For Immediate Release
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
NSIC Media Relations
Full PDF Release

Augustana University Selected as Preseason Favorite in NSIC Soccer Coaches’ Poll

BURNSVILLE, Minn. –  The defending NSIC Tournament Champions of Augustana University were picked to win the NSIC in the preseason coaches’ poll. This marks the first time since joining the NSIC that the Vikings have been picked to win the NSIC and the first time dating back to the 2000 season that either Winona State or Minnesota State have not been picked to win the league.

The Vikings received eight first place votes and tallied 215 points, ranking them just ahead of Minnesota State (213), which received seven first place votes. Winona State, which also received a first place vote, came in third with 188 points while Minot State was fourth with 188 points. All four teams were selected for NCAA postseason play in 2015.  

The 2016 NSIC Soccer Regular Season Champion will be determined by a 15-game league schedule, with a win earning a team three points and a tie one point.

The 2016 NSIC Soccer season will see its first action on Thursday, September 1 as six matches kickoff the season.
 

2016 NSIC Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll
	Points
1. Augustana (8)	215
2. Minnesota State (7)	213
3. Winona State (1)	188
4. Minot State	181
5. Bemidji State	168
6. St. Cloud State	162
7. Minnesota Duluth	139
8. Concordia-St. Paul	104
9. Northern State	103
10. Upper Iowa	89
11. Wayne State	80
12. UMary	77
13. Minnesota Crookston	74
14. Southwest Minnesota State	69
15. MSU Moorhead	33
16. Sioux Falls	25
first place votes in ( )

#21 Kiana Nickel (M, 5-4, Sr., Wayzata, Minn. / Wayzata HS)
Minnesota State
- Scored 11 goals with seven assists for 28 total points in 2015
- Second Team NSCAA All-America & First Team All-Central Region
- Third Team CCA All-America & First Team All-Central Region
- First Team All-NSIC &  NSIC All-Tournament Team
- CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-District First Team


#1 Taylor Machacek (GK, 5-6, Jr., Sioux Falls, S.D. / Roosevelt HS)
Augustana
- Notched a team record 19 wins in 2015
- Recorded a team record 11 shutouts in 2015
- Played every minute in goal for Augustana last season
- Named third team All-NSIC &  NSCAA All-Central Region
- NSIC Tournament MVP leading Augie to first NSIC Tournament championship
 

Augustana University Vikings

Last Year	Returning Starters	Letter winners	2015
19-3-1, 13-1-1	7	17	Preseason Poll 3rd / NSIC Finish 2nd
Team Preview
Augustana is coming off their best season in school history in which they won the NSIC Tournament and an NCAA Tournament game, both program firsts. The Vikings enter 2016 ranked 17th in the NSCAA Preseason Poll, marking the first preseason ranking for the program. Head coach Brandon Barkus enters his 11th season leading the Vikings after recording the best season in the 16 year history of the program. Barkus earned his 100th win at Augustana during the victory against Harding University in the NCAA Tournament last season. Eight seniors graduated from last year’s team after winning a school record 19 games, but the Vikings return seven players who started nine games or more last season. The Augustana offense will be paced by junior Samantha Tymkowicz who scored 16 goals in 2015 which was good for 2nd in the NSIC and tallied 35 points good for 3rd in the conference. Tymkowicz earned first team All-NSIC and second team NSCAA All-Central Region and CCA All-Central Region. Juniors Lauren Brownrigg, Taylor Machacek, and Brooke Bleeker return to anchor the Viking defense. All three started every game last season for a defense that gave up a school record 0.65 goals per game. Brownrigg took home first team All-NSIC and NSCAA All-Central Region, as well as second team CCA All-Central Region honors. Machacek will be back in the goal for the Vikings after playing every minute in the net during the 2015 season and recording a school record 11 shutouts. Machaeck earned third team All-NSIC and NSCAA All-Central Region honors. Other returning starters include seniors Emily Jacobson and Courtney Allen and junior Hannah Keirstead.
Player to Watch
#5 Samantha Tymkowicz (F, 5-4, Jr., Sioux City, Iowa / Bishop Heelan HS) #1 Taylor Machacek (GK, 5-6, Jr., Sioux Falls, S.D. / Roosevelt HS)
First Week
Thursday, Sept. 1 at Southwest Baptist – 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3 at Central Missouri – 1 p.m.

