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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.
Equal Time Shows!
Catch up with all of our Equal Time Soccer shows on our YouTube channel! Our entire archive is there
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
Games to Watch
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Authors: Mark Privratsky and Matt Privratsky
Photo: Katelyn Beulke of SDSU. Photographer: Travis Gallipo
The 2024 college soccer season has officially kicked off! That once again means attempting to round up every single Minnesotan playing DI women’s soccer across the country. So far, you’ve helped us find 118 players suiting up for 46 different programs. This year, we've even put that entire master list of DI MNs into a publicly viewable, sortable google sheet that you can access and sort! Now, let’s take a look at where those players are concentrated, some early top performers, and some games to watch over the next couple weekends.
"Most Minnesotan" Programs Though Minnesotans are rostered on 46 different programs, the bulk of local players suit up for just a handful of programs. Not surprisingly, nearly all of them are either in Minnesota or just beyond the border. Only Army cracks the list without having geographic proximity in their corner. Here’s the full top ten:
Catch our Weekly Shows! For the fall season, we’ve switched to a weekly format where every Tuesday at 7PM we’ll do a full round up of all the Equal Time Soccer beats. It will be a different mix of guests, analysis, and updates every week based on the top stories of the day. Check out this week’s show, featuring star Gopher Soccer forward Caroline Birdsell and a full rundown of some top performing DI MNs, below. Early Top Performers Pohlidal Sisters Pace Army: Senior Hannah Polidal has been joined by her younger sister freshman Grace Polidal (as well as sophomore keeper Jordan Hecht) at the United States Military Academy and they’re off to a strong 3-1 start. After a respectable 0-1 loss to Wake Forest to start season, they’ve had a 3-0 win over Manhatten, a 3-2 win over Umass, and a 2-0 win over Central Conn St – with the Pohlidals seeing time in every match so far. Izzy Making an Impact for the Irish: Izzy Engle has come onto the college soccer scene in an absolutely atomic way, scoring a hat trick in Notre Dame’s win over Samford (the first Freshman since 2008 to have a hat trick at Notre Dame) and putting up 2 goals in a win vs TCU after that. To play as a freshman is impressive, to do so for a team like Notre Dame is incredibly impressive, to play *this way* on top of it is just flatout unreal. Twin Cities Crosstown Showdown: The University of Minnesota and the University of St Thomas have now faced in back to back seasons and the Gophers once again (as you’d expect on paper) came out on top — this time with a 4-1 win at the South Field of St Thomas. The Gophers now sit at 2-0 and St Thomas is 0-2-1 with both squads hitting the road this weekend (MN at MKE & Marquette, UST at Marist & Sienna: more details below) From Brown to Teal: Clare Gagne an Orono native and long time keeper for highly touted Brown in the Ivy League has transferred to UNC to play alongside fellow Minnesotan Maddie Dahlien. Dahlien notched an assist in UNC’s opening win against Denver (though is now away with the USYNT on U20 World Cup duty) and Gagne has claimed the starting spot in goal. Both will be leaned on heavily as UNC fights to maintain their place toward the top of the newly expanded ACC following the departure of ten starters from last season and the recent retirement of longtime UNC Head Coach Anson Dorrance. Berit’s Invisible Brace for Iowa: Berit Parton started her college soccer career off with a bang, scoring two goals in 30 seconds as Iowa took a commanding lead against Oregon State. In the second half, however, the game had to be called for weather – but not with enough game played for the result to be final. According to Iowa staff, Oregon State ultimately declined to schedule a makeup date/time so the game (and Parton’s goals) won’t count in the official record books – don’t worry, we made sure there’s a record (watch them for yourself below). Parton absolutely cooked in the UPSL Midwest West this summer and looks to continue the moment this fall alongside fellow Minnesotan and former South Dakota State legend Maya Hansen, who has now officially returned from injury and seen time in multiple games for the Hawkeyes this fall.
