MARAUDERS OPEN NCAA TOURNAMENT PLAY AGAINST #19 UCM JENNIES
For just the second time in program history, the University of Mary will compete in the NCAA Division II women's soccer tournament. The Northern Sun champion earned the 5^th seed in the Central region and will face 4^th seed and #RV University of Central Missouri on Friday, November 13, in Topeka, KS.
 
The Marauders and the Jennies will kick off the opening round match for the upper bracket at 12 noon at Yager Stadium, located on the campus of region host Washburn University.
 
The winner of the Marauders-Jennies match will face the winner between #1 seed Washburn and #8 seed Southwestern Oklahoma State on Sunday, November 15, at 3 pm.
 
NCAA CENTRAL REGION QUICK FACTS
Upper Bracket Site: Yager Stadium, Topeka, KS
Host: Washburn University
 
NCAA Central Region Schedule – upper bracket
Friday, November 13 – First Round

• #5 UMary vs. #4 Central Missouri 12 pm
• #1 Washburn vs. #8 Southwestern Oklahoma State

Sunday, November 15 – 2^nd Round

• UMary/UCM winner vs. Washburn/SWOSU winner 3 pm

NCAA Central Region Schedule – lower bracket
Lower Bracket Site: The Pitch, Mankato, MN
Host: Minnesota State University
 
Friday, November 13 – First Round

• #2 Minnesota State vs. #7 Missouri Western 1 pm
• #3 Pitt State vs. #6 Northern State

Sunday, November 15 – 2^nd Round

• MSU/MW winner vs. PSU/MSU winner 1 pm

 
Central Region Championship
November 20 – Upper Bracket Champion vs. Lower Bracker Champion
 
Central Region Seeding
1. Washburn
2. Minnesota State
3. Pittsburg State
4. Central Missouri
5. UMary
6. Northern State
7. Missouri Western
8. Southwestern Oklahoma State
 
Tickets: Admission for each day of the Central Region tournament play will be as follows:

• Adults $ 15.00
• Children/Students with ID / Senior Citizens $10.00
• Children, under the age of 4 Free
• CLICK HERE to order online
• Gates open one (1) hour prior to game time
• Pets ARE NOT allowed into Yager Stadium

 
FOLLOW LIVE – NCAA TOURNAMENT EDITION
Links to live stats and video are available at www.goumary.com/coverage. Games will be stream free at NCAA.com and on the MIAA network.
 
DÉJÀ VU
UMary's only other NCAA tournament appearance was 2007. The opponent? The University of Central Missouri.
 
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The Marauders have played in one NCAA tournament game… UMary dropped a 2-1 decision to Central Missouri on November 9, 2007, in Mankato, MN… Megan Wilson scored in the 32' off assists from Liz Keller and Alyssa Deutscher to lead 1-0 at intermission. The Jennies tied the game with an Angela Dobbie goal in the 51'. With time running out on regulation, Erin Hailey scored at 88:01 to give UCM the win… UMary held the edge in shots (16-8), shots on frame (7-5) and corner kicks (8-2). UMary was the #4 seed with UCM #5.  
 
THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 13-3-3 overall and finished as co-champions in the NSIC… Central Missouri is 14-2-4 overall and finished 2^nd in the MIAA… Washburn is 16-1-3 overall and won the MIAA regular and postseason title… Southwestern Oklahoma State University is 9-3-8 overall and won the GAC tournament.
 
HISTORY LESSON | UMary vs. Central Missouri

• UMary is 0-5-1 all-time against Central Missouri
• The Marauders have played the Jennies twice in Bismarck, twice in Warrensburg, MO, and twice in Mankato, MN
• UMary and UCM last met September 10, 2023, in Mankato with the Jennies winning 3-1
• The Marauders earned a 2-2 tie in Bismarck, ND, on September 11, 2014. -13-3 against BSU since 2009. Down a goal, UMary goalkeeper Shelby Buttron was sent into the offensive zone on a corner kick and scored the equalizer when she hammered a one-timer into the net off a scramble. Buttron also had five saves in the game.
• The first meeting between UMary and UCM was a 2007 NCAA tournament game

 
NSIC CHAMPIONS!
For the first time in program history, the University of Mary women's soccer team is the Northern Sun conference champion. The Marauders claimed a share of the 2026 NSIC women's soccer championship after finishing the league season with a record of 12-1-2 for 38 points. Undefeated in their last 13 games, the Marauders are 13-2-3 overall this season.
 
UMary tied Minnesota State University for the conference title.
 
COOK TABBED THE 2026 NSIC COACH OF THE YEAR
Sarah Cook is the 2026 Northern Sun Coach of the Year. This is a first in program history. An All-American as a scholar-athlete and a member of the Marauders Hall of Fame, she directed her alma mater to the Marauders first-ever Northern Sun title. UMary lost only one conference game and finished 12-1-2 for 38 points in NSIC action to set a school single-season record for NSIC wins and points.
 
UMary finished the NSIC season with a program-record 13-match unbeaten streak and earned a home playoff berth for first time since 2008. The Marauders qualified for the NSIC tournament for 9th straight season and earned six NSIC Player of the Week honors.
 
