Nebraska Opens 2020-21 Season at Minnesota

Nebraska at Minnesota
Sunday, Feb. 21 • 1 p.m. (CT)
Recreation and Wellness Sports Field Complex 
Minneapolis, Minn.
 
» TV: BTN+
» Live Stats: GopherSports.com
» Twitter Updates: @NebraskaSoccer
 
The Nebraska women’s soccer team returns to action after over a year since its last match, opening the 2020-21 regular season at Minnesota on Sunday, Feb. 21. The Huskers and Golden Gophers kick off at 1 p.m. (CT) from the Recreation and Wellness Sports Field Complex in Minneapolis. The game will be streamed live on BTN+ (additional subscription required). 

Next Up

Nebraska heads to East Lansing, Mich. for its second of three road games to open the 2020-21 campaign, meeting Michigan State on Thursday, Feb. 25. The Huskers take on the Spartans at noon (CT).

Kicking Off

• Nebraska returns 15 letterwinners to the roster this season from the 2019 campaign. Among those returners are Kenzie Coons and Olivia Brown, who both started every game for the Huskers last season. 
• The Big Red 2020-21 roster includes two seniors, 10 juniors, four sophomores, a redshirt freshman and eight freshmen. Four hometown Huskers join the roster this season while seven total hail from Nebraska. The roster features players from 10 states and three countries. 
• The Huskers play 11 matches in the postponed 2020-21 conference-only season. Six games are scheduled to be played in Lincoln and NU will play five games on the road. 
• Four of Nebraska’s 2020-21 opponents qualified for the 2019 NCAA Tournament. Rutgers fell in the first round while Michigan, Wisconsin and Penn State made it to the Sweet 16. 
• Since joining the Big Ten in 2011, Nebraska has qualified for the conference tournament four times (2012, 2013, 2016, 2018). NU captured the title in 2013 after winning the regular-season crown.
• In the Big Ten’s preseason poll voted on by conference coaches, the Huskers are picked to finish ninth in the conference. 
• Grace Brown, Dakota Chan and Kenzie Coons earned spots on the Big Ten’s preseason Players to Watch List. 

Scouting the Minnesota Golden Gophers 

• Minnesota finished the 2019 season 3-12-4 with a 2-7-2 record in conference matches. 
• The Gophers return 18 players from their 2019 roster this season, with seven players who recorded 1,000 or more minutes of action. 
• The all-time series between Nebraska and Minnesota is tied at 7-7-1, dating back to 1996. Last season, NU and the Gophers finished with a 1-1 draw. Meg Brandt scored the Husker’s lone goal of the game to end the Gophers’ five game win streak in the series. 
• Head Coach Stephanie Golan is 87-60-21 in her 9th season at Minnesota. She holds a career record of 120-78-31 in her 12th year overall. Golan is assisted by Becky Maines, Maya Hayes, Tarah Hobbs and Lauren Roberts. 
• Players to Watch 

  • #9 Sophia Boman (Freshman M): Joins the Gophers after a prep career at Edina High School that includes two conference championships, three All-State honors and four All-Conference nods. 
  • #10 Katie Duong (Sophomore M): 2019 Big Ten All-Freshman Team member. Recorded one goal and one assist in 16 games for the Gophers last season. 
  • #2 Makenzie Langdok (Senior F): Played in 49 career games and started 19. Scored two goals on 16 shots and 11 shots on goal in 201