2015 NSIC Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll

8/13/2015 7:30:00 AM

For Immediate Release
Thursday, August 13, 2015
NSIC Media Relations
Media Packet (PDF)


Minnesota State Tabbed NSIC Soccer Preseason Favorites

BURNSVILLE, Minn. – For the second straight season, Minnesota State University, Mankato was picked by the league’s coaches to win the NSIC in the preseason poll. Since 2008, Minnesota State has been picked to win the league five times, including three of the last four years.

The Mavericks received 14 first place votes and tallied 223 points, ranking them ahead of Winona State (204), which received a first place vote. Augustana, which also received a first place vote, came in third with 193 points.

The 2015 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 2015 NSIC Soccer season will see its first action on Thursday, Sept. 3 as three matches kickoff the season, including an NSIC match as Minnesota Crookston visits Bemidji State.

2015 NSIC Preseason Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll
1 Minnesota State (14) 223
2 Winona State (1) 204
3 Augustana (1) 193
4 Upper Iowa  168
5 Minot State 166
6 Bemidji State   161
7 Minnesota Duluth 146
8 Southwest Minnesota State 132
9 U-Mary 92
10 Concordia-St. Paul 90
St. Cloud State  90
12 Northern State  88
13 Minnesota Crookston 67
14 MSU Moorhead 43
15 Wayne State  36
16 Sioux Falls 21
first place votes in ( )

#13 Korey Kronforst (F, 5-5, Sr., Cary, Ill. / Cary Grove HS) - MSU
- Led the Maverick offense with 36 points, including a team-leading 16 goals
- Started in all 23 games during the 2014 season
- Posted a hat trick against Upper Iowa
- Finished third in the nation last season with eight game-winning goals
- Ranked 12th in the nation in goals last season
#2 Madalyn Jansen (D, 5-6, Sr., Appleton, Wis. / Appleton North HS) - WSU
- 2014 First Team All-NSIC
- 2014 NSCAA Second Team All-Region
- Two-time NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
- Anchor of a defense that allowed just 17 goals last season
- Scored a game-winning overtime goal at MSU Moorhead last season
- Played in 52 games in college career, including all 45 the past two seasons

2015 NSIC Soccer Players to Watch

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#17 Stephanie Stevens (MF, 5-2, Sr., Ankeny, Iowa / Ankeny HS)
- Named First Team All-NSIC in 2014
- Named to NSCAA All-Central Region First Team last year
- Started all 20 matches for the Vikings in 2014
- Logged 1,489 minutes and ranked third on the team with six goals
- Tied for second on the team dishing out four assists
- Ranked third on the team with 16 points
 
#7 Caroline Renner (D, 5-8, Sr., Overland Park, Kan. / Blue Valley North HS)
- Started all 20 matches in 2014
- Played 1,129 minutes for the Vikings last season
- Took three shots, two on goal
- Helped Viking defense post six shutouts on the year
#10 Sarah Stram (F, 5-4, Jr., Elk Grove Village, Ill. / Elk Grove HS)
- First Team All-NSIC selection in 2014
- Daktronics and NSCAA All-Region selection in 2014
- Started all 18 contests for BSU in 2014
- Led the team and ranked fourth in NSIC scoring a career-high 12 goals
- Had team-best five game-winning goals to rank second in NSIC
- The Beavers were a perfect 9-0-0 when she scored a goal
- Her 30 points (12g-6a) led the team and place her fifth on BSU’s single-season list
 
#3 Abigail Nyquist (D, 5-7, Sr., Golden Valley, Minn. / Hopkins HS)
- Third Team All-NSIC defender in 2014
- Started 18 all matches for BSU
- Was a key player in a defensive unit that allowed just 1.22 goals per game and posted five shutouts in 2014
- Chipped in offensively setting up four goals and serving as the team’s primary pick for corner kicks
- Named captain for 2015 season
#21 Taryn MacMillan (M, 5-6, Sr., Eagan, Minn. / Eastview HS)
- Named All-NSIC Third Team last season
- Started all 17 games, scoring a team-best four goals
- Fired a team-high 12 shots on net and 32 shots overall
- Had two multi-goal games
 
#11 Rachel Gratz (D, 5-6, Sr., Eagan, Minn. / School of Environmental Studies)
-Named All-NSIC Third Team last season
-Earned All-NSIC honorable mention honors as a sophomore
-Started all 17 games
-Anchored the defense with 1553 minutes played
#26 Michelle McGeary (M, 5-7, Jr., Gillette, Wyo. / Campbell County HS)
- Earned 2014 All-NSIC second team honors as a sophomore
- Named to the 2014 NSIC All-Academic Team
- Scored five goals and added three assists for a team-high 13 points
- Has career totals of eight goals and six assists while starting 35 of 36 collegiate contests

