MARAUDERS PLAYING FOR NSIC CHAMPIONSHIP ON THURSDAY WHEN UMARY HOSTS MINOT STATE
The 2026 Northern Sun championship is on the line for the University of Mary women's soccer team when the Marauders host HWY 83 rival Minot State University to close out the regular season. Match time between the Marauders and the Beavers is set for 5 pm on Thursday, October 29, at the MDU Resources Community Bowl in Bismarck, ND.
 
Tied with Minnesota State University for first place in the NSIC, the Marauders are looking to break the program's attendance record when UMary hosts Minot State. The first 200 students wearing Marauders colors receive a sensory cube.
 
Tailgating starts in the north parking lot at 4 pm. At 4:40 pm a faculty appreciation ceremony takes place on the field.
 
UMARY TO HOST NSIC TOURNAMENT OPENER ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2
The Marauders will host a Northern Sun tournament opening round game on Monday, November 2. Game time is 4 pm at the MDU Resources Community Bowl. UMary's opponent will be announced by the NSIC at the conclusion of the regular season on Thursday, October 29.
 
The 8-team NSIC Tournament opens Monday, November 2, at the home fields of the top four finishers in the regular season standings. The highest remaining seed after the first round will host both the semifinals (Friday, November 6) and the NSIC championship game (Sunday, November 8, at 2 pm). The tournament champion earns an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament.
 
Preliminary NSIC Tournament Opening Round Information

• UMary vs. TBD Monday, November 2
• 4 pm at the MDU Resources Community Bowl
• Doors open at 3 pm
• Tickets available at the gate only
• UMary MCards and All-Sports Passes are not valid for admission
• Ticket prices as set by the NSIC:
  • Adults $10
  • Students (6-college) $5
  • Children 5-under are free

More details will follow the release of the NSIC Tournament Bracket
 
ON THE LINE
With one game remaining in the regular season the Marauders are tied with Minnesota State University for first place in the NSIC standings. While the Marauders have clinched a top-2 finish in the NSIC and the program's best-ever regular season conference finish, UMary has much on the line in Thursday's match with Minot State to close out the regular season:

• A win would guarantee the Marauders the first regular season NSIC soccer championship in program history. UMary's best finish in the NSIC regular season standings is 4^th place (2007, 2008, 2011).
• The top seed is still available for the NSIC tournament. If UMary and MSU tie for the conference title, Minnesota State receives the #1 seed and UMary the #2 seed as the Mavericks defeated the Marauders 3-0 in the second game of the NSIC schedule.
• If the Marauders defeat the Beavers and Minnesota State loses or ties at St. Cloud State, UMary wins the NSIC title outright and is the #1 tournament seed.
• If the Marauders tie the Beavers and the Mavericks lose to the Huskies, UMary wins the NSIC title outright and is the #1 tournament seed.

 
MARAUDERS 5^th IN NPI CENTRAL REGION RANKINGS
For the third straight week the University of Mary ranks 5^th in the Central Region in the NCAA Women's Soccer NCAA Power Index (NPI), featuring games through October 26. Nationally the Marauders rank 39^th in NCAA Division II out of 259 teams.
 
The primary purpose of NPI is to compare teams within NCAA Division II for ranking and NCAA championship selection. Once automatic qualifiers are determined, remaining teams are considered for at-large selection based on NPI ranking until the championship field is filled.
 
The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), the Mid-America Athletic Association (MIAA) and the Great American Conference (GAC) make up the 36-team NCAA Central Region. The top eight teams in the region will advance to the NCAA region tournament. 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. 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. 
 
The NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship provides for a 56-team, single-elimination tournament. The top eight teams in the central region will compete in the championship.
 
The top ten teams in the NPI from the Central Region are: Minnesota State (NSIC), Washburn (MIAA), Pittsburg State (MIAA), Central Missouri (MIAA), UMary (NSIC), Augustana (NSIC), Central Oklahoma (MIAA), Northern State (NSIC), Missouri Western (MIAA) and Bemidji State (NSIC). Southwestern Oklahoma is the top GAC team in the Central Region rankings at #17.  
 
MARAUDERS REMAIN 5^th IN IWSOC REGIONAL RANKINGS
For a fourth straight week the Marauders rank 5^th in the Central Region of the Intercollegiate Women's Soccer Organization for Coaches (IWSOC) Division II Coaches Poll in Partnership with United Soccer Coaches released October 27. UMary is one of six NSIC teams in the IWSOC regional rankings: Minnesota State (1), Northern State University (7), University of Minnesota Duluth (8), Bemidji State University (9) and Augustana (10).
 
THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 12-2-3 overall and tied for 1^st in the NSIC with a record of 11-1-2 for 35 points.
 
FOLLOW LIVE
Links to live stats and video are available at www.goumary.com/coverage.
 
