BURNSVILLE, MN – All-Northern Sun performers Rio Spruenken and Allison Lepp are expected to be driving forces for a veteran University of Mary soccer team as the Marauders push for another playoff berth. Spruenken was announced as the NSIC Offensive Player to Watch for the Marauders in 2025 while Lepp is the Defensive Player to Watch.
 
Entering her fourth season with the Marauders, Spruenken led the Marauders in scoring in 2024 with five goals and five assists for 15 points. The senior from Krefeld, NRW, Germany, keys the UMary attack from the midfield. In a clutch performance in the opening game of the 2024 NSIC tournament, Spruenken assisted on both goals to lead the Marauders to a 2-1 overtime win on the road at St. Cloud State. Twice last year she posted both a goal and an assist in a match on her way to finishing 8^th among NSIC players in points and 9^th in goals.
 
Spruenken, who also earned All-NSIC second team honors as a freshman in 2022, owns nine goals and 11 assists in 54 matches for the Marauders.
 
"Rio is a hardworking scholar-athlete who exemplifies the characteristics of grit and determination in all that she does," said Marauders Head Coach Sarah Cook. "Extraordinary in the classroom and on the pitch, Rio is our returning highest-point player from the 2024 season and a 2025 team captain."
 
Lepp joined UMary in 2024 as a graduate transfer from 2022 NCAA Division II national champion Western Washington. The defender from Minot, ND, helped the Marauders create a nearly impenetrable middle of the defensive back line as UMary allowed just 0.63 goals last season. The Marauders recorded ten clean sheets in 19 games while limiting teams to 3.6 shots on frame/game. Lepp was named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Week after UMary held Emporia State to three shots in a 3-0 win. She scored three goals, including a game winner. Additionally her lone assist was on a game-winning goal.
 
"Allison is such an excellent student of the game and an extraordinary athlete who always brings a love and passion for the sport every time she steps out on the pitch," said Cook. "She brings a wealth of talent and experience to our team and will be a leader in our backline for the coming year."
 
Following a 5^th place finish in the NSIC last season, the Marauders are projected to place 6^th in the 2025 Northern Sun Preseason Coaches' Poll. Defending champion Minnesota State finished first in the coaches' poll, followed by Concordia-St. Paul, Bemidji State, St. Cloud State, Augustana, UMary, Northern State, Minot State, Wayne State, Winona State, Minnesota Duluth, Southwest Minnesota State, Jamestown, Sioux Falls, MSU Moorhead and Minnesota Crookston.
 
"The team is energized to step into a new season and display what they have worked so hard on during the off-season and summer," said Cook. "We are a well-rounded group with plenty of returning experience and lots of exciting new incoming players."
The Marauders finished last season 11-4-4 overall and 8-3-3 in NSIC play for 27 points and 5^th place. The Marauders qualified for the conference tournament for the seventh straight season, equaling the 2006-2012 run for the longest consecutive stretch of NSIC tournament appearances in program history. Additionally the Marauders advanced beyond the opening round of the NSIC tournament for a second straight year.  
 
UMary returns 16 players from last year's roster, including second team All-NSIC forwards Olivia Gardner and MaLiah Burke.
 
The Marauders make their first public appearance August 23 at home with an exhibition match against the University of Manitoba before scrimmaging the Magic City Legends August 31.    
 
The regular season begins September 4 when the Marauders host MSU Billings in a non-conference game.
 
Season and single game tickets are available online at UMaryTickets.com.
 
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