UMAC PREVIEW: Women's Soccer

UMAC PREVIEW: Women's Soccer

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ST. PAUL, MN - With the women's soccer season kicking off in a couple of days, let's take a look at the 2022 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Preseason Coaches Poll.

The University of Wisconsin-Superior has been selected by the coaches to repeat as UMAC champions. The Yellowjackets went 13-0-1 in UMAC play and 18-4-1 overall in the regular season before claiming the UMAC Tournament title as well to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament. Last season the Yellowjackets led the UMAC in goals (69), assists (65), points (203), scoring offense (3 goals per game), and points per game (8.83). Returning this fall for UW-Superior is the reigning UMAC Offensive Player of the Year Niya Wilson. Wilson scored twenty goals last season, eight of them being game winners, and she tallied fifty-one points on the year. Superior also returns the reigning UMAC Rookie of the Year in Jenna Lang. Lang was 16-3-1 in goal and recorded a .872 save percentage. Also returning for the Yellowjackets is Lindrey Schendel who started all twenty-three matches a season ago and was the 2020 UMAC Rookie of the Year.

Coming in right behind Superior in the number two spot is the University of Northwestern. The Eagles were 11-1-2 in UMAC play last season and 12-7-2 overall. Northwestern lost to UMAC champion Superior in the UMAC Tournament championship game. Head Coach Josh Pettit returns for his seventeenth season in charge of the Eagles and he has a lot of returning talent to build off of last season. First Team All-Conference selection Megan Moeller after last season where she scored seventeen goals which was second in the conference. Also returning is sophomore defender Mya Chan who was a Second Team All-Conference selection, and sophomore midfielder Megan Kohrt. 

Bethany Lutheran was picked to finish third in this years poll. The Vikings went 10-3-1 in UMAC play and 13-6-1 overall before losing to Northwestern in the UMAC Semifinals. Thirteen wins a season ago is tied for the program record and Emma Morris and her team will look to buld on that this season. Second Team All-Conference selection Ashley Casper returns after being one of the top defenders in the UMAC a year ago. Juana Quevedo is another key member of this year's team after last season where she scored three goals, had five assists, and totaled eleven points on the year. Asia Jota, who was a All-Conference honorable mention last season, recorded five goals, three assists, and thirteen points, she returns as well.

The Cougars of Minnesota Morris were selected to finish fourth. The Cougars went 6-8 in the UMAC last year and finished 6-14 overall. Morris has Monica Calderon returning, a First Team All-UMAC selection in 2021. Calderon had nine goals, and three assists last season. Senior defender, Jay Kwateh is another key returner for the Cougars this season, being named Second Team All-UMAC. Kim Peters also returns for Minnesota Morris, finishing last year with seven goals.

Martin Luther slides into the number five spot in the preseason poll. The Knights went 4-9-1 a year ago and 5-12-1 overall. The Knights return eight starts from last season, including seven seniors to help lead the way for Martin Luther. Hannah Schroeder, who finished last season as a Second Team All-UMAC selection, is returning this season for the Knights. She finished with five goals and two assists last season. Nicole Porter and Lilianne Zimpelmann are also returning this season after being named All-UMAC Honorable Mentions last year.

The Crown Polars tied for the sixth spot in this year's preseason poll. The Polars were 2-11-1 in the UMAC and 4-13-1 overall. Ashley Pierce returns for her sophomore season after being named to the All-UMAC Honorable Mention team as a freshman last season. Junior forward Emma Domka also returns after being a Second Team All-Conference selection in 2021.

Tied with Crown for the sixth spot is the Northland Lumberjills. Northland went 4-8-2 in UMAC play and 5-10-3 a season ago. The Lumberjills return all but two players from last year's team. Included in those returners are three UMAC Honorable Mention selections in Greta Keffer, Elysabeth Lough, and Kristen Vensland.

Finally, the Rams of North Central round out the women's soccer poll this season. The Rams finished 1-11-2 in UMAC play and 2-15-2 overall. Top returners include two UMAC Honorable Mention selections in Kara Lewis and Hannah Grubbs who combined for nine goals and seven assists last season.
 
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Bethany Lutheran College
Head Coach
Emma Morris | 4th season |
 
2021 Season
  • 10-3-1 UMAC, 13-6-1 | 3rd |
  • Postseason: Lost 1-0 to Northwestern in UMAC Semifinals
Top Returners
  • Juana Quevedo, Jr., Midfielder | 3 goals, 5 assists, 11 points
  • Asia Jota, Jr., Midfielder | All-Conference honorable mention | 5 goals, 3 assists, 13 points
  • Ashley Casper, So., Defender | Second team All-Conference | 1 goal, 4 assists, 6 points
Need to Know
Last year, the Vikings tied the program record for most wins in a season with 13.
 

