A Breakout Season for Xavier Women's Basketball
The 2025‑26 campaign has become a benchmark for the Musketeers, delivering the program’s most impressive statistical improvements in recent memory.
Attendance at the Cintas Center surged to an average of 1,102 fans per game, a 56.1 percent jump from the previous three seasons and the highest figure of the Coach Chambers Era.
That momentum translated onto the hardwood, where Xavier posted its first double‑digit win total since the 2018‑19 season, finishing the year at 11‑19 while securing a series of program‑first achievements.
Mariyah Noel earned a place on the 2026 All‑BIG EAST Second Team, leading the squad in scoring with 14.9 points per game and ranking second in rebounding at 6.3 per contest.
Meri Kanerva continued her ascent, becoming the first player in school history to record 100 or more assists in back‑to‑back seasons, finishing the year with 117 assists and adding 10.1 points per game.
MacKenzie Givens emerged as a reliable scorer, averaging 11.7 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting a team‑best .489 from the field.
Savannah White anchored the paint, pulling down a team‑high 7.3 rebounds per game and ranking fourth in the BIG EAST overall, while also contributing 41 blocks that placed her tied for 10th in school history.
Vivien Nejašmić provided a spark off the bench, scoring a career‑high 24 points on 10‑for‑17 shooting in just 25 minutes against Butler, and later delivering 22‑point outings on consecutive nights — a feat not seen since A'riana Gray in 2020.
The Musketeers also excelled defensively, ranking fourth in the conference in field‑goal percentage defense at .406 and eighth in school history with 96 blocks for the season.
Free‑throw shooting proved another strength, as Xavier finished at a .725 clip, positioning the team fourth all‑time in that category.
Beyond individual stats, the team posted 17 performances with 20 or more points, including a 74‑53 victory over Ohio on Nov. 20 that marked the largest margin of victory at home since December 2023.
That win also featured a 21‑point differential, the biggest home margin since the SIUE game, and showcased the Musketeers’ ability to generate double‑digit steals on 13 occasions over the past two seasons.
The season’s statistical highlights — .489 field‑goal percentage, .725 free‑throw accuracy, and a .406 defensive field‑goal percentage — underscore a balanced approach that emphasizes both offense and defense.
Coach Chambers and the support staff have credited the surge in fan engagement to the team’s competitive spirit and the community’s growing appetite for women’s basketball, a trend that aligns with national patterns of rising attendance in collegiate sports.
Looking ahead, the Musketeers aim to build on this foundation, targeting further improvements in rebounding, assist totals, and defensive metrics as they prepare for the next chapter of Xavier basketball.