ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Griffon Soccer is still standing, earning a berth in the 2026 NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship for the third consecutive season under head coach Jacob Plocher. No. 7 seed MoWest will travel to Mankato, Minn., to face No. 2 seed Minnesota State University, Mankato, on Friday, Nov. 13, in the NCAA Central Regional.
The Griffons (8-4-7) return to the national tournament for the third straight season after making NCAA Central Regional appearances in both 2024 and 2025.
In 2024, MoWest opened NCAA Tournament play with a victory over Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.) to advance to the second round, where the Griffons faced Minnesota State. The 2026 matchup marks another postseason meeting between the two programs.
The Griffons followed that appearance with another historic campaign in 2025, capturing the MIAA Tournament Championship and advancing to the NCAA Central Regional, where they fell to Washburn in Mankato, Minn. MoWest finished the season with a 12-3-7 overall record.
MoWest will face a Minnesota State squad that enters the NCAA Tournament with a 17-1-3 overall record after finishing 12-1-2 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play. The Mavericks captured both the NSIC Regular Season and Tournament Championships en route to earning the No. 2 seed in the Central Region.
The Griffons finished the 2026 regular season with an 8-3-7 overall record and a 5-3-4 mark in MIAA competition before falling to Pittsburg State in the quarterfinals of the MIAA Tournament.
MoWest has been led by five All-MIAA selections this season. Senior midfielder Kendall Knisley earned First Team honors, while defender Cadence Dobberstein was named to the Second Team. Goalkeeper Morgan Byrd and forward Rosemary Pujado received Third Team recognition, and midfielder Alexandra Milano earned Honorable Mention honors.
Knisley, the program's all-time assists leader, has been a key contributor for the Griffons, while Byrd has recorded seven shutouts this season and 14 in her career.
The third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance continues a strong postseason stretch for MoWest under Plocher, as the Griffons prepare for another Central Regional matchup with the Mavericks.
What's Next
MoWest will face No. 2 seed Minnesota State on Friday, Nov. 13, in Mankato, Minn. The match time and additional NCAA Tournament details will be announced when available.