 

Bemidji State University Beavers

Last Year	Returning Starters	Letter winners	2015
11-7-1, 8-6-1	7	12	Preseason Poll 6th / NSIC Finish T-6th
Team Preview
Bemidji State opens its 21st season of collegiate soccer in 2016. Under the direction of Jim Stone, who is in his 15th season at Bemidji State, the Beavers look to improve on an 11-7-1 overall record and a sixth-place finish in league play (8-6-1). Bemidji State returns 12 letterwinners from its 2015 roster, which includes seven players who started on a regular basis for BSU a year ago. Headlining the list of returners is senior forward Sarah Stram. The Elk Grove Village, Ill. native, has led BSU in scoring during each of her three years in the program, including a career-best 12 goals in 2014. The two-time All-NSIC First Team pick and All-Region selection is poised to leave BSU as one of its most decorated of all-time and is inching close to the top many offensive career marks. Joining Stram on the attack is Rachael Norton, who logged seven goals and five assists as a freshman a year ago. BSU returns seven of its top eight scoring players from 2015. Defensively, the Beavers return both goaltenders from 2015, which includes junior Anna Fobbe, who saw time in 17 games and went 8-7-1 in 2015. The lynchpin to the Beavers’ offensive and defensive success is senior Christine Szurek. A midfielder by trade, everything seems to run through Szurek since she stepped foot on campus in 2013. The two-time all-region pick has started all but two games in her collegiate career.
Player to Watch
#10 Sara Stram (F, 5-4, Sr., Elk Grove Village, Ill. / Elk Grove HS) #4 Christine Szurek (F/D, 5-5, Sr., Andover, Minn. / Andover HS)
First Week
Saturday, Sept. 3 vs. Minnesota Crookston – 1 p.m.

 

Concordia University, St. Paul Golden Bears

Last Year	Returning Starters	Letter winners	2015
8-10-1, 7-7-1	6	17	Preseason Poll 10th / NSIC Finish 5th
Team Preview
Concordia St. Paul finished 8th in the NSIC overall standings at the conclusion of the 2015 season after being predicted to finish 10th in the preseason polls. The Golden Bears finished with eight wins last season which is tied for third most in program history and the most wins since 2006. Concordia returns six starters and 17 letter winners that saw playing time last year. They also welcome in a large incoming freshmen class with 10 newcomers joining the Concordia program. The Golden Bears lost a lot of experience to graduation last year and they have to replace five NSIC All-Conference honorees, but looking to help lead the way this season for Concordia will be Jade Weller and Chelsie Lindsey. Weller started all 19 games on the Golden Bears back line as freshman in 2015, logging a team-high 1669 minutes played while adding seven points (2g, 3a). On the offensive side of the field, senior forward Chelsie Lindsey made 19 appearances and 14 starts last season leading the team in assists with six and finishing second in goals scored with five for a total of 16 points. The Golden Bears got off to a slow start in 2015 but really turned it around winning four straight games from Sept. 9 to Oct. 10. Two of the wins were shutouts and three of the wins came on the road which was a big contribution in helping Concordia make their first trip back to the NSIC Tournament since 2009.
Player to Watch
#23 Jade Weller (D, 5-4, So., Prior Lake, Minn. / Prior Lake HS) #9 Chelsie Lindsay (F, 5-5, Sr., Winnipeg, Manitoba / St. Mary’s Academy)
First Week
Friday, Sept. 2 at Lindenwood (Mo.) – 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3 at Maryville (Mo.) – 1 p.m.

