NEW ORLEANS — Two-time champion Xavier University of Louisiana was picked to finish first in the Red River Athletic Conference 2025 women's soccer preseason poll of the league's head coaches.
        The RRAC announced the poll Thursday. It's the second straight year that the Gold Nuggets were picked first.
        XULA received 9-of-12 first-place votes and 140 points. LSU-Alexandria is second with one first-place vote and 122 points. LSU-Shreveport is third with one first-place vote and 119 points. Louisiana Christian is fourth with 110 points. Fifth-place Texas A&M-Texarkana received 98 points and one first-place vote.
        XULA is a third-year program that won the 2023 RRAC regular-season championship and the 2024 RRAC Tournament. Both teams reached the second round of NAIA nationals.
        XULA's returning players from last season include:
        •  Samira Roper, a 5-foot-5 senior forward who in 2024 was RRAC and Louisiana Newcomer of the Year, first-team All-RRAC, first-team All-Louisiana and second-team CSC Academic All-America®. Roper's 19 goals tied for first in the conference and tied for 18th in the NAIA.
        •  Shakiana Dagher, a 5-6 senior defender who was first-team All-RRAC.
        •  Alina Paiz, a 5-2 sophomore midfielder and who was RRAC All-Freshman.
        •  Faye Butterworth, a 5-6 senior midfielder with seven goals over the past two seasons.
        The Gold Nuggets will open the regular season at home Aug. 26 with an 11:30 a.m. kickoff against the University of Mobile at Lafreniere Park in Metairie, La. Admission is free to all XULA soccer home games.
        XULA was 14-6-2 in 2024, including 10-2-1 in the Red River regular season to place third out of 14 teams. XULA was among "others receiving votes" in every NAIA coaches poll, including a high of 28th place in the postseason rankings.

RRAC women's soccer 2025 coaches poll
1. XULA . . . 140 points, nine first-place votes
2. LSU-Alexandria . . . 122 points, one first-place vote
3. LSU-Shreveport . . . 119 points, one first-place vote
4. Louisiana Christian . . . 110 points
5. Texas A&M-Texarkana . . . 98 points, one first-place vote
6. Our Lady of the Lake . . . 83 points
7. Texas A&M-San Antonio . . . 75 points
8. Texas A&M-Victoria [formerly Houston-Victoria] . . . 64 points
9. Southwest (N.M.) . . . 44 points
10. Jarvis Christian . . . 40 points
11. North American . . . 26 points
12. Texas College . . . 13 points