UMD Soccer Ready to Build on 2023 Tourney Appearance

Finished 6-7-6 in 2023 season

DULUTH, Minn.- After a mixed bag of a 2023 season, the UMD soccer team is eager to become a bigger threat in the NSIC.

Last season, the Bulldogs finished 6-7-6 overall. Despite the mediocre record, it was enough to claim the eight-seed in the NSIC tournament, marking their first tournament appearance since 2017.

This fall marks Greg Cane’s 30th anniversary and 31st season leading UMD soccer. While the 2023 team won less than half their games, Coach Cane’s hope this year is to see the same mentality his players had in late-game moments.

“We battled really hard last year; every game was just a battle,” says Cane. “Our conference is very balanced. It seems like every opportunity at goal really matters. Anything you can do to deny opponents really matters. And last year, we had a really good battle mentality and I’m really hoping that returns this year.”

Meanwhile, seniors Victoria Thorson and Morgan Eckerle agree that the key to returning to the NSIC tournament will be meshing their experience with new talent in their lineup.

“I think it just starts with the building pieces, ” says Thorson, a 2020 high school graduate from Duluth Marshall. Especially with preseason, getting to know everyone, and then from there, take that into the season so that we’re ready for playoffs.”

“A big piece of (reaching the tournament) would be building on the experience that this core of returners gained from making the tournament last year,” explained Eckerle, who scored one goal and added an assist in 2023. “For a lot of us, it was our first time there. And now, if we can make it there, we know what to expect, we know what to work for, and we’re hoping to make it even further this year.”

The Bulldogs regular season begins on Thursday, September 5 against Northern Michigan at Malosky Stadium.