MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK: MSN NEWS: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/msnnews
MARQUETTE, Mich. - After a 2023 campaign that saw Northern Michigan University claim the GLIAC Regular Season title, GLIAC Tournament title, and host an opening round game of the NCAA Division II Tournament, the Wildcats have been picked to repeat as conference champions in the 2024 preseason coaches’ poll.
The Wildcats picked up 62 total points to lead the way in the loaded conference. Northern Michigan registered six first-place ballots. And there is room at the near the top.
Longtime NCAA Division II national powerhouse Grand Valley State University was picked second with 58 points and three first-place ballots, followed by Saginaw Valley State University (47) and Ferris State University (45) in the top four. Michigan-based schools took home the top four spots in the preseason voting and six of the top seven spots in the league.
University of Wisconsin-Parkside (32), Michigan Tech University (31), Davenport University (26), Purdue Northwest University (13) and Roosevelt University (10) followed suit.
2024 GLIAC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll:
1. | Northern Michigan | 62 (6) | |
2. | Grand Valley State | 58 (3) | |
3. | Saginaw Valley State | 47 | |
4. | Ferris State | 45 | |
5 | Parkside | 32 | |
6. | Michigan Tech | 31 | |
7. | Davenport | 26 | |
8. | Purdue Northwest | 13 | |
9. | Roosevelt | 10 |
Northern Michigan posted the best season school history under head coach Jon Sandoval in 2023, where Sandoval was named GLIAC Coach of the Year and the team set single-season records for wins, fewest losses in a season, and highest winning percentage in a season.
Sandoval has led the Wildcats to four straight winning seasons with an overall record of 48-17-11, a conference record of 31-8-10 in that time, and has turned the pitch at Marquette into a major home-field advantage, where the Wildcats are 28-2-7 in his tenure.
“One thing our team has become a custom to is facing teams on their best day," says head coach Sandoval. "Over the last few years we've been nationally ranked and in very good positions, and when you do those things, every team wants to knock you off. We want to continue to prove teams wrong.”
Sandoval's staff for 2024 includes first-year assistant coach Natalie Stampfly, a 2022 graduate of NMU and five-year letterwinner and two-year captain of the NMU soccer team from 2018-2022. Stampfly spent the 2023 season as a graduate assistant for the women's soccer team at Georgie College & State University. Along with Stampfly, Haley Viitala continues as a volunteer assistant coach, Vince Rodkey enters year two of his duties as soccer data analyst, and Bryce Beckley joins as a graduate assistant goalkeeper coach.
The Wildcats boast a handful of key returners, including All-American's Molly Pistorius and Maria Storm, and All-District selection Brooke Pietilla. Pistorius and Storm return as reigning GLIAC Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, and Pietila was a All-GLIAC First Team selection. NMU also returns second-team selections Stephanie Trujillo and goalkeeper Jillian Thompson, who led the nation in shutouts last season, along with All-GLIAC Honorable Mention forward Hannah Kastamo.
Along with 13 seniors and 20 total upper classmen, the Wildcats introduce nine freshmen into the fold for 2024. The Wildcats open 2024 with a pre-season exhibition against Lewis in Marquette on Saturday, August 24, at 1 PM. Regular season kicks off in Duluth, Minnesota on Sept. 5, and the first home match is slated against Grand Valley State on Sept. 20.
The same Grand Valley program is coming off a 14-4-6 campaign which saw them lose in the conference tournament semifinals but rebound to advance to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight with a 3-1 record in the national tournament. The Lakers were the Midwest Regional champions, outscored the opposition 36-16 over 24 games, and posted nine shutouts.
The program has captured seven NCAA Division II national championships during the past two decades and are always in contention in the GLIAC and national tournament.
Katie Hultin enters her third season as head coach of the Lakers and has posted a 30-6-11 overall record in her first two seasons. Hultin led the Lakers to a GLIAC Regular Season and Tournament Championship in 2022 and the aforementioned Midwest Regional Championship in 2023.
GVSU returns 18 players that played last season including their top five leaders in points. Senior Taylor Reid returns after coming off an All-American season leading the Lakers in goals and total points last season. Reid is a two-time All-American First Team, All-Region First Team, and two-time All-GLIAC First team performer. She was named the Midwest Region Player of the Year and GLIAC Offensive Player of the Year in the 2022 season.
