Equal Time Soccer: Recent Episodes
Equal Time Soccer
Mark and Matt sit down with new Minnesota Aurora FC Head Coach Jen Larrick to talk what it means to lead the squad, her recruiting style, appreciating the coaches who have come before her, her community-first focus, her playing days, the joy of celebrations, and more! Presented by Pentz Homes (PentzHomes.com). Support our work: Patreon.com/EqualTimeSoccer
Matt and Mark Privratsky sit down with Gopher Soccer star forward Khyah Harper to talk about her Big Ten (and sometimes nation) leading goal scoring season, having individual success specifically when the team is doing so well, credit Elizabeth Overberg deserves for leading the Gopher defense, her national anthem saga, and more!Presented by Pentz Homes (pentzhomes.com)Support our work: patreon.com/EqualTimeSoccer
Matt and Mark Privratsky sit down with star froward Kaitlyn MacBean of Penn State to talk about her breakout stretch during last year's NCAA Tournament, keeping her form going this fall, how she scouts the game, physicality and yellow cards, going through two seasons of injury recovering to start her college career, playing in Minnesota for the Big Ten Tournament, and more!Show Presented by Pentz Homes (PentzHomes.com)Support our work: Patreon.com/EqualTimeSoccer
Mark Privratsky and Matt Privratsky sit down with star centerback Ana Spaine (All NSIC, All Region) from the St. Cloud State Huskies to talk about how the team is doing this fall, what feels different after their conference championship and national tournament run last fall, the Des Moines to Minnesota soccer pipeline, how Kim’s Nails helped seal the deal on her going to St Cloud, the team’s mentality heading into the rest of conference play, and more!Presented by Pentz Homes! (PentzHomes.com)Support our work! Patreon.Com/EqualTimeSoccer
Clare Gagne of UNC (formerly Brown), Gophers, UST/Summit League, & NSIC! Presented by Pentz Homes!
Mark Privratsky and Matt Privratsky sit down with former MSU Moorhead Dragons Head Coach Christie Kopietz to talk all things NSIC before touching on St Thomas heading into Summit League play, Minnesota heading to LA for their first USC/UCLA double, Maddie Dahlien clinching bronze for the US U20s at the world cup, and more! Show presented by Pentz Homes (pentzhomes.com). Support our work at Patreon.com/EqualTimeSoccer
Bayliss Flynn sits down with Matt Privratsky and Mark Privratsky to talk about bursting on to the scene as the starting keeper for Montana, her early days being covered by Matt, being the first high schooler with an NIL deal in Minnesota, her interest in journalism, her dream NIL deal in Missoula, and more!Show presented by Pentz Homes!Support our work: Patreon.com/EqualTimeSoccer
Anna Tobias Of UMD Soccer, plus Gophers, Tommies, U20s, and pros! Presented By Pentz Homes
Talking U20s, the NSIC beginning play, Gophers hosting Army & Brown, St Thomas at UNI and vs Viterbo, Summit League Expansion ideas, and more! Presented By Pentz Homes & Modist BrewingSupport our work: apt
Matt Privratsky and Mark Privratsky talk:- Maddie Dahlien and the USYNT at the U20 World Cup- Caroline Birdsell joins from the Gophers Soccer team- St Thomas with a tie and two losses to open 2024- DI MNs showing out, particularly at top programsPresented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing!Support our work: patreon.com/equaltimesoccer
Mark Privratsky and Matt Privratsky round up every one of the Equal Time beats, talking MN Pros (min 1-14), Tommies (With Special Guest Sydney Kubes, 14-36), Gophers (36-52), DI MNs (53-1:02), NSIC (1:02-on), And More! Presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing.
Former Gopher & Aurora star Katie Duong sits down to chat about her first pro contract with DC Power in the USL Super League, her experience in the USL W League with MN Aurora FC, the tough decision to transfer to Stanford, and more! Show presented by Pentz Homes & Modist Brewing. Support our coverage for as little as $2 per month: patreon.com/equaltimesoccer
Matt sits down with Katie Aafedt, college recruiting liaison for Minnesota Thunder Academy and former longtime head coach of Edina HS. Presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing.
Mark talks to friend of the pod Lis Schendel about the USL W League, WPSL, and UPSL playoffs and all related topics! Show Presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing.
Matt Privratsky chats with USYNT and Notre Dame player Izzy Engle about her young career as an elite soccer player and how she got to where she is today.Presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing.
LIVE With Jenny Vetter Of Spokane Zephyr FC Presented By Pentz Homes And Modist Brewing by Equal Time Soccer
Mark Privratsky sits down LIVE with new UPSL Women's side club Skills FC to learn more about what makes them tick, how they grow their game and recruit diverse players, and what's ahead for this season.This show is presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing.
Mark Privratsky hosts Emma Knack and Aida Kartovic of Rochester FC for a live show to talk about the USL W, the Rochester soccer scene, and of course college footy and American food!This show is presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing.
