University of Minnesota Athletics
Sunday, February 21
Minneapolis, MN
1:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Nebraska
Players Mentioned
Defender
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Defender/Midfielder
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ Soccer
Midfielder/Forward
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Gophers Open Season at Home vs. Nebraska
2/18/2021 3:10:00 PM | Soccer
Sunday, Feb. 21
Minnesota vs. Nebraska
Time: 1:00 p.m. CT
Location: Recreation and Wellness Sports Field Complex
Watch: BTN+
The four-time Big Ten Conference Regular Season Champion Gopher Soccer program kicks off their 28th season of competition on Sunday with a home contest against conference rival Nebraska. It will be the first time the Gophers have competed in 484 days. Sunday's matchup marks the beginning of an 11-game, conference-only slate for the 2020-21 campaign.
SERIES HISTORY
The Gophers have faced Nebraska a total of 15 times in program history, with the all-time series sitting dead-even at 7-7-1. However, Minnesota is 7-2-1 over the last 10 meetings and 5-0-1 over the last six, as the Gophers have not lost against Nebraska since dropping a 4-1 decision in 2013. The last time these two teams met was in 2019, with the result being a 1-1 tie at Minnesota. The most recent victory claimed in this rivalry came in the form of 2-0 Gopher victory back in 2018 during the Big Ten Tournament in Westfield, Ind.
A LOOK BACK AT 2019
After sweeping the Big Ten Regular Season and Tournament Championships in 2016 and again winning the Tournament Championship in 2018, Minnesota experienced a rebuilding year in 2019. The Gophers finished with a 3-12-4 record during their most recent season of competition, including a 2-7-2 mark inside the Big Ten. However, 2019 also saw Minnesota secure a victory against a top-15 team (Sept. 12 vs. No. 14 NC State) and the emergence of several key underclassmen.
GOLAN SET TO BECOME LONGEST-TENURED GOPHER SOCCER HEAD COACH
When the 2020-21 campaign officially begins, it will mark head coach Stefanie Golan's ninth season at the helm of the Gophers – more seasons than any coach in the history of the program. During that time, she has compiled a 120-88-31 (.502) record, won one B1G Regular Season Championship and two B1G Tournament Championships. Mikki Denney Wright (2004-11) is the only other Minnesota soccer coach to lead the program for at least eight seasons.
CAPTAINING THE SHIP
Seniors Athena Kuehn, Makenzie Langdok and Celina Nummerdor will serve as captains for Minnesota throughout the season. These three Gophers will lead a six-player, team-elected Leadership Group that also consists of juniors Alana Dressely and Delaney Stekr, as well as sophomore Katie Duong.
TOP RETURNERS
The Gophers return 18 players on the roster from the 2019 team, seven of which totaled 1,000 or more minutes last season: Dressely (defender), Duong (midfielder), defender/midfielder Paige Elliott, Kuehn (defender), goalkeeper Maddie Nielsen, Nummerdor (midfielder/forward) and forward Patricia Ward. Headlining that group of returning talent will be seniors Arianna Del Moral (midfielder), Kuehn, Langdok (forward), Nielsen and Nummerdor.
A BOLSTERED STAFF
Minnesota has a new face on the sidelines in 2020-21 in the form of assistant coach Maya Hayes, who was hired in July 2020. Hayes came to the Gophers after serving in a graduate assistant role at Penn State, where she was previously a three-time All-American with 71 goals and 163 career points. Additionally, former Gopher goalkeeper Tarah Hobbs returns to the U this season as volunteer goalkeeper coach. As the 2013 Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year, Hobbs sits inside the program's top-three all-time in shutouts (first; 33), goals-against-average (second; 0.90), goalkeeper minutes (second; 7,406:42) saves (third; 82), wins (third; 42) and winning percentage (third; .667).
NATIONAL TEAM TALENT
Duong, who scored two goals in the team's 2019 exhibition against North Dakota State and her first career goal against Northwestern on Oct. 24, 2019, has trained and competed with the Under-20 United States Women's National Team.
GLOBE TROTTERS
The 25 Gophers that make up the 2020-21 roster hail from 13 different states. The biggest constituency comes from Minnesota, as 10 current players are from The Land of 10,000 Lakes.
2019 BIG TEN HONORS
Last season, three different current Gophers hauled in postseason Big Ten honors. Since-departed senior midfielder Nikki Albrecht was named to the All-Big Ten Third Team, while Duong garnered All-Big Ten Freshman Team honors. Marisa Windingstad, who has since departed via graduation as well, was Minnesota's representative for the 2019 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
FRESHMEN FACES
Four freshmen join the roster and are expected to see the field for the spring 2021 season: forward Maddie Baker, midfielder Sophia Boman, forward Abi Frandsen and forward Josie Wood.
TV SCHEDULE
Each of Minnesota's first three games of the season will be played at the University of Minnesota's Recreation and Wellness Sports Field Complex (Rec Dome) and streamed on BTN+ (subscription required).
