The University of Minnesota Duluth soccer team are set to begin their 2024 season this week, taking on two non-conference opponents in the Northern Michigan Wildcats and the Michigan Tech Huskies in back to back home matches at Malosky Stadium.
Match Information
Thursday, Sept. 5
6:00 PM vs. Northern Michigan
Saturday, Sept. 7
1:00 PM vs. Michigan Tech (Alumni Day)
Last Season
UMD soccer finished off the 2023 season with a 6-7-6 overall record and a 5-4-5 conference record after being eliminated in the opening round of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) tournament by St. Cloud State. The Bulldogs started last year with the same two non-conference matchups, opening with a loss to Northern Michigan and a draw with Michigan tech.
Returning Superstars
Senior forward and 2024 captain Anna Tobias returns for another season with the Bulldogs after a record setting 2023. Last season, Tobias led the team in total shots (45) and was second on the team for total points (12) and total goals (5). During a matchup against Minnesota Crookston, Tobias would break the NCAA DII record for fastest hat trick by scoring three goals against the Golden Eagles in just one minute and nine seconds.
Senior midfielder Baamlak Haugen also returns to the field for UMD after appearing in all 19 matches and playing a total of 1,171 minutes for the Bulldogs last season. Haugen collected eight total shots and five total shots on goal throughout 2023, all while being a steady presence for the Bulldog defense that held opponents to 1.47 goals per game last season.
Both players have been named UMD's Players to Watch in the NSIC this season, and look to make a substantial impact on the field.
New Faces in the Net
With both Jennifer Norris and Abbie Gotham graduating from the program, the Bulldogs will look to put a fresh set of faces between the posts in 2024. Junior Kaycee Chavez joins the Bulldogs from Northern Idaho College in the Northwest Athletic Conference where she was named a 2023 NWAC All Star. Freshman Jordan Rosenfeld joins the Bulldogs from Verona Area High School where she collected multiple all conference honors throughout her high school career.
Local Freshman Favorites
A pair of notable local names join the Bulldog freshman class, looking to earn their playing time early on in their collegiate careers. Freshman Alyssa Doyle from Denfeld High School and freshman Gwendolyn Lilly from Esko High School, who both spent the offseason playing for Superior F.C. of the UPSL, join their hometown program after notable high school careers in the northland.
Scouting Report - Northern Michigan
The Northern Michigan Wildcats start off their year in Duluth as the reigning GLIAC champions, completing the 2023 season with 16-2-4 overall record. The Bulldogs are 17-7-3 against the Wildcats throughout history since their first meeting in 1996, and look to avenge their 3-4 loss from their most recent meeting last year.
Scouting Report - Michigan Tech
The Michigan Tech Huskies enter this matchup against the Bulldogs after putting up a 8-5-7 overall record throughout the 2023 season. The Bulldogs are 2-5-2 against the Huskies throughout program history, most recently playing to a 1-1 draw last season in their second game of the season.
