Molly McLaughlin, Ella Rogers Named Preseason All-BIG EAST

NEW YORK - A pair of Musketeers, graduate student Molly McLaughlin and sophomore Ella Rogers, were picked to the 2022 Preseason All-BIG EAST Team, as voted on by the league's coaches. The Musketeers, who enter the season ranked No. 24 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25, were picked to finish second in the league, picking up a pair of first place votes.

Molly McLaughlin, a midfielder originally from Granger, Ind., is coming off an all-conference season in 2021, earning a spot on the All-BIG EAST First Team and the USC All-East Region First Team as well BIG EAST All-Tournament Team honors. She totaled 1,664 minutes in the midfield for the Musketeers, helping Xavier to a school-record 16 regular season wins and 10 shutouts. McLaughlin finished with three goals on the season, a pair coming in BIG EAST play, with one game-winner, against Marquette. Two of McLaughlin's goals came on penalty kicks, which she's 2-2 for on the season, tying for the best percentage in NCAA DI on PKs.

Ella Rogers earned BIG EAST Freshman of the Year in 2021, picking up a spot on the All-BIG EAST Second Team and a unanimous selection to the league's All-Freshman squad. Rogers, a midfielder from Granville, Ohio, started in all 20 matches during her rookie season, collecting eight points on four goals for the season, including a team-high matching three goals in BIG EAST play, tied for fifth most in the conference. Rogers had a pair of game-winners to her credit, both coming in league play, scoring the 49th minute in the 1-0 win at St. John's as well as the 59th minute goal against Butler to put the Musketeers up 2-0 in an eventual 2-1 win.

The Musketeers return 23 letterwinners, including eight starters, from last season's squad. The Musketeers finished the 2021 season at 16-3-1 overall, winning the program's second BIG EAST Regular Season Championship and setting a new program record with 16 regular season wins. The 2021 Musketeers earned the program's best rankings in the United Soccer Coaches Poll (No. 11) and the RPI (No. 7) as well as the first at-large bid and home match in the NCAA Tournament.

BIG EAST PRESEASON POLL

BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Katie Soderstrom, Butler, R-Sr., F

BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Julia Leas, Georgetown, Sr., M

BIG EAST Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Allie Augur, Georgetown, Sr., GK

Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
Aliyah Diagne, Butler, R-Jr., D
Katie Soderstrom, Butler, R-Sr., F*
Jaydah Bedoya, Connecticut, Jr., F
Aida Kardovic, Creighton, Sr., M*
Allie Augur, Georgetown, Sr., GK
Julia Leas, Georgetown, Sr., M*
Gia Vicari, Georgetown, Jr., F
Meg Hughes, Providence, Jr., F
Jessica Garziano, St. John's, Sr., M
Molly McLaughlin, Xavier, Grad., M
Ella Rogers, Xavier, So., M
*unanimous selection

BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll
(First-place votes)
1.       Georgetown          98 (8)
2.       Xavier                     91 (2)
3.       Butler                     83 (1)
4.       Providence            69
5.       St. John's               59
6.       Connecticut           57
7.       Creighton               43
8.       Marquette             42
9.       DePaul                    31
10.     Villanova                22
11.     Seton Hall              10

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