Saturday, September 5
St. Cloud, Minn.
11:00 A.M. CT
St. Cloud State
vs
Minnesota Duluth
Photo by: Jurgens Photography
St. Cloud State Women’s Soccer Hosts Minnesota Duluth for Home Opener
9/3/2026 11:02:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Huskies to honor six seniors for senior day prior to home opener
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – St. Cloud State Women's Soccer (1-1-0, 0-0-0 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) will host Minnesota Duluth (1-1-0, 0-0-0 NSIC) for its 2026 home opener and nonconference finale on Saturday, Sept. 5. First kick has been moved up to 11:00 a.m. CT due to expected warm weather conditions.
In addition to Saturday's match being the home opener, SCSU will honor six seniors prior to the match at 10:00 a.m. CT for a Senior Day ceremony.
FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
SCSU vs. Minnesota Duluth – Saturday, Sept. 5 / 11:00 a.m. CT / Watch ($ - NSIC Network) / Live Stats
SERIES HISTORY
In its second consecutive "Battle of the Dogs", SCSU and Minnesota Duluth will meet for the 44th time on Saturday, with the Huskies holding a 16-19-8 mark against the Bulldogs. SCSU has faced UMD more than any other opponent in its program history. The Huskies currently hold a 10-game winning streak against UMD dating back to Sept. 9, 2018, including a 2-1 win on Oct. 12, 2025, at Husky Stadium last season where the Huskies scored two second half goals to overcome an early deficit. Junior midfielder Darby Allen (Minnetonka, Minn.) and senior forward Linsey Trapino (Verona, Wis.) found the back of the net in the victory.
The two teams will meet twice this season, with the Huskies heading up to Duluth on Oct. 2 for an NSIC matchup.
SENIOR DAY
Prior to Saturday's match, the Huskies will honor six seniors for their contributions to the program over the last four years. SCSU will honor senior midfielder Kayla Allen (Holmen, Wis.), senior midfielder Cady Compton (Ankeny, Iowa), senior forward Sydney Johnson (White Bear Lake, Minn.), senior forward Linsey Trapino (Verona, Wis.), senior goalkeeper Avery Weaver (McFarland, Wis.) and senior forward Gabby Zugel (Plainwell, Mich.). The group has largely been key contributors during one of the best stretches of play in program history over the past three seasons, helping the Huskies capture its first ever conference championship in 2023 and its first three NCAA Tournament appearances in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
TRAPINO KEEPS SCORING
Always known as an offensive threat, senior forward Linsey Trapino (Verona, Wis.) picked up right where she left off a season ago with a monster two-goal, five-point game in SCSU's 3-0 win over Michigan Tech on Aug. 30. Both marks were career-bests in a single game for Trapino, who recorded her first career two goal game.
A three-time All-NSIC second team selection, Trapino ranks among SCSU's top-10 all-time in career goals (22 – fourth), assists (13 – ninth), points (57 – sixth) and game-winning goals (10 – second). Her 10 game-winning scores are just one off from tying Alexandra Pafko (2008-10) for the all-time program lead.
NSIC PRESEASON POLL, ATHLETES TO WATCH
SCSU was selected to finish fifth in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Preseason Coaches' Poll while senior forward Linsey Trapino (Verona, Wis.) and junior defender Izzy Halunen (Woodbury, Minn.) were named the preseason players to watch by the NSIC.
Led by first-year head coach Maggie Sherman, the Huskies look to continue its impressive three-year stretch of advancing to the NCAA Tournament, its first three ever national tournament appearances. Last season, the Huskies set program records for program records for wins (16) and conference wins (11) while reaching the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in program history.
"I am excited for the opportunity to build on the success this team has already achieved," said Sherman. "Having had a short window to work with the team this past spring, I was quickly impressed by the group's willingness to learn, embrace new ideas, and apply them both in training and in games. Their eagerness to learn and absorb new information helped us develop a strong team mentality and laid a great foundation heading into the fall. We are excited to build on that foundation, continue growing together, and hit the ground running as we compete at a high level."
Trapino continued her stellar collegiate career with another impressive junior campaign in 2025, earning All-NSIC Second Team and USC All-Central Region Third Team honors. She led the Huskies in goals and points with eight goals and six assists for 22 points. She also added a three game-winning goals and a team-high 48 shots on goal. Her three game-winning goals and 22 points both rank among the program's top-10 in a single season, while her career marks of 10 game-winning goals, 52 points, 20 goals and 12 assists all rank top-10 in program history.