#3 Emily Christensen (D, 5-6, Sr., Minot, N.D. / Minot HS)
- A three-year starter for the Marauders
- She has started all but one of 52 games in her career at U-Mary
- Was third on the team in assists in 2014
- Has career totals of one goal and eight assists while anchoring the Marauders defense
#9 Courtney Armborst (F, 5-8, Sr., West Saint Paul, Minn. / Henry Sibley HS)
- Led the team with eight goals and 16 points on the 2014 season
- Had 20 shots on goal and one game-winning goal on the season
- Started 15 of 18 games for the Golden Eagles as a junior at the forward position
- Scored a hat trick (three goals) in a win over Finlandia University
- Tallied two goals in a win over Wayne State College

#22 Samantha Deutsch (D, 5-3, Jr., Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville North)
- Started all 18 games as a sophomore at left back
- Tallied an assist against Finlandia University
- Helped the UMC defense set a school record for goals allowed with just 18 on the season
- Also helped the defense set the school record with eight shutouts on the season
#3 Marissa Ganske (M, 5-3, Jr., Eagan, Minn. / Eastview HS)
- Highest career point total among returners for UMD with 15 (four goals, seven assists)
- Led returners with six points (two each in goals and assists) during the 2014 season
- Appeared in all 43 games for the Bulldogs since walking on as a first-year player in 2013

#15 Emily Fleissner (D, 5-9, So., Duluth, Minn. / Duluth Denfeld HS)
- Appeared in 17 games including eight starts on the back line in her debut go-around for UMD
- Averaged 57 minutes of action in UMD's two playoff matches last season
- Earned her first collegiate assist on Oct. 4, 2014 vs. Sioux Falls (1-0 UMD win)
#13 Korey Kronforst (F, 5-5, Sr., Cary, Ill. / Cary Grove HS)
- Led the Maverick offense with 36 points, including a team-leading 16 goals
- Started in all 23 games during the 2014 season
- Posted a hat trick against Upper Iowa
- Finished third in the nation last season with eight game-winning goals
- Ranked 12th in the nation in goals last season

#7 Emily Erickson (D, 5-4, Sr., Woodbury, Minn. / Woodbury HS)
- Started in 22 matches for the Mavericks last season, while playing in 1,868 minutes.
- Part of a defense that allowed just eight goals last season.
- Helped the Mavericks post 17 shutouts during the 2014 season.
- Earned NSCAA All-Central Region Second Team honors in 2014.
#4 Jessica Johnson (M, 5-6, Jr., St. Michael, Minn. / St. Michael-Albertville HS)
- Enters 2015 as two-year starter at forward, having started 30 games over the previous two seasons.
- Led Dragons with two goals and four points in 2014
- Finished second on the team with 22 shots in 2014
- Scored both goals in MSUM’s 2-1 win over Minnesota Crookston on Oct. 18, 2014
 
#5 Gabrielle Bjorge (D, 5-6, Jr., Prior Lake, Minn. / Prior Lake HS)
- Two-year starter at defender, having started all 34 games the previous two seasons.
- Finished second on the team in minutes played (1,508) in 2014
- Finished with one assist and one point in 2014
- Named team’s Defensive MVP in 2014
 #21 Emilie Rebelo (CM, 5-8, Sr., Sacramento, Calif. / Natomas HS)
- Named to the 2014 All-NSIC First Team
- Started all 19 matches in 2014, ranking fourth on the team with 1,590 minutes
- Finished second on the team in both goals (5) and total points (12)
- Led Minot State with 24 shots on goal, pushing her career total 67, third all-time in school history
- Ranks third in school history in points (30), goals (12), assists (6) and shots (141) and is fifth in games played (59)
 
#12 Kristin Long (M, 5-3, Sr., Mesa, Ariz. / Desert Ridge HS)
- Made 14 starts in 19 games for the Beavers in 2014, finishing with a career-high 11 points
- Finished second on the team with a career-high three assists
- Ranked third on the team in total goals (4) and shots on goal (16)
- Has five goals and three assist in her career
#9 Anna Bondy (F, 5-9, Jr., Pierre, S.D. / T.F. Riggs HS)
- Appeared in 18 games, playing 1523 minutes
- Led the team with 43 shots, 20 shots on goal, six goals, and three assists
- Totaled a team leading 15 points
- Averaged 2.39 shots per game
- Named NSIC All-Conference Second Team
 
