Talented roster returns for UW-Superior women's soccer, top team in 2023 Preseason Poll
ST. PAUL, MINN. – Losing just one student-athlete from their team that went 15-4-4 overall and 13-0-1 in the UMAC a year ago, UW-Superior returns a very talented roster in 2023 as the Yellowjackets were selected to finish on top once again by the eight head coaches in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC). UW-Superior collected seven of the eight possible first place votes as the Yellowjackets seek to secure their third straight UMAC regular season conference title and third consecutive UMAC post-season tournament championship. Reigning UMAC Coach of the Year Allison DeGroot will boast her deepest roster to date with the Yellowjackets setting their target on making a run in the NCAA Division III championship later this fall.
| Institution |
Total Number of Points |
2022 UMAC Record |
2022 Overall Record |
| University of Wisconsin-Superior (7) |
49 points |
13-0-1 |
15-4-4 |
| University of Northwestern |
40 points |
10-2-2 |
11-9-2 |
| Bethany Lutheran College (1) |
39 points |
10-4 |
11-7-1 |
| Crown College |
30 points |
4-7-3 |
7-11-3 |
| University of Minnesota Morris |
25 points |
4-7-3 |
4-12-3 |
| Martin Luther College |
19 points |
4-7-3 |
6-9-4 |
| Northland College |
15 points |
3-7-4 |
4-10-4 |
| North Central University |
7 points |
0-14 |
0-18 |
| (#) Number of First-Place Votes |
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|
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The list of returning players for UW-Superior is lengthy and headlining that list includes senior forward Niya Wilson and senior midfielder Lindrey Schendel. A two-time first team all-conference selection, Wilson was the 2021 UMAC Offensive Player of the Year and is the program leader in career goals with 42 goals in 48 matches. She ranked third in the UMAC in total goals scored (13) and assists (10) last fall. Schendel was recognized as the 2022 UMAC Defensive Player of the Year, earning first team all-conference accolades and third team all-regional honors, also ranking in the Top 10 in the UMAC in assists for the season in 2022. The Yellowjacket leader a year ago in goals scored (21) and assists (13), junior forward Mya Holmquist is also back as she was second in the UMAC for total goals scored on the season and led the conference in total assists. With five other all-conference honorees returning and a host of other players with significant experience, the Yellowjackets are poised to stay on top of the conference.
The University of Northwestern has reached the UMAC post-season tournament championship match each of the past two seasons and five of the past six years. The Eagles, who were picked second in the preseason poll, are aiming to secure their first regular season conference championship since 2017 and their first post-season tournament title since 2018. Sophomore standout Haley Mersberger will look to guide Northwestern back to NCAA Division III post-season this fall as Haley was the 2022 UMAC Offensive Player of the Year award winner and 2022 Rookie of the Year award selection. Her 26 goals, including eight game-winning goals, led the UMAC. Senior forward Megan Moeller and junior midfielder Mya Chan will also be key figures in Northwestern’s success on the pitch. Both players have recorded first and second team all-conference accolades the past two seasons and ranked second and third respectively in goals scored for the Eagles a year ago.
Bethany Lutheran College landed the other first place vote and holds the third spot overall in the 2023 preseason poll. The Vikings return all 11 starters from a season ago and a team that recorded an 11-7-1 overall record and a 10-4 conference mark to secure third place in the regular season standings. Bethany Lutheran is ready to take the next step and make their push for a UMAC regular season and post-season tournament title. Junior defender and midfielder Ashley Casper aims to build on her impressive 2022 campaign in which she earned first team all-conference recognition. Senior midfielder Asia Jota and senior goalkeeper Brooke Wolanin also will play key roles in the Vikings’ success this fall as both were second team all-conference honorees last year. Wolanin ranked second in the UMAC for conference contests in goals against average, shutouts per game, and saves.
Crown College secured the fourth playoff spot a year ago after being picked sixth in the preseason poll. The UMAC post-season tournament appearance in 2022 was the first ever for the program. The Polars will look to make it two straight appearances in the UMAC post-season tournament in 2023 and with a large portion of their roster returning, Crown has plans to do more than just make the tournament. First team all-conference sophomore defender Ella Hollander will anchor the Polars’ defense while junior forward Ashley Pierce will likely pace the offensive attack for Crown. Pierce was second on the Polar team in goals scored (6) and total points (13) in her sophomore campaign.
The University of Minnesota Morris and Martin Luther College both finished tied with Crown in the fourth spot in the UMAC regular season standings last season. Crown won the tiebreaker with their head-to-head results to claim the final post-season tournament berth but the Morris Cougars and Martin Luther Knights have unfinished business to address in the upcoming season as they each hope to qualify for the UMAC post-season tournament. Minnesota Morris was fifth in the pre-season poll while Martin Luther was placed in the sixth spot. Thirteen of the 23 players on the Cougar roster will be new this fall but one player that is not new is senior defender Jay Kwateh, who collected second team all-conference recognition a year ago and should prove to be one of the top defenders in the conference once again. Senior forward Hannah Schroeder highlights the list of Knights returning as the two-time second-team all-conference performer boasts 20 career goals and 46 career points. Sparking Martin Luther to a return to the post-season would be a fantastic finishing accomplishment for Schroeder and impressive feat for first-year head coach Tyson Zarnstorff.
Northland College and North Central University wrap-up the list of women’s soccer teams angling to move up the UMAC standings and contend for post-season action. Second team all-conference junior goalkeeper Elysabeth Lough and senior honorable mention all-conference defender Kirsten Vensland will lead a Northland squad under new direction as Aaron Blanchard takes over the LumberJill program with the launch of the 2023 season. Kara Lewis, a graduate senior midfielder for North Central University, returns in a Ram uniform as the second team all-conference selection from a year ago led the Rams in goals and points in 2022.
