ST. PAUL, Minn.---With the start of the 2021 fall sports season just around the corner, there couldn’t be more excitement about the return of women’s soccer in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) as a new champion will certainly be crowned at the end of what should be two competitive months on the pitch.
Following a runner-up finish in the 2020-21 shortened spring season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Wisconsin-Superior has been tabbed for its first women’s soccer title bringing in 46 points and five first-place votes in the UMAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll announced Monday.
The Yellowjackets have shown steady improvement under fifth-year head coach Allison DeGroot and should be positioned for their first UMAC championship returning all but two players from their impressive season in the spring. In goal, the Yellowjackets bring back senior Morgan Philliber who earned the UMAC Defensive Player of the Year honor in May following a 1.00 goals against average (GAA) spring. Three-time All-UMAC forward Annah Schussman is back along with Second Team pick Niya Wilson to lead the offense.
The University of Minnesota Morris and the University of Northwestern should provide a lot of competition for the Yellowjackets as they were picked second and third, respectively. The Cougars were just behind the Yellowjakcets with 43 points and two first-place selections, while the Eagles tallied 40 points and one first-place vote. Minnesota Morris was third in the spring segment but fell to fourth-place Northwestern in the postseason semifinal match and are ready to return to champion status.
The Cougars are hoping they have assembled a squad ready for their first regular season title since 2003 and postseason title since 2016. On the defensive side, the Cougars return First Team defender Jay Kwateh and keeper Bernadette Cienik who recorded two shutouts in 2020-21. Offensively, First Team forward Monica Calderon is back after tallying eight goals as a sophomore.
The Eagles will look for their first title since 2017 and may have the pieces to lock up another title. All-UMAC First Team senior midfielder Emily Currie has six career game-winners and should provide an offensive spark for the Eagles along with RJ Mullin who was an Honorable Mention in the spring. Second Team honoree Natalie Moeller will anchor the Eagle defense.
With just four teams making the postseason tournament this season, the final spot is definitely up for grabs among the remaining five programs. Bethany Lutheran College and Martin Luther College are expected to compete with one another for that spot with the Vikings picking up 29 points in the poll and the Knights taking 25 points.
One of the most prolific players in Bethany Lutheran history is back in Maddy Perry who is a three-time All-UMAC performer and the program’s all-time leading scorer. Perry along with Lexi Kaufman and Zoe Kinakin will push to get the Vikings into the final playoff spot.
The Knights were sixth in the shortened spring season but hope the return of All-UMAC defender Rebecca Krug will help Martin Luther fight for a postseason spot. Hannah Schroeder also returns after scoring eight goals in her rookie season this spring.
Crown College showed significant improvement in the spring earning the program 18 points for sixth among the coaches. The Storm bring back sophomore goalkeeper Molly Schmitz who was an Honorable Mention this spring.
Northland College and North Central University round out the polls in seventh (13 points) and eighth (9 points), respectively. All-UMAC Honorable Mention Izzy Haverkampf scored four goals in the spring for Honorable Mention recognition for Northland, while North Central brings back senior captains Rachel Lampton and Hannah Fischer.
Regular season non-conference competition gets underway Wednesday, Sept. 1. The conference season is slated to start for most teams on Saturday, Sept. 18. The UMAC postseason tournament will feature the top four squads with semifinals on Wednesday, Nov. 3 and the title game on Saturday, Nov. 6.
2021 UMAC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll
| Pl. | School | Pts. |
| 1. | Wisconsin-Superior | 46 (5) |
| 2. | Minnesota Morris | 43 (2) |
| 3. | Northwestern | 40 (1) |
| 4. | Bethany Lutheran | 29 |
| 5. | Martin Luther | 25 |
| 6. | Crown | 19 |
| 7. | Northland | 13 |
| 8. | North Central | 9 |