana, Seton Hall, Sr., F
- Lucy Cappadona, UConn, Gr., D
- Kaitlyn Mahoney, UConn, Gr., GK
- Chioma Okafor, UConn, Jr., F
- Natalie Bain, Xavier, Jr., D
- Maria Galley, Xavier, Jr., GK
