Wishing You...

We would like to wish our wonderful team and their families, along with all of our recruits and their families a very joyful, happy, glorious holiday season!  Enjoy this time with family and friends!

Happy Halloween!

Once again, the Gustavus Women's Soccer team did not disappoint with their costumes this year!  The creativity continues to be taken to the next level with every teammates' Halloween spirit.  This year we had people dressing up as food items, puns, super heroes, animals, movies, and more!  Every year we deem one practice for the women to dress up and play soccer in their costume -if they are able.  The team takes this day very seriously, as it is one of their favorite practices of the year.  Below are pictures from our great day:

2016 Gustavus Women's Soccer Halloween Team

 Here we will start with the ever so serious Ginger Bread Man pictured on the left.  This is our witty Head Coach, Laura Burnett-Kurie.  As you can see, Ginger is in her genetics, so the costume just came naturally.

On the right we have our Assistant Coach, Benton Frayne, dressed up as a greaser.  His mother hand sewed his patches onto the jacket, all patches having personal meaning in his life.

Roisen Granlund, Coursey Edwards, Jana Elliott

We had some tough players out on the field, from left to right, "Run for Kills, SLAYER, and Ja-NICE" scaring away their opponents.  These three went from everyday Nursing and Athletic Training majors, to hardcore baddies overnight.  Yikes!  I wouldn't want to be caught in a 1v1 situation with any of these chicks.

Maddison Ackiss

 Next, a field fairy flew out to practice for the day!  Senior, Maddison Ackiss, looked so beautiful playing soccer with her hair down and flying past defenders.  The wings gave her additional turbo speed!

 The "twins" were very hard to tell apart on the field.  Freshman, Abby Mullenbach (left), and Junior, Paula Miller (right) hardly needed a costume on Halloween!  How clever!

Katie Johnson and Ashley Becker

It may be the end of October, but to sophomores Katie Johnson (left) and Ashley Becker (right) it was a perfect summers day.  For these two, the weather was beautiful for a day at the beach!

Judith Hepburn

Coming all the way from Alaska to save the day, we have Blue Ranger Billy...just kidding, it's our freshman, Judith Hepburn!!

 Here we have Freshmen Lucy Thompson (left) saving the day as Super Man with the help of her minion, Maggie Leininger (right).

 Junior, Chase Miller, expressing her patriotism as Lady Liberty!  Very well done.

Hannah Sturtz

Baller on the field, and baller on the court...Junior, Hannah Sturtz with some straight swag.

Trina Rinke, Grace Brustad, Riley Viner

 What is the perfect game day meal?  For us, it is definitely candy corn, grapes, and a Big Mac!  We must point out how creative Trina was crafting her costume, despite her losing her candy corn hat to match.

 Can you name that movie?  Here is a hint:  This little fish swam very far away from home, he touched the butt of a boat, and somehow found himself leaving the sea to be captured in a dentist's office.  Junior, Emily Odermatt (left) is NEMO! And junior, Ellyn Adelmann is Darla from Finding Nemo.

Emily Hilk and Sophie Leininger

Two grumpy cats unhappy about everything.  What is that in the background?  

Kylie Lamberty

On the right we have the talented Quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.  It's been a rough season for him, probably because he's been out here focusing more on soccer instead of throwing the ball.

Season Ending Shootout

Women’s Soccer Season Ends In Shootout Loss At St. Kate’s

Posted on November 1st, 2016 by Trent Jackson

BOX SCORE
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Gustavus women’s soccer team’s season was ended in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference quarterfinal playoff matchup by a shootout loss at St. Catherine University Tuesday afternoon.
With the double overtime tie and shootout loss the Gusties have their season cut short by the Wildcats. Gustavus finishes the season with an overall record of 10-6-3.
No. 4 seed St. Kate’s took down the No. 5 seed Gusties 3-1 in a shootout after two overtime periods left the scored tied 1-1. Sophie Leininger (Jr., Plymouth, Minn.) scored the lone shootout goal for the Black and Gold.
Both regulation goals for Gustavus and St. Kate’s came in the second period of play. Chase Miller (So., Brooklyn Park, Minn.) gave the Gusties a 1-0 lead around the 53rd minute mark, tallying her second goal of the season. The Wildcats responded just a minute later as Iryna Talkachova tied the game up at 1-1 with her fourth goal of the season.
After regulation time and two overtimes, the Gusties and Wildcats were unable to change the score. St. Kate’s led in shots 29-24 while Gustavus led in shots on goal, 8-7. Maddison Ackiss (Sr., Fairbanks, Alaska) and Emily Skogseth (So., Burnsville, Minn.) led the Gustie attack with two shots on target each.
In the shootout the Wildcat’s first two shooters put goals past Gustie goalkeeper Ashley Becker (So., Farmington, Minn.). Leininger was the lone Gustavus scorer and three Gustie misses along with another Wildcat goal allowed St. Kate’s to prevail, 3-1.
“At the beginning of the season the team set a goal of making it to the playoffs,” said Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie. “We found ourselves in a tough spot in achieving that goal after the first week of October. At that point the team came together and committed to each other and their goals and we went 5-1-1 in conference play. Making that commitment and achieving that success allowed us to be playing in this game today.  That’s what this season is all about. We overcame adversity multiple times this fall and it was great to see that resiliency. We battled hard today and didn’t end the season on a loss. Not many teams can say that.”
“As for the seniors, they were our first recruited class so they will always hold a special place in our heart. They started at the bottom of the conference and during their four years they qualified for the MIAC playoffs twice, won a playoff championship and was able to experience playing in the NCAA tournament. That alone speaks volumes to their talent and character. They are a pretty great group,” Burnett-Kurie said. 

Defeated in Double Overtime

Women’s Soccer Downed By Hamline In Double Overtime, 1-0

Posted on October 29th, 2016 by Trent Jackson

BOX SCORE
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Gustavus women’s soccer team fell by a score of 1-0 in double overtime Saturday at Hamline University to close out regular season play.
With the loss the Gusties finish the regular season with a record of 10-6-2 (6-5 MIAC).
“We created opportunities for ourselves offensively and our defense battled hard,” said Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie. “It was a tough, gritty battle and despite our efforts we weren’t able to get the result we wanted.” 
A goal at the 101 minute mark of double overtime by Arendje Louter served as the game-winning goal for Hamline. Louter tallies her ninth goal and third gamer-winner of the season as the Pipers improve their record to 11-6-1 (5-5-1 (MIAC).
In an even matched game, the Gusties and the Pipers both notched seven shots on goal. Gustavus led in total shots, 15-11. They also led in corner kicks, 7-3.
Maddison Ackiss (Sr., Fairbanks, Alaska) led the Gusties with seven shots and a season-high five of them on target.
Goalkeeper Ashley Becker (So., Farmington, Minn.) made six saves in goal despite suffering her sixth loss of the season.
“It’s disappointing but at the end of the day, the team put us in a position where we had clinched playoffs regardless of the result. We are still playing well and looking forward to our quarterfinals on Tuesday,” Burnett-Kurie said.
The Gusties travel back to St. Paul, Minn. on Tuesday to take on St. Catherine University at 2 p.m. for a MIAC Playoff quarterfinal matchup.

