Michigan Tech defender Alicia Shatrau cheers with her teammates during a game against Minnesota-Crookston on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, at Kearly Stadium in Houghton. The Huskies are picked to finish fifth in the GLIAC Preseason Poll. (Photo courtesy of Michigan Tech University)

HOUGHTON — The Michigan Tech soccer program has been tabbed to finish fifth in the GLIAC Preseason coaches’ poll, the league office announced Tuesday (Aug. 23). Grand Valley collected six first place votes to rank tops in the coaches’ poll with 48 points. Ferris State (42 points) and Northern Michigan (39 points) also nabbed first place votes to rank second and third, respectively. Saginaw Valley earned 31 points to rank fourth within the conference. The Huskies collected 23 points, placing fifth in the poll.

Head coach Bulut Ozturk returns for his fourth season at the helm of the Huskies, returning 19 members from last season while adding nine newcomers to the 2023 roster. A season ago, Michigan Tech went 7-9-3 overall with a conference standing of 5-6-3. 

The Huskies return two First Team All-GLIAC honorees in senior defender Molly Bolang and senior goalkeeper Gracie VanLangevelde, who both played vital roles in Tech’s defensive success that posted eight shutouts a season ago. Bolang, hailing from Pinckney, Michigan, logged 1,642 minutes a season ago, playing all 90 minutes in 16 games. VanLangevelde, coming from Spring Lake, Michigan, was tabbed GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week twice in the 2022 campaign and ranked second in the GLIAC in both saves (81) and save percentage (.818).

Offensively, the Huskies return junior forward Julia Pietila, who led the team in shots on goal a season ago with 15 to go with three goals and sophomore forward/midfielder Alyvia Sanom who accounted for two goals and an assist in her freshman campaign. 

The Huskies start the 2023 season welcoming foes from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, facing St. Cloud State on Thursday, Aug. 31, at 7 p.m. and Minnesota Duluth for a Sunday matinee on Sept. 2, at noon. The 14-game conference schedule begins on Friday, Sept. 15, at 5 p.m. when Tech Travels to Purdue Northwest.

Huskies announce soccer reunion weekend

Michigan Tech soccer coach Bulut Ozturk cordially invites all soccer alumni and their families back to campus to be a part of their reunion celebration the weekend of Sept. 15-17, 2023.

On Friday, Sept. 15, the Huskies will host a pre-game tailgate in lot 85 ahead of the Purdue Northwest game slated for a 5 p.m. start time. Alumni will be introduced on midfield at halftime.

Saturday, Sept. 16, the Huskies will have an alumni pickup game/WC/Kardashians at 1:30 p.m. with an alumni social at 6 p.m. in the Michigan Tech hockey suites. 

Sunday, Sept. 17, the Michigan Tech soccer team plays Parkside at noon.

For the full schedule, latest information and registration visit the 2023 Michigan Tech Soccer Alumni Weekend website page.

Questions about the soccer reunion can be directed to Hunter Stoddard at htstodda@mtu.edu.