THIS WEEKEND
The University of Mary closes out the 2024 regular season with three home games over the next seven days while pursuing a home playoff game. The Marauders first host Wayne State College in a 1 pm game on Friday, November 1. The weekend wraps up on Sunday, November 3, at 1 pm with a visit from the University of Sioux Falls.
 
The regular season closes when UMary hosts Northern State University at 5 pm on Thursday, November 7.
 
All three home games will be played at the MDU Resources Community Bowl.
 
POSTSEASON POSSIBILITIES
The top eight teams in the final Northern Sun standings earn a spot in the postseason tournament. The top four finishers earn a home game in the first round of the NSIC tournament. The top remaining seed after the first round will host the semifinals and the championship game. The tournament champion earns an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.

• UMary (21 points) is currently tied with Bemidji State for 5^th in the NSIC standings with three games to play
• UMary theoretically could finish anywhere from a tie for 1^st place to 9^th place
• A Marauders win Friday over Wayne State College (9^th with 16 points) would secure a playoff spot for UMary
• Five points in the next three games also earns the Marauders a 7^th straight tournament bid
• Minnesota State (30 points, 3 games remaining), St. Cloud State (25 points, 2 games), Augustana (23 points, 3 games) and Concordia-St. Paul (22 points, 3 games) are ahead of the Marauders and Beavers in the standings.
• UMary owns the first tiebreaker against Augie as the Marauders beat the Vikings
• UMary has a tie against SCSU and BSU while Minnesota State and Concordia-St. Paul have wins against the Marauders
• Minot State (18 points, 3 games), Northern State (18 points, 3 games) and Wayne State (16 points, 3 games) are right behind the Marauders and the Beavers.   

 
MARAUDERS CRACK 1^ST NCAA CENTRAL REGION RANKINGS OF SEASON
UMary earned a spot in the first NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Regional Rankings of 2024 and is one of ten schools listed as under consideration for postseason play in the Central region. The first of three Central Region rankings, UMary is one of five Northern Sun teams included in the poll, joining Augustana, Concordia-St. Paul, Minnesota State and St. Cloud State. The first Central Region rankings of the season lists schools under postseason consideration in alphabetical order.
 
The NSIC, the Mid-America Athletic Association (MIAA) and the Great American Conference (GAC) make up the 35-team NCAA Central Region. The top eight teams in the region will advance to the NCAA region tournament. The two top-seeded teams in each region shall be offered the opportunity to host, provided minimum site selection criteria are met and a bid has been submitted. Automatic bids are granted to the winners of the MIAA, GAC and NSIC postseason tournaments, with the remaining five spots awarded on an at-large basis.
 
Joining UMary in the NCAA Central Region rankings are Augustana, Central Missouri, Central Oklahoma, Concordia-St. Paul, Minnesota State, Missouri Western, Northwest Missouri State, St. Cloud State and Washburn. No school from the GAC was included.  
THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 8-3-3 overall and 6-2-3 in the Northern Sun. UMary is 5^th in the NSIC with 21 points… Wayne State is 5-5-5 and 4-3-4 (16 points, 9^th place)… Sioux Falls is 2-12-1 overall and 2-8-1 (7 points12th place) in the NSIC… Northern State is 6-5-4 overall and 5-3-3 (18 points, 7^th place) in the NSIC.
 
LAST WEEK
The Marauders wrapped up their 4-game road trip with a weekend split. UMary opened with a 1-0 win at Winona State as Mo Malone knocked in the lone goal… The Marauders 6-game unbeaten string was snapped in a 1-0 loss at Concordia-St. Paul.
 
HISTORY
Since 2009 the Marauders are 9-3-2 against Wayne State with two straight wins… UMary has won five straight games against Sioux Falls and are 9-1-2 in the last 12 meetings… Over the last 15 meetings UMary is 6-4-5 against Northern State. The last three games were played in Aberdeen, SD, including a 2-0 win over the Wolves in the 2023 NSIC playoffs. The two teams last played in Bismarck, ND, in Octiber21, a scoreless draw. UMary is 4-0-2 at home since 2009.
 
FOLLOW LIVE
Links to live stats and video found at www.goumary.com/coverage
 
EIGHT IS GREAT
The Marauders own eight shutouts in 14 games this season. UMary allowed one goal in the season opener before recording five straight clean sheets. For the season the Marauders have allowed eight goals in 14 games while scoring 19. The Marauders .79 Scoring Margin/game is 5^th in the NSIC. UMary's goals against average of 0.57 is 2^nd-best in the league.
 
