Although it is rarely covered by the traditional media giants of the state, Nebraska is filled with exciting and competitive collegiate soccer programs. In fact, Nebraska contains a grand total of THIRTY programs for men and women. Those thirty programs compete across a wide variety of collegiate levels including Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA, and junior college.

Nebraska Soccer Talk is here to examine, cover, and promote all of these teams. This task has been made a bit more challenging by the circumstances created by COVID-19. Depending on the playing level, conference, and school, the season outlook changes drastically. Roster information can also be in flux, depending on the school. Despite these challenges, our staff attempted to put together the best program summaries possible. To our knowledge, we are the only outlet providing such coverage to our state’s college programs.

Just like Nebraska Soccer Talk, this column will grow and become more in depth as the years pass. In the future, we hope to provide sideline coverage of games, facility features, coach and player interviews. We look forward to the journey ahead. Thank you for being a part of our community. The sport of soccer is growing in Nebraska, and we intend to see it thrive.

Disclaimer – In the making of this article, team websites and other research sources were utilized. Although we attempt to avoid them whenever possible, errors can occur. Please contact us directly with corrections.

Midland University

Head Coach – Raphael Martinez (6th season)

Mascot – Warriors

Nebraska Homegrown Players On Roster – 

• #8 Shahin Tavarov – Jr – Omaha – M
• #26 Dalton Stodieck – Fr – York HS – F
• #39 Merrick Andrews – Fr – Gretna HS – F
• #46 Emmanuel Kate – Jr – Omaha – F

NEST Analysis – A consistent winner, the Warriors men’s program has finished with a winning record every year since 2011. They are routinely competitive during regular and postseason GPAC play. The 2020-2021 squad is filled with international talent from all across the globe. Under the leadership of Coach Martinez, this Midland program will always be in the discussion for GPAC titles. In recent program news, Midland University has had on-going discussions with the Fremont Soccer Club in regards to their playing fields. Hopefully that can be resolved in the near future, and a true home for this team can be established with a mutually beneficial agreement between the two parties.

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through multiple different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, or listen to our podcast on Spotify.

Chace Hutchison

Previewing an upcoming season is never an easy task. To do so properly takes countless hours of emails, observations, statistical research, conversation, and reflection. Adding onto that difficulty are challenges, such as a cancelled 2020 season and lingering COVID restrictions, making our preview preparation feel almost impossible.

Despite these obstacles, the approaching 2021 season and its participants – whether that be players, coaches, fans, or families – deserve some semblance of normalcy. Soccer in Nebraska and all those who participate deserve to be promoted. Over the course of four articles, NEST will recognize many outstanding athletes that everyone should look forward to seeing on the pitch.

This list was put together using several resources such as coach recommendations, past all-state lists, statistical analysis from previous seasons, and observational research. The inclusions vary greatly in terms of location, age, and future plans. The listed athletes live in every corner of the state from Omaha to Scottsbluff. Many have signed or are committed to play soccer at the Division I level, while others are pursuing other interests in the future.

Even so, there are two traits that all inclusions of the inaugural NEST Players to Watch preview have in common.

1. Show stopping and jaw dropping ability on the field.
2. An admirable love for the sport of soccer. With their ability, passion, and outreach, this game will grow; that is the ultimate goal of Nebraska Soccer Talk.

A special congratulations to all of the athletes. Your hard work, skill, and dedication deserve to be recognized. Nebraska Soccer Talk will be observing closely as your season and career progress.

Class A – Girls

Players are not ranked, instead listed alphabetically by first name.

1. Allie Napora
   • High School: Papillion-La Vista South
   • Class of 2021
   • Future Plans: University of Nebraska-Lincoln soccer signee
2. Alyssa Judkins
   • High School: Omaha Burke
   • Class of 2021
   • Future Plans: Creighton University soccer commit
3. Annie Mulder
   • High School: Lincoln East
   • Class of 2023
   • Future Plans: Kansas State University soccer commit
4. Briley Hill
   • High School: Lincoln East
   • Class of 2021
   • Future Plans: University of Nebraska-Lincoln soccer signee
5. Campbell Zimmers
   • High School: Millard North
   • Class of 2021
   • Future Plans: University of South Dakota soccer signee
6. Ella Guyott
   • High School: Papillion-La Vista
   • Class of 2022
   • Future Plans: University of Nebraska-Lincoln soccer commit
7. Emma Prososki
   • High School: Omaha Marian
   • Class of 2022
   • Future Plans: University of Nebraska-Lincoln soccer commit
8. Gracie Haneborg
   • High School: North Platte
   • Class of 2021
9. Haley Peterson
   • High School: Lincoln East
   • Class of 2021
   • Future Plans: University of Nebraska-Lincoln soccer signee
10. Kayla Hassler
    • High School: Lincoln Southwest
    • Class of 2022
    • Future Plans: University of Nebraska-Omaha soccer commit
11. Lauryn Anglim
    • High School: Papillion-La Vista
    • Class of 2022
    • Future Plans: University of Nebraska-Lincoln soccer commit
12. Mykena Turner
    • High School: Papillion-La Vista
    • Class of 2021
    • Future Plans: South Dakota State University soccer signee
13. Sarah Weber
    • High School: Gretna
    • Class of 2021
    • Future Plans: University of Nebraska-Lincoln soccer signee
14. Savannah DeFini
    • High School: Gretna
    • Class of 2022
15. Sena Ahovissi
    • High School: Millard North
    • Class of 2021
    • Future Plans: University of Nebraska-Omaha soccer signee
16. Taylor Cumblidge
    • High School: Lincoln North Star
    • Class of 2021
    • Future Plans: University of Missouri-Kansas City soccer commit
17. Taylor Daffer
    • High School: Gretna
    • Class of 2021
    • Future Plans: Creighton University soccer signee

