St. Cloud State Women’s Soccer Opens 2024 by Hosting Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – St. Cloud State Women's Soccer returns to the pitch for the first time in 2024 when the Huskies open the season with a pair nonconference home matches at Husky Stadium this weekend. SCSU will first host Michigan Tech on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 7:00 p.m. CT followed by a Saturday, Sept. 7 match against Northern Michigan at Noon CT.

FOLLOW THE HUSKIES

The game will be streamed for free live on the NSIC Network with live stats available through SideArm Stats on SCSU's website. Links to both coverage options at the St. Cloud State Women's Soccer schedule page.

SERIES HISTORY

The Huskies will be looking to make ground in both all-time series against their GLIAC opponents this weekend. In nine matches against Michigan Tech, the Huskies are 2-5-2, and in 14 matches against Northern Michigan, SCSU is 6-8-0. Last season, the Huskies opened the 2023 campaign with a 1-0 win over Michigan Tech on August 31 before falling to Northern Michigan, 3-0, on Sept. 2. Senior forward Ariel Hawkey (Graham, Wash.) provided the lone score in the win over the Michigan Tech Huskies, while sophomore goalkeeper Jaylee Strickland (Columbus, Ohio) made three saves to record her first career win and shutout.

HONORING OUR SENIORS

During SCSU's exhibition contest against Saint Benedict on August 25, the Huskies honored their six graduating seniors who have played a key role in the success of the SCSU women's soccer program over the years. The team honored senior forward Ariel Hawkey (Graham, Wash.), redshirt junior goalkeeper Meriel Orham (St. Michael, Minn.), redshirt senior forward Gracie Parsons (Omaha, Neb.), senior forward Krysten Schuster (Beamsville, Ontario), senior defender Alleigh Stout (Mentor, Ohio) and senior defender Rheana Zerna (St. Michael, Minn.) with a post-game recognition on the field. Additionally, Zerna helped kick off the season with an honorary first kick prior to the match beginning. An all-conference and all-region performer from 2023, Zerna will miss the upcoming season due to an injury suffered in the offseason.

Hawkey is graduating with a degree in Hydrology and GIS. In her three-year collegiate career as a Husky, Hawkey has started 38 games and appeared in 57 games overall, registering over 2,700 minutes on the pitch with 4 goals and 1 assist for 9 points and 1 game-winning-goal.

Orham, a fourth-year goalkeeper, is graduating with a degree in health and physical education with a minor in DAPE and coaching. On the pitch, Orham has appeared in two games as goalkeeper, recording a win against Sioux Falls last season. In the classroom, she is a two-time NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence recipient.

Parsons is graduating with a Master's of Business. After beginning her collegiate career at Nebraska-Omaha, Gracie has played and started 38 games in her two seasons with the Huskies, recording 7 goals and 5 assists for 19 points with one-game winning goal. Gracie was named to the All-NSIC Second team, the NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence and the 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team in 2023.

Schuster is graduating with a degree in Finance. After spending her first two collegiate seasons at Drury, Schuster spent 2023 with the Huskies, where she scored 3 goals and 2 assists for 8 points with all 3 of her scores being game-winning scores. Her 3 game-winning-goals are the 6^th-most in program history for a single season. In the classroom, Krysten earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors in 2023.

Stout is graduating with a degree in Finance. During her collegiate career here at St. Cloud State University, she has appeared in 24 games, registering over 850 minutes on the pitch while helping the Huskies record 10 shutouts over her three-year career to-date.

Zerna is graduating with a degree in Nursing. During her collegiate career, Zerna has played and started in 45 games, registering over 3,700 minutes on the pitch while helping the Huskies record 17 shutouts over her three-year career. Zerna earned All-NSIC First Team and United Soccer Coaches All-Region Second Team honors in 2023, is a two-time NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence recipient and earned 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors.

NSIC PRESEASON POLL

St. Cloud State Women's Soccer was selected to finish second in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Preseason Coaches' Poll on August 13. The runner-up selection is its highest since rejoining the conference in 2008 and surpassed its previous high of fourth in 2012. Additionally, sophomore forward Linsey Trapino (Verona, Wis.) and sophomore defender Ana Spaine (West Des Moines, Iowa) were named the preseason players to watch by the NSIC.

"Our staff and team are eager to get started and be together," said head coach Gretta Macdonald. "Preparation began this summer, with majority of our women competing in WPSL, UPSL and competitive leagues. We are excited to see how the growth from these playing opportunities impact preseason and our ability to learn, work and gel as a group. We trust our women will be ready to raise standards and are excited for the possibilities ahead."

In addition to being named the conference freshman of the year, Trapino earned All-NSIC second team honors and all-region honors from the United States Coaches/NSCAA. She scored seven goals and three assists for 17 points with four game-winning goals in 2023, leading all NSIC freshmen in points (17), goals (seven) and game-winning goals (four). her four game-winning scores rank second in single season program history.

"Linsey is one-of-a-kind. Her competitive spirit, growth mindset, and team first mentality guide her desire to make the most of opportunities," said Macdonald. "Linsey's fun and loving personality has the ability to unite people and we are excited to see her explore new leadership roles for our team this season."

Spaine earned first team All-NSIC and D2CCA all-central region second team honors in her 2023 freshman campaign. She scored two goals and added two assists for six points while anchoring a Husky backline that recorded a 0.81 goals-against average and eight shutouts, both marks that were just short of being school records.

"Ana has wisdom beyond her years," said Macdonald. "She can balance compassionate leadership, while maintaining a fierce, no nonsense competitive standard. She is responsible and holds herself accountable in all aspects of life. We a grateful for her presence and perspective on our team and are excited for her to explore more leadership roles this fall."

BANNER YEAR IN 2023

In 2023, the Huskies earned its first-ever conference championship by capturing the NSIC regular season title and advance to the NCAA Tournament appearance for the first time in program history. SCSU went 14-5-2 and 10-2-2 in conference play and set program records for most wins in a season (14), most conference wins (10), longest unbeaten streak (nine) and most home wins (nine). Head Coach Gretta Macdonald was named the NSIC Coach of the Year and sophomore forward Linsey Trapino (Verona, Wis.) was named the NSIC Freshman of the Year, while SCSU had a league-high eight All-NSIC performers and five earn all-region honors.

All-Conference and All-Region honorees in 2023:
- Gretta Macdonald: NSIC Coach of the Year
- Grace Olson: All-NSIC Second Team
- Gracie Parsons: All-NSIC Second Team
- Ellie Primerano: All-NSIC First Team, United Soccer Coaches All-Central Region Second Team, D2CCA All-Central Region Second Team
- Brooke Quam: All-NSIC First Team, United Soccer Coaches All-Central Region First Team, D2CCA All-Central Region First Team
- Ana Spaine: All-NSIC First Team, D2CCA All-Central Region Second Team
- Jaylee Strickland: All-NSIC Second Team
- Linsey Trapino: All-NSIC Second Team, NSIC Freshman of the Year, United Soccer Coaches All-Central Region Second Team
- Rheana Zerna: All-NSIC First Team, United Soccer Coaches All-Central Region Second Team