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, 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.

Hastings College

Head Coach – Tim Bohnenkamp

Assistant Coaches – Cesar Herrera

Mascot – Broncos

Nebraska Homegrown Players On Roster –

• #11 Caleb Osmond – Jr – Lincoln North Star – F
• #14 Steven Castillo – So – Grand Island HS – Mid
• #18 Brendon Boatwright – Jr. – Papillion – LaVista HS – Def
• #25 Tyler Mase – Fr. – Omaha Burke – Mid
• #29 Miles Whitaker – Fr – Millard North – Def
• #32 Austin Uhlig – So – Millard North – GK
• #33 Kevin Toledo- Frutus – Jr – Lexington/CCC – Def

6/35 = 17%

NEST Analysis – One must look no further than Hastings’ jerseys to understand the standard of the program. Located just above the school logo are two stars: each representing a national championship. Its most recent championship campaign took place in 2016. Hastings has undoubtedly become the state’s most consistent and successful men’s soccer program year in and year out. Just last year, the Broncos were one victory away from adding a third star to their jersey. In his third year, Coach Bohnenkamp has put together a large and interesting roster. Like many NAIA schools, Hastings is fortunate that Nebraska is home to only two D1 soccer programs, both of which tend to recruit internationally.  Hastings always seems to capitalize on this situation by bringing in some of the best talent that Nebraska has to offer. Combining those high-level homegrown players with prospects from all over the world makes this squad a case study for success. Hastings College is an exciting program that we will look forward to covering. Any Nebraska team that produces championships, All-Americans, and professionals has our attention. 

Additionally, how sweet is this hype video?! This is what it takes to grow your brand and the game of soccer!

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, 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. In the following article series, we will reveal our Pre-season Top 10 rankings for the 2021 season.

This poll was developed while considering many different factors including program track records, recommendations from coaches, and roster strength. With that being said, much of this is subjective and opinions can vary. The rankings will be updated on bi-weekly basis. To the best of our ability, these rankings will reflect the reality of the soccer environment. Adjustments will be made as the season progresses and many conversations will take place. We look forward to those discussions. At season’s end, we will look back to review these pre-season rankings. What did we get right? Where did we go wrong? Which team surprised us all?

Also, included in each article is a section titled Teams on the Verge. These teams ranked just outside our Top 10 but are considered to be in contention. The rankings are fluid and flexible, any team could quickly enter our Top 10 list.

Class B Girl’s Pre-Season List

1. Omaha Skutt
2. Omaha Mercy
3. Omaha Roncalli Catholic
4. Columbus Scotus
5. Omaha Duchesne Academy  
6. Bennington
7. Hastings
8. Gering
9. Elkhorn
10. Blair

Teams on the Verge: Columbus Lakeview, Lincoln Lutheran/Raymond Central

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

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, the 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.

Bellevue West

Head Coach – Alan Carr

Previous Records

Players to Watch – Cole Hoppe

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

NEST Analysis – The Thunderbirds participated in three shootouts in 2019. They were competitive in virtually every game, which is the reasoning behind our “building” status. Victories over programs like Millard West, Omaha Westside, and Elkhorn South are fantastic focus points for any program. 

Anyone that has been around the game long enough has known a time like this. Bellevue West is just waiting to turn the corner and enter into contender status. There is no guarantee that such a change takes place, but there are two reasons for optimism. One of those reasons paces the sideline; the other displays his skills on the field. Coach Alan Carr is a well known and respected soccer mind throughout the metro area. His expertise is essential to the squad’s success. On the field, Cole Hoppe will be a focal point during the 2021 season. His teammates will need to compliment his play, but Hoppe is a good player to build around.  

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, 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

Nebraska Soccer Talk is a newly established outlet that has the sole purpose of covering and promoting soccer within the state of Nebraska.

The NEST is a three-person operation that will be doing their best to cover all teams from the Metro to Scottsbluff and everywhere in-between. The authors/volunteers love this sport and have a genuine desire to grow the game throughout the state.

Follow along with our journey on Twitter or give our podcast a listen on Spotify.

This is a true community effort, so please feel free to contribute! Tips and observations are welcome! Let us know who or where NEST should be looking. Leave a comment below or email at nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com

Chace Hutchison