2025 NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship First Round Wrap-Up, Second Round Preview
Below are the 2025 NAIA Men's Soccer First Round recaps and previews of the Second Round.
First & Second Round Sites: Baldwin City Bracket | Bartlesville Bracket | Beckley Bracket | Columbia Bracket | Hattiesburg Bracket | Lawrenceville Bracket | Lebanon Bracket | Marietta Bracket | Marion Bracket | McKenzie Bracket | Mishawaka Bracket | Olathe Bracket | Shreveport Bracket | West Palm Beach Bracket | Williamsburg Bracket | Winona Lake Bracket
Note: All broadcasts are produced by the host until the final site in Orange Beach, which is produced by the NAIA on NAIA Network and Urban Edge Network. Select first and second round broadcasts prior to the final site in Orange Beach are on UEN, by host opt-in.
PREVIEW: Baker (Kan.) vs Indiana Tech | Nov. 22 at 5 p.m. CT | Live Video | Live Stats/Box Score
- Baker (14-4-3) secured the program's second straight - and 14th overall - appearance in the NAIA tournament after clinching the Heart of America Athletic Conference regular-season championship.
- BU closed the regular season on an incredible run, going unbeaten in its last 10 games to capture the Wildcats' first league title since 2017.
- Baker's roster features the Heart Player of the Year in Chafik El Idrissi and six total all-conference honorees.
- Tech is led by its two leading goal scorers in Mark McDaid and Liam Arthur, who each have nine goals this year.
- Indiana Tech men's soccer has posted nine clean sheets this fall and allowed just two goals in their last five matches.
REACP: Westcliff (Calif.) 1, Oklahoma City 0 | Box Score
- Westcliff edged out Oklahoma City with a 1-0 win in OT
- The breakthrough finally came in overtime when Westcliff's Vaknin found the ball at his feet just inside the box and smashed home the game-winner in the 96th minute. It was his team-leading 14th goal of the season and the biggest one yet.
- Shots were tight throughout the match, as Westcliff tallied 13 attempts and OCU finished with 8
PREVIEW: Oklahoma Wesleyan vs Westcliff (Calif.) | Nov. 22 at 12 p.m. CT| Live Video | Live Stats/Box Score
- After clinching the KCAC Regular Season Championship, the OKWU continued their winning ways in the KCAC Conference Tournament, sweeping their opponents in commanding fashion
- Luis Vergara (OKWU) was named the KCAC Defender of the Year
- Biel Campo (OKWU) was named the KCAC MVP
- This will be the first meeting between the two programs
- Westcliff ranks third in the NAIA in shots per game (19.9)
- Westcliff's back line was unbreakable throughout the conference tournament postseason, conceding just once in two tournament matches.
PREVIEW: WVU Tech (W. Va.) vs Madonna (Mich.) | Nov. 22 4 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. ET | Live Video | Live Stats/Box Score
- No. 11 seed WVU Tech (16-0-2) hosts No. 15 Madonna (17-2-2) in a nationally ranked NAIA Second Round contest
- This is the first meeting between the programs since 2019, when Madonna claimed a 2-1 Opening Round win in Beckley.
- The Golden Bears earned hosting rights after an unbeaten regular season and RSC Tournament title, while the Crusaders arrive as WHAC regular-season champions.
- Tech ranks among the NAIA's top defenses and has allowed one goal in the last five matches.
- The Crusaders boast WHAC's top offense and veteran back line anchored by Afonso Henrique
REACP: Ottawa (Kan.) 1, Harris-Stowe (Mo.) | Box Score
- The Ottawa men's soccer team advanced in the NAIA National Tournament as they beat Harris-Stowe State University 1-0 on Thursday afternoon.
- The Braves broke through in the 78th minute when Alonso Basauri found Antonio Natalucci.
- Ottawa led total shots 16 to four and shots on goal four to two
PREVIEW: Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) vs Ottawa (Kan.) | Nov. 22 at 5 p.m. CT | Live Video | Live Stats/Box Score
- Thursday's win marked Ottawa men's soccer's first at the NAIA National Tournament since 1971.