MARAUDERS WEBCASTS STREAMED LIVE ON NSIC NETWORK POWERED BY MIDCO SPORTS NET
For the first time this season, all Northern Sun and Marauders home contests will stream live on the NSIC Network powered by Midco Sports Net. Games can be purchased individually for $10. To view all tournament games, consider purchasing a monthly subscription for $15 or an annual subscription for $79. Visit www.MidcoSportsPlus.com to subscribe today.
 
LAST WEEK
The Marauders increased their unbeaten streak to 12 matches with a pair of road wins… Lilly Schatz and Dina Polanco both scored in the first 11' and Addison Massey added a goal in the second half of a 3-0 win at Minnesota Crookston. UMary held UMC to three shots… the weekend wrapped up with a 6-0 win at MSU Moorhead. Polanco had a natural hat trick with three goals in the first half. Chloe Brand added the 4^th goal and Maggie Bobo had a brace to close out the rout. Kaydyn Dilger made two saves for the second straight game for her second clean sheet of the weekend.
 
DOZEN
The Marauders are undefeated over their last 12 games, the longest in program history since starting NCAA and NSIC play in 2006. UMary had a 10-match unbeaten run in 2022.
 
TEN STRAIGHT
The Marauders will finish with a winning record again in 2026, making this the 10^th straight season for UMary without a losing record. The Marauders have finished with a break-even or better every season since 2017.
 
9^th CONSECUTIVE NSIC TOURNEY BERTH CLINCHED
The Marauders have clinched an NSIC tournament berth for a ninth straight year.
 
HISTORY LESSON | UMary vs. Minot State

• Since 2010 the Marauders are 6-9-4 against the Beavers
• UMary is 4-0-3 at home against Minot State
• The Beavers are 9-2-1 at home against the Marauders

 
WESSEL NAMED NSIC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK FOR 2^nd TIME
University of Mary sophomore Ivy Wessel was named the Northern Sun Defender of the Week after shutout wins at Minnesota Crookston and MSU Moorhead. Wessel contributed on both ends of the pitch, picking up an assist in both games while anchoring a Marauders back line that held opposing offenses to a combined 12 shots with just four on frame.
 
Wessel had an assist and helped limit UMC to three shots total and two on frame in a 3-0 win. In a 6-0 win at MSUM Wessel again had an assist while limiting the Dragons to nine shots with two on target.
 
Wessel previously earned NSIC player of the week honors for her efforts in the opening game of the season.
 
POLONCO POSTS FIRST UMARY HAT TRICK SINCE 2007
Dina Polanco registered the Marauders first hat trick in 19 years when she scored the first three goals for UMary in a 6-0 win at MSU Moorhead on October 25… The last UMary hat tricks occurred in 2007. Megan Wilson scored three goals against Southwest Minnesota State University on October 1, 2007. Jessica Janusz also had a hat trick that season against the University of Sioux Falls on September 1… Polanco, Wilson and Janusz all hold UMary's NCAA-era record for points in a game with six.
 
POLANCO PACING NSIC IN SCORING
Marauders all-conference and all-region midfielder is dialed in with 18 goals in 17 matches. She also has two assists and owns 38 points this season. Polanco leads the NSIC in points (38), goals (18) and game-winning goals (8). She also leads the NSIC in shots (4.71/game) and shots on goal (2.41/game).
 
POLANCO LEADS NCAA D2 IN GAME-WINNING GOALS
Dina Polanco leads NCAA D2 in game-winning goals (8), ranks 2^nd in total goals (18), 4^th in total points (38), 5^th in goals/game (1.06), and is 7^th in points/game (2.24).
 
POLANCO BREAKS UMARY NCAA RECORD FOR GOALS, POINTS IN SINGLE SEASON
Dina Polanco is the new Marauders single-season leader in goals scored (18) and points (38) since UMary began NCAA and NSIC play on 2006.
 
Polanco is the fourth Marauder to score 10 or more goals in an NCAA season, joining Megan Wilson (15 in 2007), Alex Bachman-Williams (13 in 2011), and Olivia Gardner (10 in 2024 and 2025).
 
Polanco is the 3^rd UMary player with 30 points in an NCAA season, joining Megan Wilson (33 points in 2007) and Alex Bachman-Williams (31 in 2011).
 
In program history, Polanco's 18 goals ranks 5^th while her 38 points are 7^th. Nicole Benedict owns the single season record for goals with 27 in 2003. The single-season points record is 61 by Kate Theisz in 1997.
 
BRAND NAME
Chloe Brand continues to show her ability to generate offense from the back line. The senior defender and team captain is 4^th in the NSIC with six assists and 19^th in points (10 points on two goals and six assists). Brand shined in back-to-back games with an assist on the game-winning goal at Jamestown before scoring the game-winning goal with 24 seconds remaining in the Marauders 1-0 win over Northern State. Last season the All-NSIC player posted three goals and two assists.
 