 

University of Mary Marauders

Last Year	Returning Starters	Letter winners	2015
3-12-2, 3-11-1	6	11	Preseason Poll 14th / NSIC Finish 12th
Team Preview
The 2015 season was the third year in a row for the University of Mary women’s soccer team that resulted in a below .500 season. After winning the first and last matches of the season the Marauders went 1-12-2 in the next 15 contests. UMary head coach Sarah Cook begins her fifth season at the helm and said the Marauders are a fresh new team this season. “This year we add 10 new incoming players to our roster,” Cook said. “In addition to that we have five returning players who were unable to play last year due to injury or redshirt.” The Marauders roster is made up of three seniors, six juniors, five sophomores, eight freshmen and four redshirt-freshmen. The Marauders will return two key student-athletes in Michelle McGeary and Libby Patterson. McGeary, one of the three seniors on the team led the Marauders in assists last season with five. Patterson, a junior, started all 17 matches last season and was second on the team in minutes played. McGeary and Patterson combined finished with three goals and seven points last season.  Both student-athletes are on the preseason players to watch list for the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. “Our senior captain, Michelle McGeary, has done an outstanding job working on connecting this group together before we begin,” Cook said. Last season the Marauders finished 12th in the NSIC with a 3-11-1 record but was the only team in the conference to end the season on a winning streak.
Player to Watch
#26 Michelle McGeary (M, 5-8, Sr., Gillete, Wyo. / Campbell County HS) #22 Libby Patterson (D, 5-6, Jr., Chanhassen, Minn. / Minnetonka HS)
First Week
Thursday, Sept. 8 at Western State Colorado University – 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10 at Montana State University Billings – 4 p.m.

 

University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles

Last Year	Returning Starters	Letter winners	2015
7-10-1, 7-8	9	13	Preseason Poll 13th / NSIC Finish 9th
Team Preview
Minnesota Crookston is coming off their second-straight season of just missing the NSIC Tournament. The Golden Eagles look poised to make that jump in 2016 as they return nine starters from last season. Minnesota Crookston is in their fifth year under Head Coach Joe Alianiello. This year’s senior class was the first full recruiting class for Alianiello at UMC. The Golden Eagles are led in returnees by Ellie Brettschneider, who had two goals and two assists, and McCall, who had two goals and one assist. In the midfield, Taylor Peterson returns after tallying two goals and one assist. Defensively, Deutsch anchors a back line that limited opponents to 25 goals last season. UMC will look to continue to be strong in the back, a staple in Alianiello coached teams. In goal, Lexie Gauger returns for her fourth season. Gauger had a 1.13 goals against average with 117 saves and four shutouts last season.
Player to Watch
#22 Samantha Deutsch (D, 5-4, Sr., Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville North HS) #25 Lorna McCall (F, 5-8, So., Chicago, Ill. / Marist H.S.)
First Week
Thursday, Sept. 1 at MSU Moorhead – 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3 at Bemidji State – 1 p.m.

 

University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs

Last Year	Returning Starters	Letter winners	2015
4-12-2,3-10-2	6	17	Preseason Poll 7th / NSIC Finish 13th
Team Preview
The Bulldogs are coming off the second fewest season wins in their 24-year history, after securing just four victories in 2015.  Of those 12 losses, however, nine were by just a single goal, a sign of what is possible for the Bulldogs in 2016.  UMD lost four seniors to graduation, including midfielder Katie Peterson, but return six starters.  Senior Kailey Beatt, one of those six starters from a year ago, led the Bulldogs with five goals and an assist for 11 points.  Junior midfielder Skye Finley, one of only two UMD players to start in all 18 games in 2015, will run the midfield after moving up from the backline.  Finley, also the team captain in 2016, logged a team-high 1,592 minutes last season.  The Bulldogs will once again have a goaltending competition, with the three netminders that nabbed substantial minutes a year ago back in the line-up, including senior Jordan Melby, who owned a .830 saves percentage last season and started seven games.
Player to Watch
#6 Skye Finley (M/D, 5-3, Jr., Forest Lake, Minn. / Forest Lake HS) #10 Kaliey Beatt (F, 5-7, Sr., Maple Grove, Minn. / Maple Grove HS)
First Week
Thursday, Sept. 1 at Wisconsin-Parkside– 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9 vs. Michigan Tech – 6 p.m.

