​Mark Privratsky and Dani Foxhoven Young sit down with MN Aurora FC Head Coach Nicole Lukic to talk about her USL W League Coach of the Year campaign, which players surprised the staff, what led to such a successful first year for the team, how those early recruiting conversations went, and more!

You can watch the recorded LIVE version of the video show below or you can listen ​to it as a podcast on Soundcloud, iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher. Show presented by Pentz Homes (pentzhomes.com)

Author: Mark Privratsky

(Photo Credit: UNI Athletics)
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We have lift off! The 2022 College Soccer Season is underway and Minnesotan players will not be left out. One week in and we are not short on stories as Freshmen score goals, the Drake Bulldogs rely on their MN Trio, and we've got updates on women making impacts coast to coast. Disney doesn't need this from us, but allow me to make an unpaid commercial pitch for ESPN+. There is a noticeable jump in Women's College soccer on the platform, with the Gophers opening their year with two ESPN+ streams from Texas. ESPN+ has a lot of men's professional soccer and other sports that make it worth while, but this year the benefit to fans of the women's game can really see value. Put simply, there will be players from our list below on ESPN+ every week, so keep your eyes out! Thanks to the conferences like the Summit League who offer free, highly professional streams as well!

Blackhart Games
The synergy of me bartending at our local soccer bar, The Blackhart, means more women's soccer to watch! Keep an eye on our social media to see when we will get college games on the screen there. Gopher games are particularly restricted with BTN+, but we've got the subscription! 

Lauren Heinsch bags 2 goals to lead MN's at Northern Iowa
Northern Iowa is off to an ideal start to the year. In scrimmages they tied Iowa State and beat Concordia St Paul, and since then they've opened the season 2-0 with wins over Grand View and South Dakota. Northern Iowa is one of the more Minnesotan teams in D1, with 5 "gophers" on the squad. Lauren Heinsch has a goal a game so far, getting on the board twice. Lizzie Mewis has also featured, while Olivia Knoepfle has an assist and played major minutes in both wins. Morgan Barnette and Jenna Nyblom round out the Minnesotan contingent at UNI, go Panthers!

Andi Barth scores for Boston College
Andi Barth played 420 minutes in her freshman year at BC, snagging an assist along the way. We don't have a ton of Minnesotans at high major programs, so her campaign stood out a bit. This year she looks to make sure we pay attention. The Eagles have started solidly with a 2-0 win over Villanova, and a 4-1 win at local Northeastern where Barth hit the back of the net. 

Drake's Minnesotan Trio
Last year Drake made the Missouri Valley tournament and had a dramatic overtime win over UNI, but they must have felt like they left results on the field. 1 goal losses and overtime ties, maybe there was a higher path the Bulldogs could have taken. Brooke Davies, Meghan Brown, and Delaney Goertzen are 3 Minnesotans who play big roles for a team looking to improve on their second round MVC tourney loss. You can watch the Drake squad journey through the Dakotas with games at SDSU (Sept 4), South Dakota (Sept 8), and NDSU (Sept 11) all on their website streams!

Maddie Dahlien plays a role with the Tarheels
For those unfamiliar with the University of North Carolina soccer program, all they've done is won 23 of the 27 ACC Championships and an astonishing 21 of 40 NCAA titles. In the early 90's they were basically the feeder to the USWNT. No surprise that Edina native Maddie Dahlien jumped at the chance to join this legendary program. Even as a true freshman, she's not just watching and learning. Maddie has seen the field in both games for UNC so far, 30 minutes in the 3-0 opener with Tennessee, 15 minutes in the 2-0 win against UNC-Wilmington. Thank you to whoever submitted Maddie as a player we missed last week!

Alexis Smith starts Freshman season off with a bang
(Que Mark Googling Stetson University) 
For those not in the know. The Stetson University Hatters (yes!) compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference and are located in DeLand, Florida (how is that name even cooler?). While the school has produced many men's pro athletes, the Hatters are now relevant solely because a Minnesotan freshman has joined the party. Alexis Smith of White Bear Lake is the Hatter of interest, scoring a goal and snagging an assist in her first college game against South Carolina St. Thank you to whoever submitted Alexis to us so we can give her some shine!

