2025 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's soccer team

The Cougars returned fourteen players from 2024 as well as three redshirts. They were joined by six freshmen and five transfers from other schools.^[1] None of the Cougars' top seven scorers from 2024 return, but most of the defenders do.^[2]

Following consecutive Ohio Valley Conference regular season and tournament championships, SIUE men's soccer was voted the favorites to do it again. The Cougars received 14 of a possible 16 first-place votes and 98 total points in the preseason poll. The top six teams in league play advance to the OVC Championship tournament, with the first and second seeds receiving byes straight through to the semifinal round, and the tournament winner earns the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. ^[3]

2025 OVC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll

• 1. SIUE (14 first-place votes) - 98 points
• 2. HCU (2) - 69
• 3. Lindenwood - 67
• 4. Liberty - 64
• 5. UIW - 55
• 6. Western Illinois - 39
• 7. Eastern Illinois - 38
• 8. Southern Indiana - 18

The regular season began on August 21, 2025 following three exhibition games.

The seven game non-conference schedule included three teams--- 21st ranked Denver, 18th ranked Saint Louis, and Kansas City who ended-the season ranked #21-- that were, like the Cougars, in last season's NCAA tournament. All three defeated SIUE, with Saint Louis regaining possession of the Bronze Boot.

Only Evan Howard, a transfer from Coastal Carolina, was able to help replacing the loss of last season's scoring, and the Cougars offense suffered. Only the defense kept the season from being a total disaster. Of the seven nonconfernce opponents, SIUE defeated only Air Force, who finished near the bottom of the NCAA's RPI ratings at number 206 of 213 teams.

After starting the OVC schedule with two loses, the Cougars put together a five game streak with three wins and two draws. However, they then lost two games before ending the season on a winning note.

Th final regular season record was a disappointing 5-10-2 with an RPI rating of 167.

SIUE entered the 2025 Ohio Valley Men's Soccer Championship with its two leading scorers, Evan Howard (8 goals, 3 assists) and Carles Zomeno (2 & 2) out with injuries. Their quarterfinals match was versus Western Illinois, who had defeated the Cougars twice. Led by two grad students, captain defender Wes Gibson and midfielder Ethan Hackenberg, the team put on its best display of both offense and defence for the season. In a contest that could only be described as "chippy", there were thirtyone (31) fouls, with seven yellow cards issued, but Hackenberg scored his only twom goals of the season, and SIUE prevsailed 2-0. ^[4]

The OVC Championship semifinal was fourth seeded SIUE versus top-seeded reular season champion Lindenwood on its home field. The Lions fairly well dominated the Cougars during the first half, getting off twelve shots (6 on goal) to the Cougars' four (0), and the home teame scored twice. In the second half, with Carles Zomeno back on the field, the Cougars from the quarterfinals returned, monopolizing the offense and playing solid defense, outshooting the Lions 10 to three. However, the home squad packed in its defnse and refused to let the visitors scored. The Cougars finish their season with a 6-11-2 record. Lindenwood, the regular season champion is 14-2-3 and will play in Saturday night's OVC Championship game. ^[5] Through the season, the Cougars lost six games to five schools that made the NCAA Championship tournament.

Two days ahead of the start of the 2025 OVC Championship in St. Charles, Missouri, SIUE's defender Wes Gibson, midfielder Carles Zomeno, and forward Evan Howard were named to the ALL-OVC First Team. Howard and goalkeeper Noah Scheidweiler were named to the OVC All-Newcomer Team. ^[6]

Following Lindenwood's defeat of Houston Chriistian in the OVC Championship game, the OVC All-Tournament Team was announced. Cougar midfielders grad student Ethan Hackenberg and freshman Dan Murray were named to the eleven member squad. ^[7]

Summarize Timeline Fact Check

Source=^[1][8]

Buff background indicates returning players from 2023. Pink background indicates players "redshirted" in 2023.

