Aberdeen, S.D. – Northern State University head soccer coach Bob Casper announced the addition of 12 student-athletes to his 2025 roster today. Audrey Burns (Costa Mesa, Calif.), Avery Danner (Anoka, Minn.), Molly Felgate (Ramsey, Minn.), Savannah Funk (Pleasant View, Utah), Kennedi Gack (Sartell, Minn.), Ella Johnson (Rosemount, Minn.), Hannah Lundgren (Mahtomedi, Minn.), Molly Miller (Mankato, Minn.), Ilee Neemeyer (Sioux Falls, S.D.), Paityn Pendergrass (St. Francis, Minn.), Mara Schultz (Hartford, S.D.), and Addyson Thorstad (Aberdeen, S.D.) will join the Wolves heading into next fall.
 
"The 2025 class is a great balance of players across the field," explained Casper. "Looking at how the group has shaped up gives me a lot of excitement for the future of Wolves soccer. After graduating eight players from the 2024 team, and having an additional player set to take a year-long mission trip, this 2025 group will have to work to fill the shoes of some very influential players."
 
"This class has a depth of experience playing for state championships and in high level regional championship events," added Casper. "No matter what league they compete within, these players represent clubs that play high level, meaningful games. We even have players who have helped push their high school teams to new heights, which is just the character and experience we need."
 
"They all embrace our commitment to working hard and holding themselves accountable to excel. Now, we need to set the tone this spring with the returning group of players so this class can join us in the fall and fit into a well-organized and determined team who is ready for a great 2025 season."
 
Audrey Burns – Goalkeeper, Costa Mesa, Calif. / Newport Harbor HS
Audrey Burns is a 5-foot-6 goalkeeper out of Newport Harbor High School. She was a 2-year starter for the Sailors under the direction of head coach Justin Schroeder. Burns was a 3-time Sunset Conference All-Academic team member. NHHS secured berths to the CIF playoffs in three of her four seasons. Burns is also a member of the Slammers FC who won the ECNL Southwest Regional Championship in 2023.She is the daughter of Chris and Tish Burns.
 
Casper's Thoughts: "Audrey has great range with her extension dives and can dig a shot out of a corner. She follows the ball well and gets set which allows her to react well. Audrey has good decision-making skills on crosses and really knows how to pick the correct moments to be aggressive off her line and is rarely caught chasing a cross she shouldn't. As a passer, Audrey can make some difficult medium range passes, and this allows her teams to attack from some dangerous positions in the middle third of the field. She has a great presence in goal and will help push this position group in training and games."
 
Avery Danner – Midfield/Forward, Anoka, Minn. / Anoka HS
Avery Danner is a 5-foot-1 midfielder and forward out of Anoka High School. She was a 4-year starter and senior team captain for the Tornados under the direction of head coach Lucas Camargo. Danner tallied ten goals and seven assists in her final two seasons. She earned Northwest Suburban All-Conference accolades in 2023-24 and was the midfield of the year in 2022. She is the daughter of Troy and Danette Danner.
 
Casper's Thoughts: "My first impression of Avery when I saw her play with her club team was that she is an absolute competitor. She fights for every possession and has a flair to her attacking ideas that puts the opposition on their back foot. She doesn't just try to attack and wait for her team to regain possession; Avery is an active part of both attacking and defending. As a central midfield player, we are at our best when we have aggressive players such as Avery playing at their best. She has quick feet, can get in and out of tight spaces, and really looks to help set-up great moments for forwards to generate scoring opportunities."
 
 
Molly Felgate – Forward, Ramsey, Minn. / Elk River HS
Molly Felgate is a 5-foot-5 forward out of Elk River High School. She was a 3-year starter and senior team captain for the Elks under the direction of head coach Brian Steuter. Felgate tallied 28 career goals and seven assists for ERHS. She was a 3-time all-conference honoree. Elk River won the section championship in 2021 and advanced to the quarterfinal round of the MSHSL Tournament. She is the daughter of Jim and Lindsey Felgate.
 
Casper's Thoughts: "Molly is a very dynamic player who can set off the counterattack on her own, but also works to combine and set others up in the attacking third. Molly is a constant threat as a wide attacking player. She has great energy and an edge in defending that helps set the tone for a high-pressure defense. Molly is confident in the 1-versus-1 moment, which is perfect to set up crossing opportunities. She has also worked to take on scoring moments for herself at the right times, and she'll contribute to our attack with a balanced approach to creating and taking shots."
 
