The Milwaukee men's soccer team will begin the quest for its seventh Horizon League Tournament Championship and 11th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history Sunday, welcoming Purdue Fort Wayne to Engelmann Stadium. The matchup between the Panthers - the No. 3 seed - and the Mastodons - the No. 6 seed - will get underway at 1 p.m. with the winner advancing to the semifinals at Oakland starting Thursday.

Back in the United Soccer Coaches North Region poll this week for the second time this season (checking in at No. 10 this week), the Panthers look to keep their recent strong play rolling, having gone 3-1-1 over their past five outings.

The matinee matchup will be streamed on ESPN+ with Matt Menzl on the call and also have live statistics available. All links are posted to the MKE website. The tournament bracket can be found on page eight of this release.

The Panthers are 4-5 all-time against Purdue Fort Wayne, claiming two of four decisions since the Mastodons joined the Horizon League (2-1 in 2021/3-2 in 2020). The series dates back to MKE wins in 2006 (3-0) and 2002 (6-1), while the 'Dons claimed a 3-0 decision last season and a 2-0 shutout earlier this fall.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS:
PURDUE FORT WAYNE: The Mastodons posted a 7-6-4 record last season, going 3-3-3 in Horizon League play. The 'Dons beat Detroit Mercy in the opening round of the league tournament before being eliminated by Oakland. The team has been picked to finish fifth in the 2024 Horizon League Preseason Poll. Fifth-year head coach Stephen Gorton led the team to its first league tournament win in the Division I era in 2023, resulting in the second winning season in the program's DI era. The defense allowed just 20 goals and the squad spent five weeks in the United Soccer Coaches North Region Top 10. Seth Mahlmeister led the HL in goals (10), shots (56), and shot accuracy (.554 SOG), while Soshi Fujioka led the way in assists (8).

The 'Dons head to Milwaukee with an overall record of 7-6-2 and did qualify for the postseason as the No. 6 seed after going 4-4-1 in conference games. The team got off to a very strong start, posting five consecutive shutouts at the beginning of September, including back-to-back to open the league slate over MKE and Green Bay. However, a 1-0 victory over IU Indy in the regular-season finale snapped a streak of four games (0-3-1) without a win. Shane Anderson leads the offense with 14 points, coming on the strength of seven goals. James Maxwell is also in double-figures in scoring with 12 points (5G/2A). In net, Nic Diana has appeared in 12 games and been the main keeper, starting the week with a league-leading 0.91 goals-against average to go along with a .750 save percentage, and six clean sheets (a league best).

POSTSEASON UNDER KELDERMAN
Kris Kelderman has his team in the postseason for the 10th time in his 13 years at the helm, including title runs in the unprecedented 2020 slate and the memorable 2013 postseason. Overall, his team has gone 7-4-5 in the Horizon League Tournament and actually had a nine-game unbeaten streak in the HL postseason snapped (5-0-4; fell on PK's 3x) the last time they made it in 2021 after making back-to-back title game appearances. The 2020 version saw MKE top No. 2 UIC on the road, 2-1, and then knock off nationally-ranked Northern Kentucky in the title game on its home field. The Panthers topped the Norse - ranked #22 at the time - by a final score of 1-0 to punch their ticket to the 2020 NCAA Tournament. Milwaukee continues its trek to what would be an 11th NCAA Tournament appearance (2020/2013/2005/2004/2003/2002/2001/1990/1980/1979).

LEAGUE POSTSEASON PRIMER
Since joining the Horizon League in 1994, the Panthers have advanced to the league tournament in 27 of 31 seasons, posting an overall record of 29-16-6 in that timespan, including 14-7-2 in the quarterfinal round. The biggest run of success came from 2002 thru 2005, when the team posted four straight 3-0 runs through the event on the way to NCAA Tournament berths each title-winning campaign.

SENIOR SALUTE!
The Panthers honored the following student-athletes in "Senior Night" festivities prior to the game against IU Indy Nov. 1 (Note: not all players are listed as seniors on the roster; some do have eligibility remaining).
Congratulations to: #4 Colin Mullen, #5 Matthew Toolan, #8 Stu Sain, #10 Bienvenu Djunga, #13 Daiki Kumakawa, #17 Alan Lopez, #22 Raul Medina, #23 David Cox, and #30 Daniel Ibarra.