SEVEN HEAVEN
After posting 10 shutouts last season, the second-most by an individual in a single season at UMary, senior goalkeeper Molly Fischer has seven this season already to her credit and played 80 of 90 minutes in the Marauders eighth clean sheet this season.
 
97
Marauders head coach Sarah Cook earned her 97^th victory at UMary in the Marauders 1-0 win at Winona State. A member of the Marauders Hall of Fame after earning All-American honors three times, Cook is in her 13^th season after taking over leadership of the program prior to the 2012 season and is the program record-holder for career coaching wins.
 
GOAL!
The Marauders are 6^th in the NSIC in scoring, generating 19 goals in 14 games, an average of 1.4 goals/game. 
 
IMPACT
Rachel Gensch has made an impact on the Marauders attack in her first year at UMary. The transfer from Sierra College owns three goals and five assists this season for 11 points in nine games. She has three multi-point games (goal and assist against Black Hills State and MSU Moorhead, goal and two assists against Emporia State). The Rocklin, CA, native is second in the NSIC in points per game at 1.22.  
 
WINNER
Olivia Gardner has posted an NSIC-high three game-winning goals this season. The all-NSIC forward is 10^th in the NSIC in scoring with 0.71 points/game (three goals, four assists).
 
ON THE ATTACK
The Marauders feature four of the top 16 scorers in the NSIC this season.

• Rachel Gensch is 2^nd at 1.22 points/game (3G 5A)
• Olivia Gardner is 10^th in scoring at .71 points/game (3G 4A)
• Rio Spruenken (3G 3A for 9 points) is 16^th at 0.64 points/game
• Maliah Burke (3G 3A) is 16^th at .64 points/game

 
NUMBERS (NCAA RANKINGS) - TEAM
#12 corner kicks/game (7.1)
#23 Shutout percentage (.57)
#25 Goals Against Average (0.57)
 
NUMBERS (NCAA RANKINGS) – INDIVIDUAL
Olivia Gardner
#30 Game-winning goals (3)
 
Molly Fisher
#15 Goals against average (0.443)
#21 shutouts (7)
#34 Save Percentage (0.854)
 
SENIORS
The Marauders honored nine seniors on Senior Day, Friday, Oct. 11. The nine seniors are Molly Fischer, Ava Vizenor, Andi Hunsicker, Sophia Lange, Mo Malone, Amélie Faa, Kendra Park, Mary Meeks and Kaitlyn Schwass (Student Manager). Fischer, Lange, Vizenor, Park and Meeks played their entire careers at UMary. Hunsicker and Malone competed three seasons and Faa two after transferring to UMary. Schwass also has been at UMary her entire collegiate career, playing two seasons on the pitch.
 
2024 MARAUDERS NSIC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

• Allison Lepp was named the NSIC Defender of the Week Sept. 16after UMary defeated regional power Emporia Satet 3-0. The defender from Minot, ND, organized a Marauders effort that held the Hornets to three total shots with only two on frame in the win.
• Mo Malone was the NSIC Defender of the Week Sept. 23 after the Marauders defeated Minot State 1-0 and MSU Moorhead 4-0. The Marauders allowed just 15 shots in two games with only five shots on frame (8 and 3 by the Beavers, 7 and 2 by the Dragons).
• Molly Fischer was the NSIC Goalkeeper of the Week Sept. 23 after a perfect weekend in goal, stopping all five shots she faced. She made three saves in a 1-0 win over Minot State and two in a 4-0 win at MSU Moorhead.

 
CAPTAINS
Seniors Mo Malone and Ava Vizenor are the Marauders 2024 team captains.
 
DEBUTS
Making their UMary debuts this season are transfers Rachel Gensch and Allison Lepp and freshmen Maddy Barnick, Maicee Burke, Kylan Campbell, Kadyn Dilger, Siobhan Kaufmann, Bella Kozlowski, Harlee Peltz and Elizabeth Schmidt.
 
2007 UMARY WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM INDUCTED INTO MARAUDERS HALL OF FAME
The 2007 UMary Women's Soccer team was inducted into the Marauders Hall of Fame on Friday, October 4, and honored prior to the UMary win over Augustana. Combining an impenetrable defense with a formidable attack, the 2007 Marauders permanently etched their name in the school's history book as the first UMary team in any sport to qualify for an NCAA tournament. The team tied the school record for wins (16) and won the NSIC tournament for a second straight year.
 
