BURNSVILLE, MN – All-conference performers Dina Polanco and Chloe Brand are the 2026 Northern Sun Players to Watch for the University of Mary women's soccer team.
 
The announcement was released in conjunction with the 2026 NSIC Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Marauders are projected to finish sixth in the 16-team league.
 
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.
 
For the season Polanco finished with 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.
 
Polanco's final goal of the season came in the opening round of the Northern Sun tournament. It was the Marauders 40^th counter of the year, breaking the program's NCAA single season mark of 39 in 2007, a season in which UMary advanced to the NCAA tournament.
 
Now a sophomore, the native of Guatemala is a member of her country's national team and played in World Cup-qualifying matches for her home country.
 
"Dina Polanco is an exciting player to watch because of the confidence, creativity and competitive edge she brings every day," said Marauders Head Coach Sarah Cook. "She is fearless with the ball, embraces challenges and has the ability to create something special in the attacking third. Beyond her talent, Dina is a humble, driven teammate who genuinely cares about the people around her. Her international experience with Guatemala has continued to strengthen her maturity and composure, and we are excited to see her take another step forward this season."
 
In her first season with the Marauders last year, Brand made an immediate impact. Named to the 2025 All-NSIC second team as a defender, Brand proved a valuable weapon on set pieces for UMary. 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.
 
Now a senior, Brand 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.
 
"Chloe Brand is the type of defender who brings composure, toughness and consistency to everything she does," said Cook. "As one of our captains, she leads through her communication, work ethic and commitment to doing the details that make the entire group better. Chloe reads the game exceptionally well and brings a calm, dependable presence that her teammates trust. She is a fierce competitor who takes tremendous pride in defending and representing University of Mary Soccer. We are excited to watch her continue to grow this season."
 
The Marauders return 13 players from last season and five who have started double-digit games in a season. UMary posted a record of 8-7-4 overall and 6-5-4 in NSIC play year and scored the most goals by any team in the league during the regular season. The Marauders earned a spot in the NSIC tournament for the 8th straight season and had a winning record for the seventh time in nine seasons. UMary has not had a losing season in nine years.
 
"What excites me most about this year's team is the combination of experience, fresh energy and genuine belief within the group," said Cook. "They are competitive, hardworking and willing to hold one another accountable, but they also truly enjoy being together. There is a shared hunger to grow and accomplish something meaningful, and I believe this group has the talent, grit and togetherness to make this season great!"
 
The Marauders had their first training session of the season today.
 
 
UMary opens the 2026 regular season at home August 27 against Western Oregon University. The Wolves are coached by Nate Ulness, who played for the UMary men's team and was an assistant coach for the Marauders for five seasons.
 
Season and single game tickets are now on sale at www.UMaryTickets.com.
 
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.
 
The 2026 NSIC Soccer Regular Season Champion will be determined by a 15-match league schedule, with a win earning a team three points and a tie one point.
 
The 2026 NSIC Soccer season will see its first non-conference action on Thursday, August 27, with NSIC action beginning on Friday, September 11. 
 
The NSIC Tournament is scheduled for Monday, November 2, Friday, November 6 and Sunday, November 8. The top four seeds will host a first round match, followed by the semifinal and championship rounds at the campus of the highest remaining seed of the four quarterfinal winners.
 
New for the 2026 season, the NSIC Network is now powered by Midco Sports Plus, the conference's new streaming home for exclusive live and on-demand coverage of all 16 NSIC member institutions. Fans can stream every home regular season conference and non-conference home football game, along with NSIC championship events, through a monthly ($15) or annual subscription ($79). Subscriptions are available at MidcoSportsPlus.com or through the Midco Sports Plus app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Fire TV and Roku.
 
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