 

Minnesota State University, Mankato Mavericks

Last Year	Returning Starters	Letter winners	2015
18-2-2, 14-0-1	5	6	Preseason Poll 1st / NSIC Finish 1st
Team Preview
The Minnesota State soccer team won its fourth straight NSIC Championship last season as it boasted an overall record of 18-2-2, including a 14-0-1 NSIC record. The Mavericks also made their fifth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. MSU will see four players who received All-NSIC honors from a year ago return this upcoming season, including senior Kiana Nickel and juniors Jenny Hoerter, Abby Nordeen and Lexi Pszanka. Last season Nickel received All-NSIC First Team honors and NSCAA All-American accolades. Nickel finished second on the team in goals and in points last season with 11 goals and 29 points. Hoerter added 13 points of her own, while Pszanka added 10 points. Sophomore Morgan Cottew also returns for her sophomore season after finishing third on the team in points with 24 as she tallied nine goals and six assists. As a team, the Mavericks allowed just 13 goals last season as they registered 12 shutouts, including seven in a span of eight games. MSU also outshot its opponents 229-119 last season.
Player to Watch
#21 Kiana Nickel (M/F, 5-4, Sr., Wayzata, Minn. / Wayzata HS) #10 Abby Nordeen (M, 5-5, Jr., Huntley, Ill. / Huntley)
First Week
Sunday, Sept. 4 at Wisconsin Parkside – 2:30 p.m.

 

Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragons

Last Year	Returning Starters	Letter winners	2015
1-12-4, 1-12-2	7	13	Preseason Poll 14th / NSIC Finish 15th
Team Preview
Dragon women’s soccer begins a new era in 2016 as Christie Chappell, who played at NSIC school Minnesota Crookston, takes over as the third head coach in program history.  MSUM returns 13 letterwinners, including seven starters, from last year’s team that finished 1-12-4.  The Dragons lost four starters, including four-year starter Ashley Leintz in goal. The Dragons will be led by four seniors with experience, midfielders Micah Palmer, Jessica Johnson and Megan Selanders and defender Ashley Germann. Also returning is sophomore midfielder Jessica Dallman, who tied for the team lead in points (four) and assists (two) a year ago. Johnson had three points a year ago while sophomore Hannah Loos added a goal. Johnson led the team with 58 shots, including 25 shots on goal. The Dragons welcome nine freshmen and a transfer to this year’s squad, which opens the season on Sept. 1 at home against Minnesota Crookston in a nonconference game.
Player to Watch
#4 Jessica Johnson (MF, 5-6, Sr., St. Michael, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville HS) #11 Jessica Dallman (MF, 5-3, So., Grand Forks, N.D./Red River HS)
First Week
Thursday, Sept. 1 vs. Minnesota Crookston - 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3 vs. Black Hills State - 1 p.m.

 

Minot State University Beavers

Last Year	Returning Starters	Letter winners	2015
16-5-1, 12-2-1	8	19	Preseason Poll 5th / NSIC Finish 3rd
Team Preview
Minot State finished third in the NSIC overall standings on its way to the school’s second appearance in the NCAA Division II National Tournament. MISU won its first ever NCAA tournament match, knocking off NSIC team Winona State 1-0 in overtime at the Central Regional in Warrensburg, Mo. The Beavers fell to host Central Missouri in the second round. MISU finished the season with a school-record 16 wins, going 16-5-1 overall and 12-2-1 in NSIC play. The Beavers return All-Central Region and All-NSIC striker Ninfa Ramirez, who set the school’s single season record in goals last year with 16, tying her for second overall in the league. She is one of 19 returning letterwinners and one of eight returning starters for the Beavers. Minot State returns nine of its top 10 scorers from 2015, where the Beavers ranked third in the league in scoring with 38 goals. On offense, the Beavers also feature senior Chloe Melton who is seventh in school history in goals and tied for second overall in assists. MISU also returns defensive mainstay Kelli Creese who has been named to the All-NSIC team and the honorable mention team during her career. She will be looked to for leadership on a young defensive group as MISU looks to rebuild its backline that was the fourth stingiest defense in the NSIC last year, giving up just 17 goals in 22 games. MISU is seeking its third national tournament bid in their first five years in Division II.
Players to Watch
#6 Ninfa Ramirez (F, 5-4, Sr., Perris, Calif. / Murrieta Valley HS / San Diego Miramar) #3 Kelli Creese (D, 5-9, Jr., La Verne, Calif. / Bonita HS)
First Week
Thursday, Sept. 1 vs. Black Hills State – 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 5 vs. Fort Hays State (in Sioux Falls, S.D.) – 11 a.m.