Conquering Concordia

Women’s Soccer Shuts Out Concordia On Senior Day

Posted on October 25th, 2016 by Trent Jackson

Sophie Leininger (center) celebrates with teammates. Leininger led the Gusties with two goals and an assist.

BOX SCORE
ST. PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus women’s soccer team was lifted by two goals from co-captain Sophie Leininger (Jr., Plymouth, Minn.) as the Gusties shut out Concordia College on senior day, Tuesday afternoon at Gustie Soccer Field.
With the win Gustavus improves to 10-5-2 overall (6-4 MIAC), while the Cobbers fall to 4-10-3 (1-8-1 MIAC).
“We wanted to play for the seniors and all the hard work they’ve put in over the last four years,” said Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie. “What they’ve done for the program and how they’ve helped set our standard of excellence is admirable, so it was great to be able to get the result in honor of them. Ultimately, the team is on a mission to finish the season strong and clinch that playoff spot and they are proving that every game.”
In the first period the Gustie attack peppered the Concordia defense with 19 shots, three of which snuck past goalkeeper Maddy Reed.
Around 12 minutes into the game, Maddison Ackiss (Sr., Fairbanks, Alaska) took a shot and Leininger buried the rebound to tally her first goal of the season. Leininger added another goal at the 24th minute mark when Emily Skogseth (So., Burnsville, Minn.) centered the ball to Leininger, who put a shot into the top left corner of the goal.
“Sophie is a such a crafty player and despite not having the points to show for it this year, much of our attack still goes through her,” Burnett-Kurie commented. “It was great to see her breakthrough and not only score, but to score a second in the first half.”
At the 32nd minute, Ackiss recorded her team-leading ninth goal of the season to give Gustavus a 3-0 cushion with a great shot from 30 yards out, registering a goal in three-straight games. Leininger was credited with the assist on the goal to notch her fifth point of the game, which is an individual game high for Leininger and the Gusties.
In the second period Concordia stole away some of the Gustavus momentum, outshooting the Gusties 11-3. Despite a strong push-back, the Black and Gold defense stood tall. Goalkeeper Roisen Granlund (Sr., St. Paul, Minn.) came in to assist starting goalie Ashley Becker (So., Farmington, Minn.) at the 75th minute mark and backstopped the Gusties with six saves. Becker was credited with her 10th win of the season.
“We are so happy to see Roisen get some minutes and show what she’s capable of. Everyday she works hard in practice and continues to push herself and everyone within the program to reach that next level. Today she had the opportunity to step onto the field and help hold down the fort to secure that goose egg,” Burnett-Kurie mentioned.
Gustavus closes out the regular season at Hamline University on Saturday at 11 a.m.
“We are very focused on finishing out the season strong, but today’s post-game was all about honoring our spectacular senior class and their families. They’ve given so much to this program it’s difficult to truly honor them,” said Burnett-Kurie.

"Krushing" St. Kate's

Three-Goal Second Half Propels Women’s Soccer To Victory At St. Kate’s

Posted on October 22nd, 2016 by Trent Jackson

Senior co-captain Jana Elliott scored the game-winner for the Gusties.

BOX SCORE
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Gustavus women’s soccer team was guided by three-goals in the second period to capture a road win from St. Catherine University Saturday afternoon.
The Gustie’s fourth win on the road pushed their overall record to 9-5-2 (5-4 MIAC), while the Wildcats fall to 9-5-1 (4-4-1 MIAC).
“Today was a big win for us,” said Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie. “The team came out ready to fight and they did just that. We gave up an early goal, but the team kept their heads and continued to fight. Everyone did their jobs and more, which helped us get our results. It was a physical battle, but we moved the ball well and were relentless in our attack.”
St. Catherine got on the scoresheet first, just under three minutes into the six-goal game. Kaitlin Machovec tallied her third goal of the season to give the Wildcats an early lead. An own goal by St. Kate’s at the 33rd minute allowed the Gusties to even the score at 1-1, which stood as the score after one period of play. 
Gustavus stepped up the second half and took a 3-1 lead with goals from Maddison Ackiss (Sr., Fairbanks, Alaska) and Jana Elliott (Sr., Eagan, Minn.). Ackiss posted her team-leading eighth goal of the season and Elliott notched her second goal of the season as well as her first point in seven games. Emily Skogseth (So., Burnsville, Minn.) and Hannah Sturtz (Jr., Plymouth, Minn.) each added helpers on the goals.
Moments later St. Kate’s cut the Gustie lead to 3-2 as Machovec scored her second goal of the game from a header off a corner kick. However, around five minutes later Gustavus would wipe out the Wildcat’s comeback hopes with more contributions from Skogseth and Sturtz. Skogseth fed Sturtz who put a shot high-corner past St. Kate’s goalkeeper to seal a 4-2 victory for the Black and Gold. The four goals is the most by the Gusties during a conference game this season.
In the past five games, Skogseth and Sturtz have each tallied five points. Skogseth’s two assists today stands as a career-high and a goal and assist for Sturtz is also a career-high three points.
Gustavus outshot St. Kate’s 19-17, while the Wildcats led the Gusties in corner kicks 5-4. Goalkeeper Ashley Becker (So., Farmington, Minn.) made seven saves to record her ninth win of the season. Her 80 saves on the season is tied for the MIAC lead.
“Now we have to focus on finishing our the regular season,” Burnett-Kurie commented. “The MIAC is always super tight which means we need to focus on the last two games, both of which will be tough battles, in order to give us a spot in the playoffs. No game is an easy game in our conference.”
Gustavus has just two regular season games remaining on the schedule and returns home for senior day to take on Concordia College Tuesday afternoon at Gustie Soccer Field.

Gusties Get the W from UW-Stout

Ackiss Leads Charge As Women’s Soccer Edges UW-Stout, 2-1

Posted on October 19th, 2016 by Trent Jackson

Maddison Ackiss recorded her third two-goal game of the season.

