MARQUETTE – With a 2016 schedule listing nine home games, Northern Michigan University women’s soccer coach Matt Granstrand is looking for a successful campaign.

“We’re looking forward to the fall,” Granstrand said. “We’re expecting to really make an impact in both the GLIAC and our region.

“We’re at home a lot, which is good for our team and exciting for our fans. It should be a great season.”

The Wildcats’ 16-game schedule, released Thursday, includes a pair of nonconference opponents coming from Minnesota to Marquette in St. Cloud State at 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 2, and Winona State at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 4.

The next weekend, NMU goes to Minnesota to face Bemidji State on Sept. 9 and Minnesota-Duluth on Sept. 11.

After that, the Wildcats open GLIAC play – and a five-game homestand – against Michigan Tech at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17.

The Wildcats then square off against Grand Valley State at 4 p.m. Sept. 23, Ferris State at 1 p.m. Sept. 25, Ohio Dominican at 4 p.m. Sept. 30 and Findlay (Ohio) at 1 p.m. Oct. 2.

On the heels of its season-long homestand, Northern begins its longest-of-the-season road swing.

In the first weekend away, the Wildcats take on Northwood Oct. 7 and Saginaw Valley State Oct. 9. NMU then makes its lone Ohio trip of the campaign to face Walsh Oct. 14 and Lake Erie Oct. 16.

Northern then hosts Tiffin at 4 p.m. Oct. 21 and Ashland (Ohio) at 1 p.m. Oct. 23 in its final home games of the campaign.

The Wildcats will close out their regular season schedule at Michigan Tech on Oct. 28.

In 2015, Northern went 7-5 in the GLIAC to place fifth out of 13 teams. That enabled the team to reach the conference tournament for the seventh time in the past eight years.

Highlights of the 2015 campaign included a 1-0 overtime win at Ferris State on Oct. 16 and a 2-1 Senior Day victory over Tech on Oct. 31.

The Wildcats rattled off a five-game winning streak from Oct. 2-16.

It was their best such streak since 2006, when they won seven in a row from Sept. 2-22 and then again from Oct. 1-29.

Information compiled by Senior Sports Writer Craig Remsburg. He can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 251, or via email at cremsburg@miningjournal.net.