 

Northern State University Wolves

Last Year	Returning Starters	Letter winners	2015
8-9-1, 6-8-1	7	12	Preseason Poll 12th / NSIC Finish 10th
Team Preview
The Northern State University soccer team enters the 2016 season with seven returning starters and eight new faces. The Wolves are coming off an 8-9-1 finish a season ago, after nearly making a bid for the NSIC Tournament. NSU leading scorer from 2015, Anna Bondy returns to the pitch in her fourth and final season with the Wolves. Bondy led the team with 62 shots, 34 shots on goal, ten goals, and four assists. She also recorded two hat tricks versus U-Mary and Minnesota Duluth. Bondy was a 2015 All-Conference second team honoree and named a 2016 NSU player to watch. Defender Sydney Shintaffer was nabbed as the team’s second player to watch after an All-Conference Honorable Mention in her first season with the Wolves. Shintaffer recorded 18 shots and ten shots on goal. She led the NSU defense with two goals, one assists, and five points. After the departure of All-Conference second team keeper, Brittany Tietz, the Wolves will look for a new face to lead the team in the net. Stacey Cavill returns for NSU after four appearances a season ago, as well as junior Justine Charles. Look for Darian Leschewski to become a key player for Northern this season after sitting top-3 on the team in points, goals, shots, and shots on goal in 2015. The Wolves open the 2016 season with a pair of exhibition match-ups versus Presentation College and Dakota Wesleyan at home on August 20th and 27th.
Player to Watch
#9 Anna Bondy (M, 5-9, Sr., Pierre, S.D. / T.F. Riggs HS) #22 Sydney Shintaffer (D, 5-9, Jr., West Richland, Wash. / Hanford HS)
First Week
Sunday, Sept. 4 vs. Black Hills State – 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7 vs. Jamestown – 6 p.m.

 

University of Sioux Falls Cougars

Last Year	Returning Starters	Letter winners	2015
2-14-1, 1-13-1	10	13	Preseason Poll 16th / NSIC Finish 16th
Team Preview
Sioux Falls enters the 2016 season with their eye on steady improvement, as was started last season under first-year head coach Brittany Goosen. In her second season, Goosen returns nearly her whole squad that tightened their defense and grabbed two victories, including a thrilling 4-3 double-overtime win over U-Mary. Directing the defense was goalkeeper Morgan Perkins, who started all 17 contests last season and finished with 127 saves and a 2.59 goals against average. Midfielder duo of junior Jackie Montes and senior Nataly Escamilla return after playing the third- and fourth-most minutes on the team last season, and a combined 19 shots on goal. Co-leading goal scorers Alexandria Scott, Chessa Novotny, and Lola Weiss return after netting two goals each last year. Alexa D’Acubnto enters her senior season as a winger and scored a goal for USF last year, and fellow senior and defender Elisa Glab returns after an injuries kept her from eight games after starting seven as a center back. The Cougars welcome eight freshmen to the 2016 roster, including offensive player to watch Carley Campbell, who looks to add a charge into the offense. After scoring a goal last year and ranking second on the team in shots, senior Brooke Jensen adds another dynamic to the Cougar offense to complement speed around her. The Cougars open the season with a pair of neutral-site contests before opening conference play with a Sept. 9 night game against Southwest Minnesota State at the USF Sports Complex.
Player to Watch
#14 Carley Campbell (F, 5-4, Fr., Monument, Colo. / Palmer Ridge HS) #1 Morgan Perkins (GK, 5-5, So., Liberty, Mo. / Liberty HS)
First Week
Friday, Sept. 2 vs. Rochkhurst (in Kearney, Neb.) – 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 4 vs. William Jewell (in Kearney, Neb.) – 2 p.m.

