Horizon League: Men’s and Women’s Soccer 2025 Season Preview

Cleveland State

Men’s

• 2024 Finish: 5th in the Horizon League (4-4-1, 13 points)
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • Santa Clara at Cleveland State – 8/21
  • Cleveland State at Grand Canyon – 8/25
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • Matteo Correia – Sophomore – Forward
    • Named Horizon League’s Freshman of the Year in 2024 

Women’s

• 2024 Finish: 10th in the Horizon League (2-8-0, 6 points)
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • Kent State at Cleveland State – 8/14
  • Cleveland State at Southern Indiana – 8/17
  • Cleveland State at Bowling Green – 8/21
  • Saint Francis at Cleveland State – 8/28
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • Mayra Sesmas – Senior – Midfielder
    • Led Cleveland State with 5 goals in 2024

Detroit Mercy

Men’s

• 2024 Finish: 7th in the Horizon League (2-3-4, 10 points)
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • Detroit Mercy at Dayton – 8/21
  • Mercyhurst at Detroit Mercy – 8/24
  • Detroit Mercy at Butler – 8/28
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • Drew Pierson – Junior – Midfielder/Defender
    • Named to All-Horizon League Second Team in 2024

Women’s

• 2024 Finish: 3rd in the Horizon League (7-1-2, 23 points)
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • Valparaiso at Detroit Mercy – 8/14
  • Detroit Mercy at Michigan – 8/17
  • Detroit Mercy at Louisville – 8/21
  • Detroit Mercy at Kentucky – 8/24
  • Bowling Green at Detroit Mercy – 8/28
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • Abbey Lodato – Senior – Midfielder
    • Named to All-Horizon League First Team

Green Bay

Men’s

• 2024 Finish: 4th in the Horizon League (4-3-2, 14 points)
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • Northern Illinois at Green Bay – 8/25
  • Green Bay at Indiana – 8/28
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • So Nishikawa – Graduate Student – Defender
    • Named Horizon League’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2024

Women’s

• 2024 Finish: 8th in the Horizon League (2-6-3, 9 points)
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • North Dakota State at Green Bay – 8/14
  • Green Bay at Omaha – 8/17
  • Illinois State at Green Bay – 8/24
  • Green Bay at Akron – 8/31
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • Senah Hanes – Sophomore – Forward
    • Named Horizon League’s Freshman of the Year in 2024

IU Indy

Men’s

• 2024 Finish: 10th in the Horizon League (2-6-1, 7 points)
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • IU Indy at Bowling Green – 8/21
  • IU Indy at Notre Dame – 8/24
  • IU Indy at Louisville – 8/29
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • Jose Antonio Herrera – Junior – Forward
    • Led IU Indy with 6 goals in 2024

Women’s

• 2024 Finish: 5th in the Horizon League (4-4-2, 14 points)
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • SIUE at IU Indy – 8/14
  • IU Indy at Eastern Illinois – 8/21
  • Southern Illinois at IU Indy – 8/24
  • IU Indy at Indiana State – 8/27
  • Ball State at IU Indy – 8/31
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • Emma Frey – Senior – Midfielder
    • Named to All-Horizon League First Team in 2024

Milwaukee

Men’s

• 2024 Finish: 3rd in the Horizon League (4-3-2, 14 points)
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • Northern Illinois at Milwaukee – 8/21
  • Milwaukee at Lindenwood – 8/26
  • Milwaukee at Bradley – 8/28
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • Jack Wagner – Sophomore – Defender
    • Led Milwaukee in minutes played (1710) as a Freshman in 2024

Women’s

• 2024 Finish: 1st in the Horizon League (10-0-1, 31 points)
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • Milwaukee at Wisconsin – 8/14
  • Northern Iowa at Milwaukee – 8/17
  • Marquette at Milwaukee – 8/21
  • Milwaukee at Michigan State – 8/24
  • Northwestern at Milwaukee – 8/28
  • Milwaukee at North Carolina – 8/31
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • Anna Champine – Senior – Defender
    • Named to All-Horizon League First Team in 2024

Northern Kentucky

Men’s

• 2024 Finish: 9th in the Horizon League (2-3-4, 10 points)]
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • Union Commonwealth at Northern Kentucky – 8/21
  • Northern Kentucky at Akron – 8/24
  • Northern Kentucky at Western Illinois – 8/31
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • Jason Purks – Junior – Forward
    • Led NKU with 6 GCs (3g/3a) in 2024

