SIOUX FALLS, SD – With 61 total points and five first-place finishes, Denver knocked South Dakota State off the top spot in the Summit League women’s soccer preseason coaches poll released Tuesday by league officials. The Pioneers finished just two points ahead of the Jackrabbits (59 points) in a vote by all nine league head coaches.
The Pioneers, who have won the last six regular-season titles, are looking to return to tournament title contention for the first time since 2021. A year ago, DU posted a 9-2-7 record and a 5-1-2 league mark under the leadership of new head coach Julianne Sitch.
South Dakota State, the winner of the 2023 Summit League Tournament, finished second in the preseason rankings after the Jackrabbits received three first-place votes. Head coach Brock Thompson has led SDSU to tournament titles in three of the last five seasons.
The Omaha Mavericks rounded out the top three in this year’s poll with a total of 50 points and the remaining first-place vote. Oral Roberts (43), South Dakota (32), Kansas City (26), North Dakota State (24), St. Thomas (15) and North Dakota (14) rounded out the 2024 poll.
| 2024 Summit League Women’s Scocer Preseason Coaches Poll | |||
| Rank | School | Points (1st) | Record 2023 (SL) |
| 1. | Denver | 61 (5) | 9-2-7 (5-1-2, 34 points) |
| 2. | State of South Dakota | 59 (3) | 13-4-3 (4-1-3, 42 points) |
| 3. | Omaha | 50 (1) | 7-5-7 (3-1-4, 28 points) |
| 4. | Oral Roberts | 43 | 8-7-4 (4-3-1, 28 points) |
| 5. | South Dakota | 32 | 7-7-4 (3-4-1, 25 points) |
| 6. | City | 26 | 3-7-8 (2-3-3, 17 points) |
| 7. | State of North Dakota | 24 | 5-6-6 (1-3-4, 21 points) |
| 8. | St. Thomas | 15 | 6-8-3 (2-6-1, 7 points) |
| 9. | North Dakota | 14 | 3-7-5 (1-5-2, 5 points. |
Players in focus
Note: Players to Watch nominated by the league’s head coaches
Jordan Crockett | Denver | Fifth year | Defender
• 2023 All-Summit League First Team
• Played in all 18 games and totaled 1,587 minutes of playing time, a career high for a season
• Scored the second winning goal of his career against St. Thomas
Samantha Dreiling | Denver | Redshirt Junior | Midfielder
• 2023 All-Summit League Second Team, 2023 Summit League All-Newcomer Team, 2023 Summit League All-Academic Team
• Played in all 18 games and scored two goals against South Dakota (Oct. 8)
Laney Murdzek | South Dakota State | Senior | Midfielder
• 2023 All-Summit League Second Team, 2023 Academic All-District Team and 2023-24 Summit League Commissioner’s List of Academic Excellence
• Started all 20 games for the Jackrabbits, second on the team in shots (35) and third in shots on goal (14)
• Shared the lead in the Summit League with five assists in the season
Katherine Jones | South Dakota State | Graduate | Midfielder/Defender
• MVP of the 2023 Summit League Championship and three-time winner of the Summit League All-Tournament Team (2021, 2022, 2023)
• Started all 20 games for the Jackrabbits, career-high 1,508 minutes played
• Summit League Defensive Player of the Week (9/25/23)
Grace Ostergaard | Omaha | Graduate | Midfielder
• Four-time All-Summit League honoree
• Tied with 75 consecutive starts and second in the team in terms of minutes played (1,564)
• Set a career high of five assists in 2023
Regan Zimmers | Omaha | Junior | Forward
• 2023 United Soccer Coaches First Team All-West Region
• Led the defense to six shutouts and the second-lowest opponents’ goals-against average in the Summit League (0.99 goals per game)
• One goal, two assists and 1,300 minutes played
Ariana Fresquez | Oral Roberts | Graduate | Defender/Forward
• Played 661 minutes on the pitch in 16 games
• Provided four assists, all from set pieces
• Four shots, two of which were on target
Samantha Guzman | Oral Roberts | Junior | Midfielder
• Played all 19 games, starting 13 times
• Scored her second winning goal in the 5-1 win over South Dakota
• Three goals and four assists in the season
Brooke Conway | South Dakota | Sophomore | Midfield
• Was in the starting eleven in 18 games and played 1,247 minutes
• With five assists, tied with the team high
• Scored his first career goal and first multi-goal game against Idaho State (September 1) with two goals
Ashby Johnston | South Dakota | Graduate | Further
• 2023 All-Summit League Second Team
• Started all 18 games and second in the team in terms of minutes played (1,595)
• Scored a team-high eight goals and had her first multi-goal game against St. Thomas
Sophia Limongi | Kansas City | Graduate | Defender
• Honorable Mention in the 2023 All-Summit League
• Was in the starting eleven in all 18 games and played 1,206 minutes
• Played the full 90 minutes in the last 14 games of the season
Brianna Castleberry | Kansas City | Redshirt sophomore | Midfield
• 2023 First Team All-Summit, Summit League All-Newcomer Team, Academic All-Summit League
• Finished seventh in the Summit League and scored the most goals on his team with six goals
• Was in the starting eleven in all 18 games and played 1,033 minutes
Amaya Garret | North Dakota State | Sophomore | Defender/Midfielder
• 2023 Summit League All-Newcomer Team
• Was in the starting eleven in all 17 games and played 1,483 minutes
• Two game-winning goals at Coastal Carolina (August 31) and against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (September 15)
Olivia Watson | North Dakota State | Senior | Midfielder
• 2023 CSC Academic All-District Team
• Played 16 games, 14 of them from the start and 1,162 minutes
• Scored 4 goals in the season from 35 shots and 16 shots on target
Mariah Nguyen | St. Thomas | Senior | Forward/Midfielder
• 2023-24 Summit League Honor Roll and 2023-24 Summit League Commissioners List
• Led the Tommies in goals (5), points (12) and shots on goal (13)
• Top Offensive Performance of the 2023 Summit League (08/21/23)
Olivia Rowe | St. Thomas | Senior | Goalkeeper
• 2023 Summit League Defensive Player of the Week (08/28/23)
• Was in the starting eleven in all 15 games and played 1,326 minutes
• In 2023 he recorded 71 saves and five shutouts
Mary Gasaway | North Dakota | Senior | Defender
• 2023 All-Summit League Second Team
• Was in the starting eleven in all 18 games and played 1,620 minutes
• Supported North Dakota’s second-best shutout rate (44.4%) in the Summit League
Amelia Loeffler | North Dakota | Junior | Defender
• 2023 All-Summit League First Team
• Led the Fighting Hawks in shots (34) and shots on goal (21)
• First place in the Summit League for shooting accuracy (0.618) and second for goals scored (8)
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