 

Southwest Minnesota State University

Last Year	Returning Starters	Letter winners	2015
8-9-2, 8-6-1	6	18	Preseason Poll 8th / NSIC Finish 7th
Team Preview
SMSU finished the 2015 season with a record of 8-9-2 in Erin Kasmarik-Mallett’s first season as head coach. The Mustangs finished seventh in the final conference standings with a mark of 8-6-1 which was enough to qualify for their third consecutive NSIC tournament. Heading into her second year leading the SMSU program, Kasmarik-Mallet will be returning six starters from a team that posted the second most shutouts (8) and third fewest average goals against in school history in 2015. Senior midfielder, Morgan Weyer-Coates, will be returning to build off of a season in which she received All-NSIC honorable mention recognition. Weyer-Coates started in all 19 games for the Mustangs last year and was also an All-NSIC Academic selection. Also returning is junior midfielder, Emily Huddleston, who scored 2 goals and had 2 assists last year. The Mustangs start their season with an exhibition versus Saint Ben’s (Minn.) followed by their regular season home opener versus Fort Hays State (Kan.) on Sept. 1.
Player to Watch
#22 Morgan Weyer-Coates (M, 5-9, Sr., Rapid City, S.D. / Central HS) #9 Emily Huddleston (M, 5-6, Jr., Trenton, Mich. / Ladywood HS)
First Week
Thursday, Sept. 1 vs. Fort Hays State - 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 3 vs. Washburn - 2 p.m.

 

St. Cloud State University Huskies

Last Year	Returning Starters	Letter winners	2015
9-6-3, 8-4-3	6	11	Preseason Poll 10th / NSIC Finish 5th
Team Preview
St. Cloud State finished last season with a winning record both overall, 9-6-3, and in NSIC league play, 8-4-3. The program returns two of its top three scorers in sophomores Maria Kass and Alexa Starr. Kass led the team in goals (8), points (18), shots on goal (21) and game-winning goals (4) while starting 17 of the team’s 18 games as a freshman. She also ranked ninth in the NSIC in goals per game during her rookie campaign. Starr, an Alaskan native, also made an immediate impact in ranking second on the team in goals (4), points (10) and game-winning goals (2) while playing in 13 games with three starts. The team’s 11 returning players combined to score 15 of the squads 26 goals. After starting all 18 games last season, junior Mackenzie Winters returns to anchor a defense that allowed just 1.17 goals per game and recorded five shutouts. Senior Julia Clifford, junior Leah Schmidt and freshman Caitlyn Bangert will have a strong competition once camp begins to see who will be the primary goalkeeper this season after the graduation of last year’s two-year starter Brittany Plombon.  Head coach Gretta Arvesen is entering her third season leading the program and will look to build on the team’s third winning season in the last four years. After going 6-2-2 at home during the 2015 campaign, the team has eight regular season games at home this season at Husky Stadium starting with a match-up with conference rival Minnesota Duluth on Sept. 13 at 7 p.m.
Player to Watch
#14 Maria Kass (F, 5-2, So, Pewaukee, Wis. / Divine Savior Holey Angels HS) #10 Mackenzie Winters (CB, 5-4, Jr.  Andover, Minn. / Anoka HS)
First Week
Friday, Sept. 2 at Northern Michigan – 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 4 at Michigan Tech – 12 p.m.

 

Upper Iowa University Peacocks

Last Year	Returning Starters	Letter winners	2015
7-9-2, 6-8-1	7	13	Preseason Poll 4th / NSIC Finish t-10th
Team Preview
The Upper Iowa women’s soccer team will look to bounce back in 2016 after missing the NSIC Tournament last fall for the first time since 2009.  The Peacocks and new Head Coach James Price have two major holes to fill on this year’s roster after the graduation of All-NSIC performers Kaitlyn Emanuel (GK) and Madie Edwards (F). Mikayla Nassy-Wong, a junior defender, returns as a steadying influence on a backline that was decimated by injuries throughout the 2015 season; Nassy-Wong was named to the All-NSIC Honorable Mention for her efforts last season.  The Ontario native played and started 14 games for UIU in 2016 leading a defense that pitched four shutouts and held opponents to a 1.44 goals against average.  Brianne Fenton returns to lead the offense for the Peacocks from her midfield position.  A product of Crystal Lake, Ill., Fenton has played in 56 matches for UIU while starting 33 of them.  She has registered 13 points for the Peacocks over her first three seasons with 4 goals and 5 assists.  Upper Iowa will open the season in Marshall, Minn. facing off against Washburn University and Fort Hays State University on Sept. 1 and 3 in the SMSU Mustang Classic.
Player to Watch
#7 Brianne Fenton (M, 5-4, Sr., Crystal Lake, Ill./ Prairie Ridge HS) #12 Mikayla Nassy-Wong (D, 5-6, Jr., North York, Ontario/Senator O’Connor College)
First Week
Thursday, Sept. 1 vs. Washburn University (at SMSU) – 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3 vs. Fort Hays State University (at SMSU) – 11 a.m.