Once again, congratulations to the above athletes for all of their accomplishments. Your future in the game of soccer is incredibly bright. 

Additionally, it must be mentioned that this is not intended to be an all encompassing or complete list. There are a great number of talented soccer players in Nebraska that we have simply not discovered yet. As the 2021 season gets underway, those athletes will be seen and recognized. That is truly the whole point of Nebraska Soccer Talk. 

If you are a soccer player or know of a soccer player that should be on our radar, feel free to contact us. NEST is always looking to cover more soccer and add to our lists.

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment or recommendation of our content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, or listen to our podcast on Spotify.

Chace Hutchison

Previewing an upcoming season is never an easy task. To do so properly takes countless hours of emails, observations, statistical research, conversation, and reflection. Adding onto that difficulty are challenges, such as a cancelled 2020 season and lingering COVID restrictions, making our preview preparation feel almost impossible.

Despite these obstacles, the approaching 2021 season and its participants – whether that be players, coaches, fans, or families – deserve some semblance of normalcy. Soccer in Nebraska and all those who participate deserve to be promoted. Over the course of the next several weeks, NEST will overview EVERY high school soccer program in our state. This was done to the best of our ability using all of the information we could collect.

Nebraska Soccer Talk is here to support many fantastic teams, coaches, players, fans, and referees that make our game possible. One mission of this venture is to discover and centralize newsworthy information. This can only be done in collaboration with individual programs. As a whole, our sport must better promote itself in order to grow the player and supporter pool. We encourage every team to proudly and consistently advertise itself to us and the general public. The more information available, the more our game will grow. Soccer is a game historically left behind to linger in the background in the United States. That circumstance is changing, but that change will not happen automatically. Growing and covering all aspects of our sport will take effort from all of those who love it.

Disclaimer – To prepare for these articles, a questionnaire was sent to every school’s head coach and athletic director. Many of these questionnaires were returned in a timely fashion, others were not. Nebraska Soccer Talk prides itself on equal and in-depth coverage but cooperation is needed to meet that goal. Please consider this to be our reasoning when it comes to article length and accuracy.

Lincoln East

Head Coach Info – Emily Mathews

Previous Records

Players to Watch

• Haley Peterson – University of Nebraska-Lincoln soccer signee
• Briley Hill – University of Nebraska-Lincoln soccer signee
• Annie Mulder – Kansas State University soccer commit
• Olivia Kugler

State Status – Front Runner, Contender, Dark Horse, Up-And-Coming, Building, Too Early To Tell

Previous Season Accomplishments – 2019 Class A State Semi-Finalists

NEST Analysis – Coach Mathews should be incredibly excited about her team’s prospects in 2021. This is a program that has been building and all of that work has been aimed towards this upcoming year. It appears that a “golden generation” type of situation is taking place within the Lincoln East program. A returning triple threat of Haley Peterson, Briley Hill, and Annie Mulder have the Spartans poised for a momentous campaign. All three of those talented players are committed to play for high level Division I programs. Even though Class A was a difficult field to choose from due to the fact there are many talented players and teams throughout the state this year, Lincoln East claims the top spot in the NEST pre-season rankings. The Spartans will begin the season ranked #1 in Class A, and they are considered to be the favorites for the state title. High expectations can be a blessing and a curse for any program. Challenges will surface, but the best teams are able to overcome those obstacles.

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, or listen to our podcast on Spotify.

Chace Hutchison

Although it is rarely covered by the traditional media giants of the state, Nebraska is filled with exciting and competitive collegiate soccer programs. In fact, Nebraska contains a grand total of THIRTY programs for men and women. Those thirty programs compete across a wide variety of collegiate levels including Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA, and junior college. 