​Alabama State
Kassandra Schoen - 1 goal, 131 minutes in 2 games

Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Brisha Musungu - 90 minutes in 1 game

Army
Hannah Pohlidal - DNP

Austin Peay
Avryn List - 240 minutes in 11 games

Boston College
Andi Barth - 1 goal, 74 minutes in 2 games

Boston U
Marli Rajacich - 56 minutes in 2 games

Brown
Clare Gagne - DNP 
KK Haug - DNP 
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Creighton
Ansley Atkinson - DNP (potential injury return factor)
Sydney Drees - DNP

Denver
Shweta Raje - DNP
Megan Prazich - 119 minutes in 2 games

DePaul
Megan Malecha - DNP 

(Photo Credit: Drake Athletics)
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Drake
Brooke Davies - 109 minutes in 2 games
Meghan Brown - 115 minutes in 2 games
Delaney Goertzen - 111 minutes in 2 games

Florida Atlantic
Hailey Landrus - 2 assists, 118 minutes in 2 games
Mia Sennes - 46 minutes in 1 game

University of Illinois-Chicago
Jelena Zbiljic - 47 minutes in 1 game

Illinois State
Erica Moline - 12 minutes in 1 game
Katharine Ashley - 180 minutes in 2 games

James Madison
Maddie Majewski - DNP

Kent State
Luca Ralph - 61 minutes in 2 games

Lipscomb
Lydia Hindt - 34 minutes in 2 games

Long Beach State
Katarina Decaroli - DNP

Loyola Chicago
Amanda Cassidy - 129 minutes in 2 games
Jordan Pascarella - 171 minutes in 2 games

Marquette
Chloe Olson - DNP
Abby Ruhland - DNP
Katie Koker - 133 minutes in 2 games

Memphis
Maddie Stoks - 1 assist, 32 minutes in 2 games

Michigan
Meredith Haakenson - 1 assist, 154 minutes in 2 games

​Minnesota
Alma Beaton - DNP
Sophia Boman - 180 minutes in 2 games
Abi Frandsen - 71 minutes in 1 game
Eva Bruer - DNP
McKenna Buisman - 1 goal, 106 minutes in 2 games
Alanna Dressely - 180 minutes in 2 games
Sophia Barjesth - 62 minutes in 2 games
Maddie Shannon - DNP
Megan Plaschko - 1.5 goals against average, .667 Save%, 180 minutes in 2 games
Khyah Harper - 1 goal , 130 minutes in 2 games
Sadie Harper - DNP

Navy
Emma Frommelt - DNP

NDSU
Paige Goaley - 1 goal, 155 minutes in 2 games
Kaitlyn Hanson - DNP
Kelsey Kallio - 139 minutes in 2 games
Josie Feldman - 15 minutes in 2 games
Olivia Watson - 94 minutes in 2 games
Izzy Smith - DNP
Madalyn Grate - 49 minutes in 1 game
Mckenna Strand - 133 minutes in 2 games
Dani Stuber - 104 minutes in 2 games
Lavin Douglas - 173 minutes in 2 games
Jess Hanley -144 minutes in 2 games
Loretta Wacek - 84 minutes in 2 games
Olivia Lovick - 49 minutes in 1 game

Nebraska
Sydney Marchant - DNP
Lauren Buzzell - DNP

North Carolina 
Maddie Dahlien - 44 minutes in 2 games

North Carolina-Ashville
Ava Bjorkman-Tracy - 82 minutes in 2 games

North Dakota
Payton Schultz - 26 minutes in 2 games
Lexi Miller - 111 minutes in 2 games
Taylor Lange - DNP
Katie Alto - DNP
Lauren Glas - 38 minutes in 1 game
Haylee Goodrich -12 minutes in 1 game
Jessica Machovec - DNP

Northeastern
Jessie Hunt - 1 assist, 158 minutes in 2 games
Lauren Ahles - 54 minutes in 2 games

Northern Illinois University
Jordyn Saddler - DNP

Northern Iowa
Lizzie Mewis - 48 minutes in 2 games
Lauren Heinsch - 2 goals, 155 minutes in 2 games
Olivia Knoepfle - 1 assist, 143 minutes in 2 games
Morgan Barnette - DNP
Jenna Nyblom - DNP

Northwestern
Madison Lo - DNP
Ramira Ambrose - DNP
Lily Gilbertson - 1 assist, 109 minutes in 2 games
Sydney Panek - DNP

Notre Dame
Paige Peltier - 9DNP

Omaha
Lindsey Birch - 6 minutes in 1 game

Oregon State
Anna Wagner - 37 minutes in 2 games

Penn State
Kaitlyn MacBean - Played in 1 game

Purdue-Fort Wayne (Mastadons!)
Tia Johnson - 104 minutes in 2 games

Seton Hall
Ella Conger - DNP

South Dakota State
Rachel Preston - 170 minutes in 2 games
Lauren Eckerle - 87 minutes in 2 games
Kayla Anderson - 67 minutes in 2 games
Kennedy Sanders - Redshirted last year
Maya Hansen - 1 goal, 137 minutes in 2 games
Katherine Jones - 150 minutes in 2 games
Jocelyn Tanner - 1.00 goals against average, .750 save%, 90 minutes in 1 game

