Women's Soccer | 8/25/2026 3:49:00 PM

CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston soccer team is set to commence the 2026 season, their second under Head Coach Danny Burstein. The Golden Eagles are looking to build on many positives in 2025, as they picked up two rivalry wins over Minnesota State University Moorhead, earned three draws, and fell in seven one-goal games. Minnesota Crookston fielded a competitive side in 2025, and look to take the next step as a program in 2026.

Minnesota Crookston opens the season Thursday, August 27 at Montana State University Billings at 7 p.m. M.T. at Yellowjacket Soccer Field in Billings, Mont. The Golden Eagles remain on the road to take on Black Hills State University Saturday, August 29 at 11 a.m. M.T. at Black Hills Surgical Sports Complex, field six in Rapid City, S.D. The Golden Eagles return home for their first game in their friendly confines Monday, August 31 at 3 p.m., against Minnesota State University Moorhead for the U.S. Highway 75 Rivalry Rock series.

Minnesota Crookston at Montana State Billings
Thursday, August 27 - 7 p.m. M.T.
Live Stats - https://msubsports.com/sidearmstats/wsoc/summary
Watch Live ($) - https://www.gnacnetwork.com/msubillings/?B=4112399

Minnesota Crookston at Black Hills State
Saturday, August 29 - 11 a.m. M.T.
Live Stats - https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=663960
Watch Live ($) - https://rmacnetwork.com/bhsu/

MSU Moorhead at Minnesota Crookston
Monday, August 31 - 3 p.m.
Live Stats - https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/wsoc/summary
Watch Live ($) - https://www.midcosportsplus.com/?school=university-of-minnesota-crookston

Minnesota Crookston
Returning Starters

Sr. MF 10 Emmah Burnes (Tulare, Calif.) - 18 starts, 1 goal, 5 shots

So. D 22 Riley Edemann (Santa Clarita, Calif.) - 18 starts, 2 assists, 2 shots

Jr. MF 13 Andrea Cuenca Medina (South St. Paul, Minn.) - 18 starts, 2 shots

Sr. D/MF 9 Tessa VanOverbeke (Hartford, S.D.) - 18 starts, 3 shots

Jr. D 21 Norah Lutz (Dewitt, Mich.) - 16 starts

So. MF/F 11 Aleisha Cortez (South St. Paul, Minn.) - 16 starts, 11 shots

Sr. F/MF 4 Kedin Geremiah (Winnipeg, Manitoba) - 12 starts, 5 shots

Jr. MF/F 7 Sydney Christopherson (Sioux Falls, S.D.) - 9 starts, 1 assist

So. GK 77 Payton King (Fairfield, Calif.) - 9 starts, 1.41 GAA, 59 saves

Top Bench Returners
Sr. MF 2 Autumn Rabe (Kewaskum, Wis.) - 8 starts, 1 goal

Sr. MF/F 14 Marsia Green (Waconia, Minn.) - 17 starts, 1 goal

Jr. MF/F 16 Elise Lefers (Brookings, S.D.) - 4 starts, 2 goals

So. MF 12 Lily Goehring (Hartford, S.D.) - 3 starts, 1 assist

The Golden Eagles are anchored in the central midfield by Emmah Burnes, a returning All-NSIC Second Team pick, who made 18 starts and recorded one goal in 2025. Burnes, a senior, will look to lead Minnesota Crookston. The U of M Crookston also brings back leading goal scorer Elise Lefers (Jr., MF/F, Brookings, S.D.), who came mostly off the bench in 2025, but scored two goals on 14 shots. Tessa VanOverbeke (Sr., D/MF, Hartford, S.D.) is a versatile player who has been a staple in the lineup, starting all 18 games last season with three shots. Andrea Cuenca Medina (Jr., MF, South St. Paul, Minn.) also returns in the central midfield, after starting all 18 games with two assists. Kedin Geremiah (Sr., F, Winnipeg, Manitoba) started 12 games last season with five shots.

Defensively, the Golden Eagles have several players returning. Riley Edemann (So., D, Santa Clarita, Calif.) started all 18 games in the back last season with two assists. Norah Lutz (Jr., D, Dewitt, Mich.) is back after making 16 starts. VanOverbeke can slot back here defensively, as well, with Anna Kuecker (Jr., D, Marshall, Minn.) also returning after 12 games played and one start. In goal, Payton King (So., GK, Fairfield, Calif.) split games in net with nine starts and a 1.41 goals against average, with a .831 saves percentage and 59 saves. Phoenix DeBrusk (So., GK, Thunder Bay, Ontario) made one start as a freshman with a 4.00 goals against average, with six saves. 

