SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – After claiming the 2024 Summit League Regular Season Championship, North Dakota State soccer has been picked to repeat in 2025, claiming the most votes in the preseason Summit League Coaches’ Poll announced by the league office Tuesday morning.
The Bison received six first-place votes and a total of 60 points. South Dakota State was picked second in the preseason poll, claiming 59 points and the other three first-place votes. Denver rounded out the top three with 50 points.
The remainder of the preseason poll in order: Oral Roberts (43), Omaha (38), South Dakota (26), St. Thomas (22), North Dakota (16), and Kansas City (10).
Morgan Russmann (Offensive) and Amaya Garrett (Defensive) were also selected by the Summit League coaches as two key players to watch in the league this season.
Russmann, the defending Offensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year is coming off a stellar freshman campaign that saw the Bettendorf, Iowa native score 11 goals, including four game winners, along with three assists. Russmann, who became the first freshman to win the Summit League Offensive Player of the Year honor, was also named to the United Soccer Coaches All-West Region Team and was also named to the Top Drawer Soccer Freshman Best XI Second Team as well last season.
Like Russmann, Garrett is also coming off of an All-Summit League First team selection last season. The junior has started all 36 games since she stepped onto campus, logging over 3100 minutes on the back line for the Bison, including 1661 of the 1730 minutes played last season. Garrett has four career goals and one assist from the back line, and has also helped lead the Bison defense to 14 shutouts in two seasons, including eight last year.
The Bison are set to begin the season this Thursday, traveling to Wisconsin to take on Green Bay at 7 p.m. Summit League play for the Bison begins September 25 at home against Omaha.
2025 Summit League Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll
| Rk | School | Points (1st) | 2024 Record (SL) |
| 1. | North Dakota State | 60 (6) | 10-5-4 (6-1-1, 19 pts) |
| 2. | South Dakota State | 59 (3) | 15-2-2 (5-2-1, 16 pts) |
| 3. | Denver | 50 | 11-6-2 (5-1-2, 17 pts) |
| 4. | Oral Roberts | 43 | 9-8-5 (3-2-3, 12 pts) |
| 5. | Omaha | 38 | 10-3-5 (4-1-3, 15 pts) |
| 6. | South Dakota | 26 | 3-9-6 (1-3-4, 7 pts) |
| 7. | St. Thomas | 22 | 5-9-3 (1-5-2, 5 pts) |
| 8. | North Dakota | 16 | 4-8-6 (0-4-4, 4 pts) |
| 9. | Kansas City | 10 | 7-8-3 (1-7, 3 pts) |
https://gobison.com/news/2025/8/12/womens-soccer-ndsu-soccer-tops-charts-in-summit-league-preseason-coaches-poll.aspx