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Author: Mark Privratsky
We are about to kick off Conference play in D1 soccer and we've got 99 Minnesotans who've already seen the field this fall (out of the 119 rostered DI MNs). We are in the middle of an unprecedented scoring run with Izzy Engle, Khyah Harper, and Kaitlyn MacBean all in the top 5 for Goals nationally. The Gophers remain undefeated after a tie with Brown, while Bayliss Flynn and a slew of Minnesotans made their College debuts. In case you missed it, Maddie Dahlien continues to score for the US U-20s in the World Cup as they start the knockouts. And, as always, we will dig into stat leaders and games to watch in the coming weeks. Our D1 MN's stat tracking sheet now has 119 players total, with some added stat categories this week like minutes per game and goals+assists per 90. Check out every Minnesotan's we have in our stat tracker HERE! Lauren Heinsch makes history as the Goals and Starts leader for Northern Iowa
Did you ever get perfect attendance in school? Lauren Heinsch has probably one upped you this past week, as she became both the All Time Leader in Starts (74) for Northern Iowa, AND the All Time Leading Goal Scorer with 24 goals in 5 years. The Coaches of the Missouri Valley named her All Conference last year and again in the Preseason this year. The Mahdomedi native has been Miss Dependable for the Panthers since joining in 2020, playing 71 minutes a game, starting every game she ever played. She has been supported by a core group of Minnesotans throughout, which this year includes Morgan Barnette (3g,2a), Jenna Nyblom, Olivia Bohl (586 min, 1g) and Olivia Knoepfle (4g,2a).
Minnesotans pacing the National Goal Scoring charts
Bayliss Flynn stands out for Montana as 10 MN players get their debuts
Photo: Montana Grizzlies Athletics
We all know it's not easy to earn your playing time as a first year or younger college player. As we get a few weeks into the season we are seeing more players get a chance, with 10 Minnesotans making their debut this week. Bayliss Flynn of Montana (and MN Aurora) stands out as a Sophmore Keeper who had to wait it out last year, and has now made 3 consecutive starts for the Grizzlies. Flynn won her debut against IU Indianapolis, and took away draws at Air Force and Wyoming. Flynn and Montana face North Dakota this Thursday, at 4pm on ESPN+. Joining Bayliss in getting their debuts were Lauren Buzzell (Nebraska), Jordan Hecht (Army), Ceilidh Whynott (Butler), Maddie Dowling (Illinois State), Ayden Gagner (Duquesne), Ashlyn Derosier (Milwaukee), Avery Petty (Minnesota), Annie Mulcahy (St Thomas) and Bella Meier (St Thomas).
Gophers stay undefeated with a win over Army and a draw with Brown
Photo: Gopher Athletics
The Gophers are off to their best start in years with an undefeated 5-0-1 record. They dispatched Army 3-0 last Thursday before a tough 1-1 draw with Ivy League power Brown on Sunday to stay undefeated. Previously mentioned Khyah Harper is in the form of her college career with 8 goals and 3 assists in 7 games, while Sophia Boman, Ashley Thurk, Sarah Martin and Paige Kalal also playing heavy minutes for their hometown squad. The Gophers face Illinois this Thursday, Sept 12 at 7pm on BTN+, and return home to face MN heavy NDSU in St Paul on Sunday, Sept 15 at 1pm (BTN+). After that their schedule gets trickier with games vs Michigan (Sept 19) at Wisconsin (Sept 22), followed by their first away trip to LA.
Never Subbed 90 Minute Players
The college game has always had increased subs, and the pro game now features 5 allowable switches, but there are still those players who can stick it out for 90 and the coach doesn't bat an eye. With 99 MN's currently seeing the pitch over 6-8 games this year, only four have played every minute of their teams games (with a few close behind). Clare Gagne has stepped right in as UNC's starting keeper after showing out at Brown for years. Sophia Boman continues her legacy at Minnesota as a fifth year with hopes for a postseason chance. Jelena Zbilic is in her 2nd year with the Gophers is similarly locked in as a starter for 90 with Coach Erin Chastain, as is Sophmore Keeper Sarah Martin, who has fully grabbed the reins from long time starter (and now transferred) Megan Plaschko. Others like Grace Pohlidal (Army), Olivia Rowe (St Thomas), Maddie Ishaug (Wisconsin) and Ashley Thurk (MN) are right on the doorstep, playing almost every minute.