#	Name	Nationality	Height	Weight	Class	Hometown	High School	Academy/Club	Transfer from
Goalkeepers
1	Noah Scheidweiler		6'2"	165	Freshman	Gasperich, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg		FC Swift Hesperange
29	Ethan Kornas		5'11"	150	Redshirt Juunior	Huntley, Illinois	Huntley	Eclipse Select SC
30	Patrick O'Day		6'2"	180	RedshirtJunior	O'Fallon, Missouri	Liberty		Lewis and Clark
Defenders
3	Elliott Forestier		5'11"	175	Senior	Sydney, Australia	Sydney Secondary College	Sydney Olympic FC	Oklahoma Christian
4	Wesley Gibson*		6'1"	180	Graduate Student	Morton, Illinois	Morton	Central Illinois United
5	Archie McDonnell		6'4"	187	Redshirt Sophomore	Leeds, England	St Mary's Menston	UFCA and Horsforth St. Margaret's
12	Enrique Ezquerro		6'1"	177	Senior	Pradejon, Spain	Valle del Cidacos	Pradejon	WVU Tech
13	Paulo Júnior Sousa Rodrigues		6'	176	Freshman	Bertrange, Luxembourg		FC Rodange
15	Bobby Pauly		6'	165	Junior	St. Charles, Missouri	Orchard Farm	St. Louis Scott Gallagher
16	Garrison Hill		6'2"	175	Redshirt Sophomore	Kansas City, Missouri	The Pembroke Hill School	Sporting Blue Valley SC
19	Colin Bastianoni		6'	170	Redshirt Junior	Naperville, Illinois	Metea Valley	Eclipse SC
20	Mathias Clausen		5'11"	176	Freshman	San Jose, Costa Rica		Futbol Consultants Desamparados
25	Anton Mosley		6'1"	180	Redshirt Freshman	Shiloh, Illinois	Belleville-East	St. Louis Scott Gallagher
26	Seth Comer		5'11"	165	Freshman	Cedar Rapids, Iowa	Linn-Mar High School	VSA Rush
28	Murray Peart		6"	167	Freshman	Eleebana, New South Wales, Australia		Newcastle Jets
Midfielders
2	Tyler Sargent		5'10"	145	Redshirt Freshman	Oakville, Missouri	Whitfield School	St. Louis City
6	Carles Zomeno		6'	160	Senior	Valencia, Spain			Salt Lake CC
8	Ethan Hackenberg		5'9"	160	Graduate Student	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	United School of Sports	Swiss 1.Liga Group 3	Virginia Tech
14	Zach Renz		5'10"	165	Redshirt Junior	Wentzville, Missouri	Timberland	St. Louis Scott Gallagher Elite
18	Ben Perkins		6'2"	165	Redshirt Freshman	Affton, Missouri	St. John Vianney	St. Louis Scott Gallagher
22	Jake Karolczak		5'10"	175	Redshirt Senior	St. Charles, Missouri	St. Dominic
23	Daniel Murray		5'10"	160	Freshman	Croydon, London, England		Portsmouth Football Club
24	Karson Gibbs		5'10"	160	Senior	St. Charles, Missouri	Fort Zumwalt South	St. Louis City 2	St. Louis
Forwards
7	Ron Arie		6'	170	Sophomore	Zikhron Ya'akov, Israel			FIU
9	Evan Howard		6'5"	185	Senior	Newcastle, England			Coastal Carolina
10	Hugo Cornish		6'1"	170	Junior	Sydney, Australia			William Penn
21	Ryley Gibbs		6'	170	Sophomore	O'Fallon, Missouri	Fort Zumwalt South	St. Louis City 2
27	Dominic Bartoni		6'2"	188	Redshirt Freshman	St. Louis, Missouri	CBC		SMU

• = Players "redshirted' for the 2025 season.
• * = Captain

Summarize Timeline Top Qs Fact Check

Source=^[9][10]

2025 Ohio Valley Conference men's soccer tournament