- LWU averages 2.50 goals a game while conceding only 0.94 goals a game to opponents.
- The Blue Raiders hold a .397 shots-on-goal percentage, with 126-of-317 shots being registered as on goal.
- The Braves' offense is led by Antonio Natalucci with 15 goals on the season, including the game-winning goal against Harris-Stowe in the first round
- Ottawa averages 3.05 goals a game while holding opponents to 1.14 goals.
- The Braves have registered 182-of-376 shots on goal, yielding a .484 shots on goal percentage.
- This marks the first match-up between the Braves of Ottawa and the Blue Raiders of Lindsey Wilson.
PREVIEW: William Carey (Miss.) vs John Brown (Ark.)| Nov. 22 at 4 p.m. CT | Live Video | Live Stats/Box Score
- John Brown earned their way into the tournament through an at-large bid. The Golden Eagles bring an overall record of 12-4-4 to Hattiesburg.
- William Carey (14-4-2), the Southern States Athletic Conference runner-up, enters the NAIA tournament following a 7-1-1 league campaign and a trip to the SSAC title match.
- For the seventh time in program history, the John Brown University men's soccer team is bound for the NAIA National Championships.
- The Crusaders have outscored opponents 49-18 this season and built one of the nation's most formidable home-field profiles, going 10-1-2 at Danny Owens Field.
- John Brown (12-4-4) returns to national postseason play for the first time since 2019 after finishing second in the Sooner Athletic standings and advancing to the SAC tournament final.
- This will be the seventh meeting between the programs, with William Carey holding a 5-1-0 advantage. The most notable matchup came in the 2016 NAIA Opening Round, when the Crusaders edged JBU 1-0 in Hattiesburg despite being outshot 14-6.
PREVIEW: Georgia Gwinnett vs Rio Grande (Ohio) | Nov. 22 at 12 p.m. CT / 1 p.m. ET | Live Video | Live Stats/Box Score
- Rio Grande (11-5-3) is coming off a 2-1 loss to 15th-ranked West Virginia University-Tech in the River States Conference championship game.
- Georgia Gwinnett (12-2-3) punched its ticket by defeating Bellevue (Neb.), 3-0, in the Continental Athletic Conference (Independents) tournament championship.
- The Grizzlies are led offensively by freshman forward Ousmane Fall, who has 15 goals and four assists for a team-high 34 points, and sophomore forward Alejandro Contrera, who has 10 goals and six assists for 26 points.
- Rio Grande is led by freshman forward Facundo Rossich (Buenos Aires, Argentina) with 15 goals and 30 points, while sophomore midfielder Estevao Goncalves (Sao Paulo, Brazil) has 10 goals and five assists for 25 points, sophomore midfielder Hugo Ferreira (Paris, France) has eight goals and five assists for 21 points and junior midfielder Tommy Munoz Salazar (San Jose, Costa Rica) has eight goals and four assists for 20 points.
RECAP: Carroll (Mont.) 1, Wiley (Texas) 0 | Box Score
- The Saints secured a 1-0 victory over Wiley (Tx.) to march into the Second Round.
- Over the course of the match, the Saints out-shot the Wildcats 27-5, ten of which were on goal.
- For the second time in the last week, the Saints put away a bicycle kick goal. Captain midfielder Sam Loughton blasted the inverted attempt into the left side of the goal from just outside the six-yard box, giving Carroll a 1-0 lead in the 53rd minute.
PREVIEW: Cumberland (Tenn.) vs Carroll (Mont.) | Nov. 22 at 12 p.m. CT | Live Video | Live Stats/Box Score
- In their 19 games played so far this season, Cumberland have played eight games against teams that have now qualified for the National Championship, grabbing a record of 4-2-2 in those games.
- This will be the first time the two programs meet
- For the second time in program history, and the second time in as many years, the Fighting Saints (13-3-3) will chase the Red Banner after earning an At-Large Bid to the big dance.
RECAP: Milligan (Tenn.) 3, LSU Alexandria (La.) 0 | Box Score
- After an impressive first half where the Buffs put two tallies on the board, they added a third goal late to move past the Generals by a final score of 3-0.