BOX SCORE 
MENOMONIE, Wis. – The Gustavus women’s soccer team defeated the University of Wisconsin-Stout 2-1 in a non-conference matchup Wednesday night.
Just two games ago last Saturday, Maddison Ackiss (Sr., Fairbanks, Alaska) powered the Gusties with a two-goal game in the win at Bethel. Ackiss proved to be lethal once again as she tallied two goals to lead Gustavus to victory. Ackiss’s team-leading sixth and seventh goals stand as her third two-goal game of the season and the sixth multi-goal game of her career.
With the win Gustavus improves to 8-5-2 overall while the Blue Devils fall to 5-8-1.
“Tonight was a great game for the team,” said Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie. “We started out strong, moving the ball very well and it paid off with a goal fairly early in the first half.” 
The first goal came just seven minutes into the game when Emily Skogseth (So., Burnsville, Minn.) threaded the ball in behind to Ackiss for her sixth goal of the season. Skogseth’s helper was her third of the season.
The Gusties and the Blue Devils each posted three shots each as Gustavus left the first period leading 1-0.
At the 54th minute of the second period, Hannah Sturtz (Jr., Plymouth, Minn.) notched her third assist of the season working hard to get around the outside of her defender and crossed the ball to Ackiss who recorded the eventual game-winning goal for the Gusties, her third game-winner of the season.
“Stout gained some momentum in the first half, but nothing that our team was unable to handle defensively. In the second half, we controlled the majority of play except when Stout made a strong push in the final ten minutes,” Burnett-Kurie commented.
UW-Stout made a strong push-back in the second half and cut the Gustie lead in half with 10 minutes to go in the match, but it wasn’t quite enough. Goalkeeper Ashley Becker (So., Farmington, Minn.) enjoyed strong play from the Gustie defensive unit as they only allowed two Blue Devils shots on goal. Becker recorded her eighth win of the season. 
“We talked at the end of the game how it was a great overall performance, especially on the road on a weeknight,” Burnett-Kurie said. “The team is really starting to click on the field, which is great to see. We know what level we are able to play at, and now it’s about maintaining that urgency, work ethic, and desire to achieve it heading into our final three games. We made a commitment a couple weeks back to focus on finishing the conference strong and doing what we needed in order to make it to the conference tournament. We need to focus on one game at a time to achieve that goal.” 
Gustavus looks to carry the momentum into the weekend and secure a MIAC Playoff spot with three conference games remaining in the regular season. The Gusties return to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play Saturday afternoon as they travel to St. Paul, Minn. to take on St. Catherine University.

Weakend by Wartburg

 

 

 

Women’s Soccer Drops Non-Conference Match To Wartburg

Posted on October 16th, 2016 by Trent Jackson

BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY
ST. PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus women’s soccer team fell by a score of 3-0 in a non-conference matchup against Wartburg College Sunday afternoon at Gustie Soccer Field.
The loss moves the Gusties to 7-5-2 overall while the Knights improve to 8-3-2 overall after their third consecutive shutout.
Alyssa Drewelow scored her team-leading fifth goal of the season at the 25th minute mark of the first period to put Wartburg on the board. Morgan Neuendorf sent a cross that Drewelow buried from the left side to seal which stood as the game-winning goal.
Neuendorf found her way on the scoresheet again for the Knights as she streaked down field and took a pass from Alyssa Hewitt to push the lead to 2-0. Just three minutes later, Wartburg increased its lead to 3-0 with a goal from Nicole Adair.
“Credit them for scoring three, but they were fixable mistakes for us,” said Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie. “They were breakdowns defensvily that are easily fixable and the big thing is to take what we did well walk away with some confidence.”
Goalkeeper Ashley Becker (So., Farmington, Minn.) was handed her fifth loss of the season despite making some big saves for the Gusties. Just before the Knight’s first goal, Becker sprawled out towards the top-right corner of the goal to deny a great shot from Adair. “Definitely the save of the year, it was unbelievable,” commented Burnett-Kurie.
Gustavus was outshot by Wartburg 16-11. The Knights also led in corner kicks, 6-2. Emily Skogseth (So., Burnsville, Minn.) led the Gusties with two shots on goal.
“We had moments when we moved the ball around and were in dangerous on the field, but we either didn’t get the shot off or we weren’t quite able to finish,” Burnett-Kurie said. “This isn’t necessarily a setback because we played well. We got every healthy field player in today, which was nice to see. Having that urgency and finishing opportunities is big, that’s what we learned today. We have to fight to the end in this conference, so hopefully Wednesday we can build some confidence.”
The Black and Gold next head to Menomonie, Wis. on Wednesday for another non-conference matchup, taking on the Universtity of Wisconsin-Stout.

Beating Bethel

Ackiss and Becker Power Women’s Soccer To Victory At Bethel

Posted on October 15th, 2016 by Trent Jackson

BOX SCORE
ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The Gustavus women’s soccer team was carried by strong defense and two goals from Maddison Ackiss (Sr., Fairbanks, Alaska), leading to a 2-0 shutout at Bethel University Saturday afternoon.
“We started really well for a second game in a row,” said Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie. “The team is on a mission and they’ve been performing well. Right from the gates we controlled the tempo and created a lot of dangerous opportunities. We put Bethel on their heels to start. In the second half Bethel came out strong, but our team rose to the challenge. Our entire team worked tirelessly defensively and still created a few dangerous looks, including a shot off the crossbar.”
Just three minutes into the game, Ackiss notched what stood as the game-winning goal for the Gusties. Ackiss scored unassisted to post her fourth of the season.
Ackiss’s fifth goal of the season and second of the game came just five minutes later as Hannah Sturtz (Jr., Plymouth, Minn.) tallied her second helper of the season to push the Gustavus lead to 2-0.
The two-goal game stands as Ackiss’s fifth multi-goal game of her career and her second this season.

“As we’ve said before, Ackiss is the complete package. It’s hard to defend against her because she’s technical, deadly in the open field and super smart. Sturtz also had an outstanding game as much of our attack went through her. It’s fun to see the player she’s developed into,” Burnett-Kurie said.

In comparison, Bethel led in shots with 18 to the Gusties’ nine. Gustavus led in corner kicks with five compared to the Royals’ two.
Goalkeeper Ashley Becker (So., Farmington, Minn.) posted a career-high 10 saves to record her fifth shutout of the season and the 16th of her career.
“Everyday Ashley is working to become the best goalkeeper she can be. It’s through her mentality and desire to improve that has helped her elevate her game especially the last couple games,” commented Burnett-Kurie.
Tomorrow the Gusties host a non-conference matchup against Wartburg College at 2:30 p.m.