Savannah Funk – Midfield, Pleasant View, Utah / Weber HS
Savannah Funk is a 5-foot-5 midfielder out of Weber High School. She was a 3-year starter and 2-year team captain for the Warriors under the direction of head coach Heather Carter. Weber High School advanced to the state playoffs in each of her four seasons. Funk is an academic all-state honoree. She is the daughter of Chris and Kellie Funk.
 
Casper's Thoughts: "Savannah is a tenacious player, who really drives the attack forward at the opposition from an attacking midfield position. She can make darting runs from the midfield at the opposition and can turn with the ball, finding gaps in a defense with her passing. Her great first touch allows her to make decisions before the defense can organize. As we look to improve upon our goal scoring production, Savannah is a player who sees the game in a way that will be successful in the NSIC. Lastly, her drive to play her best and never give up will fit well with our team values."
 
Kennedi Gack – Midfielder, Sartell, Minn. / Sartell HS
Kennedi Gack is a 5-fot-9 midfielder out of Sartell High School. She was a 3-year starter and senior team captain for the Sabers under the direction of head coach Andrea Benninghoff. Gack recorded 26 goals in her three seasons on varsity, as well as 17 assists. She was a 3-time all-conference selection and 2-time conference champion. She is the daughter of Kendra and Greg Gack.
 
Casper's Thoughts: "Kennedi has a great sense of how to play the holding midfield position within a 3-person midfield. She knows how to find the spaces and passing windows in the attack, and then can transition into applying pressure on the opposition quickly. This soccer IQ and ability to transition quickly will help Kennedi provide stability in the middle of the park that our team thrives upon. She'll also help us continue to grow in the possession phase of the game as we look to build upon our attacking improvements made this past season."
 
Ella Johnson – Forward, Rosemount, Minn. / Rosemount HS
Ella Johnson is a 5-foot-6 forward out of Rosemount High School. She was a 2-year starter and senior team captain for the Irish under the direction of head coach Nels Dokken. Johnson tallied 23 career goals for RHS. She was a 3-time Scholar Athlete award winner, 2-time all-conference selection, and all-section team member of 2022. Rosemount won both the section and state championship in 2022. She is the daughter of Marshall and Laura Johnson.
 
Casper's Thoughts: "In the past year, Ella has really grown from a dynamic winger who can get behind a defense into a well-balanced attacking player. She has the confidence to take on players and generate crosses from wide positions, which is a great way to finish off attacks in college soccer. Ella is also a trusted set piece taker and can deliver accurate corner kick service. As we work to be more consistent on set plays, Ella will be able to contribute well in these moments. She's also a physical player and will challenge every ball in her area and won't give the opposition an easy out."
 
Hannah Lundgren – Defender, Mahtomedi, Minn. / Concordia Academy
Hannah Lundgren is a 5-foot-6 defender out of Concordia Academy. She was a 4-year starter and senior team captain for the Beacon under the direction of head coach Courtney Thompson. Lundgren recorded four goals and two assists in her final two seasons. She is a 3-time all-conference honoree and 2-time all-state recipient. She is the daughter of Timothy and Sandi Lundgren.
 
Casper's Thoughts: "Hannah is a physical defender who looks to shut down opposition attackers out wide. She doesn't shy away from a challenge, and really gains momentum in a match as she continues to control the game through her individual defending. She has a good passing range out of the back and has a great sense of when to build out and when to be more direct. Lastly, as we look to grow our dominance in aerial duals, Hannah is someone who can thrive is winning aerial challenges in defense."
 
Molly Miller – Midfield, Mankato, Minn. / Mankato West HS
Molly Miller is a 5-foot-1 midfielder out of Mankato West High School. She was a 3-year starter and 2-year team captain for the Scarlets under the direction of head coach Carrlin Meier. As a senior, Miller tallied nine goals and 11 assists. She was a 3-time all-conference and all-city selection, as well as a 2-time all-state honoree. She is the daughter of Shelly and Andy Miller.
 
Casper's Thoughts: "Molly is a player we first saw play with her TC Fire club team as a high school sophomore; playing up an age group. From that first time until today, Molly first and foremost was always one of the hardest working players on the pitch. She covers a ton of ground in a match, gets into tackles, and makes her presence known. Molly has continued to grow in her technical abilities and does a nice job of regaining possession and spurring on the attacking transition."
 
