August 20, 2026
THE MATCHES AT A GLANCE
Date: Saturday, August 22 vs. (RV) Hastings (Neb.)
Location:Â Dan Beacom Track & Field / Madison, S.D. |
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| Start Time: 1 p.m. |
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Date:Â Wednesday, August 26 at Mount Marty (S.D.)
Location:Â Crane-Youngsworth Field / Yankton, S.D. |
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| Start Time: 5 p.m. |
THIS WEEK
Dakota State (S.D.) (0-0 overall record) officially begins their second year of women's soccer program Saturday afternoon at Dan Beacom Track & Field. The Trojans host Hastings (Neb.) (0-0 overall record, receiving votes in the NAIA Women's Soccer Coaches' Top 25 preseason poll). Kick-off is set for 1 p.m. The Trojan Athletics Club will start the festivities at 11 a.m. with tailgaite, food, and music by the DSU Foundation building.
The Trojans continue their action on Wednesday evening as they travel to Yankton, S.D., to take on Mount Marty (S.D.) (0-0 overall record). The match is set for 5 p.m. at Crane-Youngsworth Field on the campus of Yankton High School.
QUICK HITS
*Dakota State kicks off their 2026 season at home at Dan Beacom Track & Field. It marked the second straight season that the Trojans will be making their season debut at home (2025 season opener vs. Mount Marty, S.D.).
*DSU will be facing ten members from the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) on their 2026 season schedule. The Trojans will also play three opponents from NCAA Division II schools, including Sioux Falls (S.D.), Southwest Minnesota State, and Black Hills State (S.D.).
*Dakota State have six home matches scheduled this fall. The Trojans will close their home schedule with a three-match home stand from Oct. 3 through Oct. 7, facing Nebraska Wesleyan, Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.), and Waldorf (Iowa).
*DSU advanced to the conference tournament's semifinals last season. The Trojans were seeded No. 6 in the conference independent tournament, winning on penalty kicks in the first round versus No. 3 Hesston (Kan.).
*Dakota State will be an affiliate member of the Cal Pac Conference this fall. The conference tournament will be held on Nov. 8 and 10 in Irvine, Calif.
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STATS COMPARISON
| *denotes 2025 season |
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| *Record |
1-14-3 |
16-4-3 |
8-8-3 |
| Conference |
Cal Pac |
Great Plains |
Great Plains |
| *Shots |
158 |
363 |
257 |
| *Goals |
14 |
52 |
30 |
| *Shot % |
.089 |
.143 |
.117 |
| *Shots on Goal |
78 |
179 |
147 |
| *Assists |
9 |
41 |
20 |
| *Corner Kicks |
54 |
97 |
73 |
| *Penalty Kicks |
2-5 |
3-3 |
0-0 |
| *Shutouts |
1 |
11 |
7 |
2025 SEASON IN REVIEW
The 2025 season marked the beginning of a new era in Dakota State University athletics as the Trojan women's soccer program completed its inaugural season under head coach
Todd Stank.
Dakota State finished its historic first campaign with a 1-14-3 overall record, but the season featured numerous program firsts and concluded with the Trojans advancing to the semifinals of the Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) Women's Soccer Postseason Tournament.
Dakota State made program history again on Oct. 8, recording its first women's soccer victory with a dominating 4-1 road win over Waldorf (Iowa). The Trojans followed their first victory with another positive result six days later, earning a 1-1 draw at NCAA Division III Buena Vista (Iowa).
The Trojans made their postseason debut a memorable one on Nov. 7 against No. 3 seed Hesston (Kan.).Â
Nichole Corona put Dakota State ahead 1-0 with her sixth goal of the season in the 23rd minute. Hesston tied the match in the 52nd minute, and neither team could break the deadlock through regulation and two overtime periods. Dakota State held a 14-12 advantage in total shots before the match moved to penalty kicks.
Hesston grabbed an early 2-0 advantage in the shootout, but the Trojans rallied.
Clarissa Knoll and Corona converted penalty kicks as DSU battled back, while goalkeeper
Sierra Verplancke helped Dakota State complete the comeback. The Trojans ultimately prevailed 3-2 in penalty kicks to advance to the CAC semifinals.
Dakota State's inaugural season came to an end two days later with a 4-0 setback to No. 2 seed Bellevue (Neb.) in the semifinal round. The Trojans finished their first season with an overall record of 1-14-3. Kline and
Katie Brown became the first Dakota State women's soccer players to receive CAC All-Conference recognition.