Crown College
Head Coach
Katie Kandt | 2nd season |

2021 Season
  • 2-11-1, 4-13-1 | 7th |
Top Returners
  • Ashley Pierce, Sophomore, Forward | Honorable Mention as Freshman
  • Emma Domka, Junior, Forward | 2nd Team All-Conference
  • Ellie Taylor, Junior, Goal keeper | Honorable Mention
 

Martin Luther College
Head Coach
Jeff Schone  | 13th season |
 
2021 Season
  • 4-9-1 UMAC, 5-12-1 | 6th |
 Top Returners
  • Hannah Schroeder, Jr., FW | 2021 2nd Team All-UMAC, 1x UMAC Offensive Player of the Week| 5 goals, 2 assists, 24 shots on goal
  • Nicole Porter, Sr., MID | 2021 All-UMAC Honorable Mention|2 goals, 5 assists, 9 points
  • Lilianne Zimpelmann, So., D  |2021 All-UMAC Honorable Mention | 2 goals
 Need to Know
The Knights return 8 starters from last season, including 7 seniors.
 

North Central University
Head Coach
Colette Montgomery | 5th season |
 
2021 Season
  • UMAC record 1-11-2, Overall record 2-15-2 | 8th |
 Top Returners
  • Kara Lewis, Senior, Midfield | UMAC Honors: 2021 UMAC Women's Soccer All-Conference Honorable Mention | UMAC SAAC Chair |Captain | 3 Goals | 5 Assists |
  • Hannah Grubbs, Senior, Forward | UMAC Honors: 2021 UMAC Women's Soccer All-Conference Honorable Mention |Captain | 6 Goals | 2 Assists |
  • Isabella Connell, Junior, Midfield | Captain 
 

Northland College
Head Coach
Dan Dubois | 3rd season |
 
2021 Season
  • 4-8-2, 5-10-3 | 5th |
 Top Returners
  • Greta Keffer, So, M | Honorable Mention | 4 Goals, 4 Assists, |
  • Elysabeth Lough, So, K | Honorable Mention | 167 saves, 4 Shutouts, .807 Save % |
  • Kristen Vensland, Jr, D | Honorable Mention |
 
Need to Know
Returned all but 2 players from last year’s team that jumped from 9th in spring 21’ to 5th in fall 21’.
 

University of Minnesota Morris
Head Coach
Bianca Keil | 3rd season |
 
2021 Season
  • 6-8 UMAC record, 6-14 Overall record | 4th |
  • Postseason: Lost to UW-Superior in UMAC semifinals
 Top Returners
  • Monica Calderon, SR, Midfielder/Forward | 2021 First Team All-UMAC | 9 goals, 3 assists, 52 shots |
  • Jay Kwateh, SR, Defender | 2021 Second Team All-UMAC | Team allowed 17 goals in the five matches Kwateh missed last season |
  • Kim Peters, SO, Forward | 2021 Second Team All-UMAC | 7 goals, 1 assist, 55 shots |
Need to Know
Women’s soccer is adding three dual-sport athletes this season with the additions of tennis player Kate Obright, basketball player Jadyn Sondrol, and track athlete Taylor Prieve.
 

University of Northwestern-St. Paul
Head Coach
Josh Pettit | 17th Season |

2021 Season
  • 11-1-2 UMAC, 12-7-2 Overall | 2nd |
  • Postseason: Defeated BLC 1-0 in the UMAC semifinal, lost 3-2 in the UMAC championship game. Qualified for the NCCAA Regional Tournament.
Top Returners
  • Megan Moeller, Junior, Forward | 2021 (spring) Honorable Mention All-Conference, 2021 (fall) First Team All-Conference, 3x UMAC POTW, UMAC All-Academic | 28 career goals, 4 career game winning goals, 17 goals in 2021 fall season |
  • Megan Kohrt, Sophomore, Midfielder | 4 goals, 2 assists, 20 shots on goal as a freshman |
  • Mya Chan, Sophomore, Defender | 2021 UMAC 2nd Team All-Conference, UMAC All-Academic | 1 goal, 2 assists, 9 shots on goal as a freshman |
 

University of Wisconsin-Superior
Head Coach
Allison DeGroot | Sixth year |
 
2021 Season
  • UMAC record: 13-0-1 (18-4-1 overall) | Finish: 1st |
  • Postseason: No. 1-seed in UMAC Tournament, defeated Minnesota Morris 6-0 in UMAC semifinals and Northwestern 3-2 in the championship. Lost 4-0 to No. 25 St. Catherine in the NCAA tournament first round.
Top Returners
  • Niya Wilson, So., F | 2021 UMAC Offensive Player of the Year and All-UMAC First Team | 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team | 20 goals, 51 points and eight game-winning goals (led UMAC) |
  • Jenna Lang, So., GK | 2021 UMAC Rookie of the Year and All-UMAC First Team | Three-time UMAC Defensive Player of the Week | 16-3-1, 0.78 GAA and .872 save percentage  |
  • Lindrey Schendel, Jr., M | 2021 All-UMAC Honorable Mention | 2020 UMAC Rookie of the Year and All-UMAC Second Team | one goal, one assists, three points, starting all 23 matches |
Need to Know
The Yellowjackets led the UMAC in goals (69), assists (65), points (203), scoring offense (3.00 goals per game) and points per game (8.83) in 2021, on the way to their first conference championship.