KEEPING IT CLEAN
The Marauders have nine shutouts this season. Kadyn Dilger leads the way with seven clean sheets this season and 15 career shutouts. The junior from Big Lake, MN, was the NSIC goalkeeper of the week after the clean sheets against the Warriors and the Bulldogs... Additionally Dilger and Elena Van Heukelom have combined forces in a pair of shutouts vs. MSU Billings and SMSU.
 
FIRSTS
A trio of freshman have scored Marauders goals this season. Alex Guinn, Cate Jenesa and Lily Schatz (3 goals) have all tallied counters in their first collegiate season.
 
DEBUTS
The Marauders have had 14 players make their UMary debut this season: Alex Guinn, Cate Jesena, Lillian Schatz, Matilda Walker, Portia Casci, Josey Hall, Sofia Larranaga, Johanna Menge, Gabriella Newell, Mia Stretcha, Elena Van Heukelom, Alejandro Vargas, Camdyn Varty and Ivy Wessel. All are freshmen except for Wessel and Walker, both sophomores who transferred to UMary this season.
 
ALL AROUND THE WORLD
UMary features eight international students: Chloe Brand (England), Johanna Menge (Germany), Dina Polanco (Guatemala), Mia Strecha (Austria), Emmy Strobel (Germany), Elena Van Heukelom (Germany), Alejandra Vargas (Spain) and Matilda Walker (England).
 
DON'T LEAVE EARLY
The Marauders are never out of a game, twice scoring with less than 90 seconds to earn a draw and once with 24 seconds to earn a win. Dina Polanco scored off a feed from Maggie Bono with 65 seconds left in the opener to earn a 1-1 draw with Western Oregon… In the NSIC opener, the Marauders trailed the Huskies 2-0 with under 5:00 to play. Polanco took a feed from Chloe Brand with 4:17 to play to cut the UMary deficit in half. With 34 seconds left Polanco delivered a penalty kick to earn a draw… Chloe Brand scored the game-winner off an Addison Massey assist with 24 seconds left to defeat Northern State 1-0.
 
POLANCO EARNS SPOT ON TEAM GUATEMALA
UMary sophomore midfielder Dina Polanco is a native of Guatemala is a member of her country's national team. Polanco played in World Cup-qualifying matches for her home country and contributed goals in multiple games.
 
WE'RE BACK
The Marauders return 13 players from last season:

• Seniors Chloe Brand, Payton Kooiman and Kadyn Sharpe
• Juniors Maicee Burke, Kadyn Dilger, Bella Kozlowski and Harlee Peltz
• Sophomores Maggie Bono, Addison Massey, Dina Polanco, Emmy Strobel, Sarah Weaver and Ivy Wessel

 
119
Marauders head coach Sarah Cook earned her 100th victory at UMary in the Marauders 2-1 overtime win at St. Cloud State University in the 2024 NSIC quarterfinals and now owns 119 wins. A member of the Marauders Hall of Fame after earning All-American honors three times as a scholar-athlete, Cook is in her 14th season after taking over leadership of the program prior to the 2012 season. She is the program record-holder for career coaching wins.
 
CLASS BREAKDOWN

• 3 seniors
• 4 juniors
• 7 sophomores
• 14 freshmen

 
2026 NSIC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS

• WESSEL NAMED NSIC DEFENDER OF THE WEEK FOR HER MARAUDERS DEBUT

Ivy Wessel made an immediate impact for the University of Mary, earning Northern Sun Soccer Defender of the Week honors in her first match with the Marauders. A sophomore from Rosemount, MN, Wessel played a prominent role in the Marauders 1-1 draw against visiting Western Oregon University in the season opener. UMary held the Wolves, who qualified for the NCAA tournament last year, to nine shots overall and just three on frame. Wessel, a transfer from Loras College, came off the bench to play 67 minutes. While on the pitch, Wessel and the UMary defense allowed five total shots with only one on goal.
 

• POLANCO, PELTZ EARN NSIC HONORS FOR MARAUDERS WEEKEND SWEEP

A University of Mary home sweep by identical 1-0 scores earned Dina Polanco and
Harlee Peltz Northern Sun Women's Soccer Player of the Week honors. Polanco was
named the NSIC Offensive Player of the Week after scoring the lone goal in each
game. The sophomore midfielder scored in the 15th minute of the Marauders win
over Concordia-St. Paul and on a free kick in the 39th minute of a UMary victory
against Winona State University.
 