Kline was selected as a Second Team All-Conference defender, while Brown earned Second Team honors at forward. Brown was also named Dakota State's recipient of the CAC Champions of Character award. The Trojans added two more honors following their postseason run. Corona and Verplancke were selected to the CAC Women's Soccer All-Tournament Team.
ABOUT HASTINGS (NEB.)
Hastings (Neb.), under the guidance of Jade Ovendale, posted a 16-4-3 overall record last season and went 7-2-2 in Great Plains Athletic Conference play. The Broncos went through the Great Plains Athletic Conference postseason tournament undefeated, defeating Dordt (Iowa) 1-0 in the title game.
Hastings went on to win the first round of the NAIA Women's Soccer National Tournament Opening Round in Siloam Springs, Ark., defeating Friends (Kan.) 3-1. The Broncos then fell to the host-team John Brown (Ark.) 4-1 in the second round, ending their season. Â
The Broncos qualified for the NAIA national tournament for the past four seasons and cited on the NAIA Women's Soccer Coaches' Top 25 national poll, ranking as high as No. 22 during the 2023 season. Hastings was predicted to win the Great Plains Athletic Conference title this fall and received votes recognition to the 2026 NAIA Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Saturday's match will be the first-ever series meeting between Dakota State and Hastings at Dan Beacom Track & Field.
ABOUT MOUNT MARTY (S.D.)
Mount Marty (S.D.), coached by second-year Joe Chicks, is coming off a turnaround 2025 season in which the Lancers finished 7-8-4 overall and 4-4-3 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. MMU qualified for the GPAC postseason tournament and advanced to the conference semifinals. The Lancers fell to Dordt (Iowa) 3-0 in the GPAC semifinals in Sioux Center, Iowa. MMU defeated top-seeded Morningside (Iowa), despite a 1-1, in the GPAC quarterfinals but moved to the semifinals round after winning on penalty kicks 3-2. Â
Mount Marty and Dakota State played their first all-time series last season, won by the Lancers at Dan Beacom Track & Field.
2026 DAKOTA STATE WOMEN'S SOCCER SCHEDULE OVERVIEW; DSU IN CAL PAC CONFERENCE
Dakota State enters its second season of women's soccer in 2026 with a more experienced roster and another challenging schedule under head coach
Todd Stank, assisted by
Alec Rathje. Dakota State's regular-season slate features 18 matches, including six contests at The Dan Beacom Track & Field.Â
Dakota State will compete as an affiliate member of the California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac) in women's soccer this season. The conference also includes Pacific Union (Calif.), Simpson (Calif.), Stanton (Calif.) and Westcliff (Calif.). The four-team Cal Pac postseason tournament is scheduled for Nov. 8 and Nov. 10 at Orange Park in Irvine, Calif. The Cal Pac tournament champion receives the league's automatic berth to the NAIA Women's Soccer National Tournament. Opening-round play begins Nov. 19 at campus sites.
The Trojans officially open the season Saturday, Aug. 22, hosting Hastings (Neb.) at 1 p.m. at The Dan Beacom Track & Field. DSU follows the opener with four consecutive road matches. The Trojans travel to Mount Marty (S.D.) on Aug. 26 before facing NCAA Division II Sioux Falls (S.D.) on Aug. 30. Dakota State opens September at College of Saint Mary (Neb.) on Sept. 2 before returning to Madison to host NCAA Division II Southwest Minnesota State on Sept. 4.
A challenging stretch against Great Plains Athletic Conference opponents follows. The Trojans visit Northwestern (Iowa) on Sept. 9 and Concordia (Neb.) on Sept. 12, host Dordt (Iowa) on Sept. 15, and travel to Morningside (Iowa) on Sept. 17.
Dakota State then makes its second straight late-September trip to Missouri. The Trojans face Columbia (Mo.) on Sept. 24 and Stephens (Mo.) on Sept. 26 before concluding the three-match trip at Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) on Sept. 29.
DSU opens October with its longest home stand of the season. The Trojans host NCAA Division III Nebraska Wesleyan on Oct. 3 for Senior Night, followed by Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on Oct. 5 and Waldorf (Iowa) on Oct. 7.
The Trojans finish the regular season with three road contests, visiting Bellevue (Neb.) on Oct. 10, Midland (Neb.) on Oct. 21 and NCAA Division II Black Hills State (S.D.) on Oct. 25.
2026 Dakota State Women's Soccer Returning Team Leaders
Up Next
Dakota State stays on the road as they visit NCAA Division II Sioux Falls (S.D.) on Aug. 30, College of Saint Mary (Neb.) on Sept. 2, and returns home on Sept. 4 versus NCAA Division II Southwest Minnesota State.
