The grind of the schedule continues as the calendar turns to October, seeing the Milwaukee men's soccer team hit the road to take on nationally-ranked Virginia midweek before returning home to host first-place Purdue Fort Wayne on the weekend.

The contest in Charlottesville, Va., will not only mark the first-ever between the two programs in the all-time series, but will also have special meaning for MKE head coach Kris Kelderman as he returns to his alma mater that he starred for back in the late 1980's, helping the team to the 1989 NCAA title.

The matchup Wednesday against the Cavaliers is set for a 6 p.m. CT kickoff and will be available to watch on ACCNX. UVA is currently ranked No. 12 in the country (the new poll comes out on Tuesdays) and has gone 4-0-1 at home so far, including a 6-3 victory over then-No. 1 Wake Forest Sept. 19. Saturday's matinee against the Mastodons - off to an unbeaten 5-0-4 start to mark their best in program history and ranked No. 7 in the North Region poll last week - will start at 3 p.m. (no stream available). Both games will have live statistics available for fans to follow along and all links are posted to the Milwaukee website. 

As previously mentioned, the visit to Virginia will mark the first-ever meeting between the two program on the soccer pitch.

The Panthers are a dead-even 5-5-0 all-time against Purdue Fort Wayne, claiming three of the six decisions since the Mastodons joined the Horizon League. The series dates back to MKE wins in 2006 (3-0) and 2002 (6-1), while the 'Dons claimed a 2-0 decision during the regular season a year ago, the Panthers got the better of it in the postseason with a 1-0 win at home, courtesy of a goal by Daiki Kumakawa in the 73rd minute.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS:
VIRGINIA: The Cavaliers went 11-7-3 overall last season (3-3-2 in ACC play) and played into the second round of the NCAA Tournament before the season came to a close. UVA is one of just five programs to earn first-round byes in each of the last three seasons and is the only program that earned multiple top-eight seeds in that span. Head coach George Gelnovatch enters his 30th season at the helm. He has amassed a record of 386-164-75 and guided the program to a pair of NCAA titles and four ACC championships.

This fall the squad is off to a 5-1-2 start (4-0-1 at home) and has now posted three consecutive positive results against Top-10 opponents (T, 2-2 at No. 8 VT/W, 1-0 at No. 6 Louisville/W, 6-3 vs. No. 1 Wake Forest) prior to a most recent 0-0 draw against North Carolina. The defense has been stellar, allowing nine goals through eight games, led by Casper Mols who has posted a 1.29 GAA and four shutouts in seven appearances. The offense is led by Nicholas Simmonds with nine points (4G/1A).

PURDUE FORT WAYNE: Sixth-year head coach Stephen Gorton directed his team to a 7-7-2 a season ago and went 4-4-1 in Horizon League play. The team returned two key pieces in 2024 All-Horizon League Second Team selection Andrew Hollenbach and Third Team pick Shane Anderson. Anderson has been terrific, leading the league in points (18), goals (6), and assists (6) to this point. The 'Dons were picked fifth in the preseason poll.

The squad is off to its best start in program history at an undefeated 5-0-4, including 2-0-1 in HL play following a 0-0 draw against Robert Morris in most recent action. The prior best start was five games unbeaten back in 1978. The team has scored 18 goals through nine games, with Iann Topette also having a strong season with 14 points (6G/2A). In goal, Sep Habibi has played all but 45 minutes and been stellar, leading the league with a 0.82 GAA and five shutouts.

HEADING BACK TO THE OL' STOMPING GROUNDS
Kris Kelderman was a four-year letterwinner at Virginia from 1987 to 1990, helping the team to the 1989 NCAA title. He is still second in school history with a four-assist game (against Charleston in 1989) and still sits 10th in school history with 22 career assists. His 88 career games played was most in program history when he graduated (now tied for eighth) and he led the team with 30 points and 10 goals as a junior. He was named All-ACC and went on to be selected in the inaugural Major League Soccer Draft by the D.C. United.

RANKINGS RUNDOWN
When they battle Virginia Wednesday, the Panthers will be taking on a nationally-ranked opponent for the first time since the unique COVID 2020 season that was played in Spring of 2021. That year, Milwaukee topped #22 Northern Kentucky in the Horizon League Tournament Championship to punch its ticket to the NCAA Tournament. Since the United Soccer Coaches took over running the national poll in 1996, the team has gone 8-25-4 in games against ranked opponents, with the best upset coming against then-No. 12 Marquette, 2-1, in 2013.