Success Against St. Benedict

Katie Johnson and teammates celebrate her first career goal in Black and Gold.

Early Lead Guides Women’s Soccer To Win Over Saint Benedict

Posted on October 11th, 2016 by Trent Jackson

BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY
ST. PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus women’s soccer team got off to an early lead in the first period and eventually prevailed by a score of 2-1 to defeat the College of Saint Benedict Tuesday afternoon at Gustie Soccer Field.
With the win the Gusties get back on track after two consecutive shutout losses. Gustavus moves to 6-4-2 (3-4 MIAC), while the Blazers of Saint Benedict fall to 7-4-2 (3-3-1 MIAC).
“It was great to get back on the scoring sheet and it was nice to score early to get our confidence going,” said Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie. “It’s crunch time in the second half of the conference season and you have to gut out wins, and that’s what we did today.”
Not much over ten minutes into the first period, Maddison Ackiss (Sr., Fairbanks, Alaska) sent a corner kick into the box to Katie Johnson (So., Duluth, Minn.), who put home her first collegiate goal.
“She (Johnson) was in the right place at the right time and it was great for her because she has been working super hard to earn minutes so it was nice to see her on the scoresheet,” Burnett-Kurie commented.
Another assist was credited to Ackiss just five minutes later as she ripped a shot that was blocked by a Blazer defender and then ended up on the foot up Emily Skogseth (So., Burnsville, Minn.), who put away her third goal of the season, tieing Ackiss for the team-lead.
In the first period the Gusties led the Blazers in shots (6-5) and corner kicks (2-0).
“A lot of our style of play is built on hard work. When it comes down to a game like this, the details make the big difference. The fact that we were focused to get the job done willed us to a victory,” Burnett-Kurie said.
Saint Benedict came out with a strong attack in the second period and eventually cut the lead to 2-1 at the 54th minute from a breakaway goal by Taylor Ledin, her team-leading 10th of the season.
Despite being outshot by a margin of 10-3 in the second half by the Blazers, the Gustie defense stood strong. Goalkeeper Ashley Becker (So., Farmington, Minn.) tied a season-high with nine saves, including five in the second half to record her sixth win of the season.
“Becker came up huge. She controlled the box and came off her line well. At the end of the day, the team figured it out,” said Burnett-Kurie.
On Saturday, Gustavus heads to Arden Hills, Minn. to face Bethel University at 1 p.m.

Auggies Found the Net

Women’s Soccer Shut Out At Augsburg

 

 

Posted on October 7th, 2016 by Trent Jackson

BOX SCORE
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Gustavus women’s soccer team was shut out for the second game in a row as it fell by a score of 2-0 at Augsburg College Friday night at Edor Nelson Field.
With the loss the Gusties now move to 5-4-2 (2-4 MIAC), while the Auggies stay undefeated on their home turf and move to 9-2 (4-1 MIAC).
Gustavus was unable to generate a strong attack as it only recorded two shots on goal and 10 shots total. Coursey Edwards (Sr., Eden Prairie, Minn.) and Emily Skogseth (So., Burnsville, Minn.) each registered one shot on goal.
“We played well tonight, just struggled to get the reward of putting the ball in the back of the net,” said Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie.
The Auggies’ top scorer, Ashley St. Aubin put in a rebound goal after a shot from Ciara Gregory to record her 10th goal of the season at the 26th minute of the first period, which proved to be the game-winner. St. Aubin also led the Auggies with six shots, four being on net.
Around halfway through the second period, Ciara Gregory posted her second assist of the game after feeding Carter Denison who added an insurance goal to give Augsburg a 2-0 lead, in which Gustavus was unable to answer.
Augsburg outshot the Gusties 18-10, 10-2 shots on target. Gustavus and Augsburg each tallied four corner kicks.
Goalkeeper Ashley Becker (So., Farmington, Minn.) made eight saves as she suffered her fourth loss of the season.
“We can certainly take some positives away from this game and prepare for our next matchup. Every game in the MIAC is always a battle, never an easy game,” Burnett-Kurie said.
The Black and Gold return home next week to take on Saint Benedict at the Gustie Soccer Field, Tuesday, October 11.

September Run for Kicks Success

It was a big month for the Gusties off the field, as school kicked off and classes began at full swing.  However, we managed to have a lot of fun in our free time hosting our 2nd Annual Run for Kicks 5k Race. This 5k has been very successful for us and the participation has doubled from year-to-year with this year having close to 60 runners!

We are also fortunate to have many generous sponsors for this event as well. We greatly appreciate their contribution to our program this year! A list of our sponsors can be found at the bottom of this blog post. 

The race began at 10:00am on Sunday, September 18th in the Gustavus Arboretum.  It was the perfect fall morning to run a 5k, as the sun was shining in and out of the trees throughout the course.  With all our teammates scattered along the trail cheering the participants on, it created a fun and positive atmosphere for all.

Gustie Supporters take their marks at 10am

 We had many fellow Gusties come out to run and the support of our family members as well.  Each participant put up some impressive times, as the Gustavus Cross Country Coach, Brenden Huber, came in first place.  Our second place finisher was a student, Ryan Maroney, a big fan of the Gustavus Women's Soccer team.  Ryan was not far behind Coach Huber in the race because he ran cross country in high school -running came natural to him.  Coach Huber however, has had some years of preparation for this race, and the smile below shows his hard work had paid off.

Cross Country Coach, Brenden Huber winning the race.

Not only were students, faculty and family running the 5k, but our assistant coach, BENTON FRAYNE ran too!  The players absolutely loved how dedicated Benton was to support the team for the 5k.  He shared with us his thoughts about the race and experience.

"I started out running with Coach Huber, which was a bad idea (he's too fast).  Honestly, the support of the team was great and got me through it.  I felt good afterwards and the feeling of achievement was great.  To complete anything physically challenging is always rewarding."

I'm sure Benton also loved the granola bar, banana, and Gatorade reward after the race as well.

Benton was so enthusiastic about the day, "the best part of the experience was seeing the team come together and put on such a great event.  Seeing all of the families and Gustie community coming out to support the team was great!"

One of our players, Junior, Sophie Leininger, has been the brains behind this entire event.  We sat down with her to ask about the idea, and she shared "my family and I help at the 5k my aunt hosts on Thanksgiving morning in Minneapolis.  Running is a huge part of my Aunt and Uncle's lives, and so they suggested we could raise funds for our team if we hosted our own 5k.  And so, with their help, my mom (Lisa Leininger) and aunt (Barb Leininger) put it together!" 

