EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The SIUE menS soccer team begins its quest for an OVC Tournament title sunday, hosting Western Illinois in the first round. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Korte Stadium.
The Cougars (8-7-3) enter the tournament after a regular season highlighted by eight goals from Evan Howard,tying him for the league lead. SIUE faced two ranked opponents this season, narrowly dropping 2-1 decisions on the road against no. 21 Denver and No. 16 Saint Louis. This year’s squad features six first-time goal scorers: Colin Bastianoni, House Bartoni, Ryley Gibbs, Murray Peart, Ben Perkins, and Zach Renz.
Despite the team’s success, SIUE rebuilt its offensive core this season, losing its seven top scorers and eight of the top 10 from the previous year. returners accounted for only 18 percent of the team’s total points scored in 2024.
Players recognized for their performance this season include Wes Gibson and Noah Scheidweiler,named Players of the Week on October 21 following two shutout victories,and Howard,who earned OVC Player of the Week honors on September 2 after scoring in both games during a Colorado road trip.
Head Coach Cale Wassermann, a two-time OVC Coach of the Year, is in his seventh season leading the Cougars and his 12th as a head coach boasting a record of 57-45-16 (.551) at SIUE.
The Cougars hold a 21-5-4 record in regular season OVC games and a perfect 4-0 mark in the OVC Tournament, though thay experienced four conference losses this season. This marks the third season of men’s soccer within the OVC.
