SportsBy Katy Korstange, Sports Editor
The Xavier women’s soccer team won the 2026 Big East regular season championship after defeating Butler 1-0 on Saturday.
Xavier had a 16-1 advantage on shots though a scoreless first half. In the 71st minute, fifth year forward Regan Dancer scored off an assist from senior forward Peyton Kohls. Dancer got the ball just inside of the 18-yard box and shot into the upper left corner for a 1-0 lead.
This was Dancer’s fifth goal for the Musketeers this year and her first game winner. Kohls’ assist was her sixth of the season, giving her a team high of 18 points on the season.
The Musketeers held off the Bulldogs through the final 20 minutes of the match to clinch the championship.
The title marks Xavier’s fourth Big East regular season championship. They will earn their sixth-straight bid to the Big East Championship. This year, they are the No. 1 seed.
The win extends their unbeaten streak to 14, one short of beating last season’s record of 15 wins in a row.
On Tuesday, Dancer was selected as the Big East midfielder of the year after her performance in Saturday’s game. She was also an All-Big East First Team selection as well as teammates Kohls and sophomore defender Nastassja Garret.
Senior defender Brooklynn Miltenberger and first-year forward Frances Reuland were selected to the All-Big East Second Team. Junior midfielder McKinley Berry and junior midfielder Breanna Dardano earned All-Big East Third Team honors.
The Big East tournament will be held Nov. 11-14 at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, Md. The Musketeers first face No. 4 Marquette in the Big East semifinals on Wednesday. On Saturday, they will play the winner of the match between No. 3 Seton Hall and No. 2 Villanova.
In the regular season, Xavier beat Marquette 2-1, tied Villanova 0-0 and beat Seton Hall 2-0.
If the Musketeers win the conference championships, they will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA championship which gives them a shot at winning the Women’s College Cup Championship on Dec. 13.