Upcoming Games to Watch! North Dakota at UNC, Thur Aug 29 3PM, ACC Network Plus USD at Drake, Thur Aug 29, 3PM Midco Sports MN at Milwaukee, Thur Aug 29 7PM, ESPN+ Penn St vs WV, Thur Aug 29, 6:30PM, BTN+ St Thomas at Marist, Thur Aug 29 St Thomas at Siena, Sun Sept 1 MN at Marquette, Sun Sept 1 1PM, Flo Sports Penn St at St Louis, Sun Sept 1, 1PM, ESPN+ SDSU at UW Green Bay, Sun Sept 1 12PM, ESPN+ Army at Providence, Sun Sept 1 12PM, ESPN+ Minnesota v Army, Thur Sept 5 5PM, ESPN+ Boston College at Cornell, Thur Sept 5 5PM, ESPN+ UNC v Duke, Thur Sept 5 6PM, ACC Network Penn St v Princeton, Thur Sept 5 6PM, ESPN+ Wisconsin v Milwaukee, Thur Sept 5 7PM, ESPN+ St Thomas at UNI, Fri Sept 6 4PM, ESPN+ Minnesota v Brown, Sun Sept 8 1PM, BTN+ Marquette v #9 Notre Dame, Sun Sept 8 12:30PM, ACC Network #18 Wake Forest v UNC Asheville, Sun Sept 8 1PM, ACC Network Penn St v Georgetown, Sun Sept 8 Noon, Flo Sports SDSU v Drake, Sun Sept 8 1PM, Midco Sports South Dakota v Portland State, Sun Sept 8 1PM, Midco Sports STREAMING Every other week we will update you with games that feature Minnesotans that you can potentially watch in person (Twin Cities focus) or via stream. There are a lot (too many?) of individual streamers in sports these days, so we will focus on the most accessible games with the most bang for your buck. Check your team’s schedules to see how many games will be on each platform to see if it’s worth it for you. If you’re a Big Ten fan, BTN+ is a bit spendy but could be worth it for the season at $12.99/month or $89.99/year. If you are a bit more in the weeds you may look into Flo Sports, but the most games by far will be found on ESPN+. Plenty of non conference games and a handful of our MN heavy conferences feature on ESPN+, along with lots of other soccer content, so you could find value there. While 100+ Minnesotans are playing (almost) coast to coast this fall, there is no Conference that comes close to the Minnesotan-ness of the Summit League, where 46 of the 109 (and counting) D1 players make their home. The Summit League Network is home to all of the soccer games in the Conference, along with all of the Conference’s sports. The Summit League Network broadcasts via the Midco Sports App, or at MidcoSportsPlus.com. The membership is $9.99/month or a slightly cheaper rate for a year. Support our Work! Appreciate our coverage of DI Minnesotans and all of Minnesota women's soccer? You can support us for a little as $2/month! Author: Emily Bunnell  (Me, front right, and Abby J next to me, in the unlucky position of receiving bunny ears) How I found my way onto summer teams goes back to Baylor University. In the fall of 2018, I was one of the first women’s soccer players to enter the new transfer portal. I remember the week the portal was supposed to go live, just itching to leave. I had to get out of Texas, out of the south. When I finally started my (first) transfer process, I took four official visits and a couple of weeks to figure out what was next. When I decided, I sat in my parents room crying. I had just got off the phone with Seattle University head coach Julie Woodward, telling her I had decided to go to Minnesota. I sent a text to Chris Wells, the assistant coach, thanking him for the visit as well. I would start my next journey at the University of Minnesota the following semester. During the spring, the Minnesota soccer team had a meeting about playing summer ball. When I was at Baylor, we were given strength and conditioning packets (and extremely tough ones) but there wasn’t a discussion around playing summer ball. Of course I was interested, any chance to get on a field and play is a chance I typically take. One opportunity came up in the meeting – a team called the Seattle Stars was looking for players. Players would be housed by host families and spend May-July training three days a week with games on the weekends. This sounded so cool to me. I have never lived in the Pacific Northwest or played for a summer team. This could be fun, and it might be healthy for me to take another crack at getting out of my comfort zone in Minnesota. I talked to my head coach at the time, and she shared with me more information on how to get in contact with the coach of the Stars, Chris Wells. When I heard that Chris was the head coach – already having an idea of the type of coach and person he was – instantly I was sold. I talked to my dad and he was all for it. Details were finalized and the day after my finals were completed, my dad and I began our 26 hour road trip to Seattle, WA. This summer, 2019, is one of my all time favorites – and it came at a time when I was struggling. I had just transferred to the Gophers for a spring season and was still recovering mentally and emotionally from what Baylor was. Getting away for the summer, I was able to focus on my mission, to get in peak shape physically, technically, and mentally for my first fall season as a Gopher. And I did just that. In terms of the soccer, I got exactly what I expected from playing with the Stars. I got fitter, my technical skills improved, and I was playing with confidence. What I didn’t expect was all the other benefits that the Stars provided me. The relationships I built that summer with teammates and my host family have