MIDDLETOWN, CT. - Earning an at-large bid to the 2025 NCAA Tournament after an early exit from the NESCAC Championships, the Wesleyan University men's soccer team will play host to the opening rounds for just the third time in program history. Wesleyan will face the Lehman College Lightning on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 11 a.m. at Jackson Field.
The Cardinals enter the NCAA Tournament for the second-straight season with a 9-4-4 overall record, welcoming the Lightning, Rowan University, and Bridgewater State University to Middletown. Head coach
Geoff Wheeler holds a standing 5-5-2 record in NCAA post-season play with a program-best finish in the Sweet 16 in 2009.
Wheeler's Cardinals finished the regular season with an 8-3-4 overall record, running the NESCAC 5-1-4 to earn the #2 seed in the NESCAC Championship, the program's highest finish in the conference standings since 2013. With victories over ranked Amherst and Williams, the Cardinals earned their first outright Little Three Championship since 2011.
Hosting #7 Amherst in the conference quarterfinal, the Cardinals advanced following a showstopping comeback over the Mammoths in a 3-2 buzzer-beater finish that saw
Aiden Londergan '27 nail the game-winning goal with 14 seconds remaining in regulation. The Cardinals took the opening lead but found themselves in a two-goal deficit after the Mammoths scored two in a row. With 10 minutes remaining,
Joshwin Jennings '27 tied the match at two. As action was headed to overtime, Londergan put an end to the game.
Facing #5 Conn. College in the semifinal round at Tufts University, the Cardinals fell into an early two-goal hole as the Camels struck twice in the opening minutes. The Cardinals played out regulation on guard and cut the lead in half with 35 seconds remaining off the foot of
Dylan Clack '27, falling 2-1.
Last season's tournament berth, the first since 2012, came as another at-large bid, sending the Cardinals to Babson for the opening rounds. The Cardinals defeated Saint Joseph in a 2-0 shutout before falling to Babson in the Second Round, 1-0.
The Lightning come to Middletown unranked in the first meeting between these two clubs, but with the distinction of being named the 2025 City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) Champions. The Lightning hold a standing 10-2-4 overall record and earned the automatic tournament bid after defeating City College of New York in the conference finals, 1-0. The program won their fifth conference title, winning four in the last decade. The Lightning will make their sixth NCAA Tournament appearance on Saturday. Ashraf Abubakar leads the Lightnings' attack with five goals but has not scored since Oct. 29. Goalkeeper Andre Barajas is 9-1-3, marking 40 saves.
The Second game of the afternoon will feature Rowan and Bridgewater State at 1 p.m. Rowan enters the tournament for fifth time in six years on an automatic bid after winning the New Jersey Athletic Conference title with a 1-0 shutout of TCNJ. It was the program's second straight conference title and the third in four years. With a 15-3-4 record, the Profs are led by two-time conference Player of the Year, Johnny Troiano. Troiano is currently sitting at 17 goals and five assists and will be joined by Defensive Player of the Year, Ryan Cleary. Cleary leads with eight assists. Starting goalkeeper Travis Holiday is 9-1-3 overall with 40 saves and five shutouts.
Meeting the Profs for a second time will be Bridgewater State. The Bears, with a 13-5-1 record, earned a bid after defeating Massachusetts Maritime Academy, 1-0, in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference finals. The Bears were top seeded entering the conference tournament. With five minutes remaining in a scoreless game, Ryan Healy scored the game-winning goal. The victory is the Bears' seventh MASCAC title, the program will make their eighth overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Filippo Mucci and Cameron Walty lead the scoring with six goals apiece. Starting goalkeeper Kyle Sullivan is 13-4-1 overall and holds a .662 save percentage with 47 saves, shutting out eight teams.
The winners of the two First Round matchups will play Sunday, Nov. 16, in the Second Round at 1 p.m. at Jackson Field.