- Milligan started the NAIA Championship tournament with a threatening offensive attack. In the eighth minute of the game, Kerim Akpinar tested the Generals goalie for the first time by sending a header that wound up in the hands of the goalie.
- LSUA had its first real opportunity in the 17th minute when they sent a header towards Adria Alles, one that he was able to save.
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Alles had a stellar performance in the net for the Buffs saving all seven shots the Generals sent his way earning himself a clean sheet.
PREVIEW: Life (Ga.) vs Milligan (Tenn.) | Nov. 22 at 4 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. ET | Live Video | Live Stats/Box Score
- The Milligan University men's soccer contingent earned an automatic bid by finishing as Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament runner-up
- Milligan makes its sixth straight appearance in the NAIA men's soccer national championship tournament.
- With the win the Buffaloes now advance to the second round of the NAIA Championships for the third straight season
- Life University earned the No. 5 seed after winning both the SSAC Regular Season and claiming the SSAC Tournament Championship for the second time in four years
- The Running Eagles finished the season ranked No. 5 in the final NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll, the team's second highest ranking in program history.
PREVIEW: Indiana Wesleyan vs Grand View (Iowa) | Nov. 22 at 3 p.m. CT / 4 p.m. ET | Live Video | Live Stats/Box Score
- Grand View (Iowa) heads to Marion boasting a record of 13-4-3.
- The Vikings will make their 13th NAIA Tournament appearance after earning an at-large bid from the Heart of America Athletic Conference.
- IWU will make their fourth-consecutive NAIA Tournament appearance this year.
RECAP: Union Commonwealth (Ky.) 4, Rocky Mountain (Mont.) 0 | Box Score
- Union Commonwealth University men's soccer (14-2-4) rolled past Rocky Mountain College (8-2-7) with a 4-0 victory Thursday at Walter Butler Stadium, earning its first NAIA National Championship Tournament win since 2016.
- Union struck early, breaking through in the sixth minute when Oriol Gásquez Pérez converted a penalty to make it 1–0.
- Goalkeeper Gabriel Mendoza recorded seven saves and posted his 14th shutout of the season, continuing to add to his program record.
PREVIEW: Bethel (Tenn.) vs Union Commonwealth (Ky.) | Nov. 22 at 12 p.m. CT | Live Video | Live Stats/Box Score
- Bethel is 12-1-2 on the season, and this will mark the 12th appearance in the nationals for Bethel.
- The Cats are 10-8-1 in the national tournament.
- Bethel won the national championship in 2007
- This trip marks Union's sixth overall appearance in the NAIA National Championship field and its third straight berth
- Under head coach Jonathan Shaw, the Bulldogs have now qualified for the national tournament four times.
- Olivet Nazarene University secured a commanding 4-0 victory over La Sierra University in the first round of the NAIA men's soccer tournament on Thursday
- The Tigers scored three second-half goals and maintained a shutout with four saves from Cedric Kunzli.
- Hagman led the team with two goals, including the game-winner, from eight total shots, seven of which were on target.
- Earlier this season, the Pilots defeated Olivet Nazarene 2-1 on Alumni Day, with Hagman owning the Tigers' lone goal.
- Thursday's win was the Tigers' second NAIA tournament win in program history and the first since 2012.
RECAP: Concordia (Neb.) 0 (Adv. 4-2 on PK), Eastern Oregon 0| Live Stats/Box Score
- For the first time in Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer history, the Bulldogs move on from round one of the NAIA national tournament after defeating Eastern Oregon University in penalty kicks (4-2) on Thursday (Nov. 20).
- The two sides were scoreless in the 110-minute defensive battle but Inigo Chavarria denied the unbeaten Mountaineers twice in the shootout.
- Ricards Busmeisters buried the game-winner to move on to the second round of the final dance.
- Chavarria clinched the shutout with two saves, his 5th of the season.
- Eastern Oregon finished with a 17-9 shot advantage after a nine-chance second half.