The team is thankful to have such an innovative and supportive family help us make this event possible.  The Leininger family has done so much to help build this program.  Each year, Sophie looks forward to this event with the team, "it's very cool to see all the student support grow.  I am excited to see us hopefully reach more St. Peter residents next year, and be able to put on another smooth and fun event for everyone!"

We are incredibly pleased with how awesome of a day this event was, and cannot wait to host again next year!

Below are a couple more photos from the day.

Race Check-In

 

 

Gustavus Women's Soccer Team

 

 A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SPONSORS: 

Running Ventures, Minneapolis, MN
Center for Muscle and Joint Therapy, Superior, WI
World Block, Duluth, MN
Canyon Lake Veterinary Hospital, Rapid City, SD
Angeno's Pizza, Brooklyn Park, MN
The Tax Book, Minnetonka, MN
Pulse, St. Peter, MN
Chris Nelson, SD
David and Sandra Wilbur, MN
Skip and Tammy Sturtz, MN
Gregg and Lisa Leininger, MN

Carleton Conquered the Gusties

 Below is the recap of the Gusties game.  Still adapting to the situations we place ourselves in, in games, we still could not find ourselves.  We are hoping to turn this around for the second half of the season.

Women’s Soccer Shut Out By Carleton

Posted on October 1st, 2016 by Trent Jackson

Grace Brustad with a throw-in during the Gusties homecoming matchup with Carleton. (photo courtesy of Gunnar Ledin '20)

BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY

ST. PETER, Minn. – Carleton College earned its first win of the season as they defeated the Gustavus women’s soccer team by a score of 3-0 Saturday afternoon at Gustie Soccer Field.

The Gusties suffered their third loss of the season during homecoming to move their record to 5-3-2 (2-3 MIAC). Carleton recorded its first victory and is now 1-8-2 (1-3-1 MIAC).

An even first half left both squads scoreless. Carleton led Gustavus in shots (4-2) and corner kicks (3-0) in the first period. The Gusties came back strong in the second period as they outshot the Knights 6-4, but couldn’t put one past Carleton goalkeeper Elaine Sundberg, who made four saves and posted her second shutout of the season.

At the 50th minute, Carleton’s Connor Kasch sent a corner to the middle of the box and Madeline Topf headed the ball past Gustie netminder Ashley Becker (So., Farmington, Minn.). Topf’s second goal of the season proved to be the turning point of the game as the Knights took control and scored two more goals to seal the win. Laura Kiernan and Topf tallied the second and third goals for the Knights.

“We need to be more dangerous in the final-third,” said Assistant Coach Benton Frayne. “We had a couple of good looks today but it is just not enough to put a team like Carleton on their heels.”
The Gustie’s best chance came at the 30th minute mark of the first period when Maddison Ackiss (Sr., Fairbanks, Alaska) ripped a shot off the crossbar.

“We have a specific style that we are looking to play, called the ‘Gustie tempo’ and at moments we saw that today. We need to have a sense of urgency and trust in ourselves and our teammates. We also need to continue to work together and believe in what we are doing. We know we’re a good team and we didn’t get the result today, but good things will come eventually,” Frayne commented.
The Black and Gold next travel to Minneapolis, Minn. to face Augsburg College next Friday, October 7.

Staying Strong against St. Mary's

 After a couple tough losses, the Gusties decided to kick it in gear and put up a fight against St. Mary's on Wednesday afternoon.  After trailing 0-1 within the first five minutes of the game, we knew our intensity must be taken up a few notches.  Our offense pushed their creativity and found the back of the net a couple times to pull off the win.

 

Below is the game recap by Trent Jackson.

Ackiss Leads Women’s Soccer Over Saint Mary’s

Posted on September 28th, 2016 by Trent Jackson

Maddison Ackiss sprints past Saint Mary's goalkeeper Gabriella Pederson to tap in one of her two goals. (photo courtesy of Kegan Couture '20)

BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY
ST. PETER, Minn. – Maddison Ackiss (Sr., Fairbanks, Alaska) recorded two goals to propel the Gustavus women’s soccer team to a 2-1 victory over Saint Mary’s University Wednesday afternoon at Gustie Soccer Field.
With the win the Gusties tallied their fifth of the season, moving to 5-2-2 overall and 2-2 in the MIAC. Saint Mary’s drops to 2-6-1 overall and 0-4 in the MIAC. The win also proves to be the first come from behind win of the season for the Gusties, and their fourth win at home to stay unbeaten at Gustie Soccer Field.

Josie Mazzone (photo courtesy of AJ Dahm, SPX Sports)

“We know every conference game is hard and it’s always great to play at home,” said Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie. “There’s something special about playing at home and our girls ended up pulling out the win, which is good to see.”
The Cardinals got on the board early just two and a half minutes into the game when Anna Taylor crossed the ball and Becca Dup converted for her third goal of the season.
Gustavus quickly moved forward after the early Cardinal goal as they were able to find the back of the net at the 18th minute mark. Ashley Becker (So., Farmington, Minn.) booted a ball past midfield and Ackiss ran past Saint Mary’s defenders to put away her second goal of the season. Becker’s assist was the first of her career.
“Coming from behind is always a daunting task so it was nice to be able to rebound from that. We made some adjustments in the first half and we started to figure some things out. In the second half we definitely created more dangerous opportunities for ourselves,” Burnett-Kurie said.
An even first half left the score tied at 1-1 as the Gusties and Cardinals registered three shots each.

Hannah Sturtz (Kegan Couture ’20)

In the second half the Black and Gold took control. At the 47th minute, Jana Elliott (Sr., Eagan, Minn.) notched her team-leading fourth assist of the season when she made a great through ball over the Cardinal defense to Ackiss, scoring her second goal of the game and third of the season which proved to be the game-winner.
“She’s (Ackiss) deadly, especially in the final third. It’s somehting where other teams are going to target that. It’s been nice so far this season that we have had so many people get on the scoresheet, so teams know that other people can score on the team. Now we have to continue to get her looks along with other players to balance it out,” Burnett-Kurie commented.
Ackiss led the Gusties with three shots on goal while Gustavus led Saint Mary’s in shots 7-4 and corner kicks 7-1.
Next up Gustavus hosts Carleton College Saturday for a homecoming matchup at 1 p.m.

Olaf Takes the Win

 It was a challenging game for us Gusties, physically and mentally, as we needed to come together as one to find our rhythm.  However, it just was not in the cards for us, and St. Olaf put up a more consistent 90 minutes to win.  There is hardly a team who can end conference play with a perfect record, and we understand we will not always win, but we must use this as a learning opportunity to move forward.

