The Beavers finished ninth in the standings with 84 points, while Pacheco Martinez, a veteran midfielder from Bogota, Colombia, was named MSU’s “Offensive Player to Watch” and Haren, a young defender from Chandler, Arizona, was named the Beavers’ “Defensive Player to Watch” by the NSIC coaches.

Pacheco Martinez played in all 18 games for the Beavers last season and had one assist, while Haren started 17 games for the Beavers and also had one assist.

The MSU women’s soccer team opens its 2024 season with three exhibition matches later this month when the University of Regina plays at First Western Bank Field at Herb Parker Stadium on Friday, August 23 at 5 p.m. and Concordia College on Saturday, August 24 at 3 p.m. Home play concludes on Wednesday, August 28 with the Beavers’ annual game against the Magic City Legends club team at 7:30 p.m.

These three preparations prepare MSU for its regular season opener on September 5 at Northwest Nazarene, Idaho.

Sierra Haren

The Beavers will make their regular season home debut during Homecoming weekend, hosting Montana State Billings on Friday, Sept. 13 at 6 p.m. at First Western Bank Field at Herb Parker Stadium.

Minnesota State, Mankato is the favorite for the NSIC title with 186 points and 10 first-place votes, while defending regular season champion St. Cloud State was the No. 2 seed with 179 points and four first-place votes. Bemidji State, the two-time defending NSIC tournament champion, was picked third with 170 points and Mary was picked fourth with 151 points and the last first-place vote.

MSU opens NSIC play on Friday, September 20th with a game at their same-state rival Mary.

In the preseason poll, Augustana was ranked fifth with 147 points, Concordia, St. Paul was ranked sixth with 137 points, Northern State was ranked seventh with 129 points,

Minnesota Duluth was picked eighth with 97 points, MSU ninth with 84 points, Southwest Minnesota State tenth with 76 points, Wayne State eleventh with 70 points, Winona State twelfth with 63 points, Sioux Falls thirteenth with 46 points, Minnesota State Moorhead fourteenth with 36 points, and Minnesota Crookston fifteenth with 18 points.

Senior All-Region forward Megan Fastenau of Northern State was named the NSIC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while senior All-Region defender Mo Malone of Mary was named the NSIC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Fastenau scored seven goals and had three assists in 2023 and led the NSIC with five game-winning goals, while Malone led the Marauders with six assists and scored two goals, both game-winning.