August 25, 2025

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State's women's soccer program officially kicks off Monday, marking a significant milestone for Trojan Athletics as the 14^th sport. Head Coach Todd Stank, assisted by Alec Rathje, leads the charge as DSU take the field for the first time in school history at Dan Beacom Track & Field.

Season Preview: Dakota State Women's Soccer (2025)

A New Era Begins Season Opener & TAC Kick-Off Celebration

• August 25 (Mon) – Regular Season Debut vs. Mount Marty (S.D.) at 7 p.m., preceded by a TAC Kick-Off tailgate at 4 p.m. featuring food, entertainment, and Trojan Pride. This event doubles as the inaugural match for the newly launched Trojan Athletics Club (TAC).

Home Strong to Start the Season
Following their debut, the Trojans host a five-game home stand at Dan Beacom Track & Field:

• Aug. 27 vs. Concordia (Neb.) – 6 p.m.
• Aug. 30 vs. Midland (Neb.) – 2 p.m.
• Sept. 1 vs. College of Saint Mary (Neb.) – 6 p.m.
• Sept. 3 vs. Morningside (Iowa) – 5 p.m.

Road Challenges Ahead
The Trojans then hit the road for a challenging stretch:

• Sept. 7 at Southwest Minnesota State – 1 p.m. (Marshall, Minn.)
• Sept. 10 at Briar Cliff – 1 p.m. (Sioux City, Iowa)
• Sept. 13 at home vs. Northwestern (Iowa) – 5 p.m.
• Sept. 16 at Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) – 6 p.m. (Mitchell, S.D.)
• Sept. 18 at Black Hills State (S.D.) – 8 p.m. Central Time / 7 p.m. (Mountain Time) (Spearfish, S.D.)

Late Season Road Trips
Additional road matches include:

• Sept. 25 at Columbia (Mo.) – 4:30 p.m.
• Sept. 27 at Stephens (Mo.) – 12 p.m.
• Oct. 4 at Bellevue (Neb.) – 3 p.m. (CAC conference game)
• Oct. 8 at Waldorf (Iowa) – 5 p.m.
• Oct. 14 at Buena Vista (Iowa) – 5:30 p.m.
• Oct. 22 at Dordt (Iowa) – 5 p.m.

Conference and Postseason

• The Continental Athletic Conference postseason tournament will be held Nov 8, 10, 12 in Lawrenceville, Georgia, hosted by Georgia Gwinnett.
• The tournament winner earns a spot in the NAIA Women's Soccer National Tournament, with opening rounds on Nov. 20 & 22 at campus sites, culminating with the national championship in Pensacola, Florida on Dec 1, 4, 6 & 9.

Roster Highlights
Dakota State makes their inaugural season with 17 athletes on the women's soccer roster:

• Samantha Bonar (Jr., Defense)
• Olivia Bradley (Jr., Forward)
• Rylee Brissette (Fr., Defense)
• Katie Brown (Fr., Forward)
• Nichole Corona (Fr., Midfield)
• Estefania Gonzalez (So., Forward)
• Ryelynn Hammer (Fr., Defense)
• Hannah Hint (Fr., Defense)
• Aislyn Holden (Fr., Defense)
• Onika Kline (Fr., Midfield)
• Clarissa Knoll (Fr., Midfield)
• Chloe Mart (Jr., Goalkeeper)
• Kirsten Piskorski (Fr., Forward)
• Summer-Lily Robinson (Jr., Defense)
• Madison Smalley (Fr., Midfield)
• Sierra Verplancke (Jr., Goalkeeper)
• Charli Zimmerman (Fr., Midfield)

  Season Outlook
What to Watch Out For

• Historic Launch: The debut match vs. Mount Marty marks a landmark moment for Trojan Athletics.
• Early Home Advantage: A five-match home stretch at Dakota State in ten days.
• CAC Conference: As newcomers to women's soccer, DSU is a member of the Continental Athletic Conference this season (NAIA independent conference).  It marked the first time since the early 2010's that Dakota State was a member of the NAIA's independent conference, formally known as Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.).