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Sept 3: U20s, NSIC, UMN, UST, Summit League expansion? Presented by Pentz Homes & Modist Brewing
Sept 9: Anna Tobias of UMD Soccer, plus Gophers, Tommies, U20s. Presented by Pentz Homes
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Author: Mark Privratsky  Once Labor Day has come and gone, we know it's time for D2 soccer to begin. Each year we strive to cover the Northern Sun Conference with same attention and hype as their D1 counterparts. We've seen women like Jenny Vetter from Minnesota State go pro (Racing FC in Portugal & Spokane Zephyr in the USL) from the NSIC, and the competition level never seems to fade, with any team capable of a result on any given day. The Northern Sun Conference is coming off a great year in which 3 of their squads made the 48 team NCAA Tournament field. St Cloud won their first ever NSIC Regular Season Title on their way to an At Large bid, along with Minnesota State (Mankato) who were surprisingly upset by Concordia St Paul in the first round of the NSIC Tournament. Bemidji State won the NSIC Tourney and ended up beating St Cloud in the first round of the NCAA's, meanwhile Minnesota State dropped their opener to Central Missouri, surely leaving a sense of motivation for this year's postseason. In our kickoff we will dig into the traditional rankings of the NSIC squads in the last few years, highlight the top MN programs and players (based on 2023 standings), and give you some Non Conference games to watch. We encourage all of you to find the closest NSIC squad to you and become a fan in person, but luckily the NSIC is also one of the most easily streamed Conferences in all of college sports. Check out any of the Northern Sun team's websites to find easy stream links, often including playback ability after the game. In our next edition of NSIC in MN we will dive into Winona State, Southwest MN State, MSU Moorhead and UM Crookston as they approach NSIC play, in addition to recapping the non conference results of the whole Conference.  (Image: NSIC) NSIC Power Rankings 2021-2023The Northern Sun is known as one of the best Division 2 Conferences in the Country, and it has some definite tiers to the competition. While every year features a share of shock wins, draws or close losses, we can see trends in the levels of each program over the last few years. How can you find a team to support? Do you like underdogs, traditional powers or a program on the rise? We are here to help lay out the NSIC landscape for you. Because non conference schedules vary widely, I chose to aggregate the Conference Points earned from 2021-2023 for each NSIC squad, averaged out, to break down the typical competition level for you.
Last Year's Post Season (Image: NSIC) St Cloud State made the tournament as first time Regular Season Champs, outlasting UMD in the opener. Bemidji State beat Augustana in their opener and then solidly beat St Cloud in the Semi finals. Concordia St Paul upset MN State as the 7 seed, but dropped their Semi Final to U Mary. Bemidji State dispatched U Mary to earn the NSIC Tournament Title. In the NCAAs, we had Bemidji State dropping St Cloud again, before losing to Emporia State in the 2nd Round. Minnesota State lost to perennial Tourney team Central Missouri, leaving the potential of the 3 NISC squads somewhat unfulfilled. St Cloud State Huskies (Photo: St Cloud State Athletics) Did You Know? Head Coach Gretta Macdonald is in her 11th year at St Cloud (previously a MN State Assistant!), with Assistant Jade Smith joining the latter half of her tenure. Together they built the Huskies up to their first ever NSIC Trophy last year and return the vast majority of their roster with newcomers as well.