Matt and Mark sit down with Aurora 1 Head Coach Colette Montgomery, Aurora 1 players Katie Duong and Addy Weichers, Aurora 2 Assistant Coach Sarah Rosenblum, and Aurora 2 players Sienna Latta and Tylar Sayles. This is a live recording of in person show that occurred on May 21st at Black Hart of St Paul. Presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing
Matt Privratsky chats with Minnesota Twin Stars head coach players ahead of their 2024 UPSL season.Presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing.
Matt sits down with legendary Minnesotan Alli Kempainen to discuss her coaching career at the high school, club, and collegiate levels. With stops at St. Thomas, Alabama State, and a recent move to Florida Gulf State, Kempainen has a lot of experience to share. This show is presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing.
Mark sits down with head coach Aaron Blanchard and forward Niya Wilson of UPSL's Superior City FC women's squad to kickoff their 2024 season.This show is presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing.
Mark sits down with players and staff from Sioux Falls City Football Club to talk about the upcoming WPSL season, future plans for the organization and to announce the full player roster.
Mark talks with the players and staff of Mankato United WPSL about their upcoming 2024 season and what they look to accomplish. This show is presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing.
Matt chats with Molly Rouse, head coach at Ole Miss about her credibility as (perhaps) the youngest coach in the SEC. This show is presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing.
Matt sits down with Jennie Clark to talk about her role as assistant coach at Northwestern, the impact of Big Ten expansions, and her time at Utah Tech with an all Minnesota coaching staff. Presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing.
Matt sits down with Krystle (Kallman) Seidel to talk about her playing career at West Virginia and Minnesota, coaching her hometown Gophers and at Macalester, and her new role on staff at Wright State in the Horizon League. Show presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing!
Mark sits down with new hires Mandy Pochobradsky (head coach of the new reserve team) and Colette Montgomery (lead assistant on the first team, new head of camps) from Minnesota Aurora about the growth of the club, their new roles on Sporting Director and Head Coach Nicole Lukic’s team, and more! Presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing!
Mark sits down with Jackie Jares to ask her about her star studded career with the UMD Bulldogs soccer team, battling as a mid table NSIC team, being a veteran in the COVID era, and more! Show Presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing!
Matt sits down with Darryl "The Hammer" Isaacs and Derek Burns (of Dinkytown Athletes) to talk about the ground breaking Name-Image-Likeness (NIL) deal with Gopher Soccer, Darryl's famous Super Bowl Commercials, how Derek ended up leading the University of Minnesota's NIL collective, and more! Presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing
Mark sits down with star freshmen Angela Gutierrez to talk about her debut college season, what made Drake a great fit for her, her soccer goals, and more! Show presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing!
Mark sits down with U of MN Crookston assistant coach Morgan Philliber to talk about her journey into coaching, working to climb the ranks in the NSIC, living in rural northern Minnesota, and more! Show presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing.
Mark sits down with Concordia St Paul star Katie Anderson to talk about being the old vet on a young CSP team, her long time NSIC rivalries, how she ended up in St Paul as a southern California native, and more! Show presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing.
Mark Privratsky sits down with Minnesotan Kaitlyn MacBean to talk about her epic run to the Elite 8 with Penn State, recovering from her early college injuries, her time as a star youth and high school player in the Twin Cities, her favorite goals, places to play and what made her want to play for the Nittany Lions. Show Presented by Pentz Homes & Modist BrewingSupport our work! patreon.com/EqualTimeSoccer
Matt Privratsky sits down with Gopher Soccer's star centerbacks Elizabeth Overberg and Jordy Rothwell to talk about their strong performance in the run of play, Overberg's growth during her time in MN, Rothwell's experience with the Gophers after years at Creighton, how they're preparing for Big Ten play, and two pop quizzes on the Midwest and their coaches & players. Presented by Pentz Homes and Modist Brewing!
Mark Privratsky sits down with Minnesotan Jessie Hunt about her epic assist totals, being able to get individual stats while also winning as a team, Northeastern's rivals, her experience at MN Thunder Academy during her club years, her time with Salvo in the WPSL, and more!
Mark Privratsky sits down with Minnesotan Emmy Ellington to talk about her career at Western Illinois, moving to centerback, being in a new conference, landing with Rochester FC in the USL W League, her playing ambitions, and more! Presented by Pentz Homes. (pentzhomes.com)
Co-Owner Emily Thomas and Sporting Director and Coach Joe DeMay sit down with Matt to talk about Sioux Falls City FC's big announcement to be one of the five founding LOI clubs in the new WPSL Pro league, set to launch in 2025.
Matt sits down the a full St Thomas crew to talk about the growth of the program in the DI era, how the attacking units may adjust to multiple formations, new transfers/freshmen who could show in the rotation, and more!
Mark sits down with Hannah Adler to talk about her award winning experience with Minnesota Aurora, her beach national team duties, the Summit League connection with Aurora teammates, her pro stops overseas and in the NWSL, and more!
Mark sits down with USL W League Defender of the Year Tianna Harris to talk about how Minnesota Aurora compared to her expectations, her college journey, when she knew she wanted to play professional soccer, her goal setting process, and her first professional contract in France!
Matt sits down with St Thomas soccer star Arianna Sanchez (Chez) to talk about how she first got connected to the Tommies, why St Thomas was the right college fit for her, how her role has changed from freshman year to now, using her platform as a Black athlete, her favorite Summit League road trips, and more!
Mark sits down with All-Everything Mankato star Jenny Vetter to talk about signing her first pro contract in Portugal, the mindset shift from star college player to tryout player in NWSL camp, the process of finding an agent, exploring her opportunities overseas, her historic NSIC career, and more!
It’s a “full-on Dragon edition” of Equal Time Soccer as Mark sits down with MSU Moorhead Head Coach Christie Kopietz and players Madeline Etter and Morgan Bachelor. They talk about next season’s recruiting class, how they maintain a culture of succeeding both on the field and in the classroom, and the evolution of the Highway 75 Rivalry Rock, which is given to the winner of the Moorhead/Crookston Derby.
Mark sits down with Lindsey Birch, a first-year standout at D1 University of Nebraska Omaha and the first signing for the W-League team, Rochester FC, which will start its first season this summer.
Sioux Falls City FC is looking to build off the success of their first season in the WPSL. The club’s key players and staff recently joined Mark to talk about what they learned and reveal their 2023 roster. This episode features players Hailee Fischer, Ellie Shock, Juni Ejere, and Mary Perez, as well as Assistant Coach Anna Bondy, Head Coach and Technical Director Joe Dema, and one of the owners and founders of Sioux Falls City FC, Emily Thomas.Show presented by Pentz Homes (pentzhomes.com)
Matt sits down with incoming Gopher Soccer transfers Cam Xu, Jelena Zbiljic, Megan Nemec, and Jordy Rothwell to talk about how they chose Minnesota as their new soccer home, what they were looking for when they entered the transfer portal, how they might fit in Erin Chastain's system, and more!
Annie Williams has played professional soccer all over the world - Costa Rica, Iceland, Sweden, and now Italy. Matt sits down with her to talk about her role at Parma (2 min), how her game as translated across leagues (6 min), adjusting to each new league (10min), what other MN pros she connects most with (15 min), playing for a club with an American owner who invests in women's soccer (22 min), American/Italian questions and quirks (29 min), day to day life of a pro (43 min), hosting friends and family (52 min), and a Country Quiz about all the places she's played pro! Presented by Pentz Homes.
Mark sits down with Minnesota State Mavericks star Brynn Desens to talk about her storied college career, her year getting the chance to play another season, her pitch-side marriage proposal, and more!
Mark sits down with Emily Bunnell to talk about what it was like to transfer during the COVID shutdown, living in Seattle, navigating the world of Name Image Likeness deals, her post-college soccer goals, and more!
Mark sits down with Jocelyn Tanner of the South Dakota Jackrabbits (just hours before she was named keeper of the year in the Summit League!) to talk about their undefeated season, her unique keeper share with teammate Hailee Fischer, some of her award winning teammates, the team's mindset heading into tournament play, and more!
Matt sits down for a sequel to the incoming transfer show from last December with Gabbie Cesarone and Sophia Romine to talk about them making a huge impact for Gopher Soccer, guidelines for the press, how to handle free kicks and resets, how they host recruits, how they handle road trips, which coaches are the best athletes, and which teammates are the best athletes.
Matt and Isa sit down with Sheila McGill (1-15min), Camryn Rintoul (15-30 min), Audrey Vidmar (30-45 min) of St Thomas to talk about their improvement from year 1 to year 2, Rintoul turning into a offensive threat from distance, Vidmar coming home to the Capital City as an impact transfer, the glamorous paperwork of DI soccer, and who would survive a zombie apocalypse.
Matt sits down with star outside backs Abi Frandsen and Alana Dressely of Gopher Soccer to talk about how the team turned things around after four tough results to start this season, being such a big part of the offensive attack, their journey to the U of MN, and a quiz to see if they know who's showed out in key stat categories for the U this fall.
Mark sits down with DI star Ana Recarte - Pecheco to talk about her south Texas college career, the difference between playing club, high school, DA (at Shattuck St Mary's), and college, the idea of playing back home in Spain, being a cowboy, and more!
Mark Privratsky sits down with Bemidji State Soccer star Sara Wendt to talk about how she landed at BSU, the possibility of breaking the scoring record, being the last NSIC team standing in the NCAA Tournament last fall, the team's goals this year, and why she wouldn't be the first person to die in the Hunger Games.
Mark Privratsky and Dani Foxhoven Young sit down with MN Aurora FC Head Coach Nicole Lukic to talk about her USL W League Coach of the Year campaign, which players surprised the staff, what led to such a successful first year for the team, how those early recruiting conversations went, and more!
Mark talks to MN Aurora FC stars Addy Symmonds and Kelsey Kaufusi about playing in front of a sold out crowd at TCO, their pro ambitions, being teammates at Utah State, and Addy's very real and significant Megan Rapinoe connection.
Mark and Lis talk to Sioux Falls and South Dakota State star keeper Hailee Fischer about growing the game in her home state, getting the first win of Sioux Fall's WPSL season, being related to and training with Kasey Keller (!), and more!
Matt sits down with soccer star turned football kicker Maya Turner to learn about how she first considered kicking, the insane nature of punting a lemon shaped ball, attempting to make tackles, how her super accurate long balls in soccer translated immediately for field goals, her decision to head across the border to Manitoba, and more!
Mark gives some general summer league updates on WPSL squads in the "Minnesota" conference and then jumps into a deep dive conversation with Cassidy Sepnieski who designed MN Aurora FC's new kits about her start in minor league baseball, why good kit design matters for lower league soccer clubs, her groundbreaking work with Forward Madison, working with Peter Wilt, how she got connected to Aurora, and more!
Marks sits down with Moorhead State Head Coach Christie Kopietz to talk about her playing career at Crookston, growing as a coach, trying to help a team climb the ranks in the stacked NSIC, selling the Fargo-Moorhead area, and more!
NDSU in England! Mark talks with Olivia Lovick, Kelsey Kallio, Kaitlyn Hanson, Paige Goaley, Dani Stuber all the way from England where NDSU is playing as part of their spring season.
Hannah Cade was all everything growing up in Minnesota, a four year starter at Iowa State, and is starting her second stint in the pro leagues in Iceland. Matt sits down with her to talk about playing in Europe vs the US, adapting to living abroad, her goals as a pro, being a soccer sister, and more!
Kristelle Yewah starred for Michigan State, came to Minnesota for dental school, and was one of the first players announced for the new USL W League team Minnesota Aurora FC. Mark sits down with her to talk about her journey as a player, how she heard about Aurora, her high achieving family, her takes on the Bachelor/Bachelorette, and more!
We sit down with Minnesotan Alaysia Lane, who's currently playing in the top pro league in Portugal. We talk about how she landed at Rutgers, her transfer process to Gonzaga, how her first pro opportunity in Portugal came about, and a return of The Internet Said It.
Sarah Fuller, star goalkeeper known for breaking barriers across sports, was announced as the first ever signing for MN Aurora FC in the USL W League this week. Mark and Lis sit down with her to talk about her college career so far, dealing with such incredible levels of fame after kicking a field goal for the Vanderbilt football team, helping other players learn to use their platform, how she chose MN, and more!
We check in with Erin Chastain to reflect on her first season leading the Gopher Soccer program last fall, some of her goals for the spring, the role incoming freshmen and transfers may play in deepening the rotation, her matter of fact communication style, her love of goal celebrations, and more!
Mikki Denney Wright led the Gopher Soccer program for the 2004-2011 seasons, including the two deepest NCAA Tournament runs in team history. We talk to her about injuring Mia Hamm, partying with Gregg Berhalter, having Erin Hussey (Chastain) as her host when she transferred to the U, landing at Visitation as their new head coach, hiring former Gopher stud Emily Peterson, and more!
We sat down with Alma Beaton, and incoming freshman for the University of Minnesota, and her mom Anne, who played for the Gophers in their first ever Division 1 season about being the program's first legacy pair, how the game has changed since then, Anne's time coach Alma, how Alma landed at the U of MN, and finally some Mother-Daughter Gopher Trivia!
Gabbie Cesarone was a two time All American for DIII powerhouse Wash U and Sophia Romine was a major rotation piece for the Wisconsin her first two years. Both have transferred to the University of Minnesota to be part of the Gopher Soccer program next fall. We talk to them about the actual logistical process of putting your name in the transfer portal, the most surprising schools they heard from, how they chose Minnesota, and more!
Mark and new lower division co-host Lis Schendel talk to the first ever coaching staff for the MN Women's Soccer Team. They ask Head Coach Nicole Lukic and assistants Jennie Clark and Jen Larrick about how they first heard of the new team/league, helping players make the jump from college to pros, how they'll work together as a staff, and more!
Bemidji State University stars Megan Dahl and Emma Mortenson sit down with Mark and Rachael to talk about being defensive stars, setting records with this year's Beaver Soccer squad, how the team responded to their first loss of the season in the NSIC Championship game, and how they're preparing for the Sweet 16 matchup this week.
Show presented by Pentz Homes (pentzhomes.com)
Mark and Rachael sit down with NSIC stars Alyssa Stumbaugh (Bemidji), Ciara Bailey (Concordia), and Ari Del Moral (St Cloud) to talk about their journey's to the NSIC Tournament, how their teams will prepare for their first round matchups on Wednesday, and more!
(Apologies to Mackenzie Rath of Mankato. Due to mistakes on our end she wasn't able to join the show so she will be featured in a future episode!)
We sit down with St Thomas veterans Olivia Graupmann and Alex Balfour about how the jump to DI has compared to their expectations, what the incredibly team-first focus looks like for players day to day, their favorite road trip of the season, producing a baking show for Olivia, getting Alex into local politics, and more!
Gopher Soccer stars Kenzie Langdok and Rylan Baker talk about how the weird season last year made this fall seem "normal", how they settled into their current roles on the team, what they remember about their first 1 on 1 conversation with new Head Coach Erin Chastain, their favorite road trips, and some trivia about this year's team! (Apologies to Lauren Donovan and Sadie Harper who - #SpoilerAlert - both had higher shot on goal percentage than Delaney Stekr. But congrats to all three on being great)
Freshmen phenoms Lexi Huber and Abby Brantner talk about their historic first-ever Summit League win, what made St Thomas the right fit for both of them, their soccer playing moms, and more!
Gopher Soccer stars Megan Gray, Kenna Buisman, and Megan Plaschko join us to talk about what they can learn from tough losses in Big Ten play, how playing multiple positions impacts their abilities on the field, how players are thinking about the extra year of eligibility from COVID, unsung freshmen in training, and some trivia about their very accomplished coaches!
Mark and Rachael sit down with Jocelin Martinez of St Cloud State to talk about her journey from California to the midwest, playing both against and for Rachael, her transfer from Northern State to St Cloud State, her favorite places in Aberdeen and St Cloud, the Huskies chances this year and moving forward, and more!
Gopher Soccer stars Sophia Boman and Patricia Ward talk to Matt LIVE from East Lansing about the bonkers Ohio State comeback, how veterans are thinking about the 5th year of NCAA eligibility due to COVID, who would make the All-Gopher Soccer 4x100 and 4x100 relay teams, and more!
Minnesotans Morgan Turner and Megan Malecha star for the DePaul women's soccer team in Chicago, each winning player of the week honors this fall. Mark talks to them about choosing DePaul, playing for now-Gopher head coach Erin Chastain, playing on a field that rumbles as the train goes by, and more!
(Note that there were some audio issues at the very beginning of this show so the first 4 minutes or so were trimmed to save your ears)
We sit down with three powerhouse first year players from the Gopher Soccer team that have taken on huge roles this fall. Matt talks to Lauren Donovan, Elizabeth Overberg, and Khyah Harper about their adjustment on the field, which Gopher Soccer players would make the best starting five in basketball, singing on the road trip bus, and more!
Mark sits down with Mankato State star Jenny Vetter to talk about how she got into the game, her recruiting process, her breakout 20 goal & 7 assist sophomore season for the Mavericks in 2019 that earned her a sweet All-American jacket, MSU's goals for this season, and more!
St Thomas beat writer Annie Williams joins from Iceland as she and Matt talk to Tommies Head Coach Sheila McGill about the start of St Thomas' DI era, how she balanced her existing DIII roster while recruiting a DI incoming class, learning the scholarship splicing game that is women's soccer, and where the team can grow as they prepare for Summit League play!
Mark continues his tour talking to Minnesotans playing D1 in other states by chatting with Creighton star Ansley Atkinson. They talk about Ansley's long run with Minneapolis United, finding the right college fit in Creighton, the team's flexible formations, her best role on the field, and more!
Matt sits down with Gopher Soccer Captain Delaney Stekr to talk about leading an almost entirely rebuilt back line, how the team has responded to new head coach Erin Chastain, her willingness to speak up for social justice, and a return of The Internet Said It where Laney confirms or denies her journalism almost-championship and her writing and modeling careers.
Mark sits down Meredith Haakenson, who as an all-everything midfielder growing up in Minnesota and has been starring for the Michigan Wolverines ever since. They talk about how she got into soccer with her now-pro brother Luke, her crazy in-depth school selection process as a freshman, Michigan's veteran laden team this year, and more!
Mark Privratsky is joined by co-host and former Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference legend Rachael Norton for Equal Time Soccer's first NSIC show, featuring Bemidji State star Allyson Smith. Mark and Rachael talk about the NSIC preseason rankings, which teams to watch, and more before being joined by Ally about 22 minutes in to talk about her personal journey to BSU and how the Beavers could do this year.
The full Equal Time Soccer crew of Matt Privratsky, Annie Williams, and Mark Privratsky do a roundup of what they're expecting from their beats this fall. They cover:
- Minnesotans Playing D1 (Starts around 3 min)
- St Thomas' first D1 season (13 min)
- D2 NSIC (23 min)
- Gophers (35 min)
Former Utah Utes star and professional soccer player Allie Wisner joins the show to talk about joining the University of Minnesota coaching staff, what made the Gophers an appealing job to pursue, how her experience both overseas and in the NWSL helps her give advice to prospective pros, and a round of The Internet Said It where we learn about Allie's playing persona vs real life persona.
Newly Minnesotan Dani Foxhoven came on the show to talk about her 3 NWSL Championships, using her platform off the field, her time coaching both college and with the youth national teams, and the return of The Internet Said It.
Matt continued his never ending pitch for people to buy Under The Lights and In The Dark (https://bookshop.org/books/under-the-lights-and-in-the-dark-untold-stories-of-women-s-soccer/9781785783197) and Dani pitched her soccer clinics at 9th Street Soccer and Coffee (https://www.ninthstreetmpls.com/)
Matt sits down with new Gopher Soccer Head Coach Erin Chastain to ask about her initial conversations with staff/players, how she'll approach this first season, what she'll take from previous coaching stints into this new role in new home state of Minnesota, and a return of segments "The Internet Said It" and Listener Questions!
Lauren Roberts started her career as a promising holding midfielder for the Gophers but was forced to retire due to medical reasons. Now, she's a student assistant on the coaching staff. Matt talked to Lauren about making that transition, how her relationships with coaches changed, whether she'd want to coach long-term, and a few listener questions that led to #breaking news to Lauren's mom about her getting cat (that her mom is allergic to).
Matt sat down with Tom McGinnis, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Gopher Athletics, about the Gopher Head Coach search -- including Tom's role in chairing the hiring committee, how he'll balance candidates with connections to the U vs those who are new to Minnesota, and the timeline they're shooting for.
Matt does his last annual show with WPSL President Sean Jones as he hands off the beat to Mark, moving forward. Mark and Matt ask him about league growth, what made the MN Thunder Academy a good fit for the Minnesota market, rebounding from the year off during COVID, and more!
We talk to South Dakota State alums Annie Williams and Maggie Smither about playing in Iceland, settling in to their new towns, finding the right agents, ferrying from the little island to the big island, and more!
With the NWSL Challenge Cup and 2021 Season about to kick off on April 9th, Matt and Maya Hayes (former NWSL pro) talk to Chicago and Kansas City supporters about why Minnesotans should follow their teams. First up is Lauren Las and Christian Castro from Chicago Local 135 and then around 30 minutes Danielle Russell and Anna Fowler from KC Blue Crew start, with an unexpected crash by former Gopher coach and now KC NWSL coach Alli Lipsher around 40 minutes.
We sit down with Gopher Soccer Head Coach Stefanie Golan to talk about her more nimble lineup this season, turning shots into true opportunities, coming back to Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium to finish the year, and the format for Big Ten Wildcard Weekend.
Maddie Castro played four years on the Gopher Soccer team (2015-2018 seasons) and this year she's been providing analysis and color commentary for Gopher broadcasts alongside Matt on BTN Plus. We chat with Maddie about what it's like to follow the team as an alum, where the Gophers have improved most over last year, where there's still room to grow, a look at some of the biggest lineup changes this year, and a ton of listener questions including how eating cake is like doing a fitness test.
Matt talks to Gopher Soccer stars Katie Koker and Megan Plaschko fresh off their wins as Defensive Player of the Week and Goalkeeper of the Week in the Big Ten. They talk about scream dancing out the nerves before the Nebraska game, building confidence game to game, how they landed at the U, and some rapid fire non-soccer questions to close.
We sit down with Sadie and Sophia to talk about them combining for the Gophers game winning goal against Michigan State, long road trips during COVID, the intricacies of their cleat choices, Delaney Stekr's work rate in practice, and a slew of listener (and Paige Elliott) questions.
Matt talks to Gopher Soccer star Megan Gray following her breakout performance as a holding midfielder in Minnesota's return to the field after more than a year between games. They discuss when she knew she'd be playing her new position, staying motivated during COVID, and how the team talked about kneeling for the anthem and making their voices heard.
Matt is joined by Anna Landis (@juliannalandis) from the MN Daily to preview the upcoming Gopher Soccer season. After more than a year since their last game we talked to:
Head Coach Stef Golan (starts around 6 min) Defenders Athena Kuehn and Alana Dressely (around 17 min) Midfielders Katie Duong and Sophia Boman (around 28 min) Attackers Kenz Langdok and Kenna Buisman (38 min)
We catch up with Gopher Soccer Head Coach Stefanie Golan about this extended fall camp/pre-season/off-season, how the young players are adapting and growing, and we answer some Patreon questions about the Del Moral Cup, the Duong-Boman pairing in midfield, Buisman-Langdok-Stekr showing improvement, and more!
A reminder that you can always support the Gopher Soccer program financially if you have the means by contributing to their Soccer Enhancement Fund: bit.ly/SupportGopherSoccer
Bianca Keil is the new Head Coach at the University of Minnesota Morris, a DIII program that plays in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC). We talk to Bianca about transitioning from head coach-to assistant-and back again, recruiting in a state she's never lived in before, and building a program in the COVID era.
For this massive episode, we brought in 6 current and former Gopher Soccer stars (Rashida Beal, Patricia Ward, Maddie Nielsen, Athena Kuehn, Katie Koker, Katie Duong) to help us preview the knockout rounds of the NWSL Challenge Cup and to check in to see where each individual player is at after COVID quarantine.
We sat down with returning Gopher Soccer veterans Patricia and Ari to learn about recovering from ACL tears during COVID, how so much time rehabbing may impact their game both physically and mentally, and their individual goals for this fall.
We spoke with new Gopher Soccer assistant coach Maya Hayes about how she landed in Minnesota, translating her playing expertise to coaching, how fans can support players looking to speak out about racial justice, and more.
We chat with St Cloud State Assistant Coach Jade Smith live on Instagram to learn about how the Huskies are adjusting during COVID, their outlook for what version of the 2020 season we may have, how Jade landed in Minnesota, how she made the jump from England to North Dakota before that, and more.
We talk to Emily Bunnell LIVE on Instagram to do a deep dive on the transfer process. Emily started her college career at Baylor, spent her junior season at the University of Minnesota, and after finishing her undergraduate degree will now pursue her Masters at Seattle U and finish her last year of athletic eligibility as well.
We catch up with Annie Williams fresh offer her second stint in the Costa Rica pro league and start our series of deep dives, this one on recruiting and how the financial offers come together.
We talk to Molly Rouse about her new gig as the Head Coach of DI Dixie State, getting the chance to coach at her alma mater University of Minnesota, and more!
We go LIVE on Instagram with former Gopher Soccer star and current Bundeliga pro Rashida Beal to talk about what dealing with COVID has been like overseas, adapting to a new league, her bizarre journey through multiple injuries, and a return of our segment "The Internet Said It"
We talk to strength and conditioning coach Corey Peterson and trainer Sarah Wambheim of Gopher Soccer to learn more about load management, diet and nutrition, and a slew of Twitter questions and player advice (starting around minute 38).
We talk to the former Gopher Soccer star and current University of South Dakota assistant coach Maddie Gaffney about bringing her playing experience into coaching, the differences between the Big Ten and the Summit League, the tension between disciplining a cat and getting it to love you, and a slew of Twitter questions.
We sat down with Katie Duong following her recent call in to the US Soccer youth national team where she captained the U-20s in the Nike Friendlies. We chatted about playing as a defensive midfielder for the US, how that differs from her attacking role in Minnesota, how a Portland native landed on the Gophers, and what she and the team may focus on this upcoming spring season.
The University of Minnesota had it's toughest season ever on paper, but the Gophers showed significant flashes of potential up to the very last whistle. We talked to Gophers Head Coach Stefanie Golan about:
:00 Perspective on the season overall 4:40 Where do they go (Athena Kuehn, Paige Elliott - tangent on Dressely and Koker - Katie Duong) 17:20 Attacking in the final third 23:45 Formation shift from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 28:00 Undercover progress (Langdok, Gray, Inniss, Buisman) 35:25 Tougher schedule
We sat down with Cachet Lue to talk about her decision to transfer to Minnesota from TCU, getting an opportunity to play for the Jamaican National Team, and more.
We sat down for our first full UMAC/MIAC/NSIC Player of the Week show featuring Taylor Kenealy from Mankato, Sarah Pasternak from St Thomas (starts at 13:47), and Maddie Gutekunst from UW Superior (starts at 22:37).
We sat down with UMAC Player of the Week, Maddie Perry, to talk about Bethany Lutheran's season, how they're bouncing back from last year, and breaking into the conference tournament field.
We're LIVE from Blackhart for the USWNT night-before party. First we talk to Jen Larrick about her work to improve representation and expand access to soccer. Then we catch up with Stefanie Golan to talk everything Gopher Soccer. Finally we bring up Kassey Kallman to talk about what places like MN need to succeed in the NWSL (if they add a team) and the return of "the internet said it".
We chat with Chris Henderson of the Woso Independent podcast about returning Gophers who need to step into bigger roles, the strength of the backline vs the front six, Minnesota's tough schedule, and his Big Ten projections.
I know a little about Monarch from chatting with you two at events but tell folks about the organization. When was it founded and who are the communities you’re looking to serve? (1 min)
Talk about your soccer experience and what led you to want to do this work? (10 min)
Talk a little bit about the actual programming you do. How much of it is structured games against other teams vs open play on a random weekday and stuff like that? (18 min)
What are some of the biggest obstacles to doing this kind of work? (23:30 min)
What impact does that lack of access have on the growth and development of soccer in the US overall? (30 min)
Women still don’t have anywhere near fair representation in coaching. Talk a little bit about what we need to change to give women more of a shot in the coaching ranks? (36:30)
What role do the structured school soccer environments play in your work? Do you hope to get girls exposed to high school and college options or is the youth experience in and of itself part of the goal? (46:45 min)
How can average soccer fans, who maybe haven’t heard of Monarch, support your work? (53:45 min)
We caught up with former Gopher Soccer star, and Czech League pro vet Simone Kolander after her return to the professional ranks in Iceland. Simone talks about her recruitment to Iceland, adapting to a new country, the level of play, and our first edition of "the internet said it."
We sat down with Krystle Seidel to talk: How Mac is looking this year(1min) How she decided to get into coaching (4:30min) How was the transition from player to coach (7min) Transition from assistant to head coach (12min) The impact of women coaches (15 min) Finding her niche in a crowded recruiting landscape (21min) Recruiting at Mac vs the U (25 min) Who’s her favorite gopher soccer alum? (29min) The Kallman Family (34 min) What nickname did Jay-Bee (equipment mgr) give her & why (36 min)
It's Pride Month!! We sat down with three women who have coached and played through issues like representation, being a strong ally, and giving players equal treatment.
Haley Helverson has played professionally in Sweden and Puerto Rico since graduating from the University of Minnesota. We talk to her about playing in new leagues, fighting through injuries, and more.
We catch up with former Bundesliga and US Mens National Team star Tony Sanneh and Gopher Soccer Head Coach Stefanie Golan following their diplomatic trip to Kenya. We talk about connecting with kids across the world, Tony's recently awarded Bush Fellowship, the Gophers spring season, and how the game is growing in Minnesota.
Julie Eibensteiner owns and operates Laurus Athletic Rehab and Performance. She specializes in ACL rehab and was previously a starting goalkeeper for the Gopher Soccer team. We sat down to talk injury prevention and rehab, specialization and recruiting happening at younger and younger ages, the idea of paying college athletes, and more.
Alli Lipsher had a standout college career and a globe trotting pro career. Now, she's the Director of Goalkeeping for Gopher Soccer, the founder of First Line Futbol, and a strategist with Visible City. We talked to her about coaching young keepers, translating her playing experience into coaching, and urban planning!
In the last year, Salvo SC was created through the merger of Woodbury and Dakota REV soccer clubs, they've been accepted into the US Soccer Development Academy System, and they've launched a new WPSL team. We sat down with Executive Director Lisa Wolf and Technical Director Peter Rivard to learn more.
We chatted with SDSU Jackrabits and Fire 98 star Annie Williams down in Costa Rica where she's finishing up her degree and playing for Costa Rican powerhouse Saprissa. She talks about adjusting to a new level of play and her plans to return to the Fire in the WPSL in the summer.
We sat down with Technical Director Greg Holker, Director of Girls Coaching Jen Larrick, and Coach Taylor Greathouse from BV United about the clubs commitment to hiring female coaches for all its girls teams. (Podcast recorded during a live Twitter video)
Gopher Soccer Head Coach Stefanie Golan talks about the teams run to the NCAA Tournament, who may step up to fill spots left by the outstanding 2018 senior class, which recruits may battle for immediate playing time, and more.
We check in with Gopher Soccer Head Coach Stefanie Golan before Minnesota takes on Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament Championship. We talk about Big Ten Award Winners April Bockin, Molly Fiedler, and Patricia Ward as well as "Equal Time Soccer All Stars" Athena Kuehn, Nikki Albrecht, Emily Heslin, and Megan Gray.
We caught up with Bemidji State University star forward Rachael Norton before the Beavers big rivalry match against Minnesota State Mankato. Rachael talked about her journey to BSU, what it means to combine individual and team success, and how the team can finish strong and stay undefeated.
Three players from the Fire WPSL squad just returned from the league's first ever international combine. We talk to them about their experience in Oklahoma, this past WPSL season, and their future plans.
1:00 Mariah Northrop 11:30 Annie Williams 28:30 Julia Clifford
(music by bensound.com)
Molly Rouse had a stellar playing career at the University of Minnesota and coaching stops at DI programs across the country. Now, she's back in Minnesota as part of Stefanie Golan's coaching staff with the Gophers. We talked to her about transitioning from playing to coaching, coming back to Minnesota, and what she'll focus on as a member of the staff.
(Music by bensound.com)
Minnesota native Katie Schulz was a star for the Wayzata High School team, the University of Wisconsin Green Bay, and the Twin Stars in the WPSL. This past year, she played professionally in Cyprus. We talk to her about adjusting to a new country, how the level of play compared to previous leagues, and what her plans are for the future.
(music by bensound.com)
We talk to WPSL President Sean Jones about the leagues first ever international combine this summer, what pro leagues could benefit from WPSL players, and the growth of the league overall.
(music by bensound.com)
Bridget McDowell, the MN United FC beat reporter for MLS Female, talks about adding a female voice to the mail dominated soccer beat, the tense locker room moments for the Loons this season, and how she got into soccer writing in the first place.
(Music by bensound.com)
Kelsey Hood had an incredibly successful college career for the Gophers, earning All Conference, All Region, and All America honors from 2005-2008. From there, she’s had stints playing in the W-League in Vancouver, coaching with the Gophers, and playing for several years in the top league in Norway.
(Music by bensound.com)
Gopher Soccer stars April Bockin and Nikki Albrecht talk about getting called into the US Soccer youth national teams, what it's like to play at that level, and how their experience will help them lead a new group of recruits next season for Minnesota.
(Music by bensound.com)