BURNSVILLE, Minn. - The 2021 NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll has been released and Concordia-St. Paul has been picked to finish third in the standings as voted on by the league's head coaches. 

The defending NSIC champions look to return to play with the same tenacity they had in 2019, which is shown by receiving 200 points and four first place votes. 

Minnesota State received nine first place votes and outranked Augustana's 202 points with 218. Augustana, coming off a 16-5-1 record in 2019, received three first place votes. Bemidji State earned 194 points and the fourth place spot while St. Cloud State took fifth place with 165 points. 

After a 17-3-3 season (12-1-2 NSIC) and an NSIC championship, the Golden Bears look to continue their momentum in 2021. Their .804 winning percentage was the highest in the program's Division II history, after improving from their previous best of .605 in 2018. The 2019 season also extended CSP's double-digit win streak to three consecutive years. What started in 2017 as a 10 win record was maintained in 2018 with 10 wins, then dramatically improved to 17 wins. 

The 2019 team made program history by being NSIC regular season champions, being NSIC Tournament runner-up, playing in the NCAA Central Region Tournament second round, and receiving votes in the final United Soccer Coaches Division II Top-25 poll. They also brought the program to its 10th NSIC Tournament appearance since 2003 and its third straight appearance since 2017. 

With the departure of nine seniors from the championship team, the Golden Bears will rely on the leadership of lone senior Cayla Renwick but will also expect the 18 freshmen to answer the call set before them by the defending champions. 

The Golden Bear offense nearly doubled their opponents in shots on goal per game, taking 16.6 shots on average and allowing only 8.6 shots on net. CSP also outscored their rivals 43-15, with 24 goals coming in the first half of play and 17 coming in the second half.

Sophomore forward Nikki Anderson led CSP's offense with 10 goals in 2019 as a freshman, followed closely by sophomore forward/midfielder and a player to watch for 2021 Katie Anderson with eight. Both players were in the NSIC's top-10 for goals with Nikki Anderson in second place and Katie Anderson in eighth place. 

The club's defense will see a return of senior Cayla Renwick, sophomore Lauren Thompson, sophomore Harper Smoot, sophomore Tori Miller, and sophomore goalkeeper Sarah Golemme. Redshirt freshmen Kasey Herbster (goalkeeper) and Abby Kloiber (D/MF) will bring additional experience to bolster the backline, as well. 

Ten new defensive players will be added to the roster with hopes of maintaining the success of the previous season. 

After not seeing any action in 2020, the Golden Bears will start off the season in St. Joseph, Missouri on Friday, September 3 and Sunday, September 5 playing Missouri Western State at 6 p.m. and Emporia State (Kan.) at noon, respectively. 

The first home game of the season will be held at Sea Foam Stadium on Sunday, September 12 at 1 p.m. against Rockhurst (Mo.). 

The 2021 NSIC Soccer Regular Season Champion will be determined by a 15-game league schedule, with a win earning a team three points and a tie one point.

The 2021 NSIC Soccer season will see its first action on Thursday, September 2 with NSIC action beginning on Friday, September 17. 

The NSIC Tournament is scheduled for November 10, 12, 14. The top four seeds shall host for the first round, followed by the semifinal and championship rounds at the campus of the highest remaining seed.
 

#20 Katie Anderson (F, 5-9, So., San Diego, Calif. / West Hills HS) 

• In 23 games, has recorded 907 minutes on the pitch

• Placed 8th in NSIC goalscoring in 2019 

• Earned 2020 NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence

• Three-time game winning goal scorer in 2019 

• Recorded her first career goal against Minot State, scored twice that game
   

"Katie will return hungrier to play, to score than ever. I know she's missed the game and her team more than most and she certainly loves to compete. Her desire and work rate is infectious on the training ground and particularly on game day." -Head Coach Steve Bellis 

#22 Cayla Renwick (D, 5-2, Sr., Cedar Rapids, Iowa / Prairie HS) 

• Recipient of 2020 Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award

• Earned 2020 NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence 

• 61 game veteran for CSP, 2652 career minutes played 

• Member of the Dean's List 

• Four-year member of SAAC

"Cayla is a returning senior and one of our captains at CSP. As such, her leadership qualities will be extremely valuable and her ability to influence others is huge for us. On the field she reads the game better than ever and has some versatility to help us at several spots in the backline." -Head Coach Steve Bellis