Peltz claimed NSIC Defensive Player of the Week recognition after leading a Marauders backline that never conceded a goal in the two wins. The junior defender from Albertville, MN, played all 180 minutes on the weekend and led a back line that held the two opponents to a combined 13 total shots with just two on frame. The Golden Bears managed just 10 shots with two on frame. The Marauders tightened the clamps even further on Winona State as the Warriors were held to three total shots, none of which were on goal.
 

• DILGER NAMED NSIC GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK

Kadyn Dilger was named the Northern Sun Soccer Goalkeeper of the Week after leading UMary to a pair of shutout wins. The junior made ten saves – several of the spectacular variety – over the weekend as the Marauders earned a 1-0 win over the University of Minnesota Duluth and 2-0 over Bemidji State University. She had six saves and faced 10 shots against the Bulldogs. Dilger followed with a 4-save clean sheet against the Beavers.
 

• NSIC NAMES POLONCO OFFENSIVE PLAYER THE WEEK

A pair of game-winning goals and three counters total earned University of Mary forward Dina Polanco Northern Sun Offensive Player of the Week honors for the first time. The sophomore opened the weekend with a goal just 2:26 into the Marauders 2-0 victory over visiting Southwest Minnesota State University. The Guatemalan national team player was even more impressive on Sunday as she helped the Marauders rally for a 2-1 win over the University of Sioux Falls with two goals in the final 20 minutes of play. Following a scramble off a corner kick, Polanco buried a feed from Alex Guinn to even the score at 70:00. Less than nine minutes later after Maggie Bono was fouled in the 18-yard box, Polanco found the net on a penalty kick for the winning goal and clinching a spot for UMary in the NSIC tournament.
 
POLANCO NAMED UMARY OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH IN 2026
Sophomore midfielder Dina (pronounced DEE nah) Polanco is the Marauders NSIC Offensive Player to Watch in 2026. Named the 2025 Northern Sun Newcomer of the Year, Polanco was selected to the All-NSIC first team as a midfielder. She was also honored as a first team D2CCA All-Central Region selection and was named to the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II Women's All-Central Region third team to cap a tremendous freshman season. She was the first UMary player to earn first team all-region recognition since 2012… Polanco finished her freshman season nine goals and three assists for 21 points. She tied for the team lead in points and finished second in goals. Polanco had two game-winning goals and made both her penalty kicks. Her goal total was the most for a UMary freshman since 2007.
 
NSIC NAMES BRAND DEFENDER TO WATCH FOR UMARY IN 2026
Senior defender Chloe Brand the Marauders NSIC Defensive Player to Watch in 2026. In her first season at UMary, Brand made an immediate impact and was named to the 2025 All-NSIC second team. A valuable weapon on set pieces, the London, England, native scored three goals and had two assists. Two goals came directly off her corner kick service and the third was on a free kick. Additionally both assists came after she triggered a corner kick. Brand also anchored a Marauders defense that posted eight clean sheets and allowed just 20 goals in 19 games, the 6th-fewest in the NSIC. Overall the Marauders outscored the opposition 40-20.
 
UMARY PICKED 6^th IN NSIC PRESEAON COACHES' POLL
The Marauders are projected to finish sixth in 2026 in the NSIC Coaches' poll. Minnesota State topped the NSIC coaches' poll, followed by Concordia-St. Paul, Bemidji State, Augustana, St. Cloud State, UMary, Northern State, Minot State, Winona State, Minnesota Duluth, Wayne State, Sioux Falls, Southwest Minnesota State, Jamestown, Minnesota Crookston and MSU Moorhead.
 
2025 LOOKBACK

• Head Coach Sarah Cook directed the Marauders to an eight straight Northern Sun tournament berth in 2025, the longest streak in program history. UMary has now gone nine straight seasons without a losing record. The Marauders own a winning record in seven of the last nine seasons and finished with a .500 or better record for the last night years.
• The Marauders led the NSIC in scoring last year with 2.1 goals/game
• UMary set a new NCAA Division II program record for goals in a single season with 40 in 19 games. The old mark was 39 in 23 games in 23 games.
• Freshman Dina Polanco was the NSIC Newcomer of the Year and was an All-NSIC 1^st team selection at midfield. She also earned All-Central Region honors by D2CCA (1^st team) and the United Soccer Coaches (3^rd team).
• Senior forward Olivia Gardner earned 2^nd team All-NSIC recognition for a third straight year
• Junior defender Chloe Brand was named to the All-NSIC 2^nd team in her first season at UMary
• Kayden Dilger posted eight clean sheets and earned NSIC Goalkeeper of the Week honors

 
32^nd SEASON OF MARAUDERS SOCCER
2026 is the 32^nd season of University of Mary women's soccer. The Marauders took to the pitch for the first time in 1995.
 
VISIT UMARYTICKETS.COM FOR TICKETS
Fans can purchase tickets online for all Marauders sporting events at www.UMaryTickets.com 
 
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