MIDDLETOWN, CT. - The #7 Wesleyan men's soccer team is headed to Williamstown, MA., for a NESCAC Championship quarterfinal matchup against #2 Williams College. Wesleyan looks to pull off a post season upset on Saturday, Oct. 31, at Cole Field with action beginning at 12:30 p.m.
The Cardinals make their 23rd overall NESCAC Championship appearance and seventh consecutive postseason berth in 2026. After opening the season with a win over reigning national champion Tufts, the Cardinals rose to No. 1 in the national coaches poll, the highest ranking of the season. They have since gone 1-1-2 against ranked opponents, including draws against No. 1 Middlebury and No. 7 Williams. Under head coach
Geoff Wheeler, who led the 2025 NESCAC Coaching Staff of the Year, the Cardinals have outscored opponents 24-14.
Despite the loss of leading scorer Yousuff Saeed '27, the Cardinals have found offensive contributions throughout its lineup.
Ford Cash '29 leads the team with five goals and three assists, including three game-winners, while
Dylan Clack '27 has added three goals.
Julian Cauvin '29,
Niall Fergus '27, and freshman
Will Short have each recorded three assists.
Defensively,
Zach Feldman '27,
John SennMcNally '28,
Riley Harvey '28, and sophomore
Nnamdi Emehelu anchor the back line. Sophomore goalkeeper
Simon Rebstock has also emerged as a key contributor, posting a 3-2-3 record with 27 saves and a .755 save percentage through eight starts.
Williams enters the quarterfinal with a 10-2-2 overall record and a 6-2-2 conference mark. The Ephs are led offensively by Alex Bethencourt, who tops the NESCAC with seven assists, and Lorcan Mitchell, who has six goals, including four game-winners. JJ Ruehleman adds four goals and four assists, while goalkeeper Kai Darrell boasts a .822 save percentage and a 10-2-2 record.
The Ephs hold a 59-34-17 advantage in the all-time series, but the Cardinals earned a dramatic 1-0 upset over the ranked Ephs in October 2025. The teams also met in the 2024 NESCAC quarterfinals, with the Ephs advancing 2-1 in double overtime. Their regular-season meeting this year ended in a 1-1 draw, with
Felipe Una scoring the equalizer for the Cardinals.
The top four seeds will host quarterfinal matchups on Saturday, Oct. 31. The tournament semifinals will be held on Saturday, Nov. 7, at the highest remaining seeds. The NESCAC Championship will be held on Sunday, Nov. 8, at the highest remaining seed.
Visit the NESCAC website for
Championship Central and the NESCAC
Seeding Announcement
