BURNSVILLE, Minn. - The Northern Sun released the 2026 NSIC Preseason Women's Soccer Coaches Poll on Monday morning and Concordia-St. Paul was picked to finish second in the league with Sophia Haase being named the NSIC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.

The Golden Bears earned 204 points and three first-place votes in the poll, just behind Minnesota State. MSU tops the preseason poll, coming off a season in which they were the NSIC regular season and conference tournament champions. The Mavericks earned 223 points and 13 first-place votes.

CSP is coming off its eighth straight trip to the NSIC Tournament after finishing (12-3-5, 9-3-3 NSIC).

Looking ahead to this year's team, Head Coach Steve Bellis said, "This group has a great blend of returning experience and talented newcomers who are eager to compete and continue raising the standard of our program. Our players have embraced the challenge of improving every day. They are committed to the process, willing to work hard for one another, and have created a culture built on accountability, resilience, and teamwork. Those qualities give us a strong foundation heading into the season. I'm also excited about our depth and competitiveness. Every training session will push players to improve, and that internal competition will make us better when we step onto the field this Fall."

Senior midfielder Sophia Haase returns after a standout 2025 season and was named the NSIC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. She led the Golden Bears with 10 goals and 22 points while leading the NSIC with 84 shots, 47 shots on goal, and six game-winning goals, helping Concordia-St. Paul advance to the NSIC Tournament semifinals. Haase also became the first student-athlete in program history to earn CSC Academic All-American honors in consecutive seasons, receiving second-team recognition in 2025 after earning third-team honors in 2024. 

Bellis on Haase: "Sophia Haase is a dynamic forward and team captain who leads through both her performance and example. She combines pace, intelligence, and relentless work rate to consistently create scoring opportunities while setting the standard for her teammates. A natural attacking player, Sophia is dangerous in and around the penalty area with her ability to finish, press defenders, and make intelligent runs behind the back line."

Sophomore defender Maddison Balashaitis was named Concordia-St. Paul's Defensive Player to Watch after starting 17 of 20 matches as a freshman last season. She anchored the Golden Bears' defense and earned NSIC Defensive Player of the Week honors on Nov. 3 after scoring her first collegiate goal and helping hold Southwest Minnesota State to five shots in a 6-0 shutout. 

Bellis on Balashaitis: "Maddison is a composed, athletic central defender who has the tools to excel in a possession-based system. She combines strong defensive instincts with the confidence to play out of the back, making her effective both as a ball winner and as the first player in the attack."

The Golden Bears will open the season at Sea Foam Stadium against Ferris State on Aug. 29, followed by a pair of road matches versus Parkside on Sept. 4 and Roosevelt on Sept. 6.