SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The University of North Dakota soccer program was picked ninth in the annual Summit League women's soccer preseason coaches' poll, as announced by the league office on Tuesday morning. Six-time defending league champion Denver was chosen to capture the conference regular season crown while defending league tournament champion South Dakota State was picked second in a vote by all nine of the league's head coaches.
In addition, two Fighting Hawks were selected as Summit League Players to Watch by the head coaches, with
Amelia Loeffler and
Mary Gasaway earning the honor. It marks the second straight season with a preseason honor for Gasaway while Loeffler earned the selection for the first time.
Loeffler returns to the field after a dominating offensive performance in 2023, pacing the squad with eight goals and 18 points while capturing the conference scoring title with five goals in eight league matches to earn All-Summit League First Team honors. The eight goals by Loeffler were the most in a single season by a UND player since 2019 and the 18 points were the most since Katie Moller had 35 in 2018.
Gasaway was a force on the defensive end of the pitch for UND once again last season, appearing in all 18 games and playing all 1,620 minutes. The Columbia, Ill., native scored a goal and added two assists for four points, including her first career three-point game in a win over Minnesota State Moorhead. Gasaway helped NoDak record the sixth-best goals against average in program history in 2023 at 1.17 while also having the second-best shutout percentage in the league at 44.4% to earn All-Summit League Second Team honors.
North Dakota will open the season on Thursday evening at Texas A&M Corpus Christi at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
For more information on North Dakota soccer, follow on social media @UNDsoccer or visit FightingHawks.com.
| 2024 Summit League Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll |
| Rank |
School |
Points (1st) |
2023 Record (SL) |
| 1. |
Denver |
61 (5) |
9-2-7 (5-1-2, 34 pts.) |
| 2. |
South Dakota State |
59 (3) |
13-4-3 (4-1-3, 42 pts.) |
| 3. |
Omaha |
50 (1) |
7-5-7 (3-1-4, 28 pts.) |
| 4. |
Oral Roberts |
43 |
8-7-4 (4-3-1, 28 pts.) |
| 5. |
South Dakota |
32 |
7-7-4 (3-4-1, 25 pts.) |
| 6. |
Kansas City |
26 |
3-7-8 (2-3-3, 17 pts.) |
| 7. |
North Dakota State |
24 |
5-6-6 (1-3-4, 21 pts.) |
| 8. |
St. Thomas |
15 |
6-8-3 (2-6-1, 7 pts.) |
| 9. |
North Dakota |
14 |
3-7-5 (1-5-2, 5 pts. |
Players to Watch
Note: Players to Watch nominated by league's head coaches
Jordan Crockett | Denver | Fifth Year | Defender
• 2023 All-Summit League First Team
• Played in all 18 matches where she totaled 1,587 minutes, a career-high for a single season
• Scored second game-winner of 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 matches, 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 in all 20 matches for the Jackrabbits, finished second on the team in shots (35) and third in shots on goal (14)
• Shared the Summit League lead with five assists on the campaign
Katherine Jones | South Dakota State | Graduate | Midfielder/Defender
• 2023 Summit League Championship MVP and three-time Summit League All-Tournament Team (2021, 2022, 2023)
• Started in all 20 matches for the Jackrabbits, career-high of 1,508 minutes played
• Summit League Defensive Peak Performer of the Week (9/25/23)
Grace Ostergaard | Omaha | Graduate | Midfielder
• Four time All-Summit League honoree
• Tied program record with 75 consecutive starts and ranked second on team in minutes played (1,564)
• Recorded a career-high of five assists in 2023
Regan Zimmers | Omaha | Junior | Forward
• 2023 United Soccer Coaches First Team All-West Region
• Led defense to six shutouts and second lowest opponents' scoring average in the Summit League(0.99 goals per game)
• Logged one goal, two assists, and 1,300 minutes played
Ariana Fresquez | Oral Roberts | Graduate | Defender/Forward
• Played in 16 games, logging 661 minutes
• Recorded four assists, all of which came on set pieces
• Four shots and landed two on goal
Samantha Guzman | Oral Roberts | Junior | Midfielder
• Played in all 19 games with 13 starts
• Scored her second career game-winner in 5-1 win over South Dakota
• Recorded three goals and four assists on the season
Brooke Conway | South Dakota | Sophomore | Midfielder
• Started 18 matches, logging 1,247 minutes
• Tied for a team-high with five assists
• Scored first career goal and first multi-goal game against Idaho State (Sept.1) with two goals
Ashby Johnston | South Dakota | Graduate | Forward
• 2023 All-Summit League Second Team
• Started all 18 games and ranked second on team for minutes played (1,595)
• Recorded team-high of eight goals, had her first multi-goal game vs. St. Thomas
Sophia Limongi | Kansas City | Graduate | Defender
• 2023 All-Summit League Honorable Mention
• Started all 18 games, logging 1,206 minutes
• Played the full 90 minutes for the last 14 matches of the season
Brianna Castleberry | Kansas City | Redshirt Sophomore | Midfielder
• 2023 First Team All-Summit, Summit League All-Newcomer Team, Academic All-Summit League
• Ranked seventh in the Summit League and scored team-high six goals
• Started all 18 games, logging 1,033 minutes
Amaya Garret | North Dakota State | Sophomore | Defender/Midfielder
• 2023 Summit League All-Newcomer Team
• Started all 17 games, logging 1,483 minutes
• Two game winning goals at Coastal Carolina (Aug.31) and against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Sept.15)
Olivia Watson | North Dakota State | Senior | Midfielder
• 2023 CSC Academic All-District Team
• Played 16 games with 14 starts and 1,162 minutes
• Had 4 goals on 35 shots and 16 shots on goal for the season
Mariah Nguyen | St. Thomas | Senior | Forward/Midfielder
• 2023-24 Summit League Honor Roll and 2023-24 Summit League Commissioner's List
• Led the Tommies in goals (5), points(12), and shots on goal(13)
• 2023 Summit League Offensive Peak Performer (8/21/23)
Olivia Rowe | St. Thomas | Senior | Goalkeeper
• 2023 Summit League Defensive Player of the Week (8/28/23)
• Started all 15 matches, logging 1,326 minutes
• Recorded 71 saves and five shutouts in 2023
Mary Gasaway | North Dakota | Senior | Defender
• 2023 All-Summit League Second Team
• Started all 18 games, logging 1,620 minutes
• Assisted in North Dakota's second-best shutout percentage (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)
• Ranked first in the Summit League with shot accuracy (0.618) and second in goals scored (8)
