Xavier University Athletics
Natalie Bain Named BIG EAST's Preseason Pick for Defensive Player of the Year
08.13.24 | Women's Soccer
Maria Galley earns Preseason All-BIG EAST; Musketeers picked to finish third by conference coaches
NEW YORK – Ahead of the 2024 season, Xavier women's soccer defender Natalie Bain was selected as the Preseason BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, as voted on by league coaches. Bain was joined by goalkeeper Maria Galley on the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team, while the Musketeers were picked to finish third in the conference in head coach Dean Ward's first season at the helm.
Bain, a junior from Alexandria, Ky., was a United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-American and First Team All-BIG EAST selection in 2023. The defender made 20 starts for the Musketeers, playing 1,770 minutes for a Xavier defense that allowed only eight goals in the regular season, and just two in BIG EAST regular season play.
Bain played the full time in 17 matches on the Xavier backline, helping the Musketeers entered the NCAA Tournament with a BIG EAST-best team GAA of 0.495, the sixth-best mark in NCAA DI at the conclusion of conference tournaments. The Xavier defense finished the season with 13 shutouts, matching the school record set in 2019.
Offensively, Bain finished with two points on a goal, scored in Xavier's 3-0 win at DePaul. She had 14 shots on the season, with eight on-frame.
In addition to Bain's preseason honor and selection to the Preseason All-Conference Team, junior goalkeeper Maria Galley was also selected to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. Galley, a junior from South Windsor, Conn., earned Second Team honors in 2023, finishing the season with a GAA of 0.50 overall, the lowest single season GAA in Xavier's record books. In BIG EAST matches, Galley has a GAA of 0.20, the best mark in the conference, after only allowing two goals in 10 BIG EAST matches.
Galley appeared in all 22 matches last season, starting in 21, and finished with 12 complete shutouts, as well as part of a combined shutout. The 12 clean sheets were a school record for a single season, and her seven shutouts in BIG EAST play led the conference. Galley finished with 14 wins, matching her own number of wins from 2022 for second most in a single season in program history. Her 28 career wins are also the second most in program history.
The Musketeers were picked to finish third in the conference, as voted on by the league's coaches. Xavier is coming off a 14-4-4 season, winning a share of the 2023 BIG EAST Regular Season title with a 6-0-4 record in conference play. The 2023 Musketeers finished runners-up in the league tournament and received an at-large bid to the NCAA Championship, earning a No. 4 seed, marking the best seeding in program history.
Xavier officially gets the 2024 season underway on Thursday, August 15, when the Musketeers host Milwaukee at Corcoran Field, set for a 7:00 p.m. start. Admission to Corcoran Field is free, and the match will be live streamed through FloSports.
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
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., MF
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
Bain, a junior from Alexandria, Ky., was a United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-American and First Team All-BIG EAST selection in 2023. The defender made 20 starts for the Musketeers, playing 1,770 minutes for a Xavier defense that allowed only eight goals in the regular season, and just two in BIG EAST regular season play.
Bain played the full time in 17 matches on the Xavier backline, helping the Musketeers entered the NCAA Tournament with a BIG EAST-best team GAA of 0.495, the sixth-best mark in NCAA DI at the conclusion of conference tournaments. The Xavier defense finished the season with 13 shutouts, matching the school record set in 2019.
Offensively, Bain finished with two points on a goal, scored in Xavier's 3-0 win at DePaul. She had 14 shots on the season, with eight on-frame.
In addition to Bain's preseason honor and selection to the Preseason All-Conference Team, junior goalkeeper Maria Galley was also selected to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. Galley, a junior from South Windsor, Conn., earned Second Team honors in 2023, finishing the season with a GAA of 0.50 overall, the lowest single season GAA in Xavier's record books. In BIG EAST matches, Galley has a GAA of 0.20, the best mark in the conference, after only allowing two goals in 10 BIG EAST matches.
Galley appeared in all 22 matches last season, starting in 21, and finished with 12 complete shutouts, as well as part of a combined shutout. The 12 clean sheets were a school record for a single season, and her seven shutouts in BIG EAST play led the conference. Galley finished with 14 wins, matching her own number of wins from 2022 for second most in a single season in program history. Her 28 career wins are also the second most in program history.
The Musketeers were picked to finish third in the conference, as voted on by the league's coaches. Xavier is coming off a 14-4-4 season, winning a share of the 2023 BIG EAST Regular Season title with a 6-0-4 record in conference play. The 2023 Musketeers finished runners-up in the league tournament and received an at-large bid to the NCAA Championship, earning a No. 4 seed, marking the best seeding in program history.
Xavier officially gets the 2024 season underway on Thursday, August 15, when the Musketeers host Milwaukee at Corcoran Field, set for a 7:00 p.m. start. Admission to Corcoran Field is free, and the match will be live streamed through FloSports.
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
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., MF
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
Players Mentioned
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