In her 14th season as Marauders head coach, Cook directed a starting lineup featuring three freshmen, four newcomers, seven underclassmen and seven new starters.
POLANCO NAMED NSIC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Dina Polanco is the 2026 NSIC Offensive Player of the Year. This is the first time a Marauders has earned this honor. The sophomore forward led the NSIC with 17 goals and 35 points in league action. She also paced the conference with seven game-winning goals. The two-time NSIC Offensive Player of the Week was second in conference action in shots/game (4.47) and shots on goal/game (2.27).
 
The Guatemalan national team member set UMary NCAA records for goals (20) and points (42) in a season. She is second in NCAA Division II in game-winning goals (8) and 4^th nationally in goals/game (1.05) and sixth in points/game (2.2). Polanco is a perfect 7-for-7 in penalty kick opportunities.
 
The 2025 NSIC Newcomer of the Year, Polanco is a repeat All-NSIC first team selection.
 
WESSEL SELECTED NSIC NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Ivy Wessel is the 2026 NSIC Newcomer of the Year. The sophomore from Rosemount, MN, joined the Marauders this season after playing last year at Loras College. She immediately made an impact, winning NSIC Defensive Player of the Week honors for her efforts in the season opener. She later earned weekly honors a second time during the season. Wessel posted one goal and three assists for five points in NSIC games this season.
 
The defender was a key member of the Marauders back line and helped UMary limit NSIC opposition to .67 goals/game, the second-lowest mark in the league. The Marauders posted eight shutouts in 15 NSIC games and allowed five goals in last 13 league games.

FIVE MARAUDERS NAMED TO ALL-NSIC TEAM
Five Marauders were named to the 2026 All-NSIC team. In addition to F Dina Polanco (1^st team) and D Ivy Wessel (2^nd team), Chloe Brand (1^st team), Kadyn Dilger (2^nd team) and Harlee Peltz (2^nd team) received all-league honors.

• A defender from London, England, Chloe Brand was a 2^nd team selection in 2025 before earning 1^st team honors in 2026. The team captain played a variety of roles for the Marauders, from defending to attacking. Staring all 15 league game, Brand scored two goals and delivered six assists in NSIC action. She scored the only goal of the game with 24 seconds left in the Marauders win over Northern State. Brand produced a point in eight games. She finished 4th in NSIC games in assists and 16th in points (10). For the season Brand has 11 points over 19 games.
• In her second year as the Marauders starting goalkeeper, Kadyn Dilger had an incredible season to earn All-NSIC 2^nd team honors. The junior from Big Lake, MN, started all 15 league games for UMary. She was credited with seven clean sheets and shared UMary's eighth shutout in NSIC action. Her .67 goals against average was fourth in the league and her .808 save percentage ranked fifth. Dilger, who allowed just ten NSIC goals, averaged 2.80 saves per game. For the season she has .86 goals against average with a .758 save percentage and seven clean sheets.
• Harlee Peltz was a key factor in the Marauders nearly impenetrable defense. Only twice in 15 NSIC games did UMary allow two more goals, with no more than one goal allowed in any of the last 13 games. The Marauders allowed just .67 goals/game, the second-fewest in league games. The junior defender from Albertville, MN, was named the NSIC Defender of the Week after UMary posted back-to-back 1-0 wins over Winona State and Concordia-St. Paul. In the final game of the regular season Peltz scored her lone goal as UMary downed Minot State to win the league title. In 19 games overall this season she has one goal and one assist.

 
MARAUDERS REMAIN 5^th IN IWSOC REGIONAL RANKINGS
For a sixth 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 November 10.
 
TEN STRAIGHT
2026 is the 10^th straight season the Marauders will finish with a break-even record or better. The Marauders last had a losing season in 2016.
 
POLANCO RANKS 2^nd NATIONALLY IN GAME-WINNING GOALS
Dina Polanco is second in NCAA Division II in game-winning goals and ranks high in several other categories:

• 2^nd in game-winning goals (8)
• 3^rd in total goals (20)
• 4^th in total points (42)
• 4^th in goals/game (1.05)
• 4^th in points/game (2.21)
• 6^th in shots/game (5.37)
• 6^th in shots on goal/game (2.74)

 
POLANCO BREAKS UMARY NCAA RECORD FOR GOALS, POINTS IN SINGLE SEASON
Dina Polanco is the new Marauders single-season leader in goals scored (20) and points (42) 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 20 goals and 42 points ranks 5^th in a single season in both categories. 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 seven assists and 16^th in points (11 points on two goals and seven 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… Nationally Brand is 38^th in total assists (7) and 51^st in assists/game (.37).
 
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.
 
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

 
120
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 120 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.

• 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.
 
586
The Marauders set a single game attendance record with 586 fans on October 29, 2026, when UMary defeated Minot State to win an NSIC championship.
 
BAKER'S DOZEN
The Marauders closed the regular season with a 13 match unbeaten streak, the longest in program history since starting NCAA and NSIC play in 2006.
 
9^th CONSECUTIVE NSIC TOURNEY BERTH CLINCHED
The Marauders have qualified for nine straight NSIC tournaments.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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