MALONE VOTED NSIC PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Mo Malone is the 2024 NSIC Soccer Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The senior defender earned prestigious recognition in a vote by the league coaches. Twice an All-NSIC second team selection, Malone is the first Marauders scholar-athlete to earn NSIC Soccer Preseason Player of the Year honors.
 
The Placentia, CA, native led one of the top defenses in the Northern Sun over the past two years and finished among NSIC leaders in assists in 2023. Malone distributed six helpers – including the lone assist on the only goal in the NSIC semifinal game – to top the Marauders and rank 4th in the NSIC.
 
Malone also scored two goals her junior season, both game-winners. She posted the only counter in a 1-0 win over MSU Moorhead off a corner kick and delivered the winning blow with 52 seconds left on a direct free kick in a 2-1 victory against Concordia-St. Paul. She has totaled ten points on the season and has earned NSIC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
 
A United Soccer Coaches All-Central Region 3rd team selection, Malone helped the UMary defense keep 10 clean sheets.
 
GARDNER NAMED UMARY'S NSIC OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH
Olivia Gardner, one of the most dangerous attackers in the Northern Sun, is the NSIC Offensive Player to Watch for UMary. The junior forward from Winona, MN, Gardner scored a team-leading eight goals in 2023, while also pacing UMary in game-winning goals (4) and points (16). She ranked third in the NSIC in goals and game-winners and eighth in points. Gardner posted the winning counter in each of the Marauders playoff wins, a 2-0 victory at Northern State and a 1-0 win over Concordia-St. Paul in the semifinals.
 
UMARY PICKED 4^TH IN NSIC PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
The Marauders are projected to finish 4th in the 15-team league in the 2024 NSIC Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll. Under the direction of Head Coach Sarah Cook, who is in her 13th season at the helm of the Marauders, UMary placed 5th in conference action last year before earning a spot in the title game.
 
EXPERIENCE
The Marauders return 21 players from last year's squad, including 16 who earned at least one start throughout the year and nine of ten players who made at least 10 starts. Returning primary starters include seniors Ava Vizenor (3 years as a starter), Mo Malone (2), Mary Meeks (1), Sophia Lange (2), Molly Fisher (1), juniors Kendra Park (1), Tara Young (2), MaLiah Burke (1), Rio Spruenken (2), Olivia Gardner (2) and sophomore Kadyn Sharpe (1).
 
CLASS BREAKDOWN
9 seniors
8 juniors
6 sophomores
8 freshmen
 
NEWCOMERS
The Marauders welcome ten new players to the squad, including transfers Allison Lepp and Rachel Gensch. The other eight are true freshmen.
 
SIX STRAIGHT
The Marauders have qualified for the last six NSIC postseason tournaments.
 
30th SEASON OF MARAUDERS SOCCER
This is the 30^th season of University of Mary women's soccer. The Marauders took to the pitch for the first time in 1995.
 
2023 REWIND
The Marauders finished the 2023 season 10-8-3 overall and 7-5-2 in the Northern Sun (5^th place). UMary advanced to the NSIC tournament championship as the 6^th seed, the Marauders first appearance in the league title game since 2007… Mo Malone (D), Eli Olsen (D), Ava Vizenor (M) and Olivia Gardner (F) all earned 2024 All-NSIC 2^nd team honors… Olsen (1^st team) and Malone (2^nd) earned spots on the USC All-Central Region team… The Marauders finished with 10 clean sheets, including two in the NSIC tournament, with Molly Fischer recording all ten. The ten shutouts in a single season is the second-most by an individual player in program history.  Kristen Werner posted 11 shutouts in 2004. Rachel Dietrich also had 10 in 1997.
 
TICKETS FAQ
Fans who purchase tickets online receive a discount over tickets purchased at the gate. Single game adult soccer tickets are $10 plus fees when fans buy online at www.UMaryTickets.com or via the Hometown Fan app. Tickets for seniors (ages 65 and older) and youth (ages 13-18) are $5 plus fees.

• Single game soccer tickets purchased at the gate are $15 for adults and $10 for seniors and youth.
• Children under the age of 13 are free when accompanied by an adult. Unaccompanied children ticket prices are $5.
• Tickets purchased at the gate are CASH ONLY transactions. Debit and credit cards purchases are online only at www.umarytickets.com or via the HomeTown Fan App.
• UMary students and faculty and staff with their MCard are admitted FREE.

 
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