Lewis-Chen Family Field will be the stomping grounds for the men’s soccer team in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Bypassing the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, No. 1 St. Edward’s will welcome No. 4 seed Regis University from Colorado on Saturday at 1 p.m.  

“All the players and the staff are really excited to bring the first NCAA men’s soccer match to campus,” Head Coach Brian Young said. “We’re looking forward to a great crowd and hopefully, with our style of play, we can entertain the fans… who will see us compete at the highest level for Division II soccer.”

Since this is the first time St. Edward’s will face Regis, Young says the team will have to study footage of how the Regis team plays, read sports articles and consult with other coaches who have faced this Colorado team. St. Edward’s needs to know their formation, key players and general thoughts on their style of play.

Most importantly, Young will give the team a chance to rest and recover from the physicality of the Heartland Conference (HC) Championship on Nov. 4-6. At the championship, St. Edward’s earned their fourth consecutive conference title, which is an impressive accomplishment for the eight champion seniors.

Senior goalkeeper Kevin Leib, senior midfielder Josh Taylor, sophomore forward Dylan Armstrong, junior brothers Grant Mobley and Ty Mobley were named to the All-Heartland Conference Team, while junior defender Owain Hoskins was named to the second team.

Ty was also named the conference Defensive Player of the Year and is the fifth straight St. Edward’s defender to claim this award.

The Hilltoppers have compiled a 17-2-1 record and have maintained a national ranking throughout the entire season. Young says the team has improved their intensity level and competitive mentality. Moving forward from the conference championship, the team will focus on fine-tuning speed of play and ball movement in the playoffs.

“The guys have really set some ambitious goals, and we’re starting to see the fruits of their labor,” Young said. “Winning our first NCAA Tournament game is certainly another goal they’ve set, and we have the chance to do that at home.”