ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The 104th season of Navy men's soccer begins on Thursday night, as the Midshipmen (6-8-5, 3-2-4 PL in 2023) are set to host George Mason (5-7-3) in a 7 p.m. contest at Glenn Warner Soccer Facility. The Mids will then continue their opening weekend with a trip to Stonehill (3-8-5, 1-4-3 NEC) on Sunday with a noon match at Skyhawk Field in Easton, Mass.
 
With Thursday's contest airing on ESPN+ and Sunday's match streaming on NEC Front Row, the Navy squad features 20 returners from last year's squad that reached the Patriot League quarterfinals, headlined by senior captain Charlie Kriel and a 2023 all-league forward in junior Andrew Schug.
 
2023 in Review
Finishing with a winning league record for the fifth-straight season and earning a berth in the Patriot League Tournament for the fourth time in five years, Navy saw its 2022 title defense fall short in the 2023 quarterfinals with a 2-0 loss at Colgate … Highlighting four All-Patriot League selections, now-graduated David Jackson finished second in the league with 23 points and five assists en route to earning Third Team All-American honors from College Soccer News … Navy led the Patriot League with 12.42 shots per game and 5.11 shots on goal per game last season … The Mids also ranked second in the league in total shots (236), total saves (64) and corner kicks (101).
 
Previewing 2024
With Kriel leading a group of 20 returners, the Mids will rely on nine players who played key roles over the previous two seasons … Boasting a front line of two former all-league picks and a 2022 postseason hero, Navy brings back a 2023 All-Patriot League Third Teamer in Schug, a 2022 all-league third team selection in senior Noah Ward and the 2022 Patriot League Championship game-winner in junior A.J. Schuetz … The midfield returns a two-year starter in senior Connor Walcott along with sophomore Nate Stewart, who appeared in 16 contests during his rookie campaign … The defense brings back three players who started 12-or-more games last season, with a three-year starter in Kriel, junior Bryce Robisch coming off a breakout 2022 performance and sophomore Victor Saade having started the first 15 contests of his freshman year before suffering an injury … Also returning is junior defender Jalen Grant, who made 16 starts in 2022 before missing the 2023 campaign … In net, senior Pierce Holbrook will look to set the tone again after leading the Patriot League in saves the past two seasons.
 
Navy Picked Sixth in Patriot League Preseason Poll
The Mids were slated to finish sixth in the Patriot League, tallying 81 points in the league's preseason coaches poll in August … Loyola was picked to win the league with 12 first-place votes (150 points), while defending champion Boston University was second at eight first-place votes (142 points) … American (135 points), Colgate (103), Lafayette (98), Navy, Army (60), Holy Cross (51), Bucknell (40) and Lehigh (40) rounded out the poll … American and Loyola Maryland both placed a league-high four athletes on the preseason All-League squad.
 
Pierce Between the Posts
Holbrook's 64 saves last season and 69 saves in 2022 made him the first Navy goalkeeper with back-to-back 60-save seasons since Mac Burke in 2016-17 (64, 92) … Additionally, Holbrook became the seventh Navy goalie since 1975 to have back-to-back 60-save seasons … Entering 2024, Holbrook's 15 career shutouts are tied for the second most by a Navy goalkeeper since 1983, matching Mike Ulses (1985-88) and Dave Postell (1983-85) … League- and nation-wise, Holbrook led the Patriot League with 1,685:23 minutes played (28th in the country) and 64 total saves (39th in the country) last year, also ranking second in the league with seven shutouts (19th in the country) and 3.37 saves per game.
 
Navy in Season Openers
The Mids are 70-19-14 in season openers over the program's first 103 years, including a 4-4-2 mark in the last 10 season-opening contests … Navy is 3-4-1 in season openers under head coach Tim O'Donohue, going 3-1-1 over O'Donohue's past five season-opening games … Last season's opener saw the Mids fall by a 3-1 score at UNC Asheville despite a second-half goal form Jackson and four saves from Holbrook.
 
Navy in Home Openers
O'Donohue has won his last five home openers and is 6-2-0 in home openers during his Navy tenure … The Mids have posted a 13-7-3 record in home openers since the completion of the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility in 2001 … Walcott's first career goal and a pair of successful penalty-kick attempts by Jackson propelled the Mids to a 3-0 shutout over VMI in last year's home opener.
 
Navy Notes
The current Navy seniors have helped the Mids post a 25-19-15 overall record over their three seasons in Annapolis, going 11-7-9 in Patriot League matches … The Mids are 3-0-3 when Schuetz records a point, while Navy has tallied a 3-0-1 mark when Schug scores and a 2-0-5 record when Ward tallies a point … Kriel has started all 59 of Navy's games during his time with the Mids.
 
Scouting George Mason
The Patriots are coming off a 5-7-3 record in 2023, posting a 2-5-1 mark in the Atlantic 10 and going 4-2-1 to close out the campaign … George Mason returns four of its top five scorers from last season, led by Luis Maestre and his 19-point campaign (five goals, nine assists) … Tallying four goals and four assists last year, Nicholas Prioli will also don the Green and Gold again, as will Asparuh Slavov (11 points) and Henry Wachsman (seven points) … In total, the Patriots bring back six players who appeared in all 15 games a season ago.
 
Scouting Stonehill
The Skyhawks finished 2023 with a 3-8-5 mark in their second year of transition from NCAA Division II to the Division I level, going 1-4-3 in Northeast Conference action … Colin Milliken is the leading returning scorer for Stonehill, fresh off a six-goal, four-assist campaign in 2023 … Tiago Lima-Bittencourt also returns after notching three goals last year … Kyle Tencza is back in net following a freshman season that saw the goalkeeper earn four starts and make 18 saves.
 
Series History vs. George Mason
George Mason holds an 8-4-3 edge over Navy in the all-time series … Navy has posted a 3-2-3 record against the Patriots when playing in Annapolis … Last year's meeting between the teams in Fairvax ended with a 4-0 George Mason win … The last match between the two sides at Glenn Warner came on Sept. 2, 2019, as the Mids posted a 1-0 win thanks to Joe Alex's goal in the 40th minute.
 
Series History vs. Stonehill
Sunday will mark the first all-time meeting between Navy and Stonehill … Navy is 19-15-4 against current members of the Northeast Conference … Stonehill is the first of two NEC opponents the Mids will face in less than a week's span, with FDU arriving in Annapolis on Aug. 30.
 
Up Next
Navy will return home after Stonehill for a pair of contests at Glenn Warner Soccer Facility, hosting FDU on Aug. 30 and Niagara on Sept. 2. Both games are slated for 7 p.m. starts.
 
Parking / Shuttle / Ticket Information
All soccer contests at Glenn Warner will be free of charge, as Fans 18 and over need a government-issued photo ID. Fans are reminded that the general public does not have access to drive their vehicles on to the U.S. Naval Academy. Fans may park at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium for a fee and take a shuttle that will run every 10 minutes starting one hour before the game and will continue running until one hour after the game is completed. Enter the Stadium's Gate 5 off Taylor Ave. to park. Pedestrians may also walk through the Naval Academy's Gate 1 or Gate 8. Dogs are not permitted inside the Glenn Warner Soccer Complex.