MIDDLETOWN, C.T. - The SUNY Geneseo men's soccer team faces Wesleyan in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament, Saturday morning at 11 p.m. in Middletown, C.T. This will mark the first meeting between the two programs. Geneseo will compete in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in program history, seeking its first win since the run to the national semifinals in 2004.
Wednesday's winner will face a quick turn around, taking on the winner of Scranton and Manhattanville at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Wesleyan.
BACK FOR SECONDS:
SUNY Geneseo enters the NCAA Tournament as back-to-back Empire 8 champions after beating Hartwick 1-0 in overtime in last Saturday's title game. The Knights are 15-4-1 overall and have won 10 straight games. They also won the 2026 Empire 8 regular season title and went 9-2 in league play, outscoring conference opponents 22-8. This is the program's fourth NCAA Tournament appearance and second in a row. Last season Geneseo fell 2-1 to Middlebury in the first round, and the Knights are still looking for their first NCAA Tournament win since their run to the national semifinals in 2004. Today, Geneseo travels to Middletown, Conn. to face Wesleyan at 11 a.m. It will be the first meeting between the two programs. Wesleyan enters with a 7-4-4 record and reached the second round of last year's tournament.
LODIE AND BEHOLD:
Aidan Lodie has scored the deciding goal in each of Geneseo's last two playoff wins. In the Empire 8 semifinal against Brockport, he scored the only goal on a scissor kick in the 18th minute. Three days later, he scored the golden goal in overtime to beat Hartwick for the conference title. The senior now has nine goals and five game-winners this season, both team highs. On Tuesday he was named First Team All-Empire 8.
SORENSEN AND SENSIBILITY:
Charlie Sorensen was named Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year. The junior led a back line that allowed eight goals in 11 conference regular-season games, then posted three straight shutouts in the Empire 8 Tournament. Geneseo has nine clean sheets this season. Sorensen has also added a goal and two assists. He is the second Knight to win the award, joining former teammate Joe Vogt (2024).
IT'S IN THE BAGI:
Ferenc Bagi is the first Geneseo player to be named Empire 8 Rookie of the Year. The freshman has 11 points on five goals and an assist in 15 games. Four of those goals, plus his assist and a game-winner, came in 11 conference regular-season games. He also assisted on the opening goal in the quarterfinal win over Houghton. Bagi was named Third Team All-Empire 8.
CLEAN SHEET MUSIC:
Max Crothall has been in goal for all three of Geneseo's Empire 8 Tournament shutouts. The junior made four saves against Houghton in the quarterfinals and three against Brockport in the semifinals, then held Hartwick scoreless through regulation and overtime in the final. Crothall has started every game this season and has eight shutouts.
THE CARNES-IVAL IS IN TOWN:
Eric Carnes earned First Team All-Empire 8 honors as a sophomore. He has been one of the team's best playmakers from the back line. In the quarterfinal against Houghton, he assisted on both goals, including a free kick into the box that led to the opener. That brought his season total to six assists.
MIDDLE MANAGEMENT:
Three Geneseo midfielders earned All-Empire 8 honors. Michael Ruggiero and Ali Shabani were named to the Second Team, and Owen Burke was named to the Third Team. Ruggiero, a senior, scored twice in a 6-2 win at Keuka in October, the only multi-goal game by a Knight this season. He also drew the foul that set up Geneseo's first goal against Houghton. Shabani, a junior, put a shot on goal in the semifinal against Brockport. Burke, a senior, took the shot that Amir Bonseu put in on the rebound to give Geneseo a 2-0 lead over Houghton.
HOWLETT DO IT AGAIN:
Mark Howlett was named Empire 8 Coach of the Year for the second straight season. He led Geneseo to both the regular season and tournament titles, and seven Knights earned All-Empire 8 honors.
