University of St. Thomas Athletics
Inaugural Summit League schedule set for Women's Soccer
6/15/2021 9:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
The Summit League has announced its fall 2021 Women's Soccer schedule. That sport now includes 10 teams with the addition of Division I newcomer St. Thomas.
Under 15th-year head coach Sheila McGill, the Tommies will start their Summit League-era by playing one contest each against these nine opponents: Denver, Kansas City, North Dakota, North Dakota State, Omaha, Oral Roberts, South Dakota, South Dakota State and Western Illinois.
"We are excited for the challenge coming with this new Division I schedule," McGill said. "We have a great incoming and returning group that have been working hard to prepare. We have some great new rivalries to develop. We've always been a team that plays stronger against better competition, so we look forward to the consistent day-in and day-out challenge."
The Toms open conference play Friday Oct. 1 at South Dakota. Their first of five conference home games at St. Thomas' South Field will be Friday Oct. 8 against Denver.
The 2019 Tommies shared the MIAC championship and tied for fifth place nationally in a 17-2-5 finish. In a Covid shortened spring 2021 season the Purple went 5-0 in matches and scrimmages and outscored opponents 14-0. They ended their D-III era on a 22-game unbeaten streak (17-0-5).
McGill's staff received D-III Regional Coaching Staff of the Year in three of the last four full seasons (2016-2019). Her last six teams have built an 82-17-11 record (54-9-6 against conference foes).
St. Thomas Women's Soccer graduated a strong group of seniors but is expected to return more than a dozen players, led by one D-III All-America and one fifth-year senior on defense. McGill's 2021 signing class includes 13 players from the states of Minnesota, Illinois, Nebraska, Colorado and Montana.
The Tommies' complete 2021 schedule will be announced later in June.
2021 Tommie Women's Soccer -- Summit League Games
Oct. 1: at South Dakota
Oct. 3: at South Dakota State
Oct. 8: Denver
Oct. 10: Omaha
Oct. 17: Western Illinois
Oct. 22: at Oral Roberts
Oct. 24: at Kansas City
Oct. 29: North Dakota
Oct. 31: North Dakota State