OH DANNY BOY
MKE goalkeeper Daniel Ibarra was named Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week Oct. 21, his second league honor this season. He came through with his fourth shutout of the season when his team needed it the most, making three important saves in a 1-0 victory over Cleveland State Oct. 19. His very crucial save in the 87th-minute off a backheel shot essentially iced the victory and sent the Panthers to the big win and the three standings points. Ibarra finished second in league-only games with his 1.14 goals-against average (leader was at 1.11). In overall games, he starts the week second in GAA (1.13 to 0.91), second in save percentage (.783 to .800), second in total saves (65 to 68), and tied for second with four shutouts (leader has six).

HOME SWEET HOME
The Panthers have embraced playing at the friendly confines of Engelmann Stadium this season, currently sitting with an unbeaten 5-0-3 mark in home games over the past two-plus months. In recent years, the best ledger the team has posted in home matches was the 6-1-1 showing (.813 winning percentage) accomplished by the 2019 squad. The last time the team went the full campaign without a home blemish was way back in 2002 when the Panthers went a perfect - and impressive - 13-0 at home that fall.

DYNAMIC DUO
Alejandro Martinez and Mesfin Roda have been leading the offense this season and came through in a big way in the 4-1 victory over Northern Kentucky Oct. 26. In the contest, each player scored a goal and recorded an assist, with the three-point outing sending Martinez to 19 points (8G/3A) and second place in the Horizon League points race at the time. Roda moved to a career-best 15 points (4G/league-leading 7 A) and sat in fifth place in the conference at the time. The teammates with 1G/1A statlines in the same game? Not as common as you'd think. The last time the Panthers accomplished the same you have to go all the way back to November 9 of 2013. That day, the Panthers toppled Cleveland State by a 5-0 score, with both Laurie Bell and James Ashcroft providing the goal/assist statlines.

Martinez and Roda both scored against IU Indy as well, with Martinez now tied for second with 21 points (9G/3A) and Roda (5G/7A) stands fifth with 17 points.

EM-"BRACE" THE SHOW
The Panthers witnessed a third multi-goal performance in the 4-1 defeat of Oakland Oct. 5, as Asher Ozuzu came through with a pair of goals to record his first collegiate brace. His first came on a header at the 36:12 mark and made it 2-0 at the time, eventually ending up the game-winning goal. His second came in the 80th minute and gave him three goals for the week, also netting the first tally of MKE's 2-1 win over Drake Oct. 1. Those heroics helped him earn his first Horizon League Player of the Week honors. It's the third two-goal game of the fall for Milwaukee, which has also seen Alejandro Martinez record a pair of braces (Bradley & Chicago State).

THE BATTLE FOR THE MILWAUKEE CUP
Milwaukee and Marquette play for the "Milwaukee Cup", one of the longest-standing rivalries in all of college soccer. In the summer of 2011, the College Soccer News website published a list called "The Fourteen Greatest Rivalries in College Soccer." Weighing in at No. 10 on their list was the Milwaukee Cup. The Panthers certainly have the upper hand all-time, now holding a 31-12-6 record in the series and did maintain possession of the Cup from 2017 until fall of 2022. Over the past eight meetings, the Panthers are 3-2-3.

Looking back, the 2012 matchup remains one for the memory books, as the Golden Eagles, trailing the Panthers 2-1 with less than 10 minutes remaining in the contest, pulled off a stunning finish to grab possession of the Cup. Following a goalkeeper miscue, Marquette found the equalizer at the 81:53 mark and then won the contest at the buzzer as the winning goal crossed the line at the 89:59 mark before the horn sounded. The 2013 edition was just as exciting, with the Panthers scoring just 60 seconds into the affair en route to a 2-1 victory over a Marquette squad that was ranked No. 12 nationally at the time.

PLAYING THE LONG GAME
The Panthers outshot St. Thomas and had the better of play on the afternoon, but had to settle for a 1-1 draw Sept. 2. Daniel Ibarra not only just missed the shutout in net, but also recorded an assist to give MKE the 1-0 advantage when his long goal kick was sent into the back of the net by Bienvenu Djunga two touches later. That marked the first assist for a Panther goalkeeper since Liam Anderson posted one against Wright State in October of 2013. Prior to 2013, the last prior time was in September of 2006, when Grant Fernstrum's goal kick turned into an assist on a 90th-minute tally against IPFW. Ibarra then one-upped that, recording a second assist on the season during a week in which he was named Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week. In addition to 12 combined saves to beat Drake (2-1) and Oakland (4-1) to snap each team's long unbeaten streaks, his long goal kick set up the game-winner. In doing so, he becomes the first MKE goalkeeper with two assists in a season since Joe Stacy recorded a pair back in 1986.