 

Here is CJ's game recap below.

Women’s Soccer Suffers First Loss Of Season, 3-1 At St. Olaf

Posted on September 17th, 2016 by CJ Siewert

BOX SCORE
NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Gustavus women’s soccer team suffered its first loss of the season Saturday at St. Olaf by the score of 3-1, dropping to 4-1-1 overall and 1-1-0 in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The three goals against also marked the first goals scored against the Gusties all season.
“St. Olaf definitely deserved the win” Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie said. “It was a great learning experience for us. We knew this year was going to be tough and we have to find an edge to our game in order to win. We ended up turning it on and had some moments, but we didn’t have those players step up that need to step up. It’s a great learning opportunity for us to realize that we need those players to step up.  One loss isn’t going to break our season, but now we need to see how well we can rebound.”
The Oles wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as they scored the first goal in the eighth minute. Six minutes later the Oles added another goal off a corner kick to take a 2-0 advantage. Another St. Olaf corner kick resulted in the third goal of the game as a header found the back of the net in the 22^nd minute.
The Gusties broke the shutout in the 28^th minute as Abby Mullenbach (Fy., Lakeville, Minn.) scored her first collegiate goal, assisted by Josie Mazzone (Jr., Rapid City, S.D.). Neither team could find the goal in the second half and the home team walked away with a 3-1 victory.
Ashley Becker (So., Farmington, Minn.) suffered her first loss of the season after making seven saves.
Gustavus continues MIAC play Thursday at UW-Eau Claire.

Gusties Defeat Mighty MAC

 As we start conference play, our game against Macalester had to make a statement -it had to set the tone for the season.  We must be hungry to prove to ourselves, our school, and the MIAC that Gustavus Women's Soccer is ready to contend for the regular season title.  We knew going into this game that a win would not come so easily, as Macalester only gave up one conference play loss last year -to us. They were out for their first win of the MIAC season too and redemption from the previous year.  With intelligence, grit, and desire from the amount of depth on our team, we came out on top at the last whistle.

Below is a recap of the game.

 

Women’s Soccer Blanks Macalester 2-0

Posted on September 13th, 2016 by Trent Jackson

Jana Elliott moves the ball up the field. (photo courtesy of Gunnar Ledin '20)

BOX SCORE

ST. PETER, Minn. – Gustavus women’s soccer opened Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Play with a victory over Macalester College Tuesday. The Gusties shutout the Scots by a final score of 2-0 to record their fifth shutout on the season.

Gustavus moves to 4-0-1 (1-0 MIAC) on the season while Macalester falls to 3-1-1 (0-1 MIAC).

Goalkeeper Ashley Becker (So., Farmington, Minn.) made five saves to keep the shutout theme rolling. Becker and the Gusties have yet to allow through five games.

“We battled hard,” said Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie. “There were a lot of momentum shifts in the game. For a period of time I thought we controlled the tempo, and then Macalester would control it. In the second half, we were smart and we finished strong.”

Gustavus got on the board at the 34th minute of the first period. Jana Elliott (Sr., Eagan, Minn.) squeezed the ball through the Macalester defenders, giving Paula Miller (Jr., Rapid City, S.D.) a partial breakaway as she put home her second goal of the season.

The Gusties and Macalester traded chances throughout the game but the Gusties smart and consistent defensive play shutdown the Scots. Gustavus led Macalester in shots (11-10) and shots on goal (6-5).

Grace Brustad and teammates celebrate her first career goal in Black and Gold. (Gunnar Ledin ’20)

Late in the second period, Emily Skogseth (So., Burnsville, Minn.) made some nice moves to get past Macalester defenders and centered the ball to Grace Brustad (So., Edina, Minn.), who put in her first collegiate goal.

“We talk a lot about building our soccer IQ and our all-around play so when we’re in games like today, they understand what to do,” Burnett-Kurie said. “It was awesome to get a goal in the last minute or so to kind of seal it.”

The Gusties now have 14 different players to have found their names in the season scoring column, using their team depth to their advantage.

“Being able to have a lot of players put the ball in the back of the net and knowing that we don’t need to rely on one or two individuals is great for us. Having so much depth on our bench allows to play a lot of players and keep our legs fresh,” said Burnett-Kurie.

Next the Gusties continue conference play as they head to Northfield, Minn. Saturday at 1 p.m. to take on rival St. Olaf College.

“We know that Macalester is a top contender in the MIAC so it was a good test for us in our first conference game,” Burnett-Kurie commented. “We just have to take it one game at a time because everyone in the MIAC knows that it’s super competitive from top to bottom. It was great to be able to battle at that level and now we’re setting the tempo for St. Olaf on Saturday.

Gusties Take the Crown

Just like each season, the Gusties were extremely excited for the first home game during school!  It was great playing Crown to prepare for conference play, as we were able to get all field players into the game, and break the goal scoring ice for the season.  

 

Here is a recap of the game below.

Women’s Soccer Wins Big Over Crown College 8-0

Posted on September 9th, 2016 by Trent Jackson

Laura Johnson led the Gusties with a goal and two assists.

BOX SCORE
ST. PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus women’s soccer team defeated Crown College by a convincing score of 8-0 Friday, earning their fourth consecutive shutout.

The Gusties move to 3-0-1 overall on the season with the shutout. The Black and Gold compiled 51 shots, 26 of them on goal and eight different Gusties found the back of the net.

“We saw a little different style of defense as they sat back a little bit more,” said Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie. “A big thing was being able to commit so many numbers forward while still being solid defensively. It was nice for us to try to break that down and we did some things that we’ve been working on in practice.”

All three Gustavus goalkeepers in Ashley Becker (So., Farmington, Minn.), Riley Viner (Sr., South St. Paul, Minn.) and Roisen Granlund (Sr., St. Paul, Minn.) saw time in goal to combine for the shutout. The Black and Gold defense made the goalkeeper’s job easy as they didn’t allow one shot from Crown College.

Emily Skogseth (So., Burnsville, Minn) got the scoring spree started at the 15th minute, her first on the season proved to be the game-winner and was assisted by Grace Brustad (So., Edina, Minn.).

Seven other Gusties recorded their first goals of the season while 11 total Gusties made their way on to the scoresheet. Laura Johnson (Jr., Chanhassen, Minn.) led Gustavus with a goal and two assists. Judith Hepburn (Fy., North Pole, Alaska) also posted two assists, her first collegiate points.