Ilee Neemeyer – Goalkeeper, Sioux Falls, S.D. / Lincoln HS
Ilee Neemeyer is a 5-foot-5 goalkeeper out of Lincoln High School. She was a 2-year starter and team captain for the Patriots under the direction of head coach Abby Berke. In her final two seasons, Neemeyer faced nearly 400 shots and held save percentages above 90.0%. She was a 2-time all-conference and all-state selection for LHS. Neemeyer was a member of the Dakota Alliance Soccer Club National Championship team in 2022. She is the daughter of Kayla and Adam Neemeyer.
 
Casper's Thoughts: "It's great to finally formally add Ilee to Wolves soccer! We have been able to watch her grow as a player at both our NSU ID Camps and with her club/high school teams over the past four years. It's incredible to see how her hard work and determination has paid off and improved her game. Ilee is a dominant, physical goalkeeper in challenging moments out in front of goal. She does very well at organizing her defense with good verbal communication. Also, she can deal with high balls that come into the 6-yard box which is a great asset from the keeper position. Lastly, Ilee has great distribution ability whether it's her ability to flip the field with her punts, or her ability to play out and calmly build an attack from the back. It will be exciting to see how Ileee pushes Wolves soccer forward from the goalkeeper position."
 
Paityn Pendergrass – Defender, St. Francis, Minn. / St. Francis HS
Paityn Pendergrass is a 5-foot-5 defender out of St. Francis High School. She was a 3-year starter and 2-year team captain for the Fighting Saints under the direction of head coach Jake Cowie. Pendergrass recorded 20 career goals and five assists at SFHS. She was a 3-time all-conference selection and all-state second team member. St. Francis won the Mississippi 8 Conference and Section 6 AA Championships in 2021 and 2024, advancing to the MSHSL Tournament. She is the daughter of Chad and Laura Pendergrass.
 
Casper's Thoughts: "Paityn is a great addition to our backline, and specifically to the center back position. She possesses great closing speed and allows her team to play aggressively because of her ability to read a counterattack and help regain possession quickly. She knows how to build out upon winning possession and can play short and long ranges passes accurately. She's not afraid to track a checking run, and make sure she's able to win the ball back if possible. As we look to improve our defensive performances in 2025, Paityn is someone who can embody our defensive identity of shutting down individual players. Also, she'll provide us with another back who can provide a well-placed long pass to open up the opposition if they choose to not pressure our backline."
 
Mara Schultz – Midfield, Hartford, S.D. / West Central HS
Mara Schultz is a 5-foot-4 midfielder out of West Central High School. She was a 5-year starter and senior team captain for the Trojans under the direction of head coach Cassidy Johnson. Schultz was the top goal scorer for WCHS in 2023 and 2024, recording seven and 13 goals respectively. She was a 3-time all-state selection, nominee for the 2022 SD State Player of the Year, the 2024 Offensive Player of the Year, and academic all-state team member. West Central won South Dakota State Championships in 2020 and 2021, and finished as the runner-up in 2022. She is the daughter of Christy Flynn.
 
Casper's Thoughts: "Mara is a great addition to our midfield core with her ability to win 50/50 challenges and with her dangerous contributions in the attacking third. One quality that really stood out was her ability to strike a shot from a distance with power and accuracy. To provide her team with the ability to win the ball back and generate scoring chances is a dual threat that is much needed from a midfield player. Her club team has challenged her on a regional level, and we're excited to bring her competitiveness to Wolves soccer."
 
Addyson Thorstad – Defender, Aberdeen, S.D. / Central HS
Addyson Thorstad is a 5-foot-7 defender out of Central High School. She was a starter for the Golden Eagles in the fall of 2024. Thorstad earned academic all-state and ESD All-Conference honors in 2024. She is the daughter of Brad and Sara Thorstad. Brad is a Northern State baseball alum.
 
Casper's Thoughts: "Addyson is a center back who brings a levelheaded approach that is very valuable for her role. She will challenge for a ball at the right times, which is key for players in the backline. Addyson has also worked hard to improve her individual defending moments and can regularly divert attackers away from goal. She reads the game well and provides support for her teammates out in front of her. Addyson looks to support the team during possession and can work to grow in the variety of passing she provides as the team builds out. Her training habits are very strong and will help to raise the overall level of play in training and games."