KEEP ON KEEPING ON
Alejandro Martinez didn't wait long to make his mark as a Panther, scoring a pair of goals while assisting the eventual game winner in just his second outing wearing the Black & Gold against Bradley Aug. 22 in the 3-2 victory. After topping the scoring list across the conference for the opening week, he was rewarded with Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week honors, the first for a Panther since David Cox in late September of last season. That week was also the last time an MKE player posted a five-point game, as Cox had the same 2G/1A line that Martinez posted against the Braves.

Martinez added a pair of goals against Chicago State Sept. 9, giving him two multi-goal performances in his first four games as a Panther. The last player to net multiple goals more than once in a season was Logan Farrington in 2021. That fall, Farrington recorded a brace against IU Indy (Oct. 2) and Western Illinois (Oct. 5). The last player to accomplish the feat at least three times in a season was way back in 2004, when Antou Jallow recorded five matches of multiple goals, with a high of three against Wright State in October of that fall. Martinez is currently second in the Horizon League with six goals - well on pace to become the first Panther with double-figure goals since Paulo Gratton netted 11 back in 2020.

A DOUBLE TRIPLE
Raul Medina continues to bring his playmaking skills to the field game after game and August 25 against Bradley was no different. He finished the afternoon with three assists, setting up all three strikes in the 3-2 victory. Medina is the first Panther to record three helpers since Joshua Kidder in April of 2021 (COVID season) and also becomes just the third player in program history to record at least three assists in a game on two occasions. Medina first accomplished the feat against IUPUI on March 24 of 2021, assisting three of the four goals in the 4-0 win. Medina's three assists again tied for the fifth-most in a game in program history. Prior to Medina and Kidder in 2021, the last time as many as three in a single match was accomplished was back in 2004. That season, Dale Weiler notched three helpers against Marquette in late October, setting up each strike in a 3-1 victory. The school record of five has been done twice, while four has also been done on a pair of occasions. Medina currently still leads the Horizon League with his seven assists despite now missing time due to injury.

ABOUT THAT START
The Panthers got the 2024 campaign off to a great beginning, going 2-0-2 through the first four games of the season to mark the best start for the program since 2013 (that season, MKE opened 9-0-1 before being knocked off). Through those first four games, the team was also leading the Horizon League in defense (just 3GA).

LEAGUE LIFTOFF
The Panthers are 24-14-3 all-time in league openers in seasons in which they have been affiliated with a conference following a loss to Purdue Fort Wayne this year. Head coach Kris Kelderman is 5-7-2 in his 14 seasons, with the team knocking off UIC to open 2021 by a final score of 2-1 and also beating Purdue Fort Wayne, 3-2, in 2020.

OFF AND RUNNING
Daniel Ibarra flipped on the switch and opened the season in impressive fashion, posting a shutout in the 0-0 season-opening draw against Lindenwood Aug. 22 behind five saves. That marked the first clean sheet in a season opener since 2018, when Freddy Lorenzen needed just one stop to help MKE top Western Illinois, 4-0.

CHANCELLOR'S CUP DRAMA
The battle for the Chancellor's Cup has seen some thrillers over the years, but if it feels like the drama and intensity has been higher lately, you would be correct. Jake Kelderman scored the only goal just 91 seconds into the 1-0 victory in fall of 2021 and David Cox was the hero in 2020's version, netting the game-winner with 36 seconds left in regulation. Last fall, Raul Medina netted a goal in the 83rd to help MKE find a 1-1 decision and maintain possession of the Cup.

The Chancellor's Cup, which originally began as a tournament of Wisconsin state schools in the 1980's, continues to be given to the winner in the annual Milwaukee/Green Bay game. As an extra storyline, Kris Kelderman spent the 2011 season as the head coach at Green Bay.

It happened again in 2018, with Sean Holmes' golden goal coming in the 99th minute. The year prior, MKE tied the game with just eight seconds remaining in regulation on a goal by Jonathan Stadler to force overtime before falling. And again in 2016, when Milwaukee reclaimed the Cup with a thrilling 1-0 victory Oct. 22 on a goal by Magnus Flaatedal. Seven of the past 14 occasions these two teams have now played, the game has gone into overtime (5 of 7 into double-overtime), with five of the seven ending in victories for one team or the other. Nine years ago it was an own goal that won it for Green Bay, snapping Milwaukee's 10-game unbeaten streak (9-0-1) to start the 2013 season. The 2012 version ended in a draw but the 2011 edition provided one of the most memorable finishes to a game in program history, with Cody Banks netting the winner at the 109:53 mark.

EXPERIENCE; WITH A NEW LOOK
The Panthers will have a new look this season, as 14 of the 30 players on the roster did not appear in a game at Milwaukee last season. In addition to nine true freshmen (and one redshirt freshman), the team also welcomes four transfers from other programs, all of which are listed in the junior class for eligibility purposes.