"Linsey is primed for a standout year," said Sherman. "She has worked to become a leader both on and off the field. She knows when her teammates look for her guidance and she is able to understand what they need. We are a lucky group to have her as a member of our program."
Halunen earned All-NSIC Second Team honors for the second consecutive season in her sophomore campaign a year ago, while also serving as team captain and earning NSIC All-Academic and CSC Academic All-District honors. She played in and starting all 24 games, recording one assist while playing a full slate in 23 of 24 games and average 91.3 minutes per game on the pitch. She helped anchor a backline which held its opponents to 0.57 goals per game and set program records for fewest goals allowed (14), best GAA (0.57) and most shutouts (12).
"Izzy is the backbone of this team," said Sherman. "She has a unique understanding of who she is as a player, person and teammate. Her teammates look to her to in all aspects of the team environment. Her leadership is unrivaled and brings a special relationship to each member of this team."
START OF A NEW ERA
Head Coach Maggie Sherman was announced as the seventh head coach in program history in February while Sean Steele joined the program as an assistant coach in May. Sherman joined the Huskies after five season at D-I South Dakota, while Steel brings 20+ years of collegiate coaching experience across multiple levels, including the past 12 seasons with Division-I Fresno State.
Sherman worked primarily with the goalkeepers as an assistant coach with South Dakota for three seasons (2021-23) before being promoted to associate head coach in March 2024 where she worked with both goalkeepers and field players for two seasons (2024-25). The Coyotes won a program-best 10 games in 2021 and advanced to the Summit League Tournament four times in five seasons with Sherman on staff, with 15 earning all-conference honors and three earning all-region honors. Under Sherman's guidance, two goalkeepers earned All-Summit League honors with Emma Harkleroad earning 2021 second team honors and Cambell Fischer earning 2024 honorable mention honors. Sherman coached Harkleroad's final season at South Dakota, as she closed her career by leading the nation with an 88.9 percent save percentage in 2021 and set the Coyote program record for career goals-against-average at 0.94.
Steele has spent the past 12 seasons on staff at Fresno State, serving as assistant coach from 2014-20 and an associate head coach from 2020-26. With the Bulldogs, Steele led all training session design and implementation, served as the recruiting coordinator and oversaw all staff and team operations. He helped Fresno State enjoy its best Mountain West run in recent history, reaching five MW Tournaments in an eight-year span while posting its best regular season finish in program history with a 2021 second place finish. In Steele's tenure, the Bulldogs had 23 all-conference performers and 229 academic All-Mountain West honorees.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Women's Soccer, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
In addition to Saturday's match being the home opener, SCSU will honor six seniors prior to the match at 10:00 a.m. CT for a Senior Day ceremony.
FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
SCSU vs. Minnesota Duluth – Saturday, Sept. 5 / 11:00 a.m. CT / Watch ($ - NSIC Network) / Live Stats
SERIES HISTORY
In its second consecutive "Battle of the Dogs", SCSU and Minnesota Duluth will meet for the 44th time on Saturday, with the Huskies holding a 16-19-8 mark against the Bulldogs. SCSU has faced UMD more than any other opponent in its program history. The Huskies currently hold a 10-game winning streak against UMD dating back to Sept. 9, 2018, including a 2-1 win on Oct. 12, 2025, at Husky Stadium last season where the Huskies scored two second half goals to overcome an early deficit. Junior midfielder Darby Allen (Minnetonka, Minn.) and senior forward Linsey Trapino (Verona, Wis.) found the back of the net in the victory.
The two teams will meet twice this season, with the Huskies heading up to Duluth on Oct. 2 for an NSIC matchup.
SENIOR DAY
Prior to Saturday's match, the Huskies will honor six seniors for their contributions to the program over the last four years. SCSU will honor senior midfielder Kayla Allen (Holmen, Wis.), senior midfielder Cady Compton (Ankeny, Iowa), senior forward Sydney Johnson (White Bear Lake, Minn.), senior forward Linsey Trapino (Verona, Wis.), senior goalkeeper Avery Weaver (McFarland, Wis.) and senior forward Gabby Zugel (Plainwell, Mich.). The group has largely been key contributors during one of the best stretches of play in program history over the past three seasons, helping the Huskies capture its first ever conference championship in 2023 and its first three NCAA Tournament appearances in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
TRAPINO KEEPS SCORING
Always known as an offensive threat, senior forward Linsey Trapino (Verona, Wis.) picked up right where she left off a season ago with a monster two-goal, five-point game in SCSU's 3-0 win over Michigan Tech on Aug. 30. Both marks were career-bests in a single game for Trapino, who recorded her first career two goal game.
