Natalie Bain

Natalie Bain
Personal information
Full name Natalie Marceline Bain[1]
Date of birth (2003-12-29) December 29, 2003
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position Center back
Team information
Current team
Houston Dash
Number 8
Youth career
Kings Hammer
2018–2021 Notre Dame Academy Pandas
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2025 Xavier Musketeers 85 (9)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2025 Kings Hammer 22 (2)
2026– Houston Dash 0 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Natalie Marceline Bain (born December 29, 2003) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a center back for the Houston Dash of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She played college soccer for the Xavier Musketeers, earning All-American honors three times.

Early life

Bain grew up in Alexandria, Kentucky, the daughter of Aly and Thomas Bain, and has two siblings, Carter and Landon Bain.[2] She attended Notre Dame Academy in Park Hills, Kentucky, where she played for the soccer team for four seasons.[2] In her senior year in 2021, she led Notre Dame Academy to a 28–0–1 record and the KHSAA state championship, allowing just four goals all season and scoring the lone goal in the state final.[2][3] She was named MVP of the district, regional, and state tournaments; a United Soccer Coaches high school All-American; and the USA Today High School Player of the Year.[2][4] She played club soccer for Kings Hammer Academy, earning ECNL all-conference honors.[5]

College career

Bain was an immediate starter for the Xavier Musketeers as a freshman in 2022, contributing to 11 shutouts in 23 games.[2] In the NCAA tournament, she had an assist in the first round win over Tennessee.[2] She was second-team All-Big East and named to the Big East all-freshman team.[2] She helped the team match a program 13 shutouts in 20 games as a sophomore in 2023, winning a share of the Big East regular-season title and earning a program best 4th seed in the NCAA tournament.[2] She was named first-team All-Big East and second-team All-American.[2] She scored a career-high 3 goals and helped record 10 shutouts in 21 games as a junior in 2024.[2] She helped the Musketeers to their third consecutive Big East tournament title game, all of them losses.[2] She was named first-team All-Big East, the Big East Defensive Player of the Year, and second-team All-American, becoming the first multiple-time All-American in program history.[2] In her senior year in 2025, she started in 21 games and again scored 3 goals, while helping post 12 shutouts.[6] She helped get Xavier over the hump in the Big East tournament, finally winning the second tournament title in program history.[7] She was named first-team All-Big East for the third time, Big East Defensive Player of the Year for the second time, and fourth-team All-American, becoming the first three-time All-American in program history.[6]

Club career

Bain joined the Houston Dash as a non-roster invitee in the preseason in January 2026.[8] On April 10, the Dash announced they had signed Bain to her first professional contract and she would arrive the next month after finishing college.[9]

International career

Bain received her first international call-up with the United States under-23 team, training concurrently with the senior national team, in October 2025.[10]

Honors and awards

Xavier Musketeers

Individual

  • Second-team All-American: 2023, 2024
  • Fourth-team All-American: 2025
  • Big East Defensive Player of the Year: 2024, 2025
  • First-team All-Big East: 2023, 2024, 2025
  • Second-team All-Big East: 2022
  • Big East all-freshman team: 2022

References

  1. ^ "Our Newest Alumnae" (PDF). The Notre Damian. Notre Dame Academy. Summer 2022. p. 3. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Natalie Bain". Xavier Musketeers. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  3. ^ Weber, James (2021-10-31). "Kentucky high school soccer: Notre Dame tops historic season with 1-0 win in state final". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  4. ^ "United Soccer Coaches Announces 2021 Fall High School All-Americans". United Soccer Coaches. 2021-12-06. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  5. ^ "ECNL Girls Ohio Valley All-Conference Teams". Elite Clubs National League. August 8, 2022. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  6. ^ a b "Samantha Erbach and Natalie Bain Named United Soccer Coaches All-Americans". Xavier Musketeers. 2026-01-26. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  7. ^ "Women's Soccer Wins 2025 BIG EAST Championship". Xavier Musketeers. 2025-11-09. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  8. ^ "Houston Dash Announce 2026 Preseason Roster". Houston Dash. 2026-01-26. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  9. ^ "Houston Dash Sign Two-Time Big East Defensive Player of the Year Natalie Bain". Houston Dash. 2026-04-10. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
  10. ^ "24 Players Named for U.S. U-23 WNT Training Camp to Run Concurrently with USWNT Upcoming FIFA Window". United States Soccer Federation. 2025-10-16. Retrieved 2025-10-16.