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| 2023 Record: 11-4-5 (9-1-4 NSIC) Key Returners (1000+ Min in 2023) Ashlyn Watt, Sr Mid, 1628 min, 1g,1a Courtney Kovacs, Jr Def, 1656 min, 1a Addison Clarey, Jr Fwd, 1087 min, 3g,4a Avery Korsching, Jr Fwd, 1263 min, 6g,2a Anna Van Wyngarden, Jr Mid, 1310 min, 5g, 2a Kiera Laney, Jr Def/Mid, 1558 min, 1g, 2a Maille Mathis, did not play in 2023, 9g,6a in 2022 Maddix Archer, Soph Mid/Fwd, 4g,2a | NON CONFERENCE GAMES Fri, Sept 6, 4pm Home vs #17 Emporia State Sunday, Sept 8, 2pm Home vs West Florida Fri, Sept 13, 6pm At #21 Central Missouri Sun, Sept 15, 1pm At Northwest Missouri State |
Bemidji State Beavers
(Photo: Bemidji State Athletics)
Did You Know? Head Coach Jim Stone is in his 23rd Season at BSU, posting a 219-126-35 (.622) record, with 17 consecutive winning (or.500) seasons in a row. Their coaching staff was United Soccer Coaches Central Region Staff of the Year in '21 and '22, and they are in the midst of a 3 year NCAA Tournament streak as the new power in the NISC.
| 2023 Record: 13-4-6 (7-3-4 NSIC) Key Returners (1000+ Min in 2023) Anna Breffle, 5th Yr Def, 1096 min, 1a Lauren Hodney, 5th Yr Mid, 1429 min, 3g,1a Maria Stocke, Sr Mid, 1547 min, 5g,1a Katrina Barthelt, Jr Fwd, 1455 min, 12g,2a Julia Freed, Soph Def, 1526 min Megan Ko, Soph Def, 1443 min | NON CONFERENCE GAMES Fri, Sept 6, 4pm Home v Missouri Western State Sun, Sept 8, Noon Home vs Drury Fri, Sept 13, 5pm At Quincy Sun, Sept 15, Noon At Upper Iowa |
Concordia St Paul Golden Bears
(Photo: CSP Athletics)
Did You Know? Coach Steve Ballis is in his 13th Season at CSP, boasting a 101-11-27 record. His Coaching Staff was Central Region Staff of the Year in 2019 on the back of a NSIC Title and 2nd Round NCAA Tournament birth. They'll look to build on a solid upset of MN State in the NSIC Tournament last year.
| 2023 Record: 9-7-4 (6-4-4 NSIC) Key Returners (1000+ Min in 2023) Haley Rudebusch, Sr Fwd/Def, 1300 min (20/20 Starts) Sammy Ponsonby, Sr Fwd, 1105 min, 2g,1a Sydney Manthana, Sr Mid/Def, 1237 min, 1g Brittany Bordson, Sr Mid, 1585 min, 2g,1a Belle Abruzzo, Jr Def, 1723 min, 4a Sophia Haase, Soph Mid, 1078 min, 1g,4a | NON CONFERENCE GAMES Sat, Sept 7, 1pm At Texas A&M International Sun, Sept 8, 1pm At St Edwards (Texas) Fri, Sept 13, 6pm At Nebraska-Kearney Sun, Sept 15, 11am At New Mexico Highlands |
UMD Bulldogs
(Image: UMD Athletics)
Did You Know? Greg Cane is in his 31st Season as UMD Head Coach, boasting a .583 winning pct and keeping the Bulldogs competitive through 4 decades. WDIO has a preview piece for the '24 Season for UMD where Captain Anna Tobias said the team is seeing this year as "Ring Year", and their goal is trophies. Check out the piece HERE.
| 2023 Record: 6-7-6 (5-4-5 NSIC) Key Returners (1000+ Min in 2023) Anna Tobias, Sr Fwd, 1457 min, 5g,2a Baamlak Haugen, Sr Mid, 1171 min Hallie Witte, Jr Def, 1083 min Cambelle Christensen, Jr Def, 1279 min Jessica Eichens, Soph Fwd/Mid, 1371 min, 2g,2a | NON CONFERENCE GAMES Thurs, Sept 5, 6pm Home vs Northern Michigan Sat, Sept 7, 1pm Home vs Michigan Tech |
Author: Matt Privratsky
Since the departure of Western Illinois just over a year ago, the Summit League has been sitting at 9 members – an inopportune number for the scheduling and travel of an athletics conference. In all likelihood, the Summit League may simply add one new member to replace outgoing Western Illinois and get its membership back up to 10. But – despite truly no one even remotely asking me to – I thought it might be fun to dream a bit bigger. In the era of the most aggressive, ambitious, and wild college conference expansion of all time, I came up with a (sort of just for fun) plan to transform the Summit League into a massive, Midwestern powerhouse mid-major athletics conference. Let’s jump in.