PREVIEW: MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) vs Concordia (Neb.) | Nov. 22 at 1 p.m. CT | Live Video | Live Stats/Box Score
- MidAmerica Nazarene finished 2nd in the Heart and won the Conference Tournament, securing a host bid in the 1st & 2nd Rounds
- The Pioneers were among four Heart teams to qualify (Baker, Grand View, and William Penn)
- The Pioneers are making their 14th appearance in the national tournament Concordia (Neb.) has now made three national appearances, totaling a 1-2 record, as of Thursday.
- While making their first-ever appearance at nationals, the 2015 Bulldogs were defeated by second-ranked Oklahoma Wesleyan University, 3-0. Seven years later, Concordia ventured to play Keiser University (Fla.) and lost by a 3-0 score at the hands of the ninth-ranked Seahawks.
- Faulker is heading to the national stage for the first time in program history
- The Eagles have not played in Shreveport since 2012. Faulkner is 0-2 all-time, both road matches, with the other meeting coming in 2009.
- LSU Shreveport is in the field for the fourth straight season and the fifth time in program history. LSUS defeated Mid-America Christian on the road last season to get to the final site for the first time ever where they fell in the round of 16 to Bellevue.
- Faulkner Head Coach Gabriel de Queiroz is in his fifth full-time season and has been head coach for 5.5 years and has amassed the best win percentage in program history.
- Defensively, the Pilots are anchored by goalkeeper Sondre Liahagen-Kolnes, who has allowed just 13 goals while collecting 29 saves this season.
- The Knights advanced to the second round with a 2-0 win over Dalton State
- Warner Pacific came out hot and took the lead early in the 30th minute when Chris Marcial-Cruz buried his first goal of the season.
- The Knights' Bodo Calderon in the second half stepped up and scored a penalty kick in the 69th minute, which was his eighth of the season and 15th goal overall on the year.
PREVIEW: Keiser (Fla.) vs Warner Pacific (Ore.) | Nov. 22 at 12:30 p.m. CT / 1:30 p.m. ET | Live Video |Live Stats/Box Score
- Keiser is coming off a 2-1 win in the Sun Conference Tournament Championship against rival St. Thomas (Fla.)
- The Seahawks posted a perfect 11-0 mark at home and outscored opponents 57-9 on the season
- In the NAIA National Tournament, the Seahawks are 12-7-3 all-time
- Warner Pacific enters the postseason with a strong 15-4-2 overall record
- The Knights outscored opponents 43-19 across 21 matches, averaging 2.05 goals per game
- Owen Purvis leads the Warner Pacific defense with a 0.59 GAA, an .833 save percentage, and six shutouts
PREVIEW: Cumberlands (Ky.) vs. Xavier (La.) | Nov. 22 at 2 p.m. CT / 3 p.m. ET | Live Video | Live Stats/Box Score
- A 600-plus-mile journey awaits the Gold Rush in their NAIA national tournament debut
- Xavier averages just over 2 goals per game, while Cumberlands averages 1.5The Patriots secured an at-large bid and will host the Second Round of the tournament for the second straight year.
- Cumberlands enters the NAIA Tournament with an 8-5-4 overall record, highlighted by three wins over Top-10 opponents, #4 Bethel, #6 Lindsey Wilson, and #9 Cumberland University.
- This will mark the first-ever meeting between the Patriots and the Gold Rush, as Cumberlands looks to build upon last season's historic run that saw UC advance to the NAIA Final Site
- Cumberlands' top scorers have been Samuel Dolobaipu (5 goals, 2 assists) and Bruno Marques (5 goals).
PREVIEW: Grace (Ind.) vs. William Penn (Iowa) | Nov. 22 at 5 p.m. CT / 6 p.m. ET | Live Video | Live Stats/Box Score
- This is the first time in program history that Grace men's soccer has hosted an opening round
- The Lancers are making their sixth trip to NAIA Nationals, including four trips in the past six years under head coach Arron Patrick
- William Penn men's soccer is heading east as it earned a spot for the seventh year in a row to the NAIA National Championship Opening Round.
- This will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools in men's soccer.
- The Lancers have outscored their opposition 39-1 this season
- Joe Minton is in his first season as head coach at William Penn
