St. Scholastica clear No. 1 choice in women's soccer preseason poll
2011 UMAC Women’s Soccer Coaches Poll
1. 36 Points - College of St. Scholastica (6 First Place Votes)
2. 31 Points - Northwestern College (1)
3. 24 Points - University of Minnesota, Morris
4. 23 Points - Bethany Lutheran College
5. 14 Points - Martin Luther College
6. 13 Points - Northland College
7. 6 Points - Crown College
ST. PAUL -- The College of St. Scholastica, winner of seven consecutive Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) regular season championships, was the overwhelming favorite to win the league title again in 2011 according to a poll of the league’s coaches. The Saints took six of the seven first place votes to go with 36 points, besting second place Northwestern College by five.
1. College of St. Scholastica Saints
2010 Overall Record: 15-5-2
2010 UMAC Record: 13-0-1
2010 UMAC Finish: 1st
Starters Returning: 10
Starters Lost: 2
St. Scholastica enters the 2011 season looking to defend and increase an 85-game UMAC regular season unbeaten streak. The Saints then made it to the UMAC Tournament Championship game for the fifth straight season in 2010, but Northwestern College defeated the top seed in Duluth by a narrow 1-0 margin to earn the conference’s automatic qualifier. 2010 UMAC Defensive Player of the Year senior Megan Flesvig returns in the backfield for the Saints. Flesvig led a defense that allowed just three goals in conference play during the regular season. The Saints led the conference in total goals allowed (14), goals against (0.62), and shutouts (11). 2010 UMAC Freshman of the Year Taylor Cunningham also returns after scoring seven goals and recording 16 points in her freshman campaign. Top scorers Andrea Beatt (26 points) and Shannon Carlson (20 points) are also back in the fold. Bailey Mahlum will be in goal for the Saints again this season after recording 42 saves and a 0.70 goals-against-average a year ago.
2. Northwestern College Eagles
2010 Overall Record: 13-9
2010 UMAC Record: 11-3
2010 UMAC Finish: 2nd
Starters Returning: 9
Starters Lost: 2
Northwestern’s program reached new heights in 2010 as the Eagles advanced to their first-ever NCAA Tournament after winning the UMAC Tournament. NWC went 11-3 in conference play last season behind the 1-2 offensive punch of Rebekah Kirby and Kyrie Jorgenson. Half of that combo is gone as Jorgenson, the school’s all-time leader in goals scored, graduated in May. Kirby, who is 13 goals away from topping Jorgenson’s mark of 61 career goals, will be heavily relied upon for offense along with sophomores Rebekah Carrizales and Lauren Cleope. The Eagles’ veteran defense remains intact as first team all-conference winners Heidi Anderson and Bridget Piche return to the pitch. Piche has been an All-UMAC performer in each of her three years in a Northwestern uniform and will direct the defense in her senior campaign. Tara Hanson will resume her duties in front of the net, where she allowed an average of 1.01 goals per game in conference action.
3. University of Minnesota, Morris Cougars
2010 Overall Record: 8-10
2010 UMAC Record: 7-5
2010 UMAC Finish: 4th
Starters Returning: 8
Starters Lost: 3
With eight starters coming back, Minnesota, Morris expects to compete again for the UMAC championship. A regular in the conference tournament, the Cougars will be looking to get back to the championship game after a tough 1-0 loss to regular season champion St. Scholastica in the semifinals last season. All-UMAC performers Leah Parker and Zoe Bergstrom return to lead the offense, while the Cougars must replace Emily Jacob in goal, who graduated after starting every game in 2010. Morris finished third in the league in shots last year with over 19 per game, matched by their defense, which allowed 0.75 goals per game. Parker’s 22 points were fourth in league play last year, while her 10 goals tied for second. Alongside Parker up front, Bergstrom added 14 points in UMAC games in a breakout freshman season.
4. Bethany Lutheran College Vikings
2010 Overall Record: 13-6-2
2010 UMAC Record: 9-3
2010 UMAC Finish: 3rd
Starters Returning: 7
Starters Lost: 4
2010 was a breakthrough season for Bethany Lutheran, as the team finished the season 13-6-2, set numerous team and individual records, and made the UMAC Tournament for the first time in school history. Bethany brings in a deep, well-rounded recruiting class of 12 girls that includes a number of individuals vying for starting positions. Defensively, the Vikings will look to replace UMAC All-Conference defender Haley Kratovil. The back line will be captained by three-year starter Jessica Wacholz and a slew of returnees and newcomers including All-UMAC honorees Jacqui Bonrud and Kindra Fairburn. Offensively, the Vikings return two of their top three scorers from last season in Joelle Pipal and Paige Taylor. Add in senior co-captain Anna Potz and a very deep, talented group of newcomers and Bethany Lutheran will have the tools it needs to compete for a UMAC title.
5. Martin Luther College Knights
2010 Overall Record: 8-11
2010 UMAC Record: 5-8
2010 UMAC Finish: 6th
Starters Returning: 7
Starters Lost: 4
The Martin Luther women’s soccer team saw a six-win improvement in 2010 and brings high hopes into the upcoming season. The Knights’ returning players accounted for 52 of the team’s 53 goals in 2010. Bethany Schultz was named first team all-conference and the UMAC’s Co-Rookie of the Year after scoring 12 goals and 34 points in her freshman campaign. Schultz is joined in the midfield by Hannah Mattek, who scored nine goals and 29 points in her first season last year, and Hannah Janke, who returned from an injury to score three goals and nine points. Kadie Drake and Linda Kenyon return at the forward spots after combining to score 20 goals a year ago. Defensively, Martin Luther loses several important pieces, but does return All-UMAC performer Allison Snyder at goalkeeper. The Knights also return Lindsay Hahn, who sat out last season after starting for the team in 2008 and 2009.
6. Northland College LumberJills
2010 Overall Record: 7-12
2010 UMAC Record: 6-8
2010 UMAC Finish: 5th
Starters Returning: 10
Starters Lost: 1
Northland enters the 2011 season under the direction of newly appointed head coach Amanda Evans, who joined the LumberJills after coaching at Salt Lake Community College. Apart from the excitement of bringing in 10 new recruits this season, Evans has a strong core of 11 returning players. Northland will need to replace last year’s top goal scorer in Melanie Rasor, but Ashley Runge and Emily Knudson will hopefully cover that missing gap. Runge scored seven goals in a UMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention season while Knudson added four goals and 10 points. Other top returners include all-conference goalkeeper Sarah Weeds, who recorded 95 saves in 2010, and Rebecca Lake, an All-UMAC First Team member who tallied six assists a year ago.
7. Crown College Storm
2010 Overall Record: 3-15
2010 UMAC Record: 2-12
2010 UMAC Finish: 7th
Starters Returning: 8
Starters Lost: 3
Crown will be starting its second consecutive season with a new head coach. Jamie Ross will take over the women’s program this fall and is excited to welcome in many new players to the mix. A young team will be led by returners Miranda Baltzer, Kelly Anderson, and Heather Ell. Baltzer led the team with 10 points in 2010, while Anderson started all 18 games as a central defender and Ell was the anchor of the Storm midfield. Joining that trio of experienced returners will be goalkeeper Hillary Brondsema and athletic midfielders Nicole Cretinon and Mary Voss, all of whom will make an immediate impact. Other newcomers that will look to make an immediate impact are Sam Samsa, Ella Harrison, Bekah Gilchrist, Jamie Jensen, and Nicky Olson.
After each team gets early season work in against nonconference opponents, the UMAC schedule begins on September 23. The league’s top four teams advance to the UMAC Tournament, where the conference will send its postseason champion on as its automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament.