SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Oral Roberts checks in as the No. 1 seed and won both matches this past weekend, finishing a ten-game League unbeaten streak for an 8-0-2 League record and a 26-point total that ranks second in Summit League history and first among non-COVID seasons.
ORU’s 0.842 winning percentage is also the fourth-best win-loss-tied percentage in all of Division I. In the latest United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer West Region rankings, Oral Roberts checks in at No. 3. They will be idle this week as they prepare to host The Summit League semifinals and finals nex week.
Oral Roberts ranks highly among the country’s best in several categories, ranking ninth in goal differential (30) and eighth in goals-against average (0.526) while Summit League Midfielder of the Year Cameron Silva ranks eighth nationally with eight assists and All-Summit League First Team F Brianna Castleberry ranks ninth with five game-winning goals. Silva was one of three individual award winners as Austin Risenhoover was named the Summit League Coach of the Year while Hannah Voskuhl collected Defensive Player of the Year honors.
In the latest NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer RPI rankings, two Summit League programs rank in the top 150. Oral Roberts comes in at No. 73 while South Dakota State No. 142. The Summit League continues to rank highly among all NCAA Division I conferences, being second in goals allowed (169) and third in save percentage (0.781).
After entering last week in third place in Pod A, North Dakota State battled to a pair of one-goal victories against South Dakota and South Dakota State to win the pod and earn a bye to the semifinals in Tulsa. Tied at 2-2 late Thursday night, the Bison and Coyotes scored three goals in the final three minutes, capped by Isabel Garcia’s first goal of the season in the 90th minute to jump USD and hold second place.
Another highlight from the Bison’s victory came in the 12th mintue when Payton Mulberry lifted a free kick from just inside of 60 yards over the keeper and to the back of the net, the first goalkeeper goal in Bison history. On Saturday, NDSU capped its climb up the table with a 1-0 win at South Dakota State. Gabrielle Garrett netted a 22nd minute goal while Mulberry stopped seven shots en route to victory.
North Dakota State’s Morgan Russmann was named Offensive Player of the Year for the second time in the last three seasons. Russman scored five goals and added an assist in nine games for the Bison, helping lead NDSU to first place in Pod A and a bye to the semifinals.
If history is any indication, the Jackrabbits, who won on Thursday before Saturday’s loss, aren’t too concerned about not receiving a bye. SDSU will play in the quarterfinals for the third consecutive season, going 3-0 and winning championships in each of the last two occurances. The Jackrabbits also won in 2023 after receiving a bye into the semifinals.
South Dakota State as a team continues to rank among the best in NCAA Division I in multiple statistics, ranking fourth in assists per game (3.00), 17th in goal differential (26), 12th in points per game (7.56), 24th in goals per game (2.28), fourth in total assists (54), 18th in total goals (41) and seventh in total points (136). South Dakota State goalkeeper Mallorie Benhart ranks 10th among all active Division I student-athletes in career saves (275), 25th in career saves per game (4.51) and 27th in career shutouts (21). She was named Summit League Goalkeeper of the Year on Wednesday afternoon.
SDSU will take on St. Thomas on Friday at 6 p.m., in the Tommie’s first-ever postseason match. UST clinched a Summit League playoff berth for the first time in program history with its 0-0 tie with Kansas City on Thursday. Sophia Alvarez made four saves while the defense added two team saves to help preserve the result.
After earning a tie on the final day of the regular season, Omaha earned the No. 2 seed in Pod B and will host a conference tournament match for the fourth time. The Mavericks are 0-1-2 in three games, winning both ties in penalty kicks. In the final game of the regular season, The Mavericks controlled the offensive tempo throughout the match, outshooting the Kansas City 16-3, including a 7-0 advantage in shots on goal. Omaha’s defense held Kansas City without a shot in the opening 45 minutes and did not allow a shot on goal for the entire match.
Omaha and South Dakota will meet in the quarterfinals on Friday in Omaha. On Oct. 15, the Coyotes got a Sadie Strait goal in the 68th minute and a five-save shutout from Cambell Fischer to earn a 1-0 road win. South Dakota’s Brooklynn Pollmiller was named the Newcomer of the Year. The true freshman has made her mark on the Summit League in just her first season. Pollmiller started all 10 conference matches for the Coyotes, scoring two goals and adding two assists in conference play.
This Week In The Summit League (All Times Local To Site)
2026 #SummitWSOC Championship
Quarterfinals | Friday, Nov. 6 | TV | Time
Q1: South Dakota at Omaha | SLN | 2:30 p.m.
Q2: St. Thomas at South Dakota State | SLN | 6 p.m.
Semifinal | Thursday, Nov. 12
S1: (2) North Dakota State vs. Q1 Winner | SLN | 2 p.m.
S2: (1) Oral Roberts vs. Q2 Winner | SLN | 6 p.m.
Championship | Sunday, Nov. 15
C: S1 Winner vs. S2 Winner | SLN | 1 p.m.
ALL TIMES ARE LOCAL TO SITE
Key: SLN (Summit League Network)
#SummitWSOC
