Wednesday, a pair of Xavier women's soccer standouts were named as Southern States Athletic Conference players to watch for 2026. 

Shakiana Dagher and Juliana Kottbauer, among Coach Ashley Cordeiro's key returning players, joined players from the SSAC's other 13 squads on the list. 

Dagher, a senior center back from Barquisimeto, Venezuela, was a 2025 NAIA All-American and the defensive player of the year in the Red River Athletic Conference, the Gold Nuggets' conference home a year ago. In 2025, Dagher has scored 6 goals and dished out 11 assists during her career at XULA. 

Kottbauer, a sophomore midfielder from Gauting, Germany, was the 2025 RRAC Newcomer of the Year. She accounted for 7 goals and 10 assists in her freshman campaign. 

Xavier begins regular season play Sunday at 5 p.m. with a home match against Wiley University. The game will take place at Lafreniere Park in Metairie.