Seattle
Emily Bunnell - 180 minutes in 2 games

South Dakota
Liv Muehlberg - 65 minutes in 2 games
Brooklyn Bordson - 66 minutes in 2 games
Izzy Quintavalle - 10 minutes in 1 game

SIU-Edwardsville
Mary Fetter - 1 assist, 71 minutes in 2 games

St Francis (Brooklyn Terriers!)
Kendra Rust - 76 minutes in 2 games

(Photo Credit: St Thomas Athletics)
​
​St Thomas
(The Tommies had their first game suspended for weather so they don't have any official stats, but it's worth noting they were up 2-0 in the 53rd minute with goals by Jasmine Gates and Bemidji State transfer Mariah Nguyen. We will leave you with last year's stats until next round)

Olivia Graupmann - 5 shutouts, 85 saves, 1.42 goals against avg, 1582 minutes in 17 games
Abby Brantner - 3 goals, 2 assists, 1291 minutes in 17 games
Anna Koepke - Incoming Freshman DEF from Coon Rapids
CJ Fredkove - Incoming Freshman MID from Stillwater
Emma Fournier - 249 minutes in 7 games
Audrey Vidmar - 1288 minutes in 16 games
Ella Bryant - Incoming Freshman M/F from Shakopee
Sofia Caballero - 825 minutes in 17 games
Lissa Mizutani - 1256 minutes in 17 games
Ella Clow - Incoming Freshman from Minneapolis/Academy of Holy Angels
Mariah Nguyen - Incoming Transfer from Bemidji State/MN Aurora FC
Molly Knoblauch - Incoming Freshman M/F from Coon Rapids
Alex Balfour - 452 minutes in 11 games
Lexi Huber - 4 goals, 3 assists, 803 minutes in 17 games
Maddie Bomsta - 1 goal, 199 minutes in 15 games
Camryn Rintoul - 1 assist, 474 minutes in 13 games
Annika Eckroth - 164 minutes in 7 games
Cora Smith - 100 minutes in 6 games
Jasmine Gates - 1 goal, 1 assist, 1217 minutes in 17 games
Tatum Trettel - Incoming Freshman from Shoreview/Salvo/Centennial
McKenna Lehman - Incoming Freshman from Lakeville/Eclipse/Lakeville North
Bella Meier - Redshirt

Stetson University
Alexis Smith - 1 goal, 1 assist, 117 minutes in 2 games

University of Tennessee-Martin
Hannah Zahn - 55 minutes in 1 game

Tennesee Tech
Taylor Hornback - DNP

University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley
Ana Recarte-Pacheco - 1147 minutes in 2 games

Utah Tech (formerly Dixie State)
Madison Monson - 37 minutes in 1 game

Wake Forest
Payton Cahill - DNP

Western Illinois (Fighting Leathernecks?)
Emmy Ellington - 80 minutes in 1 games

Wisconsin
Dara Adringa - 74 minutes in 2 games
Ali Fine - DNP
Maddie Poor - 37 minutes in 2 games
Kenzie Jacobson - DNP
Claire Odmark - 57 minutes in 2 games
Ali Fine - DNP
Jessie Hunt - DNP
Kenzie Jacobson - DNP

Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Clara Broecker - DNP
Alyssa Marceau - DNP

Wofford
Abigail Mckenzie - DNP
​Lexi Reichenbach - DNP

We want to cover all of the players and coaches that we can! You can help us with that. If you know of a Minnesotan player or coach who we have not highlighted, submit them to the form below and we can grow our coverage together. Thank you to the many readers who have already done so this year!
​
PLAYER/COACH SUBMISSION FORM: https://forms.gle/ZcpJqKcdY2nJ74A4A 

Author: Isa Sanchez-Esparza

St. Thomas is about to begin their second season as a Division 1 team and I’m about to begin my first season covering them, so let’s jump right in!

Lay of the Land
Last year, St. Thomas finished 9th in the 10 team Summit League – not shocking for a team jumping all the way from DIII to DI. And for those who watched closely, there were a number of games where at least *possible* points were dropped (Northern Iowa, Green Bay, NDSU, etc). If you don’t know a lot about the Summit League, the very short (and overly reductive) introduction is that Denver and South Dakota State essentially own the top two spots and everyone else is chasing them. What this means in practice is that most games are at least somewhat up for grabs. Meaning it’s not crazy for any one team to “surprise” a team above them on paper in any one game. 

