For Immediate Release
Monday, September 8, 2025
NSIC Media Relations
Media Packet

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#21 Virginia Pruitt (F, 5-5, Fr., Cashmere, Wash. / Cashmere HS) – SMSU
- Scored two goals and provided one assist in SMSU’s 6-0 win over Dakota State
- The five points led the NSIC during the opening weekend
- Added three shots on goal

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#19 Anna Van Wyngarden (MF, 5-6, Sr., West Des Moines, Iowa / Valley HS) – Minnesota State
- Played all but three minutes across two shutouts
- Limited both Central Oklahoma and #13 Central Missouri to just three shots on goal
- Recorded four total shots, with two of them being on goal
- In the 76th minute scored the game-winning goal on a penalty kick against UCM

NSIC Goalkeeper of the Week
#1 Kaycee Chavez (GK, 5-10, Sr., Eagle River, Alaska / Eagle River HS) – Minnesota Duluth
- Recorded two shutouts as UMD began season 1-0-1
- Had eight saves total and faced seven corner kicks over the weekend
- The 180 minutes is the longest shutout streak of Chavez’s UMD career
- In UMD’s 1-0 win against Michigan Tech recorded four saves
- IN a scoreless tie with Northern Michigan added another four saves

Others Under Consideration
OFFENSE
Ally Hamski  (Augustana)
- Recorded two goals in a 3-1 win over Central Oklahoma
- Both goals came on penalty kicks
- Played 64 minutes in the win
Katrina Barthelt (Bemidji State)
- Scored the Beavers lone goal over the weekend in their 1-0 win at NW Missouri State
- Finished the weekend with two shots on goal
- Played in 143 of 180 minutes over the weekend
Sophia Haase (Concordia-St. Paul)
- Scored the game-winning goal over Nebraska Kearney
- Tallied 10 shots on the weekend including two over Minot State and 10 versus UNK
- Collected four shots on goal in the two games
- Helped CSP to go 2-0 on the season-opening weekend
- Played a full 90-minute outing against Minot State
Rachel Gensch (UMary)
- Scored the Marauders opening goal of the season in UMary’s 2-0 win over MSU Billings
- Took a lead pass from Kadyn Sharpe in the 14th minute for a 1-0 UMary lead
- Marauders outshot the Yellowjackets 15-2 with a 7-2 edge in shots on frame
Sophie Thompson (MSU Moorhead)
- Scored the first goal of the 2025 season for MSUM against Nebraska-Kearney
- The strike proved to be a game-winning goal as the Dragons eventually won 2-0
- Had two shots on goal for the weekend in 124 minutes of action
Mariah Siem (Sioux Falls)
- Scored one goal with one shot on goal (.500 SOG%) in a 2-1 win over Mount Marty
- Dominated in the air, winning 3 of 4 aerial duels, including 2 of 2 headed balls
- Logged 68 minutes as a starter, contributing on both ends of the field
Ellie Primerano (St. Cloud State)
- Scored the game-winning goal in 1-0 win over Michigan Tech
- Netted her 12th career goal and fifth career game-winning goal
Madelynn Drasher (Winona State)
- Scored the game-winner to open the season with a 2-1 victory at UW-Parkside
- Found the back of the net on a penalty kick in the 72nd minute

DEFENSE
Belle Abruzzo (Concordia-St. Paul)
- Scored the game-winning goal against Minot State
- Led a defense that posted two shutouts and saw seven saves
- Played two full 90-minute games against UNK and Minot State
- Tallied three shots on goal against Minot State
- Collected four shots total in both games
Allison Lepp (UMary)
- Spearheaded UMary’s defensive effort in a 2-0 opening day win over MSU Billings
- Continually disrupted the Yellowjackets attack, limiting MSUB to two total shots
- The Yellowjackets were held without a shot in the first half
- UMary held a 15-2 edge in shots and a 7-2 edge in shots on frame
Lilly Allen (MSU Moorhead)
- Played a pair of full 90s on the backline, holding opponents to zero goals
- Helped stifle opposing offenses and did not allow a score on 37 shots faces overall
- Only allowed 11 shots on goal of the 37 shots faced
Mercy Godfrey (Southwest Minnesota State)
- Scored one goal and provided one assist in SMSU's 6-0 win over Dakota State
- Played 65 minutes in a clean sheet performance, which ended with no shots on goal 

GOALKEEPER
Taya Baker (Augustana) 
- Recorded a 0-0 tie against No. 13 Central Missouri and 3-1 win over Central Oklahoma
- In Friday's tie, she recorded seven saves
- In Sunday's win, she tallied three saves on four shots
Rozlyn Buettner (Bemidji State)
- Collected her first collegiate shutout in a 1-0 win at Northwest Mo. State
- Made a career-high five saves in the match including four in the second half
Sydney Potter (Concordia-St. Paul)
- Posted two shutouts against Nebraska Kearney and Minot State
- Tallied four saves in the win over UNK
- Collected three saves in the victory over Minot
- Played a full 90-minute outing in both games
- Became the third ranked player in program history in shutouts
Lauren McAlpine (Minnesota State)
- Recorded back to back shutouts
- Played all 180 minutes stopping all six shots she faced
Rylee Truslow (MSU Moorhead)
- Turned in a clean sheet in a 2-0 Dragon win over Nebraska-Kearney
- Made seven saves in the victory with 17 total shots faced
- The effort is the first full 90 clean sheet of her MSUM career
2025 NSIC Soccer Players of the Week
9/8/25
O: #21 Virginia Pruitt – SMSU 
D: #19 Anna Van Wyngarden – Minnesota State
GK: #1 Kaycee Chavez – Minnesota Duluth 

About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 27 team national championships and crowned 122 individual national champions. For additional information, visit NorthernSun.org.

About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes can earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA’s three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit NCAA.org.