On the other side of the spectrum, the returning core is heavy on experience, as nine starters are back on the field in 2024, including the top five scoring leaders from last fall as well as six of the top seven. Leading the charge are top scorers Raul Medina (15 points on 5G/5A), Bienvenu Djunga (13 points on 4G/5A), and Asher Ozuzu (9 points on 4G/1A). The team will be very experienced in goal, as all 1,530 of playing time between the pipes last season (all Daniel Ibarra) is back on the field.

Points: returners accounted for 57 of the 68 points (83.8 percent)
Goals: 21 of 24 goals (87.5 percent)
Assists: 17 of 20 assists (85.0 percent)
Starts: returning players accounted for 135 starts last season (72.1 percent).
Minutes: returning players accounted for 11,609 of 16,774 minutes played (69.2 percent), with five players that saw the field over 1,200 minutes (Daniel Ibarra/1,530 ... Micah O'Garro/1,315 ... David Cox/1,292 ... Daiki Kumakawa/1,236 ... Bienvenu Djunga/1,232).

INTERNATIONAL FLAIR
The Panthers continue to add quite a mix to the active roster as players with international roots continue to join the program. This fall, the team will have student-athletes from nine different countries or territories. In addition to 19 players from the United States, the roster will have representation from the following:

Cayman Islands: Micah O'Garro (George Town)
France: Bienvenu Djunga (Asnières-sur-Seine)
German: Nico Steinweg (Dortmund)
Ireland: Matthew Toolan (Dublin)
Japan: Daiki Kumakawa (Ryugasaki)
Mexico: Daniel Ibarra (Monterrey)
Scotland: Jack Bowden (Aberdeen)
Spain: Mesfin Roda (Barcelona)/Alejandro Martinez (Santander)/Raul Medina (Madrid)
United Kingdom: Daniel Gill (Newport, Wales, U.K.)

FOR OPENERS
Milwaukee is now 27-19-6 all-time in season openers following a 0-0 draw against Lindenwood to open 2024. Head coach Kris Kelderman now has 14 season openers on his resume at the NCAA Division I collegiate level, going 10-3-1. In addition to the wins over Purdue Fort Wayne (2020), WIU (2017-2019), Eastern Illinois (2016), Evansville (2015), DePaul (2014) and a nationally-ranked Marquette squad (2013), his Green Bay squad topped SIU Edwardsville, 1-0, in 2011.

THE FAMILIAR FACES
Three players on the roster this season that are set to graduate have spent their entire careers as Panthers. David Cox has been at Milwaukee since a redshirt 2019 campaign and has been a starter ever since, appearing in 62 career games while making 45 starts. He has 20 career points, coming on six goals (2GW) and eight assists. Raul Medina has been a Panther since 2020, making starts in 53 of his 54 career games played. He is also the current member of the roster with the most career points, accumulating 43 in his career on 14 goals (2GW) and 15 assists. Collin Mullen (listed as a RS-JR) is also set to graduate and has been on the MKE roster since 2021.

GETTING TO TWO
Recently on offense, once the team has found a second goal, the Panthers continue to be very tough to beat. The squad went 7-1-0 in 2021, 6-1-0 in 2020, and 10-0-1 in 2019 when scoring two or more goals. That brings the six-plus year tally to 63-14-13 (.772) when finding the back of the net at least twice in a match.

NOW THIS IS HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
When it comes to home field advantage, the Panthers have historically ranked right up there with the best in the business. From 2001 through 2006, Milwaukee turned Engelmann Stadium into a place visiting teams did not want to see on their schedule, going 49-8-2 in that time. After a few down seasons by MKE standards, the magic is getting brought back - the Panthers have compiled a record of 57-29-28 (.628) at home in Kris Kelderman's 12-plus years as the head coach.

CATCH THEM IN ACTION
Milwaukee men's soccer will be available for the viewing pleasure of MKE fans this season, as five of the eight home games are scheduled to be streamed live on ESPN+ (subject to change due to weather and location). The Horizon League and ESPN have an agreement that includes ESPN hosting the league's digital network on the ESPN+ platform. ESPN+, which will host the Horizon League women's soccer, men's soccer and volleyball championships this season, offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN's linear TV or digital networks. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $10.99 a month (or $109.99 per year) and cancel at any time. Launched in April of 2018, ESPN+ is an integrated part of a completely redesigned ESPN App.

ON TAP
The winner of Sunday's game will advance to the semifinals/finals portion of the event at No. 1 seeded Oakland starting Thursday. The other side will see its 2024 season come to a close.