The 2023 women’s soccer season gets underway this coming weekend with non-conference action starting on Friday, September 1, and conference contests commencing later in September. The UMAC post-season tournament semi-finals will take place on Wednesday, November 1, and the conference post-season tournament championship is scheduled for Saturday, November 4.
TEAM CAPSULES AND NOTES FOR EACH UMAC TEAM
Bethany Lutheran College
Emma Morris, Head Coach | 5
th Season
2022 Season
10-4 UMAC, 11-7-1 Overall Record | 3
rd in UMAC
Postseason: Lost (1-0) to the University of Northwestern in post-season tournament semi-finals.
Top Returning Players
Asia Jota, Senior, M | 2022 Second Team All-Conference | 2 goals, 11 assists
Ashley Casper, Junior, D/M | 2022 First Team All-Conference | 3 goals, 2 assists
Brooke Wolanin, Senior, GK | 2022 Second Team All-Conference | 24 goals against, 107 saves, .817 save pct.
Crown College
Katie Kandt, Head Coach | 3
rd Season
2022 Season
4-7-3 UMAC, 7-10-4 Overall Record | 4
th in UMAC (tied)
Postseason: Lost (6-0) to UW-Superior in post-season tournament semi-finals.
Top Returning Players
Ella Hollander, Sophomore, Defender | First Team All-Conference | Started in all 21 games, 3 goals as a center back
Ashley Pierce, Junior, Forward | Honorable Mention | 13 points last season, started in all 21 games
Abigail Shull, Junior, Midfielder | Honorable Mention | 3 conference goals, started in all 21 games
Martin Luther College
Tyson Zarnstorff, Head Coach | 1
st Season
2022 Season
4-7-3 UMAC, 6-9-4 Overall Record | 4
th in UMAC (tied)
Top Returning Players
Hannah Schroeder, Senior, Forward | 2021, 2022 All-UMAC Second Team| 20 career goals, 46 career points
Kaitlin Butler, Senior, Midfielder | 9 career goals scored.
Lilianne Zimpelmann, Junior, Defender | UMAC Honorable Mention in 2021 and 2022
North Central University
Colette Montgomery, Head Coach | 6
th Season
2022 Season
0-14 UMAC, 0-18 Overall Record | 8
th in UMAC
Top Returning Players
Kara Lewis, Graduate Student, Midfield | UMAC Honors:
2022 UMAC Women's Soccer All-UMAC Second Team | UMAC SAAC Former Chair |Captain | 6 goals, 1 assist
Isabella Connell, Senior, Midfield |Captain |1 goal 2 assist
Sydney Cooper, Senior, Defender
Northland College
Aaron Blanchard, Head Coach | 1
st Season
2022 Season
3-7-4 UMAC, 4-10-4 Overall Record | 7
th in UMAC
Top Returning Players
Elysabeth Lough, Junior, GK | 2
nd Team All-Conference |
Kirsten Vensland, Senior, Defender | Honorable Mention |
University of Minnesota Morris
Bianca Keil, Head Coach | 4
th Season
2022 Season
4-7-3 UMAC, 4-12-3 Overall Record | 4
th in UMAC (tied)
Top Returning Players
Jay Kwateh, Sr., Defender | Second Team All-UMAC | 1 assist, helped team earn four shutouts
Kim Peters, Jr., Forward | Honorable Mention All-UMAC | 6 goals, 4 assists, 16 SOG
Bella Toth, So., Forward | 4 goals, 1 assist, 25 SOG
University of Northwestern
Josh Pettit, Head Coach | 18
th Season
2022 Season
10-2-2 UMAC, 11-9-2 Overall Record | 2
nd in UMAC
Postseason: Defeated Bethany Lutheran (1-0) in post-season tournament semi-final, making a save on a penalty kick as time expired. Lost to UW-Superior (6-0) in the post-season tournament championship game.
Top Returning Players
Haley Mersberger, Sophomore, Forward | 2022 UMAC Player of the Year, 2022 UMAC Rookie of the Year, 2022 UMAC 1
st Team All-Conference | 26 goals, 5 assists, 8 game winning goals
Megan Moeller, Senior, Forward | 2022 UMAC 2
nd Team All-Conference, 2021 UMAC 1
st Team All-Conference, 2020 UMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention | 9 goals, 5 assists, 1 game winning goal
Mya Chan, Junior, Midfielder | 2022 UMAC 1
st Team All-Conference, 2021 UMAC 2
nd Team All-Conference | 4 goals, 9 assists, 1 game winning goal
University of Wisconsin-Superior
Allison DeGroot, Head Coach | 7
th Season
2022 Season
13-0-1 UMAC, 15-4-4 Overall Record | 1
st in UMAC
Postseason: Defeated Crown (6-0) in the post-season tournament semi-finals and defeated Northwestern (6-0) in the post-season tournament championship. Fell to No. 15 Loras (7-1) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Top Returning Players
Niya Wilson, Senior, F | 2021 & 2022 All-UMAC First Team | 2021 Offensive POY | 65 shots, 36 points, ‘Jackets all-time leader in career goals (42 goals in 48 matches)
Lindrey Schendel, Senior, M | All-UMAC First Team | UMAC Defensive POY, United Soccer Coaches Region IX Third Team | 1,590 minutes, 14 points, started all 23 matches
Mya Holmquist, Junior, F | All-UMAC First Team | Led the team in goals (21), assists (13), and total shots (90)