All-GLIAC defenders Kacy Laurer and Daan Louwerse return to help lead the Lakers’ stout defense. Lauer was named to the All-Region First Team and was second on the team in minutes played and was also second with 11 points. Louwerse led the team in minutes played and started in all 24 games last season.
The Lakers also bring back Kennedy Bearden (Birmingham Detroit Country Day / Liverpool ECNL), who missed the 2023 season due to injury. Bearden is a two-time national champion and scored the game-winning goal for GVSU in the 2021 national championship game. In the 2022 season, Bearden led the Lakers with 33 points and was named a first team All-Region and All-GLIAC performer. Sophomore goalkeeper Isabel Imes returns after compiling a 10-3-5 record in 19 games played in the 2023 season. Imes stopped 43 shots and recorded six individual shutouts.
GVSU welcomes junior goalkeeper Cailynn Junk to Allendale this fall. Junk transferred to GVSU from IUPUI where she spent two seasons appearing in 18 games posting a 5-3-1 record, including three shutouts. GVSU also welcomes three more NCAA Division I transfers that will look to make immediate impacts and five freshmen to Allendale this season that hope to leave their mark in the near future.
The Lakers will look to embark on an eighth national championship in program history relying on veteran talent that has championship experience blended with new coming talent. GVSU opens the 2024 season at home against former GLIAC foe Ashland University on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 3:00 p.m. at the GVSU Soccer Field.
(The Premier Media Group and Michigan Soccer Network will post results of college men’s soccer and college women’s soccer each day in our college roundup at www.michigansoccernetwork.com. The roundup will include game wraps from Michigan-based NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA, NCCAA and NJCAA schools. Email game wraps, box scores and courtesy photos to MSN Web and Content Editor | Director of News Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com and dstickradt@thepremeirmediagrp.com.)
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(MSN will compile a random sampling of game results from around the state each day. To send in results from high school varsity, club, amateur, pre-pro, semi-pro or professional soccer, email all pertinent details to Communications Specialist / Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com and dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com or submit information right on the correct link on the MSN website at https://www.michigansoccernetwork.com/reportascore.. Please submit the competing teams, location and date of game, final score, overall and league records, goals, assists, goalkeepers and saves, standout defenders, players of the match, and any other pertinent details of the game. If there are courtesy action photos available, feel free to submit them at the above-listed emails.)
MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
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(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group and the Michigan Soccer Network regarding club soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer involving teams, players or coaches with Michigan ties, contact Communications Specialist/Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com or dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com, or call 248-884-1051 or 248-525-2349. Dan Stickradt is a 31-year veteran of the Michigan Media circles and recently joined the staff full time in March of 2024. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/MSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at jonathan@michigansoccernetwork.com and jonathan@thepremiermediagrp.com.)
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Michigan-based Premier Media Group is expanding ... don't miss out on coverage
SHELBY TWP., Mich. – The Premier Media Group is expanding its broadcast net.
And we want you.
The Michigan-based PMG, founded in 2022, its flagship production the Michigan Soccer Network and all other affiliates, is actively scheduling games in a wide variety of high school leagues and conferences, small colleges, amateur, pre-professional, youth club, and other avenues of the beautiful game in Michigan.
The schedule for the fall semester is starting to fill up across Michigan.
The daily connections are being made and the spreading of our brand has brought in great reviews.
Would the coaches, administration, student-athletes, players and fans like for us to broadcast a game near you?
Regardless of the now-popular remote broadcast games, on-location broadcast games, on-location shows or in-studio daily shows, there is a simple process. Visit the website www.michigansoccernetwork.com or click below for details.
PMG will also be holding various “Win A Free Broadcast” contest at various parts of the fall, winter (indoor) and spring seasons.
"(Michigan Soccer Network) has does a great job making these kids feel special,” offered Michal Hatfield, girls soccer coach at Trenton High School who also coaches in the Detroit City FC youth club system. “The broadcasts were professionally done and we were very pleased when they did our games. They did a great job with (play-by-play), graphics and postgame interviews with the kids. And a lot of people saw it. We had uncles and aunts that have never seen their nieces play get a chance to watch them on YouTube). And all of the kids were able to jump on there (the YouTube channel) afterwards and watch the game.”