The Golden Eagles play Montana State Billings for the first time since 2009. They are 0-3 all-time against the Yellowjackets with their closest game coming in 2024 with a 2-0 loss in Billings, Mont. Minnesota Crookston fell 4-1 to Black Hills State in 2025 at home, but tied the Yellow Jackets 0-0 in Spearfish, S.D. in 2024. The Golden Eagles swept MSU Moorhead in the Highway 75 Rivalry Rock series 2-0 in 2025. The two squads tied 2-2 in Moorhead in 2024. In the last six meetings, Minnesota Crookston is 3-2-1 against the Dragons.

Montana State Billings
Returning Starters

So. MF 8 Cianna Sexton, 16 starts, 1 assist

5th MF 2 Cesia Swain, 14 starts, 1 goal, 2 assists

Jr. D/MF 11 Abby Thompson, 14 starts, 1 goal

So. D 31 Peyton Tarbokija, 13 starts, 2 shots

So. MF/D 25 Kelsie Cox, 9 starts, 1 shot

So. GK 24 Natalie Weinmaster, 13 starts, 1.92 GAA, 60 saves

The Yellowjackets posted a 3-15 (2-12 NSIC) mark last season. They are in their fourth season under Head Coach Abiye Jack. They return six starters, but graduate their leading scorers from 2025. Cesia Swain is the leading returner after scoring a goal and two assists in 14 starts. She was second on the team with 31 shots last season. Abby Thompson is back after tallying a goal. Kennedy Craig and Cianna Sexton each notched assists last season. In goal, Natalie Weinmaster returns after making 13 starts with a 1.92 goals against average and 60 saves. 

Black Hills State
Returning Starters
So. MF 12 Aubri Roth, 1 goal, 3 assists

Jr. MF 13 Bailey Smith, 1 assist, 9 shots

Sr. D 6 Ashley Measles, 14 starts, 4 shots

So. GK 30 Rian Barthel, 9 starts, 1.26 GAA, 44 saves

The Yellow Jackets only return four starters from the 2025 season. In 2026, they enter their fourth season under Head Coach John Hutchison. Black Hills State posted a 4-9-5 mark in 2026. They scored 17 goals and limited opponents to a 1.39 goals against average. They have lost a vast amount of the scoring from the roster a season ago. They do return leading goal-scorer Peyton Hill, who tallied four goals and two assists. However, they lost 10 of the 17 goals from last season. They also bring back Aubri Roth, who scored a goal and had three assists from the midfield on 21 shots. Bailey Smith started 16 games and had one assist, while Ashely Measles started 14 games in the back line. Ella Cornelius came off the bench in eight games for a goal and two assists. In net, Rian Barthel started nine games with a 1.26 goals against average and 44 saves. Karsyn Fraser-Slothower started seven games with a 1.43 goals against average and 20 saves. 

MSU Moorhead
Returning Starters
Jr. MF 14 Mary Cox, 4 assists, 18 starts

5th, D 18 Lizzy Jaraczeski, 18 starts, 3 shots

Sr., D 8 Lilly Allen, 17 starts, 6 shots

Jr. MF 10 Sophie Thompson, 14 starts, 1 goal

Jr. D/MF 22 Gracie Sauvageau, 12 starts, 1 shot

Jr. D 2 Madison Sharp, 10 starts, 1 assist

So. F 9 Kaci Malo, 9 starts, 1 goal

The Dragons bring back seven starters from the 2025 team that went 3-14-1 under Scott Forster, who is in his third season with the Dragons. MSU Moorhead is led by sophomore Ana Cecilia Walker, who scored three goals in six starts last season. Mary Cox started all 18 games and notched four assists for the Dragons. Midfielder Lauryn Katzberger scored a goal in three starts. Lilly Allen returns in the back after making 17 starts with six shots. Lizzy Jaraczewski made all 18 starts with three shots from her position in the back four. The Dragons are relatively untested in net. Allison Mastrangelo is the lone returnee. She played in two games with a 9.88 goals against average and two saves. Emilia Bukholt Kristensen transferred from Hawkeye C.C., while Camryn Hosick did not play last season, but was on the roster.