 

Wayne State College Wildcats

Last Year	Returning Starters	Letter winners	2015
4-11-3, 4-10-1	9	15	Preseason Poll 15th / NSIC Finish 12th
Team Preview
The Wayne State women’s soccer team finished the 2015 season with an overall record of 4-11-3 and a 4-10-1 record in NSIC play.  The four league wins were the most for the Wildcat soccer program since 2010 that included their first-ever win over the University of Mary 4-3 in double overtime.  Wayne State had a home record of 3-5-3 and 1-6 mark on the road.  The team finished the season strong, winning three of its last five contests.  The Wildcats return nine starters for the 2016 season, including its top three scorers from last year with Kelsey Engstrom, Carys Hund and Christina Stasi. Engstrom, a senior midfielder, will lead the Wildcats after topping the team in scoring with eight points on three goals and two assists last season.  Sophomores Carys Hund and Christina Stasi each had seven points on three goals and one assist last year as freshmen.  Stasi was also named All-NSIC honorable mention last year, leading the team with two game winning goals and ranking second in shots and shots on goal.  Wayne State also returns starting goalkeeper Kylie Comba, who played in every minute of last season recording 115 saves for a .777 save percentage in 18 contests along with three shutouts.  Other returners include seniors Valerie Hernandez and Jennifer Zick, juniors Suenly Galvez, Bryana Garcia, Hayley Hunter and Hannah Knight and sophomores Brooke Buzzell, Karlee Hall, Natalie Rech, Lexi Rosa and Alexis Strothers.
Player to Watch
#10 Kelsey Engstrom (Mid, 5-5, Sr., Lincoln, Neb. / Pius X HS) #15 Alexis Strothers (Def, 5-4, So., Gurnee, Ill. / Warren Township HS)
First Week
Sunday, Sept. 4 at Colorado – Colorado Springs – 5 p.m.

 

Winona State University Warriors

Last Year	Returning Starters	Letter winners	2015
13-6-3, 9-4-2	6	14	Preseason Poll 2nd / NSIC Finish 4th
Team Preview
A fairly young Warrior team will look to make another trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2016. Last season Winona State finished fourth in the league with a 9-4-2 league record and 13-6-3. The team advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year, this time falling to Minot State in the first round 1-0. The team lost ten seniors from last season, including NSCAA All-Region player Kati Baker. Meg Riebau, Kenzie Rose and Abby Bohanski, who also earned All-Region honors do return in 2016 to lead a team with just five upper classmen. Starting keeper Rachel Oleson, who finished ranked 26 in the NCAA in GAA, will anchor the Warrior defense this season. Last season the Warriors held their opponents to 0.73 goals per match while scoring at just above one goal per match. The Warriors 1.09 goals per game was the lowest by a squad since 1995 when the scored 0.84 goals per match. Despite that Ali Omar was able to lead the team to a seventh trip the NCAA Tournament. In 2015 Winona State outscored opponents 9-4 in the first half and it played a big role in helping the team hold a +8 advantage in goal differential. Another key to the Warriors success last season was an 8-2-1 record in home matches. This season WSU will play eight regular season home matches, a schedule that includes home matches with Minnesota State and Augustana, who finished one, two in the NSIC last year.
Player to Watch
#18 Abby Bohanski (F, 5-4, So., Plover, Wis. / Stevens Point HS) #0 Rachel Oleson (GK, 5-8, Jr., Brookfield, Wis. / Brookfield Central HS)
First Week
Friday, Sept. 2 at Michigan Tech – 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 4 at Northern Michigan – 12 p.m.