Jana Elliott (Sr., Eagan, Minn.), Kylie Lamberty (So., Sioux Falls, S.D) and Maggie Leininger (Fy., Plymouth, Minn.) all scored their first career goals in Black and Gold.

“It’s nice to get on the scoring sheet and get some player’s confidence up. A lot of times goal scoring is just about breaking the ice, and then they start to flow. Hopefully we can feed off of that. A big thing is switching mentally from non-conference to conference play, the most important part of our season,” Burnett-Kurie said.

Gustavus looks to keep the momentum rolling into next week as they head into MIAC play. The Gusties host Macalester Tuesday at 4 p.m.

Right in it with UW-River Falls

Against River Falls, we found ourselves in a dangerous rhythm attacking at times, but just could not put one up on the board.  It was an even match throughout the game, as both teams posses an immense amount of talent and play with a lot of heart.  Both teams gained momentum for the season ahead.

 

 Below is the game recap.

Women’s Soccer Ties In Double Overtime At UW-River Falls

Posted on September 7th, 2016 by Trent Jackson

Ashley Becker recorded her third consecutive shutout.

BOX SCORE

RIVER FALLS, Wis. – Gustavus women’s soccer and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls ended in a 0-0 stalemate after double overtime Wednesday night at  Ramer Soccer Field.

The Gusties move to 2-0-1 overall and UW-River Falls is now 0-2-1.
Ashley Becker (So., Farmington, Minn.) continues to shutdown opponents as she made four saves to record her third consecutive and 14th career shutout. Her 110 minutes played ties a career-high.

An even first half concluded with the Gusties and UW-River Falls both having five attempted shots on goal.

“River Falls is a constant threat in behind, which tested our defenders. After a fairly open beginning 25 minutes where the game was going from goal to goal, our defense started to settle down and prevent them from creating many dangerous opportunities,” said Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie.

Neither squad could find the back of the net in the second period or the two overtimes. Gustavus outshot UW-River Falls 15-10 and 5-4 in shots on goal. Maddison Ackiss (Sr., Fairbanks, Alaska) led the Gusties with three shots on goal.

“Overall it was an exciting game,” Burnett-Kurie said. “We have been working on connecting more and finding our rhythm in the attack and we made huge strides today. At times we looked incredibly sharp moving the ball up the field and building into the attack. Our attack looked much better and we consistently found ourselves with numbers up in dangerous positions. We forced not only their goalkeeper but their back line to come up with some big plays. We hit a couple posts and had the ball cleared off the line a few times, a goal just wasn’t in the cards for us today.”

Gustavus returns home to battle Crown College at 4 p.m. Friday at Gustie Soccer Field.

“At the end, it was a great battle for us and a game we can take confidence from.  There are always positives you can take away from a well played game and we are excited to shift our focus on to Crown College on Friday,” said Burnett-Kurie.

Gutted Out the Game Winning Goal

 The Gusties were pumped up for our home opener, and determined to post-up a win! Each time we play UW-Lacrosse, the outcome of the game is never taken lightly.  With Wisconsin being a physical team, not only did we have to match their intensity, but we had to take it to the next level.  The result of the game came down to who wanted it more.  It was a great battle by all.

Below is the game recap.

Women’s Soccer Earns Shutout In Home Opener

Posted on September 3rd, 2016 by Trent Jackson

Chase Miller scored the game-winning goal for the Gusties. 

BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY

ST. PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus Women’s Soccer team defeated the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse 1-0 in their home opener Saturday afternoon at the Gustie Soccer Field.

A highly paced and physical game featured a scoreless first half. The Gusties were outshot by UW-La Crosse but strong defense led the Black and Gold to victory.

Ashley Becker

Ashley Becker (So., Farmington, Minn.) recorded her second consecutive and 13th career shutout. She also tied a career-high with nine saves.

“She’s a great force back there and is always super consistent,” Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie spoke about Becker. “It gives our team a lot of confidence moving forward. If we do have breakdowns, we have someone back there that’s going to step up in those moments. After she makes some of those big saves, we kind of feed off of it and it helps us out a lot.”

Chase Miller (So., Brooklyn Park, Minn.) scored her first goal of the season in the 86th minute of the second period, which proved to be the game-winner and lone goal of the match. Miller booted a free kick from the half-way line that took a bounce over the UW-La Crosse goalkeeper and into the net.

“It’s always an intense game with UW-La Crosse. They’re a good team and they like to play just like we do and we definitely get into it,” said Burnett-Kurie. “We kind of gutted it out. The wind helped in the second half, we were going against it in the first half, it certainly helped in the second half. We had some good players step up.”

The Gustavus win moves them to 2-0 overall on the season, while UW-Lacrosse is now 1-1 overall.

“We made better strides. It’s always an adjustment getting used to playing with each other again. Having a target on our back more so than we did last year and getting used to that is going to be big. We still have a long way to go so it’s just taking it game-by-game and practice-by-practice,” Burnett-Kurie said.

Gustavus returns to action September 7 as they travel to River Falls, Wis. to take take on the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

Winning at Wesleyan

 September 1st marked the end of preseason, and the first win of the season for us Gusties.  Finding a rhythm and switching gears to game mode was tough for us the first half, and Nebraska Wesleyan tested us both mentally and physically.  At halftime we made the decision that losing was not an option.  And with that mentality leading into the second half, great combinations were created by the Gusties for success.

Here is the game recap posted below.

Women’s Soccer Spoils Nebraska Wesleyan’s Home Opener, Posts 3-0 Shutout

Posted on September 1st, 2016 by Trent Jackson

Junior defender Josie Mazzone scored her first collegiate goal and the game-winner for the Gusties. 

BOX SCORE
 
LINCOLN, Neb. – The Gustavus women’s soccer team opened its season with a 3-0 victory at Nebraska Wesleyan University Thursday.

Goaltender Ashley Becker (So., Farmington, Minn.) made five saves to record her 12th career shutout and the Gusties received goals from Josie Mazzone (Jr., Rapid City, S.D.) and Hannah Sturtz (Jr., Plymouth, Minn.).

The first period left both squads scoreless.

“Nebraska Wesleyan took it to us and we struggled to find our rhythm in the first half,” said Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie. “We made some adjustments in the second half and some of our veterans picked it up and played with some fire and grit. We found ourselves in more control of the ball and started to play the way we want and know we can.”

Mazzone wasted little time in the second period, scoring her first collegiate goal just two and a half minutes in with an assist from Paula Miller (Jr., Rapid City, S.D.). Mazzone streaked down the right side to receive the ball inside the box, settled it well and calmly placed it inside the netting on the far side. “It was awesome to have her score such a great goal as she’s been such a consistent player throughout her career,” said Burnett-Kurie.

