ST. PAUL – The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) released the 2025 Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll on Monday with UW-Superior being predicted to win the conference championship. The poll is voted on by all the head coaches in the conference. Coaches cannot vote for their own team.

Complete poll
 

Place	School	Points
1	UW-Superior (5)	35
2	Bethany Lutheran (1)	29
2	Northwestern (1)	29
4	Crown	16
4	Martin Luther	16
4	Minnesota Morris	16
7	North Central	6

#1 UW-Superior: 35 points
The YellowJackets led the preseason poll with 35 points and five first-place votes from their conference competitors. The ‘Jackets won the 2024 Conference Tournament Championship, which was their fourth-straight title.

Head coach: Nick Piazza | 1st Season |
 
Top Returners

• Quinn Clark, Sr., GK | Second-team All-UMAC  | United Soccer Coaches All-Region IX Second-team | 1,190 minutes, .849 save percentage, 62 saves |
• Meagan Bergerson, Sr., D | First-team All-UMAC | 22 matches played, 1,732 minutes, 1.05 opponents’ goals per match |
• Kamryn Hill, Sr., F | 2024 UMAC Tournament MVP | 6 goals, 17 points, 1,192 minutes |

#2 Bethany Lutheran & Northwestern: 29 points
The Vikings and Eagles both earned 29 points and one first-place vote each to tie for second in the poll.

Bethany Lutheran
Head coach: Ryan Nichols | 2nd season 

Top Returners 

• Elena Lujan Rubio | Sr., Midfield/Forward | 2024 First-team All-UMAC |  2022 & 2023 Second-team All-UMAC  | 2024 All-Region IX Fourth-team |2023 All-Region IX Second-team | 12 goals, 9 assists, 33 points
• Mia Johnson | Sr., Midfield | 2024 All-Conference honorable mention, All-Sportsmanship | 3 goals, 8 assists, 14 points 
• Reese Moorad | Jr., Forward | 6 goals, 1 assist, 13 points 

Northwestern
Head coach: Danny Brandt | 1st Season |

Top Returners

• Haley Mersberger, Senior, Forward| First-team All-UMAC | NCCAA All-North Central Region First-team | 13 Goals, 3 Game Winning Goals, 57% SOG |
• Mallory Moseman, Senior, Defender| UMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention & All-Sportsmanship |
• Briella Babcock, Senior, Midfielder| 3 Goals, 3 Assists |

#4 Crown, Martin Luther, Minnesota Morris: 16 points
The Polars, Knights and Cougars all received 16 points to tie for fourth.

Crown
Head coach: Devin Chuba | 1st Season |

Top Returners

• Rachel Fuller, JR, GK | 2024 First-team All- UMAC |2023 UMAC HM, 2023 UMAC Rookie of the Year | | 9 Career Shutouts, 1.72 GAA Career, .797 Save Percentage Career |
• Aletheia Fisher, SR, D | UMAC Sportsmanship (22,23,24) | | 50/55 Games Started Career, 4477 Mins Played Career |
• Ellie Schanbacher, SR, M | 2023 UMAC Honorable Mention | 4 Goals Career, 9 Assists Career, 55/55 Career Games Started |

Martin Luther
Head Coach: Tyson Zarnstorff | 3rd season |

Top Returners

• Katie Schoeneck, Junior, Forward | 2023, 2024 Second-team All-UMAC| 5th in UMAC in goals last season (11) | led MLC in goals scored, points (24), and shots on goal (34)
• Ella Ristow, Sophomore, D | Second-team All-UMAC 
• Maria Vik, Sophomore, GK| UMAC Honorable Mention in 2024| 1st in UMAC in Saves per game (9.68) | second in MLC single-season records for saves (184) as a freshman last year.

Minnesota Morris
Head coach: Emma Morris | 2nd season |

Top Returners

• Bella Toth, Senior, Midfielder | Honorable Mention | 4 Goals, 2 Assists, 10 Points |
• Johnette Nagbe, Junior, Forward | Second-team All-UMAC | UMAC Rookie of the Year | 4 Goals, 2 Assists, 10 Points |
• Fiona Chinavare, Sophomore, Midfielder | Honorable Mention | 1 Goal, 15 starts in 16 games played, 2 Points |

#7 North Central: six points
The Rams earned six points to round out the poll.

Head coach: E. Peyton Frick | 2nd season |

Top Returners

• Paula Capili, Jr., F | UMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention| NCCAA North Region 1st Team | 1 G, 1 A 18/27; 67% SOG |
• Ramiyah Words, Jr., D | UMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention | 1 G, 1 A, | 9/10; 90% SOG
• Anna Deichert, Gr, M | 2025 UMAC Women’s Scholar-Athlete Leadership Award | NCCAA North Region Honorable Mention | 1 G, 1423 Minutes – 89 Min/Game Avg. |

The 2025 women’s soccer regular season opens on Friday, August 29. The top four teams in the standings at the close of the regular season will compete in the UMAC Tournament, with the semifinals scheduled for Wednesday, November 5 and the championship game slated for Saturday, November 8. The tournament champion will receive the UMAC’s automatic qualifying bid to the 2025 NCAA DIII Women’s Soccer Championship to compete in the national tournament.