Nebraska Soccer Talk is here to examine, cover, and promote all of these teams. This task has been made a bit more challenging by the circumstances created by COVID-19. Depending on the playing level, conference, and school, the season outlook changes drastically. Roster information can also be in flux, depending on the school. Despite these challenges, our staff attempted to put together the best program summaries possible. To our knowledge, we are the only outlet providing such coverage to our state’s college programs. 

Just like Nebraska Soccer Talk, this column will grow and become more in depth as the years pass. In the future, we hope to provide sideline coverage of games, facility features, coach and player interviews. We look forward to the journey ahead. Thank you for being a part of our community. The sport of soccer is growing in Nebraska, we intend to see it thrive. 

Disclaimer – In the making of this article, team websites and other research sources were utilized. Although we attempt to avoid them whenever possible, errors can occur. Please contact us directly with corrections.

University of Nebraska-Omaha Men’s Soccer

Head Coach – Bob Warming

Warming has a great coaching history in the Big Ten. He is a big-time coach, and UNO is fortunate to have him. Warming took over in 2018, and we can see if his previous success eventually applies to UNO. As of right now, the roster has been overturned with many transfers in the last year, and the honeymoon period is coming to an end. UNO is one of two D1 men’s programs in the state, which automatically makes it a flagship. In order for soccer to grow in Nebraska, the state has to have success at the highest of levels.

Assistant Coaches – Grant Warming, Ugo Tritz

The assistant coaches are relatively inexperienced at this level and are assisted by a close relationship with the head man. Both were successful college players, hopefully it translates into the coaching sphere. Kudos to Warming for giving young coaches a chance – time to prove him right.

Mascot – Mavericks

Nebraska Homegrown Players On Roster – 

• #2 Stevie Siy – Omaha Central – Sr – D
• #6 Ed Gordon – Creighton Prep – Sr – Mid
• #15 Zion Osorio – Lincoln East – So – D
• #16 Mauricio Felix-Alvarado – Omaha South – Fr. – D
• #19 Michael Monico – Gross Catholic – So – Mid
• #24 Gonzalo Ledesma – South Sioux City – R-Sr – D
• #26 Youde (Junior) Noutoua – Creighton Prep – Jr – Mid
• #29 Jonathan Lopez – Millard South – Sr. – Mid

8/24 = 33%

NEST Analysis – There are ten transfers now on the roster – eight of those are from a JuCo or lower level squad. That is a major shake up in a short amount of time for Warming’s squad. Hopefully they are correct in their evaluation process. This is a team that made the NCAA tournament in 2017 which is right where this program should be. That is the expectation, but we will see if year three is when everything clicks.

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through multiple different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter or listen to our podcast on Spotify.

Chace Hutchison

Although it is rarely covered by the traditional media giants of the state, Nebraska is filled with exciting and competitive collegiate soccer programs. In fact, Nebraska contains a grand total of THIRTY programs for men and women. Those thirty programs compete across a wide variety of collegiate levels including Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA, and junior college. 

Nebraska Soccer Talk is here to examine, cover, and promote all of these teams. This task has been made a bit more challenging by the circumstances created by COVID-19. Depending on the playing level, conference, and school, the season outlook changes drastically. Roster information can also be in flux, depending on the school. Despite these challenges, our staff attempted to put together the best program summaries possible. To our knowledge, we are the only outlet providing such coverage to our state’s college programs.

Just like Nebraska Soccer Talk, this column will grow and become more in depth as the years pass. In the future, we hope to provide sideline coverage of games, facility features, coach and player interviews. We look forward to the journey ahead. Thank you for being a part of our community. The sport of soccer is growing in Nebraska, and we intend to see it thrive. 

Disclaimer – In the making of this article, team websites and other research sources were utilized. Although we attempt to avoid them whenever possible, errors can occur. Please contact us directly with corrections.

Creighton University Men’s Soccer

Head Coach – Johnny Torres

A well-known face on the sideline for the Bluejays, Torres was in charge for the first time in 2019. While the team didn’t have much success during his first year as head coach, he will be given a fair amount of time to make this program his own. He previously spent twelve seasons as an assistant coach during one of the most successful runs in Creighton program history. In addition to coaching, he was also a two-time National Player of the Year while wearing the Creighton jersey. There are clear reasons why Torres is a beloved individual in this athletic department. He has a history of being a winner; because of that, a quick turnaround is expected.