Sturtz doubled the Gustie lead in the 81^st minute after Jana Elliott (Sr., Eagan, Minn) played to the ball to Sturtz in the box who cut it back and tucked the ball in the side netting. Sturtz also led Gustavus with two shots on goal. “Hannah came alive last year scoring-wise so it’s awesome to see her break the ice so early in the season,” said Burnett-Kurie.

The Gusties’ third goal resulted from Coursey Edwards (Sr., Eden Prairie, Minn.) doing the dirty work in the middle of the field and then some cheeky combination play in the box between Mazzone and Miller. Their movement and combo play left the Nebraska Wesleyan player sliding for a last ditch effort which resulted in an own goal, giving the Gusties a 3-0 lead in the 89^th minute.

“Emily Odermatt (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn.) powered our backline to a strong defensive effort. Lucy Thompson (Fy., Edina, Minn.) and Abby Mullenbach (Fy., Lakeville, Minn.) played a great first collegiate game. The depth on this team is super exciting and promising. At the end of the day, we are proud of the team for making the appropriate adjustments during the game. It shows a lot about their character, drive, and soccer IQ to make those adjustments and find such success in the first game of the season,” Burnett-Kurie commented.

Gustavus outshot Dakota Wesleyan 7-5, while shots on target were 5-5.

Gustavus women’s soccer returns for the home opener Saturday at noon to take on the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse at the Gustie Soccer Field.

Gustavus Ranked Top 30 in the Nation

 Did you hear? Very deserved recognition for our wonderful institution! We know, as a private liberal arts institution, we strive incredibly hard to make Gustavus affordable.  If you're curious to see how much Gustavus will cost for you then fill out our Net Price Calculator on our website.  

   Gustavus Adolphus College has been recognized by MONEY Magazine for excellence in four separate categories in its 2016-17 Best College Rankings. The College ranks in the top 30 on the magazine’s lists of Most Affordable Private Colleges, Best Colleges for Merit Aid, Best Colleges that Add the Most Value, and Best Colleges You Can Actually Get Into. Gustavus is also listed as 74th overall out of 705 institutions on MONEY’s Best Colleges list.
    Gustavus ranks 28th on the list of the 50 Most Affordable Private Colleges, which comprises high-quality private schools that score best for affordability. Through financial aid packages or tuition prices, the total cost of a four-year education at colleges on the list is below the average for private colleges. Each of the colleges on the list also ranks in the top half of MONEY’s overall rankings.
    On MONEY’s list of the 50 Best Colleges for Merit Aid, Gustavus comes in at 29th. The list highlights colleges that have merit aid budgets, average at least $6,000 in grant aid per year, and award merit aid to at least 20 percent of undergraduate students. The College’s 29th place ranking is the best in Minnesota on the merit aid list.
    Gustavus ranks 28th on the magazine’s list of the 50 Best Colleges That Add the Most Value. MONEY uses what they refer to as “a comparative-value grade” to assess how each college helps students achieve better-than-expected outcomes based on their academic and economic background. The rankings take into account graduation rates, earnings, and student loan repayment data. Gustavus also ranks first in Minnesota on the added value list.
    For MONEY’s list of the 50 Best Colleges You Can Actually Get Into, the magazine compiled colleges with rigorous academics that admit at least 51 percent of their applicants. Gustavus, whose incoming class generally averages a 3.7 high school grade point average and 27 composite score on the ACT, ranks 22nd.
    Overall, the College is 74th out of the 705 colleges and universities on MONEY’s Best Colleges list. The methodology includes rankings based on quality of education, affordability, and outcomes, with each of the areas counting for one-third of the total score.
    “MONEY Magazine’s rankings focus on how outstanding colleges provide affordability and a strong return on investment,” Dean of Financial Aid Doug Minter ’79 said. “We’re proud to support students from all walks of life as they seek a challenging and rewarding educational experience on the hill.”

Gustavus Explores Digital Humanities through Mellon Grant

Gustavus Adolphus College is using a three-year, $100,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon
Foundation to implement January Interim Experience courses that explore the digital humanities. The six courses offered this month emphasize collaboration, are project-based, and explore how digital

media shapes meaning and can be used to research and present to both academic and broad public audiences.

“Digital humanities offer opportunities for students to incorporate and utilize technology inside and outside the classroom,” said Glenn Kranking ‘98, professor of history and Scandinavian studies. “It’s not about re-imagining the humanities, but using modern tools to apply different lenses to analyze and show data.”

The six January Interim courses cover everything from “Food and Communication” to “Digital Literature: Editing and Publishing an Online Literary Magazine” to “Local and Global Depictions of the War on Drugs.”

Now in its first year, the Mellon grant is designed to support offerings for sophomore students entering their fifth semester. Gustavus elected to offer the courses during January term because it allows for intensive study and focus on the subject. The number of course offerings are scheduled to increase to eight next year and 10 in 2018. Faculty who wish to teach a January digital humanities course fill out an application and attend a weeklong summer workshop once they are selected.

“The digital humanities classes offer students an opportunity to develop through their coursework a reflective, integrative, and more focused understanding of the connections and possibilities underlying a liberal arts degree. This will be immensely helpful as students move toward graduation and beyond,” Associate Provost and Dean of Arts and Humanities Paula O’Loughlin said.

The digital humanities are a natural fit for a generation of students who have been described as digital natives. “Our students are using technology every single day,” Kranking said. “This is a way that we can connect students’ technology skills with the academic disciplines and give them something to show to employers or graduate schools as examples of what they can do.”

One other benefit of the Mellon grant is that it exposes faculty members to the digital humanities. “It’s introducing professors to these ideas, approaches, and methodologies with the hopes that they will then bring the digital humanities back to their other classes,” Kranking said.

Kranking is also applying the digital humanities to his own research on the movement of populations from Estonia to Sweden. “I had all of the information before, but now I’m interacting with it in a different way and can draw different conclusions,” he explained. “By building a digital map, I can explore the dynamics of the migration, search by age range or profession, and visualize the data.”

“This is a new way to reach more people,” he continued. “Oftentimes the work of academics is consumed only by other academics. By incorporating digital projects, we can reach a broader audience.”

Visit the Gustavus digital humanities website to learn more.  

Article Courtesy of Gustavus.edu.  Questions or concerns, please contact Director of Media Relations and Internal Communication JJ Akin, jakin@gustavus.edu  

Director of Media Relations and Internal Communication