BIG EAST Women’s Soccer 2025 Preseason Poll and All-Conference Team

NEW YORK – For a third straight year, Georgetown received all 10 first-place votes and 100 points to sit atop the 2025 BIG EAST Preseason Women’s Soccer Coaches’ Poll.

The Xavier Musketeers, who received one first-place vote and 87 points to earn the second spot in the preseason poll, finished last year with a 7-2-1 record in conference play. The reigning tournament champions, UConn, took the third spot with 86 points, followed by Butler (72) and Creighton (64). Providence received 53 points for sixth, DePaul tallied 39 points for seventh and Villanova followed with 33 points. Marquette (28), St. John’s (25) and Seton Hall (18) rounded out the 11-team poll.

UConn senior forward Chioma Okafor was named the 2025 BIG EAST Women’s Soccer Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Reigning BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, Xavier senior defender Natalie Bain earned Preseason Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. Hoyas’ senior goalkeeper Cara Martin received Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year laurels after being named the 2024 Goalkeeper of the Year.

(+READ: ACC Women’s Soccer 2025 Preseason Poll and All-Conference Team revealed)

Okafor, Bain and Martin were also voted to the 11-member Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. They were joined by Butler senior defender Amelie Darey and senior forward/midfielder Talia Sommer, Georgetown graduate student forward Maja Lardner and senior forward Natalie Means, Providence senior defender Ella McBride, UConn junior midfielder Anaja Johnson, and Xavier seniors Regan Dancer (midfield) and Samantha Erbach (forward).

Last season Okafor led UConn and the BIG EAST with 13 goals, while also leading the team with 30 points. She started all 23 matches for the Huskies and was third on the team with 1886 minutes played. Her 2024 accolades included BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Offensive Player, First Team All-BIG EAST, United Coaches Third Team All-American, First Team All-East Region, and MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalist.

Bain was part of a defensive unit that limited opposing teams to just 18 goals on the season, and just seven in BIG EAST play. She was named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year and to the conference’s first team. The Hoyas’ league-leading .680 shutout percentage was tied for fourth in the nation, while their goals-against average mark was third (.476). Bain also was a United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-American and a MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalist.

The reigning BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year, Martin boasted a 11-1-2 record in goal and a nation-leading 0.26 goals-against average for the Hoyas last season. She tallied 21 saves as she helped Georgetown earn 14 shutouts in 21 games. She was the 2024 ECAC Defensive Player of the Year and named to the All-BIG EAST First Team.

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. Xavier – 87 (1)
3. UConn – 86
4. Butler – 72
5. Creighton – 64
6. Providence – 53
7. DePaul – 39
8. Villanova – 33
9. Marquette – 28
10. St. John’s – 25
11. Seton Hall – 18

Preseason BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year
Chioma Okafor, UConn, Sr., F

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

Preseason BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year
Cara Martin, Georgetown, Sr., GK

Preseason All-BIG EAST Team