THIS WEEK
Playing at home for a second straight weekend, the University of Mary women's soccer team hosts the University of Minnesota Duluth and Bemidji State University in a pair of Northern Sun games at the MDU Resources Community Bowl in Bismarck, ND. The Marauders first face the Bulldogs at 3 pm Friday, September 25. On Sunday, September 27, the Marauders host the Beavers at 1 pm.
 
Both matches are sponsored by the Dakota United Soccer Club and are the Marauders Mental Health Awareness Matches.
 
THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 3-2-2 overall and 2-1-1 in the Northern Sun (5^th place with 7 points)… Both the Bulldogs and the Beavers are 4-1-2 and tied for 1^st in the NSIC with 10 points (3-0-1 NSIC).
 
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 earned a pair of 1-0 victories in their first two NSIC home matches of the season… Dina Polanco scored in the 15^th minute on a perfectly placed ball over the top of the defense by Bella Kozlowski for the lone goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Concordia-St. Paul. Kadyn Dilger earned the clean sheet with two saves as the Marauders limited the Golden Bears – picked to finish 2^nd in the NSIC in the preseason poll – to 10 total shots… The Marauders used a similar formula in a 1-0 win on Sunday over Winona State. Polanco scored on a free kick in the 39^th minute and the UMary defense limited the Warriors to three total shots with none coming on frame.
 
HISTORY LESSON
UMary vs. Minnesota Duluth: Since 2009 the Marauders and the Bulldogs are 5-5-6 against one another. UMary is undefeated in the last ten meetings with a record of 4-0-6. The two teams have played to a draw the last three seasons... LAST MEETING UMary earned a 2-2 draw on the road at UMD on October 5, 2025. Dina Polanco and Chloe Brand scored goals in a match buffeted by high winds and a heavy downpour.
UMary vs. Bemidji State: UMary is 3-13-3 against BSU since 2009. In the last meeting played in Bismarck, UMary earned a 2-1 home win in 2023 to break a run of 11 straight games without a win against BSU... LAST MEETING Despite holding the edge in shots (15=4-5), shots on goal (9-2) and corner kicks (7-3) the visiting Marauders were unable to overcome a goal in the 35' by BSU in a 1-0 loss on October 3, 2025.
 
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.
 
The reining NSIC Newcomer of the Year and member of the Guatemala national team leads the NSIC in goals (7), points (15) and game-winning goals (3).
 
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.
 
POLANCO LOCKED IN
Marauders all-conference and all-region midfielder is dialed in with seven goals in seven matches. The member of the Guatemala national team earned the Marauders 1-1 draw with Western Oregon in the season opener when she scored with 65 seconds left in the game. After picking up an assist in a loss to Black Hills State, Polanco tallied twice in the Marauders 3-0 win at MSU Billings. Her goals came 150 seconds apart late in the first half to give UMary a 2-0 lead at intermission. Polanco then posted a brace at SCSU in the NSIC opener, scoring goals with 4:17 and 34 seconds left in the match to earn a 2-2 tie. Polanco then scored the lone goal in the Marauders 1-0 wins over Concordia-St Paul and Winona State.  
 
Polanco leads the NSIC in points (17) and goals (7). She leads the NSIC in shots (33) and is second in shots on goal (18)… In NCAA D2 Polanco is 6^th in game-winning goals (3), 14^th in points/game (2.14), 9^th in goals/game (1.0), 14^th in shots/game (4.7) and 11^th in shots on goal/game (2.57).
 
KEEPING IT CLEAN
After picking up a pair of shutouts last weekend the Marauders now have three on the season. Freshman goalkeeper Elena Van Heukelom earned a clean sheet in her first collegiate start. The native of Seeshaupt, Germany, made five saves in the Marauders 3-0 win over MSU Billings. Kadyn Sharpe now has ten career shutouts after the Marauders defeated Concordia-St. Paul and Winona State by identical 1-0 scores.  
 
DON'T LEAVE EARLY
The Marauders are never out of a game, twice scoring with less than 90 seconds to earn a draw. 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.
 
FIRSTS
A trio of freshman have scored Marauders goals this season. Alex Guinn, Cate Jenesa and Lillian Schatz 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).
 
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.
 
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 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.
 
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.

 
111
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 111 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

 
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 
 
#marauders#