#00 Brittany Tietz (GK, 5-8, Sr., Aberdeen, S.D. / Aberdeen Central HS)
- Started all 18 games, playing 1607 minutes
- Led the team with 111 saves
- Recorded a .822 save percentage
- Compiled six wins and five shutouts
- Notched a 1.34 goals against average
#9 Jackie Montes (M, 5-5, So., Corona, Calif. / Centennial HS)
- Played in 14 games as a freshman, making 12 starts
- Scored one goal, game-winner against St. Cloud State on Oct. 5
- Registered 16 shots last season with five on goal, second-most among returners
- Recorded multiple shots in five games and played all 90 minutes three times in 2014
                                                                                       
#2 Elisa Glab (D, 5-7, Jr., Watertown, S.D.  / Watertown HS)
- Played in and started all 18 games last season
- Recorded five shots, two on goal, in 2015
- Played in 37 career games, registering one assist as a freshman
- Second on team in minutes in 2014 among returners
#20 Miranda Cadena (F, 5-3, Sr., Highland, Calif. / St. Joseph HS)
- Two-time All-NSIC
- Two-time Daktronics All-Central Region team
- Two-time NSCAA/Continental Tire All-Central Region team
- Holds the school recorded for game-winning goals with 16, career goals with 32 goals and 75 points.

#2 Megan Kilroy (D, 5-2, Sr., Paramount, Calif. / Redlands East Valley HS)
- Started 56 games in her career
- Two-time NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA All-Central Region team
- Two-time All-NSIC second team
- Two-time NSIC All-Academic team
#18 Michelle Cornell (M, 5-8, Sr., Waunakee, Wis. / Waunakee HS)
- Will serve second consecutive season as a team captain
- All-NSIC Honorable Mention selection in 2014 and 2013
- Scored two goals for the Huskies in 2014 and has 10 goals for the Huskies during her college career. 
 
#10 Mackenzie Winters (M, 5-4, So., Andover, Minn. / Anoka HS)
- A leader on the Huskies' defensive line in 2014, Winters had one assist in 18 games played last fall
- Named to the 2014 All-NSIC Second Team as a freshman for the Huskies
#13 Madie Edwards (C, 5-6, Sr., Crystal Lake, Ill. / Crystal Lake HS)
- 2014 NSCAA All-Region Team and Daktronics All-Region First Team
- 2014 All-NSIC First Team after earning All-NSIC Third Team honors in 2013
- Scored 10 goals and added 5 assists
- Recorded three games of five points or more, including three goals against U-Mary and two goals and two assists versus CSP on Nov. 2
- Has had back-to-back 25 point seasons and sits at 55 points in her Peacock career

#98 Kaitlyn Emanual (GK, 5-6, Sr., Byron, Minn. / Byron HS)
- 2014 All-NSIC Third Team; NSIC Goalkeeper of the Week one time in 2014, twice in 2013
- Named to the Capital One Academic All-District Team
- Played in 18 games making 14 starts allowing only 17 goals (0.95/match)
- Registered 92 saves and a save percentage of .844 while posting a record of 8-7-1 with 7 shutouts (1 shared shutout)
#9 Josie Brown (F, 5-8, Sr., Elk River, Minn. /  Elk River HS)
- All-NSIC honorable mention as a junior in 2014
- Led WSC in goals (3) and points (8)
- Scored game winning goal in 1-0 win at Nebraska-Kearney last season
 
#20 Natalie Poppe (D, 5-5, Sr., North Platte, Neb. / North Platte HS)
- Scored one goal on five shots last season
- Had one goal on two shots at MSU Moorhead
- Appeared in 14 games with 13 starts at defender
#2 Madalyn Jansen (D, 5-6, Sr., Appleton, Wis. / Appleton North HS)
- 2014 First Team All-NSIC
- 2014 NSCAA Second Team All-Region
- Two-time NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
- Anchor of a defense that allowed just 17 goals last season
- Scored a game-winning overtime goal at MSU Moorhead last season
- Played in 52 games in college career, including all 45 the past two seasons

#21 Meg Riebau (F, 5-9, Jr., Appleton, Wis. / Appleton North HS)
- Played in all 23 games as a sophomore last season
- Tied for second on team with four goals last season, including two game winners
- Dished out a pair of assists
- Posted 38 shots on the year with 13 on goal


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