Quick Notes:

• The two-time defending Summit League regular season champion North Dakota State University women's soccer team is scheduled to travel to Utah for a pair of non-league matches Friday, Aug. 25, at Sunday, Aug. 27. The Bison take on Weber State Friday at 7 p.m. MT (8 p.m. CT) in Ogden before facing Utah Sunday at 1 p.m. MT (2 p.m. CT) in Salt Lake City.
• North Dakota State returns five starters from last season's Summit League regular season championship team, including All-Summit League honorees Holly Enderle, Monica Polgar and Mariah Haberle.

The Series Against Weber State
        Friday's contest at Weber State will mark the third meeting in the all-time series and the first encounter since 2006. The Wildcats lead the series 0-1-1. The two teams played to a 0-0 draw in double-overtime in Omaha, Neb., when they last met in 2006.

The Series Against Utah
        Sunday's showdown at Utah will be the second meeting in the all-time series. The Utes claimed a 3-1 victory in the inaugural meeting last season in Fargo.

#NDSUBison Notes

• Entering the weekend, North Dakota State is 0-2-0 overall after losing two contests against North Dakota and No. 19 Minnesota.
• Through two matches, sophomore forward Mariah Haberle has a team-high eight shots, while junior forward Holly Enderle has five shots. Haberle and freshman midfielder Danielle Algera each have a team-best three shots on goal.
• Sophomore goalkeeper Monica Polgar is 0-2-0 between the posts with a 2.47 goals-against average (GAA) and six saves. She has allowed four goals in 145:50 minutes.
• As a team, NDSU is average 12.5 shots per game while its opponents are averaging 13.5 shots per game. The Bison have a .320 shots on goal percentage and have taken eight corner kicks.
• The Bison were picked to finish tied for second with South Dakota State in The Summit League Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll. Denver was tabbed the preseason favorite by just one-point.
• NDSU welcomes 10 newcomers this season in freshmen Marian Taiwo (F), Danielle Algera (MF), Kennedi Keller (D), Daniella Jasper (F/MF), Malana Vachon (MF), Brookelyn Dew (F/MF), Grace Sundberg (D), Ellen Schneider (D/MF) and Maddie Burnstein (D), and transfer Nicola De Pape (D).
• NDSU is on the road for seven consecutive matches starting this weekend and won't return to Dacotah Field until their Sept. 17 tilt with Utah Valley.

Looking Back at 2016

• The Bison compiled a 10-8-1 overall record and won their second straight Summit League regular season title with a 5-2-1 league mark.
• Seven Bison were named All-Summit League. Sophomore Holly Enderle and senior Amy Yang were selected first team all-league, while seniors Natalie Fenske, Genna Joyce and Lizzie Lukas, and freshman Monica Polgar garnered second team all-league honors. Freshman Mariah Haberle was named to the all-freshmen team.
• Holly Enderle, Natalie Fenske and Amy Yang were voted to The Summit League Academic All-League Team.
• Natalie Fenske was voted to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 6 First Team for her performance in the classroom and on the pitch. Fenske was also named a Senior CLASS Award candidate.
• Holly Enderle led the Bison and ranked second in The Summit League with 10 goals and 22 points.
• Amy Yang and Mariah Haberle each dished out a team-best six assists.
• Monica Polgar led the league with six shutouts in goal and tallied a 9-8-0 record with a 1.27 goals-against average (GAA) and 57 saves.

Scouting Weber State

• The Weber State University Wildcats out of the Big Sky Conference enter the weekend at 0-2-0 overall after dropping matches against Wright State and Drake in the UNLV Invitational Aug. 18 and 20.
• After two matches, junior forward Madison Garlock has a team-best eight shots and two shots on goal.
• Weber State has played two goalkeepers through two matches. Redshirt sophomore Nikki Pittman is 0-1-0 with a 0.95 GAA and four saves. She has only allowed one goal. Senior Sydnie Brough is 0-1-0 with one goal allowed and a 1.00 GAA. Brough has made two saves.
• As a team, the Wildcats have yet to score a goal while giving up an average of one goal to their opponents. Weber State is outshooting its adversaries, on average, 10.5 to 8.5.
• The Wildcats were picked to finish seventh out of 11 teams in the Big Sky Conference preseason coaches' poll.
• Weber State is under the direction of 14th season head coach Tim Crompton. 

Scouting Utah

• The University of Utah Utes out of the Pac-12 are 1-0-0 on the season entering their match against Utah State on Thursday, Aug. 24. Utah defeated South Dakota State in its season-opener, 4-1, Aug. 20.
• In the match against SDSU, junior forward Hailey Skolmoski netted two goals, while junior midfielders Paola Van der Veen and Eden Jacobsen each netted a goal. Sophomore goalkeeper Carly Nelson earned the win after allowing one goal in 90 minutes while making four saves.
• Utah outshot South Dakota State, 22-5, and took eight corner kicks while holding the Jackrabbits to no corner kicks.
• The Utes were voted fifth out of 12 teams in the Pac-12 preseason coaches' poll.
• Utah is under the leadership of 16th season head coach Rich Manning.

New Playing Surface at Dacotah Field
        North Dakota State will be playing on a brand new FieldTurf artificial turf surface at Dacotah Field beginning this season. The turf was installed in the summer of 2017.

Head Coach Mark Cook
        Mark Cook is in his sixth season at the helm of the North Dakota State soccer program after being named head coach in 2012.  He is the fourth head coach in the 20-year history of the program.
        Cook helped the Bison claim their second straight Summit League regular season championship in 2016, as North Dakota State compiled an overall record of 10-8-1 and a league mark of 5-2-1. NDSU qualified for its eighth consecutive Summit League tournament and hosted the league tournament at Dacotah Field for the first time in program history. Seven student-athletes received All-Summit League honors. Holly Enderle and Amy Yang earned first team all-league accolades, while Natalie Fenske, Genna Joyce, Lizzie Lukas and Monica Polgar were named second team all-league. Mariah Haberle rounded out the Bison honorees and was named to the all-freshmen team, respectively.
        Cook came to NDSU after serving as the Director of Coaching at the Minnesota Thunder Academy for 11 years, where he grew a four-team program into one of the premier club programs in the Twin Cities with 65 teams in 2012.
        Cook holds the United States Soccer Federation 'A' coaching license, the highest certification available in the U.S.  He also has the NSCAA Premier License and Director of Coaching Diploma.
        He graduated from Alfred (N.Y.) University in 1993 with a bachelor's degree in communications. He was the starting goalkeeper at Alfred for two years.

On the Horizon
        The Bison continue their non-league slate with a pair of matches in Iowa. NDSU plays at Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. before taking on Drake in Des Moines at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 3.