stayed with me to this day. I went to Seattle not knowing anyone, and I left with new friends and some great mentors. I fell in love with a city I had never thought I would. And most importantly, I fell in love with soccer again. I didn’t realize how much fun I *wasn’t having* playing soccer until I started having fun again. Leaving Seattle, I was glowing from the inside out. As I left the city with my dad to go back home, it took just 20 minutes for him to turn to me and say “You know, it’s not too late to change your mind. We can figure out a way to make it work. You haven’t technically used any eligibility at Minnesota.” “No, I made a commitment. I have to go back.” To keep it simple, I did not enjoy my fall season with the Gophers. Going 3-12-4 wasn’t fun. Playing 89 minutes on the season was not fun. Watching two teammates tear their ACL was not fun. I was ready to be done with Minnesota. I didn’t fit in. But I knew I didn’t want to quit soccer. I kept my spark alive by remembering how much fun I can have playing – my time with the Stars in the forefront of my mind. On my 21st birthday, I had a meeting with the staff. I asked to enter the transfer portal, again. The next day I submitted all my paperwork to the NCAA and called Chris Wells. I knew exactly where I wanted to go. One problem. With NCAA regulations, I did have to graduate that spring, a year early, to be eligible to play at a third university. This meant I had to take 26 credits that spring and study abroad in Bali over J term (I couldn’t fit all the credits into a schedule, real bummer). I also had to get permission from the dean of my college to take that many classes by convincing him that I had a plan in place to succeed in the classroom. Where there is a will, there is a way! Then, of course, the Covid-19 lockdown hit halfway through the semester. Suddenly, school became a much different (and to be honest, easier) situation to handle. I did it, I got my bachelors in three years (with a 3.97 GPA). I was ready to get out to Seattle. Unfortunately summer ball was canceled that year, but I was just so excited to start my next chapter in soccer. The following summer, 2021, I could not play for Chris Wells. Due to NCAA rules I could not play for my college coach over the summer. I still wanted to stay in Seattle, because I was enjoying my time immensely in Washington, so I found the next best option for me in the Pacific Northwest (where opportunities and competition during summer ball was much stronger than I’d observed back home). With guidance from my coaches and teammates at Seattle U, I found myself playing for the PacNW WPSL soccer team. Again, I had so much fun. I began to develop a sense of belonging and connection within the soccer community in Seattle and ended up playing for PacNW the following summer as well. After graduating with my masters from Seattle U, I began looking to play professionally just as I had always dreamed. In the winter window, I struggled to connect with the right agent and then ultimately had to delay my process due to a minor injury. So, it was looking like it was time to find a summer team again! Of course I reached out to Chris Wells with his recommendations, especially now that I was allowed to play for his summer team again. In their first season in the USL-W, Chris Wells would be head coach of Oly Town FC. After getting cleared for contact by my physiotherapist April 28th, I was back on the field for summer ball with Oly Town in my first scrimmage May 9th. Again, I was looking forward to another great summer playing soccer in Seattle. This time, my intentions were to get game fit and to stay prepared for my number to be called for a professional team. Not only did I succeed in terms of that top line goal (getting THE call that a team in Portugal wanted me in June) but I was once again surrounded by amazing girls that I got to connect with and learn from. Many were still in college, but there were a handful that already had professional stints in the US and abroad. I found myself, and many other girls that had aspirations to play professionally, learning as much as we would from the veteran players. The good, the bad, the ugly of women’s professional soccer. I actually now get to play against one of my Oly Town teammates, Abby J of Torreense in Liga BPI! Summer ball has been a huge part of my soccer career. I feel incredibly lucky to have loved every team I have been a part of. It’s been a great opportunity to play with players you may never have played with before, play for different coaches and gain different perspectives into your game, and meet some pretty awesome people. It is less stressful than a collegiate season, so it is a great chance to gain confidence, try new things and grow both as a player and person. Summer ball can also be a unique way to live in a new part of the country. Most importantly, you go into a fall season game fit and ready to play which is one of the most important measures in preventing injury. I look back to that meeting in the spring of 2019 and cannot help but feel grateful I took a chance on moving across the country for a summer team. Want to support our work? You can start for as little as $2/month on Patreon!
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