UP NEXT
Following Sunday's tilt with the Huskers, Minnesota will take to the road for games against Michigan (Feb. 25) and Michigan State (Feb. 28).
Minnesota vs. Nebraska
Time: 1:00 p.m. CT
Location: Recreation and Wellness Sports Field Complex
Watch: BTN+
The four-time Big Ten Conference Regular Season Champion Gopher Soccer program kicks off their 28th season of competition on Sunday with a home contest against conference rival Nebraska. It will be the first time the Gophers have competed in 484 days. Sunday's matchup marks the beginning of an 11-game, conference-only slate for the 2020-21 campaign.
SERIES HISTORY
The Gophers have faced Nebraska a total of 15 times in program history, with the all-time series sitting dead-even at 7-7-1. However, Minnesota is 7-2-1 over the last 10 meetings and 5-0-1 over the last six, as the Gophers have not lost against Nebraska since dropping a 4-1 decision in 2013. The last time these two teams met was in 2019, with the result being a 1-1 tie at Minnesota. The most recent victory claimed in this rivalry came in the form of 2-0 Gopher victory back in 2018 during the Big Ten Tournament in Westfield, Ind.
A LOOK BACK AT 2019
After sweeping the Big Ten Regular Season and Tournament Championships in 2016 and again winning the Tournament Championship in 2018, Minnesota experienced a rebuilding year in 2019. The Gophers finished with a 3-12-4 record during their most recent season of competition, including a 2-7-2 mark inside the Big Ten. However, 2019 also saw Minnesota secure a victory against a top-15 team (Sept. 12 vs. No. 14 NC State) and the emergence of several key underclassmen.
GOLAN SET TO BECOME LONGEST-TENURED GOPHER SOCCER HEAD COACH
When the 2020-21 campaign officially begins, it will mark head coach Stefanie Golan's ninth season at the helm of the Gophers – more seasons than any coach in the history of the program. During that time, she has compiled a 120-88-31 (.502) record, won one B1G Regular Season Championship and two B1G Tournament Championships. Mikki Denney Wright (2004-11) is the only other Minnesota soccer coach to lead the program for at least eight seasons.
CAPTAINING THE SHIP
Seniors Athena Kuehn, Makenzie Langdok and Celina Nummerdor will serve as captains for Minnesota throughout the season. These three Gophers will lead a six-player, team-elected Leadership Group that also consists of juniors Alana Dressely and Delaney Stekr, as well as sophomore Katie Duong.
TOP RETURNERS
The Gophers return 18 players on the roster from the 2019 team, seven of which totaled 1,000 or more minutes last season: Dressely (defender), Duong (midfielder), defender/midfielder Paige Elliott, Kuehn (defender), goalkeeper Maddie Nielsen, Nummerdor (midfielder/forward) and forward Patricia Ward. Headlining that group of returning talent will be seniors Arianna Del Moral (midfielder), Kuehn, Langdok (forward), Nielsen and Nummerdor.
A BOLSTERED STAFF
Minnesota has a new face on the sidelines in 2020-21 in the form of assistant coach Maya Hayes, who was hired in July 2020. Hayes came to the Gophers after serving in a graduate assistant role at Penn State, where she was previously a three-time All-American with 71 goals and 163 career points. Additionally, former Gopher goalkeeper Tarah Hobbs returns to the U this season as volunteer goalkeeper coach. As the 2013 Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year, Hobbs sits inside the program's top-three all-time in shutouts (first; 33), goals-against-average (second; 0.90), goalkeeper minutes (second; 7,406:42) saves (third; 82), wins (third; 42) and winning percentage (third; .667).
NATIONAL TEAM TALENT
Duong, who scored two goals in the team's 2019 exhibition against North Dakota State and her first career goal against Northwestern on Oct. 24, 2019, has trained and competed with the Under-20 United States Women's National Team.
GLOBE TROTTERS
The 25 Gophers that make up the 2020-21 roster hail from 13 different states. The biggest constituency comes from Minnesota, as 10 current players are from The Land of 10,000 Lakes.
2019 BIG TEN HONORS
Last season, three different current Gophers hauled in postseason Big Ten honors. Since-departed senior midfielder Nikki Albrecht was named to the All-Big Ten Third Team, while Duong garnered All-Big Ten Freshman Team honors. Marisa Windingstad, who has since departed via graduation as well, was Minnesota's representative for the 2019 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
FRESHMEN FACES
Four freshmen join the roster and are expected to see the field for the spring 2021 season: forward Maddie Baker, midfielder Sophia Boman, forward Abi Frandsen and forward Josie Wood.
TV SCHEDULE
Each of Minnesota's first three games of the season will be played at the University of Minnesota's Recreation and Wellness Sports Field Complex (Rec Dome) and streamed on BTN+ (subscription required).
UP NEXT
Following Sunday's tilt with the Huskers, Minnesota will take to the road for games against Michigan (Feb. 25) and Michigan State (Feb. 28).
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