A three-time All-NSIC second team selection, Trapino ranks among SCSU's top-10 all-time in career goals (22 – fourth), assists (13 – ninth), points (57 – sixth) and game-winning goals (10 – second). Her 10 game-winning scores are just one off from tying Alexandra Pafko (2008-10) for the all-time program lead.
NSIC PRESEASON POLL, ATHLETES TO WATCH
SCSU was selected to finish fifth in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Preseason Coaches' Poll while senior forward Linsey Trapino (Verona, Wis.) and junior defender Izzy Halunen (Woodbury, Minn.) were named the preseason players to watch by the NSIC.
Led by first-year head coach Maggie Sherman, the Huskies look to continue its impressive three-year stretch of advancing to the NCAA Tournament, its first three ever national tournament appearances. Last season, the Huskies set program records for program records for wins (16) and conference wins (11) while reaching the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in program history.
"I am excited for the opportunity to build on the success this team has already achieved," said Sherman. "Having had a short window to work with the team this past spring, I was quickly impressed by the group's willingness to learn, embrace new ideas, and apply them both in training and in games. Their eagerness to learn and absorb new information helped us develop a strong team mentality and laid a great foundation heading into the fall. We are excited to build on that foundation, continue growing together, and hit the ground running as we compete at a high level."
Trapino continued her stellar collegiate career with another impressive junior campaign in 2025, earning All-NSIC Second Team and USC All-Central Region Third Team honors. She led the Huskies in goals and points with eight goals and six assists for 22 points. She also added a three game-winning goals and a team-high 48 shots on goal. Her three game-winning goals and 22 points both rank among the program's top-10 in a single season, while her career marks of 10 game-winning goals, 52 points, 20 goals and 12 assists all rank top-10 in program history.
"Linsey is primed for a standout year," said Sherman. "She has worked to become a leader both on and off the field. She knows when her teammates look for her guidance and she is able to understand what they need. We are a lucky group to have her as a member of our program."
Halunen earned All-NSIC Second Team honors for the second consecutive season in her sophomore campaign a year ago, while also serving as team captain and earning NSIC All-Academic and CSC Academic All-District honors. She played in and starting all 24 games, recording one assist while playing a full slate in 23 of 24 games and average 91.3 minutes per game on the pitch. She helped anchor a backline which held its opponents to 0.57 goals per game and set program records for fewest goals allowed (14), best GAA (0.57) and most shutouts (12).
"Izzy is the backbone of this team," said Sherman. "She has a unique understanding of who she is as a player, person and teammate. Her teammates look to her to in all aspects of the team environment. Her leadership is unrivaled and brings a special relationship to each member of this team."
START OF A NEW ERA
Head Coach Maggie Sherman was announced as the seventh head coach in program history in February while Sean Steele joined the program as an assistant coach in May. Sherman joined the Huskies after five season at D-I South Dakota, while Steel brings 20+ years of collegiate coaching experience across multiple levels, including the past 12 seasons with Division-I Fresno State.
Sherman worked primarily with the goalkeepers as an assistant coach with South Dakota for three seasons (2021-23) before being promoted to associate head coach in March 2024 where she worked with both goalkeepers and field players for two seasons (2024-25). The Coyotes won a program-best 10 games in 2021 and advanced to the Summit League Tournament four times in five seasons with Sherman on staff, with 15 earning all-conference honors and three earning all-region honors. Under Sherman's guidance, two goalkeepers earned All-Summit League honors with Emma Harkleroad earning 2021 second team honors and Cambell Fischer earning 2024 honorable mention honors. Sherman coached Harkleroad's final season at South Dakota, as she closed her career by leading the nation with an 88.9 percent save percentage in 2021 and set the Coyote program record for career goals-against-average at 0.94.
Steele has spent the past 12 seasons on staff at Fresno State, serving as assistant coach from 2014-20 and an associate head coach from 2020-26. With the Bulldogs, Steele led all training session design and implementation, served as the recruiting coordinator and oversaw all staff and team operations. He helped Fresno State enjoy its best Mountain West run in recent history, reaching five MW Tournaments in an eight-year span while posting its best regular season finish in program history with a 2021 second place finish. In Steele's tenure, the Bulldogs had 23 all-conference performers and 229 academic All-Mountain West honorees.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Women's Soccer, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
MF
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
F
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