That kind of wide open landscape presents an opportunity for a team that finished 2021 in the bottom run of the standings to jump up to the recently expanded (from 4 to 6) Conference Tournament field with just a few improved results. St Thomas, for example, could have finished 6th with just two more additional wins (like against theoretically beatable opponents in Oral Robert, KC, NDSU, etc). Now, St Thomas can’t actually participate in tournament play while they are still in their probationary period from DIII to DI, but don’t think the coaches and players don’t have that tournament field marked as a goal in their minds. How sweet would it be to say “you’re lucky you didn’t have to face us in the tournament?” No better internal bulletin board material.

​Trends to Track
One notable element of Head Coach Sheila McGill’s tactics last year was a willingness to play forward and refuse to park the bus as a theoretically undermatched team. The Tomcats attacked consistently finishing 4th in shots in the Summit League, including notching the individual shots per game leader in Abby Brantner (3.82 shots/game). Consider how willing they were to go forward, it’s impressive they were 6th in goals allowed – thanks in no small part to keeper Olivia Graupmann’s 3rd best in the Summit League save percentage. They played a fairly high line against the U of MN in a recent exhibition, and again against St. Cloud State. Watch to see if that continues. 

Getting off shots doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a threat to score. How will St Thomas create real chances? Will they rely on counter attacking chances in space where Lexi Huber and Brantner can get on their horse and run onto the ball? Do they have the chops to finish off set pieces? Incoming transfer Mariah Nguyen scored a *bonkers* header on a corner kick against St Cloud State a few days back. So maybe they’ll have some variety in their attack.

Lastly, how will these young tommies grow over the season? Of the 30 players on the roster (pretty darn big for DI, by the way) only 8 are older than freshmen or sophomores. That is…wild. 

What to Watch For
Here are some immediate things I’ll be looking for in the first few games:

Style of Play: As I mentioned earlier, St. Thomas has a lot of new additions to their team this year, and figuring out how to use them won’t be easy. I want to see how, as players and coaching staff, they tackle this particular obstacle and who works best with who, and under what circumstances. How will these circumstances change game to game? I’m most excited to see which of these girls work best together.

Level of Intensity: Watching their exhibition game against St. Cloud State, the Tomcats put in immense effort against the Huskies. But when they reached their 2-0 lead, they seemed to have settled into their comfort too early. The Huskies managed to increase their odds by scoring a goal in the last 15 minutes or so of the game, giving them a 2-1 score. While it’s always good to be relaxed instead of panicked (god I hate when this happens), it’s important to keep up the intensity in a game so you don’t risk getting complacent. Intensity looks different on each team, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it looks on the Tomcats, and how it will develop throughout the season.

Immense Subbing Strategy: While watching their exhibition matches, one factor that stayed the same all throughout these games, was the amount of subs that happened all throughout. It’s an interesting strategy that I’ve seen from Head Coach Sheila McGill, and it seems to be working very well for them. First, what I like about this strategy is that it gives most players opportunities to get minutes and real experience at the DI college level. What makes me weary about this strategy, is that it could possibly prevent chemistry from being made with the players to create scoring opportunities. It’s a strategy that helps everyone on the team, but at a possible cost for slow chemistry to be built. With that being said, I’m very curious to see if this rapid subbing strategy continues throughout the season!
  
Possession: I will admit, this one is just purely one I enjoy paying attention to. As a former central defensive midfielder, I always enjoy a team’s tactics when it comes to possessing the ball. St. Thomas has already proven that they can possess the ball, and that they can do it well at times. But what I’m most excited to see is how they can take this part of their strength to help boost other parts of their play. Will their possession help in their attack (or even in their defense)? Will it give players a chance to keep calm, and catch their breath? (I personally love when that’s the case – playing is a tough job, let me tell you). Or will it give them a chance to use up all their energy to catch the opponent off guard, and win them a golden opportunity to score? (These are my personal favorite moments).

While I’m still learning the ropes of this whole journalism thing, the most important thing to me is that the girls at St. Thomas are having fun while playing. I can’t wait to watch them develop as players, and as a team. This season is going to be a fun one, and I can’t wait!

The Tomcat’s first game is today at 4pm. They will be hosting Green Bay, at South Athletic Field! 

Hope to see you there!