BURNSVILLE, Minn – The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference released the 2026 Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll and Winona State was voted to finish ninth in the league. Kyleigh Jannisch and Annika Groendal were selected as players to watch for the Warriors during the 2026 season.
After going 7-6-4 overall and 6-6-3 in conference play during the 2025 season, the Winona State finished the voting with 104 points. Minnesota State was selected to win the NSIC with 223 points with 13 first place votes.
The Warriors will be heading into their third season under head coach Delaney Marier. Looking forward to the 2026 season, Marier said, "what excites me most about this team is the blend of experience and hunger we have heading into the season. We return key pieces on both sides of the ball, and we have already seen the leadership taking shape. This group has bought into raising the standard for what we expect from ourselves day to day. We're a team that's hungry to compete for a conference title, and I love the energy we're bringing into the fall."
Jannisch, a junior midfielder from Aurora, lll, returns to the warriors after earning Second Team All-Conference honors last year. Jannisch finished the season with 11 points in 17 matches played last season. Head coach Marrier on Jannisch: "what impresses me even more is her work rate and consistency. She's also a great example of what we want in this program academically. She's a total package player for us."
Groendal, a senior defender from New Berlin, Wis, is back for the 2026 season after helping the Warriors hold their opponents to 1.29 goals per game in the 15 matches she played. Marier on Groendal: "she is tough, smart, and completely unselfish. She's the kind of player who does the hard, unglamorous work that doesn't always show up in a highlight reel but wins you games. She's also grown into a real leader for us, and her teammates respect how consistent she is, day in and day out.
The Warriors will open their season at home against the University of Wisconsin – Parkside Thursday, August 27th at 5:00 p.m.