The MSN staff had the pleasure of broadcasting multiple games the last two school years for schools in the Oakland Activities Association and have received its fair share of feedback. The goal is to conduct broadcasts of games throughout the state of Michigan, especially in the larger populated regions.
“MSN has done a great job with broadcasts in our league (Macomb Area Conference),” said Trevor Foster, current head coach of the Romeo girls soccer program, goalkeepers coach for Oakland University’s soccer programs, and director at the Michigan Goalkeepers Academy. “I know the girls love it. And I know some of the parents were putting their earphones on and listening to the game when they were (in the stands) and it gives relatives a chance to watch games that they normally wouldn’t be able to.
“It’s as close to professional (broadcast) as any broadcast of high school soccer that you will see out there,” added Foster. “Plus, they do all types of (amateur and pre-professional) leagues out there (in Michigan).”
“We were very pleased, especially with the knowledge of high school soccer in the state of Michigan from the play-by-play announcers and color commentators,” said Todd Heugh, the current director of athletics at Troy Athens High School and a former coach at the school. “They put together a valuable (product) and the games are live on YouTube for everyone to watch, even if you are (a relative or an alumni) not in the area. I know coaches go on there (YouTube), too, to watch games of an upcoming opponent.”
The PMG staff has a goal of 100-plus games this fall from mid-August through November. The Michigan Soccer Network conducted a record 50 remote or in-person broadcasts during the month of June.
PMG also has contacts within Michigan, the Midwest and even in different parts of the U.S. and have become broadcast partners for more than 15 different leagues or franchises within those leagues over the past three years. PMG has multiple broadcasting rights for within the USL-League Two, USL-W League, UPSL, MWPL, NISA, WSPL and more and constantly expanding its web of coverage both on various YouTube channels and on our website at www.michigansoccernetwork.com. It has broadcasted more high school boys soccer and high school girls soccer at more than 75 high schools in Michigan.
“MSN has been a great media partner for the Bucks and AFC,” said Costa Papista, President of the Flint City Bucks and Flint City AFC of the USL-League Two and USL-W League, respectively. “The production and overall quality of our live broadcasts are professional grade. Flint City fans, sponsors and supporters greatly appreciate the MSN quality. We are always receiving excellent feedback and comments from our fans and visiting fans as well.”
And now the busy season starts in earnest with high school, college and youth club team beginning the 2024-25 school year.
To schedule a game or to consult team members of our broadcast, reach out to the following persons in the PMG family of networks: Broadcast Director Jonathan Turner, 248-525-2083, jonathan@thepremeiermediagrp.com or new Director of Scheduling / Office Manager Alaina Gagnon, at agagnon@thepremiermediagrp.com and inquire about the broadcast options, packages, special packages and more.
For news on the soccer scene in Michigan, check out the MSN website at www.michigansoccernetwork.com for daily updates, game recaps, feature stories, previews and more for teams, players and coaches from a wide variety schools, amateur teams, colleges and youth club teams.
The PMG and MSN staff will continue to reach for its goal of providing quality broadcast on any network and in-depth coverage and content on it website.
INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE
Interested in internships in broadcasting, communications, journalism, public relations or sales and marketing in the sports world? The Premier Media Group is seeking applications for current college students or students entering their senior or junior years of high school that have a career interest in working in different capacity of a constantly-evolving media world.
Contact both Broadcast Director Jonathan Turner at 248-525-2083 or jonathan@thepremeiermediagrp.com and Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at (248) 525-2349 and dstickradt@thepremeiermediagrp.com.
(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group and the Michigan Soccer Network regarding club soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer involving teams, players or coaches with Michigan ties, contact Communications Specialist/Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com or dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com, or call 248-884-1051 or 248-525-2349. Dan Stickradt is a 31-year veteran of the Michigan Media circles and recently joined the staff full time in March of 2024. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/MSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at jonathan@michigansoccernetwork.com and jonathan@thepremeiermediagrp.com.)
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