NEW YORK – Georgetown recorded three of the six major awards as the 2025 BIG EAST Conference women's soccer annual honors were announced Wednesday. 

Georgetown graduate student forward Maja Lardner was selected BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year, while teammate junior goalkeeper Cara Martin was named the goalkeeper of the year. Both student-athletes earned their respective awards for the second consecutive year. The Hoyas, led by Dave Nolan, earned coaching staff of the year as they led the team to their fourth regular-season title in five years. 
 
Xavier saw two players receive major laurels. Sophomore Samantha Erbach nabbed co-midfielder of the year, while senior defender Natalie Bain was named defensive player of the year for the second consecutive year.  Butler senior Talia Sommer recorded co-midfielder of the year laurels. Villanova freshman forward rounded out the major awards as freshman of the year.

All-BIG EAST teams and major awards were selected by a vote of the league's head coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own players or coaching staff.

Lardner capped the 2025 regular season with 13 goals and three assists for 29 points in 18 starts. Her goals and points totals were a team-leading and good for third in the BIG EAST. She recorded one five-point performance this season against Providence and two four-point games versus James Madison and Xavier.
 
Erbach, the reigning freshman of the year, led the conference in points (42), goals (14), goals per game (0.78), assists (14), and assists per game (0.78) during the regular season. She recorded two seven-point performances against Southeast Missouri State and Villanova. Sommer, Butler senior, finished the season leading the Bulldogs in goals (6), assists (7) and points (19).

Bain, a two-time defensive player of the week, was part of a defensive unit that ranked in the top three of the conference throughout the season. The Musketeers posted nine shutouts across 18 games – tied for third in the BIG EAST. Xavier also recorded a 1.00 goals against average mark, the third-best in the league. Bain was a contributor on the offensive end as well, scoring three goals and tallying four assists.

Martin boasts a 14-2-2 record in goal for the Hoyas. The senior led the BIG EAST in goals against average (0.51) and finished second in save percentage (.830) during the regular season. She heads into the postseason with 44 saves and seven shutouts. 

Villanova freshman forward Avrie Nelsen finished the regular season with five goals for 10 points. Nelsen was named freshman of the week twice this year.

The Hoyas tallied their fourth-consecutive regular season title and the No. 1 seed in the BIG EAST Championship as they improved to 14-2-2 and 10-0 in conference action to earn BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year honors.  Georgetown secured its first perfect 10-win BIG EAST regular season in program history. Coach Nolan is in his 22nd season at Georgetown, amassing 298 wins. This season marks his 19th consecutive season with at least 10 wins. Georgetown leads the league in goals allowed with nine.

Lardner, Erbach, Sommer, Bain, and Martin led the 11-member first team. The five major award winners were joined by UConn senior forward Chioma Okafor and junior midfielder Anaya Johnson, Creighton graduate student forward Ariana Mondiri, Georgetown senior midfielder Natalie Means, Providence senior defender Ella McBride, and Xavier senior forward Elin Hansson.

Due to a tie in voting, the second team had 13 players on it, including four from Georgetown. Senior forward Henley Tippins, senior midfielder Shay Montgomery, sophomore midfielder Lizzie Heller, and junior defender Kaya Hanson represented the Hoyas. Villanova junior midfielder Gabby Koluch and senior goalkeeper Hannah Dickinson, and Xavier senior midfielders Regan Dancer and Emma Flick also earned second-team honors. Butler junior defender Lucia Englund, Creighton senior midfielder Tori Gillis, UConn defender Anna Carson, Marquette sophomore forward Jocelyn Leigh, and Providence redshirt-junior midfielder Thea Mouratidis rounded out the second team.

There were 14 players on the All-BIG EAST Third Team, including freshman of the year, Nelson and Butler sophomore midfielder Lea Larouche and sophomore defender Chloe Brecht. UConn redshirt-freshman forward Se-Hanna Mars and sophomore midfielder Taylor Jenkins, DePaul graduate student forward Sienna Gonzales, Georgetown senior defender Esme Brayshaw, Providence freshman forward Courtnee Pickles and sophomore defender Stephanie Schoeley, and Villanova sophomore defender Meredith Palmer were placed on the third team. Senior goalkeeper Maria Galley, junior defender Brooklynn Miltenberger, redshirt-sophomore midfielder Peyton Kohls and junior midfielder Reese Slater were the Xavier players on the third team.

Offensive Player of the Year: Maja Lardner, Georgetown, Gr., F
Co-Midfielders of the Year: Talia Sommer, Butler, Sr. / Samantha Erbach, Xavier, So.
Defensive Player of the Year: Natalie Bain, Xavier, Sr., D
Goalkeeper of the Year: Cara Martin, Georgetown, Sr., GK
Freshman of the Year: Avrie Nelsen, Villanova, Fr., F
Coaching Staff of the Year: Georgetown 
 
All-BIG EAST First Team
Ariana Mondiri, Creighton, Gr., F
Chioma Okafor, UConn, Sr., F ^
Maja Lardner, Georgetown, Gr., F ^
Elin Hansson, Xavier, Sr., F
Talia Sommer, Butler, Sr., M ^
Anaya Johnson, UConn, Jr., M
Natalie Means, Georgetown, Sr., M ^
Samantha Erbach, Xavier, So., M ^
Ella McBride, Providence, Sr., D/M
Natalie Bain, Xavier, Sr., D
Cara Martin, Georgetown, Sr., GK

All-BIG EAST Second Team *
Henley Tippins, Georgetown, Sr., F
Jocelyn Leigh, Marquette, So., F
Tori Gillis, Creighton, Sr., M
Shay Montgomery, Georgetown, Sr., M
Lizzie Heller, Georgetown, So., M
Thea Mouratidis, Providence, R-Jr., M
Gabby Koluch, Villanova, Jr., M
Regan Dancer, Xavier, Sr., M
Emma Flick, Xavier, Sr., M
Lucia Englund, Butler, Jr., D
Anna Carson, UConn, 6th, D
Kaya Hanson, Georgetown, Jr., D
Hannah Dickinson, Villanova, Sr., GK

All-BIG EAST Third Team *
Se-Hanna Mars, UConn, R-Fr., F
Sienna Gonzales, DePaul, Gr., F
Courtnee Pickles, Providence, Fr., F
Avrie Nelsen, Villanova, Fr., F
Lea Larouche, Butler, So., M/F
Taylor Jenkins, UConn, So., M
Peyton Kohls, Xavier, R-So., M
Reese Slater, Xavier, Jr., M
Chloe Brecht, Butler, So., D/M
Esme Brayshaw, Georgetown, Sr., D
Stephanie Schoeley, Providence, So., D
Meredith Palmer, Villanova, So., D
Brooklynn Miltenberger, Xavier, Jr., D
Maria Galley, Xavier, Sr., GK
 
^ unanimous selection
* Due to a tie, there are 13 players on the second team and 14 on the third team