Julia Gurgel was one of 13 Xavier Women's Soccer players to earn an honor on the 2026 All-SSAC Women's Soccer Team. But even in a crowded field of standouts from one of the most competitive conferences in the NAIA, Gurgel still stood out. 

A junior forward from  João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil, Gurgel was named the Southern States Athletic Conference's Offensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, and she earned both First-Team recognition and the Golden Boot, which goes to the league's leading goal-scorer. 

And score goals Gurgel has since arriving in New Orleans as a transfer from Miami Dade College. Gurgel currently leads the nation in goal scoring with 35, which is already 9 goals higher than the previous XULA record for single-season goals and is just 10 short of tying the career goal-scoring record. 

Gurgel, who earlier this season was named NAIA National Offensive Player of the Week, has set numerous single-game records for the Gold Nuggets, including total goals, fastest goal, and most total points. 

Although she was the most decorated XULA player, Gurgel had plenty of familiar company on the All-SSAC team. 

Midfielder Anita Roese and defender Maureen Owusu, both seniors, joined Gurgel on the First Team. Roese, a native of Porto Alegre, Brazil, has put together a 21-goal season, which ranks as the third-best output in school history. She has further dished out 12 assists. 

Owusu, who came to Xavier from Hamburg, Germany, has been a force on defense, but has made her presence well felt on the offensive end, having produced a team-high 18 assists. 

Another 5 Gold Nuggets - goalkeeper Aylin Yildirim, defender Millicent Owusu (Maureen's twin sister), midfielder Shakiana Dagher, midfielder Juliana Kottbauer, and forward Eduarda Queiroz - were named to the All-SSAC Second Team. Yildirim, a native of Winterthur, Switzerland, was also named to the All-Freshman Team after posting a 6-2 record with 4 shutouts. 

Academic prowess factored as much into XULA's awards haul as did athletic achievement. An impressive 8 student-athletes - Roese, Kottbauer, both Millicent and Maureen Owusu, Luisa Bella, Tatum Register, Jayla Renter, and Keira Hardstaff - made the Athletic Solutions All-Academic Team. 

Rounding out the Xavier contingent was freshman midfielder Ida Bleifuß, who was named as XULA's representative on the Champions of Character team. 

The complete All-SSAC team is available on the conference website. 

Xavier, which has more soccer to play, is in action Thursday morning at 11, when it faces top-ranked William Carey in the SSAC Tournament semifinal.