Assistant Coaches – Ian Sarchan, Michael Gabb

For soccer fans, Coach Ian Sarchan will be a familiar name as his father guided the United States Men’s National Team during its transition two years ago. The younger Sarchan has followed in his father’s footsteps, and that path has led to the sidelines of Creighton University. Sarchan was brought onto the staff in 2019. As a result, there is still a lot to be determined. At this point, he seems to be a young coach with a bright future. 

Overseeing the keeper position, Coach Michael Gabb is going to be a proven commodity for the Bluejays. Gabb has a diverse soccer background as both a player and coach, reaching the highest levels of the sport. 

Mascot – Bluejays

Nebraska Homegrown Players On Roster –

• #11 Diego Gutierrez – Ralston/UNO – Sr – F (Drafted by Portland Timbers)
• #13 Duncan Mcguire – Creighton Prep – RFr – F
• #28 Luke Waters – Creighton Prep – RFr – D

3/25 = 12%

NEST Analysis – Creighton is the state’s premier soccer brand at this point in time. It is well-known for its history of high tempo style of play and passionate crowds. The competitive Big East conference consistently provides intriguing match-ups on a regular basis. Simply put, if you can compete in this conference, you have a real shot at a title run.

Creighton University is also home to Nebraska soccer’s most revered facilities: Morrison Stadium. Its role as host for the high school state tournament, as well as Nebraska State Cup, means every young soccer player dreams of competing on this field. Creighton will likely benefit from that advantage by pursuing more of the top talent in the area.

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through multiple different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter or listen to our podcast on Spotify.

Chace Hutchison

Previewing an upcoming season is never an easy task. To do so properly takes countless hours of emails, observations, statistical research, conversation, and reflection. Adding onto that difficulty are challenges, such as a cancelled 2020 season and lingering COVID restrictions, making our preview preparation feel almost impossible. 

Despite these obstacles, the approaching 2021 season and its participants – whether that be players, coaches, fans, or families – deserve some semblance of normalcy. Soccer in Nebraska and all those who participate deserve to be promoted. Over the course of four articles, NEST will recognize many outstanding athletes that everyone should look forward to seeing on the pitch. 

This list was put together using several resources such as coach recommendations, past all-state lists, statistical analysis from previous seasons, and observational research. The inclusions vary greatly in terms of location, age, and future plans. The listed athletes live in every corner of the state from Omaha to Scottsbluff. Many have signed or are committed to play soccer at the Division I level, while others are pursuing other interests in the future.

 Even so, there are two traits that all inclusions of the inaugural NEST Players to Watch preview have in common. 

1. Show stopping and jaw dropping ability on the field. 
2. An admirable love for the sport of soccer. With their ability, passion, and outreach, this game will grow; that is the ultimate goal of Nebraska Soccer Talk. 

Without any further delay, part one of this series spotlights Class A Boys. 

A special congratulations to all of the athletes. Your hard work, skill, and dedication deserve to be recognized. Nebraska Soccer Talk will be observing closely as your season and career progress.

Class A Boys

Players are not ranked, instead listed alphabetically by first name.

1. Brayden McPhail
   • High School: Lincoln East
   • Class of 2022
2. Cole Hoppe
   • High School: Bellevue West
   • Class of 2021
3. Cole Lammel
   • High School: Millard South
   • Class of 2021
4. Ian Becerra
   • High School: Lincoln High
   • Class of 2021
5. Ismail Hassan
   • High School: Omaha South
   • Class of 2021
6. Jack Redd
   • High School: Papillion-La Vista South
   • Class of 2021
   • Future Plans: Creighton University soccer signee
7. Javier Baide
   • High School: Grand Island
   • Class of 2022
8. Luis Garci
   • High School: Omaha South
   • Class of 2021
9. Nolan Fuelberth
   • High School: Lincoln Southwest
   • Class of 2021
10. Ryan Brakke
    • High School: Creighton Prep
    • Class of 2021
    • Future Plans: Creighton University soccer signee
11. Schyler Smeby
    • High School: Bellevue East
    • Class of 2022
12. Sebastian Fierro
    • High School: Omaha South
    • Class of 2022
13. Wawa Palga
    • High School: Omaha South
    • Class of 2021

Once again, congratulations to the above athletes for all of their accomplishments. Your future in the game of soccer is incredibly bright. 

Additionally, it must be mentioned that this is not intended to be an all encompassing or complete list. There are a great number of talented soccer players in Nebraska that we have simply not discovered yet. As the 2021 season gets underway, those athletes will be seen and recognized. That is truly the whole point of Nebraska Soccer Talk. 

If you are a soccer player or know of a soccer player that should be on our radar, feel free to contact us. NEST is always looking to cover more soccer and add to our lists.

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated.

In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through multiple different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter or listen to our podcast on Spotify.

Chace Hutchison