Women’s

• 2024 Finish: 2nd in the Horizon League (8-1-1, 25 points)
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • Northern Kentucky at Mercyhurst – 8/14
  • Austin Peay at Northern Kentucky – 8/21
  • Mount St. Joseph at Northern Kentucky – 8/24
  • Northern Kentucky at Bellarmine – 8/28
  • Morehead State at Northern Kentucky – 8/31
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • Lilly Yordy – Graduate Student – Defender
    • Named to All-Horizon League First Team in 2024

Oakland

Men’s

• 2024 Finish: 1st in the Horizon League (6-1-2, 20 points)
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • Oakland at Loyola Chicago – 8/21
  • Oakland at DePaul – 8/24
  • Oakland at Ohio State – 8/28
  • Oakland at Dayton – 8/31
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • Jace Foster – Senior – Defender
    • Named to All-Horizon League First Team in 2024

Women’s

• 2024 Finish: 11th in the Horizon League (2-8-0, 6 points)
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • Oakland at Bowling Green – 8/14
  • Valparaiso at Oakland – 8/17
  • Mercyhurst at Oakland – 8/21
  • Oakland at Toledo – 8/24
  • Ohio at Oakland – 8/28
  • Oakland at Notre Dame – 8/31
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • Kimee Liu – Sophomore – Midfielder
    • Named to Horizon League All-Freshman Team in 2024

Purdue Fort Wayne

Men’s

• 2024 Finish: 6th in the Horizon League (4-4-1, 13 points)
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • Purdue Fort Wayne at DePaul – 8/21
  • Purdue Fort Wayne at Loyola Chicago – 8/24
  • Eastern Illinois at Purdue Fort Wayne – 8/29
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • Andrew Hollenbach – Senior – Defender
    • Named to All-Horizon League Second Team in 2024

Women’s

• 2024 Finish: 6th in the Horizon League (4-6-0, 12 points)
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • Akron at Purdue Fort Wayne – 8/14
  • Purdue Fort Wayne at Chicago State – 8/20
  • Purdue Fort Wayne at Valparaiso – 8/24
  • Purdue Fort Wayne at Kentucky – 8/28
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • Morgan Gallagher – Junior – Forward
    • Led Purdue Fort Wayne in assists (5) in 2024

Robert Morris

Men’s

• 2024 Finish: 2nd in the Horizon League (4-3-2, 14 points)
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • Robert Morris at Mercyhurst – 8/21
  • Robert Morris at Duquesne – 8/24
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • Fabian Overkamp – Senior – Defender
    • Named to All-Horizon League Second Team in 2024

Women’s

• 2024 Finish: 4th in the Horizon League (4-3-3, 15 points)
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • Navy at Robert Morris – 8/14
  • Southern Indiana at Robert Morris – 8/21
  • Canisius at Robert Morris – 8/28
  • Robert Morris at Eastern Michigan – 8/31
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • Paloma Swankler – Senior – Forward
    • Named to All-Horizon Second Team in 2024

Wright State

Men’s

• 2024 Finish: 8th in the Horizon League (3-5-1, 10 points)
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • Wright State at Belmont – 8/21
  • Bowling Green at Wright State – 8/28
  • Wright State at Lindenwood – 8/31
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • Edwin Espinal-Elvir – Junior – Midfielder
    • Tied for 2nd with 9 GCs (5g/4a) for Wright State in 2024

Women’s

• 2024 Finish: 7th in the Horizon League (3-5-2, 11 points)
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • Dayton at Wright State – 8/14
  • Fairmont State at Wright State – 8/17
  • Wright State at Louisville – 8/24
  • Marshall at Wright State – 8/27
  • Wright State at Valparaiso – 8/31
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • Elise Canter – Senior – Midfielder
    • Named to All-Horizon League Second Team in 2024

Youngstown State

Women’s

• 2024 Finish: 9th in the Horizon League (3-7-0, 9 points)
• 2025 August Schedule:
  • Youngstown State at Indiana – 8/14
  • Youngstown State at Texas Tech – 8/17
  • Youngstown State at Missouri – 8/20
  • St. Bonaventure at Youngstown State – 8/24
  • Youngstown State at Kent State – 8/28
  • Youngstown State at St. John’s – 8/31
• Returning Player to Watch:
  • Sara Felder – R-Sophomore – Forward
    • Named to Horizon League All-Freshman Team in 2024