SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – North Dakota State Women's Soccer's Olivia Lovick and Alicia Nead have been named Summit League Players to Watch in the league preseason release Tuesday morning.
 
Lovick and Nead, both juniors on the Bison squad, headline a returning group of seven starters and 19 letter winners from last season. The duo was a part of a watch list that included 20 total players released along with the Summit League Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll.
 
Lovick, a forward for the Bison, played in all 16 games with 14 starts in 2021, logging 1,162 minutes on the pitch. She recorded two goals, both against Oral Roberts (Oct. 1) in a 3-2 victory and assisted on one goal, setting up the game-winner in the final minutes of a 2-1 victory over North Dakota. Lovick is the top returning goal scorer overall for NDSU with eight career goals and three assists in two seasons.
 
Nead also played in all 16 games with 11 starts in the midfield for NDSU, logging 835 minutes last season. Nead scored first career goal in 2021, scoring the game winner in the final minute of a victory against UND. She also assisted on one goal in the 3-2 win against ORU.
 
The Bison were picked ninth overall in the preseason coaches' poll, recording 17 points in the voting. NDSU finished eighth last season after a 3-6 record with wins over Oral Roberts (picked 6^th), St. Thomas (picked 8^th) and North Dakota (picked 10^th).
 
North Dakota State is slated to begin the season on Friday (August 19) against Tarleton in Thibodaux, La. The Bison will begin Summit League play on September 30 with a trip to Denver to face the defending Summit League champions, who were picked to defend the title this season.