State of the Summit & Ground Rules
As I mentioned above, the Summit League currently sits at 9 members: UND, NDSU, SDSU, USD, KC, Omaha, Denver, Oral Robert, St Thomas. As you can see via the map below, membership is largely concentrated in the Upper Midwest but branches west to Colorado and south to Oklahoma. For this proposal, I used a few basic ground rules:
State of the Summit & Ground Rules
As I mentioned above, the Summit League currently sits at 9 members: UND, NDSU, SDSU, USD, KC, Omaha, Denver, Oral Robert, St Thomas. As you can see via the map below, membership is largely concentrated in the Upper Midwest but branches west to Colorado and south to Oklahoma. For this proposal, I used a few basic ground rules:
- We are doing this for fun
- We care only about women’s soccer
- We care a bit about quality of program
- We want every team to have a travel partner
- We want the map to at least vaguely make sense
- We assume all current members remain members
- We are not assuming any DII/DIII go DI
- We are assuming schools want a non-conference schedule of some kind (considered going to an 18-20 team league and using a single table, conference only schedule. Instead went with 16 teams so there is room for a few non-conference rivalries to maintain)
The Super Sized Summit League
Let’s start with the most Minnesota angle to this scenario: getting St Thomas a travel partner. Most Summit League opponents aren’t too far away from St Thomas’ home in St Paul, MN, but none are what you’d describe as natural travel partners. The two most logical options could be Northern Iowa (UNI) or Drake – both 3-ish hours away. I’d selfishly love to watch more of both programs and either could make a good option for the Summit, but as a tie breaker we’ll go with UNI because it’s a little closer.
Out west, I considered building out an entire four team “Colorado wing” of the Summit League castle (in an even more aggressive buildout maybe you do) but instead went with Colorado State. Air Force and Northern Colorado are both nearby but CSU had the higher RPI last year so they won the tie breaker.
Down south, I assume Omaha and Kansas city pair up with Oral Roberts in need of a new partner. There are lots of other DIs within driving distance but Missouri State wins out due to a solid 2023 RPI and its general proximity “on the way” for many of the current (and newly proposed below) members.
Now, with 12 members in place all with natural travel partners, I get into the true expansion for expansion's sake. I’ve long felt the play for the Summit League that’s both highly ambitious but also somewhat logical would be to go after longtime Horizon League powerhouse Milwaukee. Though the top of the Horizon League has tended to be stronger than the Summit, the bottom is far far weaker – leading to an average RPI of 198 last year for HL vs 174 for the SL. And the new Summit League would be even stronger (more on that later)! Come on Panthers, come west! And while we’re in Milwaukee, let’s grab Marquette right alongside MKE.
If we’re venturing all the way to Lake Michigan, we might as well grab a couple more nearby to add some super convenient trips for our 4 new eastern-most members. In my head, for some reason, DePaul and the Big East seemed too likely to stick together (truly cannot tell you why Big East teams felt off limits in my brain but they did) so we’re going with Loyola Chicago and Valparaiso just a bit into Indiana as our second pairing to the east.
Final Thoughts
Although this specific exercise was almost entirely for fun, I do think it makes sense for some of the many midwestern mid-majors to consider ambitious expansion like this. For example, just within our rough driving distance (plus the conference opponents of those in driving distance) there are Summit League, Missouri Valley, Horizon League, Big Sky, Mountain West, and Ohio Valley members and more!
Now, I’m very confident the way I’m thinking of this is nowhere near the way actual athletic directors or conference commissioners are – thus the multiple “for fun” and “not serious” tags throughout the piece. But the pieces I do think folks should take away are:
- Silly speculative “fan fiction” should not just be for “power 5/4” conferences
- Expanding the Summit League into new markets could be exciting
- Some conference consolidation/shifting among midwest mid-majors could make sense
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