ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The 105th campaign of Navy Men's Soccer is set to kick off Thursday night, starting a five-game, season-opening homestand for the Midshipmen at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility.
 
Hosting in-state foe Mount St. Mary's at 8:00 p.m. as part of a Thursday doubleheader with the women's team, Navy will then turn around and face another regional opponent four days later when William & Mary arrives in Annapolis for a 7:00 p.m. contest Monday evening. Both contests will be aired on ESPN+, with Joe Miller on the call.
 
2024 in Review
An injury-plagued 2024 campaign saw the Mids go 4-8-4 overall and 3-5-1 in the Patriot League, but several highlights sent the seniors off and showed promise for the returners … With each joining returner A.J. Schuetz on the All-Patriot League Second Team, departed senior Charlie Kriel was also named a Third-Team Academic All-American while fellow graduate Pierce Holbrook earned himself a professional MLS Next contract with the Philadelphia Union II … Then-rookie forward and two-time league weekly award winner Wyatt Stevens found himself with a league-leading four goals at the time of his season-ending injury in late September, while now-senior Bryce Robisch took home Patriot League Defender of the Week honors once.
 
2025 Preview
A bevy of returning starters and reserves will look to bounce back in 2025, supplanted by a talented freshman class … The biggest change will come in net, as highly-touted senior Robert Eaton takes over after pushing Holbrook the past two seasons as the back-up goalkeeper … The backline consists of senior veterans Jalen Grant and Bryce Robisch and a 2024 breakout performer in junior Alex Galloway … In a midfield anchored by junior Nate Stewart and his 32 career appearances, two sophomores are set to shine, as 2024 spot starter Duncan Sullivan will continue to expand his role while Jorge Mayorga is set to make the jump to a more prominent role … Flanking the midfield on the wing are expected to be 16-game rookie starter Keane Brown and his fellow sophomore JP Torres, a former member of the Puerto Rican U20 Team … The forward group includes a healthy Wyatt Stevens and the two former all-league selections in A.J. Schuetz and Andrew Schug.
 
Navy Picked Seventh in Patriot League Preseason Poll
The Mids were slated to finish tied for seventh in the Patriot League, tallying 31 points in the league's preseason coaches poll in August … Boston University was picked to win the league with four first-place votes (75 points), while defending champion Bucknell was second at four first-place votes (70 points) … American (67 points, two first-place votes), Loyola (54), Colgate (49), Navy, Lafayette (31), Army (22) and Holy Cross (11) rounded out the poll … Boston led the way with a league-high three athletes on the preseason All-League squad, as Diego Rived was named the Preseason Midfielder of the Year and Quin DeLaMater earned Preseason Defensive Player of the Year … American's Troy Elgersma was selected as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Bucknell's Freddie Lapworth picked up Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year honors.
 
No Place Like Home
The Mids have posted an outstanding 18-9-11 mark at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility since the start of the 2021 season … Navy has outscored opponents, 55-33, in those 38 games … Head coach Tim O'Donohue is 37-24-16 in his career at Glenn Warner … Seniors A.J. Schuetz and Tommy Lockhart paced the Mids with two goals apiece at home last season … Schuetz has now tallied five goals and one assist at home over 23 career games at the GWSF, while fellow senior Andrew Schug has four goals and an assist in 20 career home games.
 
Navy in Season Openers
The Mids are 70-20-14 in season openers over the program's first 104 years, posting a 4-5-1 mark in the last 10 season-opening contests … Navy is 3-5-1 in season openers under head coach Tim O'Donohue, going 2-2-1 over O'Donohue's past five season-opening games … Last season's opener saw the Mids fall by a 2-0 score at home to eventual nationally-ranked foe George Mason despite four saves from Pierce Holbrook.
 
Navy in Home Openers
O'Donohue has won five of his last six home openers and is 6-3-0 in home openers during his Navy tenure … The Mids have posted a 13-8-3 record in home openers since the completion of the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility in 2001.
 
Navy Notes
The current Navy seniors have gone 17-21-18 in their time in Annapolis, going 9-8-10 in league play and making a pair of Patriot League Tournaments, including winning the 2022 league title as freshmen … The Mids are 3-1-3 when Schuetz records a point, while Navy has tallied a 3-0-1 mark when Schug scores.
 
Sprouting Sophomores
The past four seasons have seen at least one sophomore break out after seeing limited playing time as a freshman, with the third-class Midshipmen settling into life at the Academy … After not seeing action during his rookie campaign, Zach Wagner stepped up and played in 13 games as a sophomore in 2021 and eventually ended with 2022 Patriot League All-Tournament Team and 2023 All-Patriot League Third Team honors along with serving as the 2023 team captain … Not appearing in a single game as 2021 freshmen, Pierce Holbrook, Connor Walcott and Noah Ward each blossomed into starting roles during the 2022 league-championship campaign, with Ward picking up 2022 All-Patriot League Third Team honors and Holbrook eventually garnering 2024 second-team all-league status to cap his historic career … 2023 then saw Andrew Schug and Bryce Robisch emerge, with Schug scoring his way to All-League Third Team laurels and Robisch earning a spot on the backline … Alex Galloway was the breakout performer in 2024, playing the full 90 in each of the Mids' final three contests.
 
Scouting Mount St. Mary's
Despite a 3-11-4 overall record last season, Mount St. Mary's used a 3-0-1 start in MAAC play to propel itself to a 3-3-2 conference mark and a berth in the MAAC Tournament … Maks Czyz and Graham Dougald both return after sharing the Mountaineers' team lead with three goals last year, while Abou Cherif is also back after a two-goal campaign in 2024 … Julian Marcos brings stability to the net, starting 17 games last season with his 65 saves ranking 40th in the nation … Dougald earned Third Team All-MAAC honors at the conclusion of last season … The Mount was picked ninth in the 13-team MAAC preseason coaches poll announced last week.
 
Series History vs. Mount St. Mary's
Navy holds an 8-1-2 edge in the all-time series with Mount St. Mary's, winning the last three meetings in the series … Navy is undefeated at home against the Mount, going 4-0-1 … The most recent meeting between the programs was a 3-0 Mids victory on Oct. 20, 2021, as Matt Nocita, Baba Kallie and Cristian Coelho each tallied one goal while Jacob Williams added two assists.
 
Scouting William & Mary
The Tribe had a gauntlet of a schedule in 2024, facing five ranked opponents en route to a 5-10-1 record, with a pair of ranked CAA foes featured in a 3-4-1 league mark … Sam Delgado returns after scoring a team-best five goals last season to go with two assists, while Aidan Morrison and Gabe Ruitenberg both come back as well after totaling three-goal campaigns in 2024 … Finishing 50th nationally last season with 3.85 saves per game, Ryan Eapen returns in net after posting a 0.735 save percentage over 13 appearances (12 starts) … Morrison, Lucas Caldas, and Evan Rabush all earned Preseason All-CAA Honorable Mention honors last week, while the Tribe was picked fourth in the CAA South preseason poll.
 
Series History vs. William & Mary
Monday's meeting will be the first between the two sides since 2015, as William & Mary has won the last two matchups over Navy and holds an 8-5-3 edge in the series … That 2015 meeting was a 3-2 double-overtime loss for the Mids on Sept. 22, with Daniel Kwon and Mark Shiiba scoring their first career goals in the contest.
 
Looking Ahead
Navy will continue the homestand with a pair of contests on Labor Day weekend, hosting Howard on Aug. 29 and then welcoming Niagara on Sept. 2. Both games are set for 7:00 p.m. on ESPN+.