The list below is all of the games against nationally-ranked opponents that have come under head coach Kris Kelderman (3-8-1 record).
4/17/2021 (COVID Season): W, 1-0 at #22 Northern Kentucky
11/8/2018: T, 1-1 2OT vs. #18 Wright State (L, 4-3 on PKs)
11/2/2018: L, 4-0 at #21 Wright State
8/30/2015: L, 4-0 at #6 Creighton
9/17/2014: L, 2-0 at #17 Marquette
9/14/2014: L, 3-0 at #19 American
9/12/2014: L, 2-0 at #22 George Mason
$ 11/21/2013: L, 1-0 at #19 Wisconsin
11/17/2013: W, 2-0 vs. #23 UIC
8/30/2013: W, 2-1 vs. #12 Marquette
9/16/2012: L, 2-0 at #18 Northwestern
9/9/2012: L, 3-1 at #25 Xavier

QUICK START
The Panthers are off to an unbeaten 1-0-2 start to Horizon League play, their best in conference since a 2-0-1 three-match run to open 2018. 

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 31-13-7 record in the series and did maintain possession of the Cup from 2017 until fall of 2022. Over the past nine meetings, the Panthers are 3-3-4.

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.

MIGHT AS WELL BE A BRICK WALL
The month of September has been very good to the Milwaukee defense, allowing just six goals in the seven games since the calendar flipped. Most recently has been even better, posting three consecutive shutouts against Cleveland State Sept. 13, St. Thomas Sept. 16, and IU Indy Sept. 20. That marks a first for the program in some time - the most recent similar stretch was three straight at the end of October of 2017 (T, 0-0 vs. Wisconsin Oct. 24/W, 3-0 vs. IU Indy Oct. 28/W, 2-0 vs. Oakland Nov. 3). The next better span was four consecutive to close out the 2013 campaign (W, 1-0 vs. Northern Illinois Oct. 30/W, 5-0 vs. Cleveland State Nov. 9/W, 2-0 vs. Oakland Nov. 16/W, 2-0 vs. UIC Nov. 17). 

Leading the charge has been Nic Diana, who was named Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week Sept. 22 following his back-to-back clean sheets against the Tommies and Jaguars. His 1.11 goals-against average ranks close to the top overall, including a league-best 0.33 GAA through three conference games. Diana did see his scoreless streak end at of 383:14 against Marquette.

HOME SWEET HOME
Milwaukee extended its unbeaten streak in home games to 13 consecutive contests (7-0-6) dating back to last season with its 0-0 draw against Cleveland State Sept. 13. That eclipsed the longest such streak at Engelmann Stadium since the team won 11 straight from the end of the 2004 campaign (won final 10) into 2005 (victory in home opener) before the streak was snapped. The 13 consecutive drew even with the school record set of 13 (13-0-0) established in 2002 before coming to a conclusion in the 3-2 loss to Marquette Sept. 23.

GOALS FOR DAYS
After thorough research, here are some amazing numbers regarding Milwaukee's 9-1 victory over Chicago State Sept. 9 and Fernando Pirry tying the program record with four goals. Pirry became the eleventh Panther to score four goals in a game – the first since Aaron Horvat in 2013 – but also became the only one to do so in just one half of a game. The closest anyone else had come was Mike Rowe, who scored four in a 7-3 win at Roosevelt on Oct. 24, 1984. Rowe scored three in the first half that day and added his fourth at the 46:17 mark of the second half. Pirry's four goals are also the most in a game in the NCAA this season, done three other times before him. The accomplishment helped him earn Horizon League Player of the Week honors Sept. 15.
The nine goals were also the most for an MKE offense since a 9-0 defeat of Bradley back in September of 1990. The Panthers also broke the school record with 12 assists in a single game, eclipsing the former mark of 11 set against Lewis (see game below). Milwaukee also had a 6-0 lead against the Cougars at halftime, the biggest single-half outburst since scoring six in the second half its 8-0 victory over Cleveland State back in November of 2002.
In fact, just three other games all-time saw more total goals scored for the Black & Gold.
1. 14-0 against Purdue Calumet on Sept. 9, 1979
2. 12-0 against DePaul on Sept. 16, 1987
3. 10-0 against Lewis on Sept. 12, 1979

LEAGUE LIFTOFF
The Panthers are 24-14-4 all-time in league openers in seasons in which they have been affiliated with a conference following a draw with Cleveland State this year. Head coach Kris Kelderman is 5-7-3 in his 15 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. 

FOR OPENERS
Milwaukee is now 27-19-7 all-time in season openers following a 2-2 draw against Northern Illinois to open 2025. Head coach Kris Kelderman now has 15 season openers on his resume at the NCAA Division I collegiate level, going 10-3-2. 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. In season openers at home, the Panthers now sport a record of 9-7-3 all-time.

EXPERIENCE; WITH A NEW LOOK
The Panthers will have a new look on offense this season, as the top two scorers from last season, as well as three of the top four, have either graduated or transferred to different programs. Bienvenu Djunga will be the top returning scorer for Milwaukee in 2025 after a campaign in which he recorded nine points on three goals and three assists.

All told, the MKE offense will return just 31 of the 94 total points from 2024. From a starting perspective, the Panthers do return six regular starters, including a core of the back line of defense that helped the team allow just 1.16 goals per game in 2024 - a number that ranked first in the Horizon League. Veteran presence Daiki Kumakawa is back, a starter in all 18 of his appearances last fall. He is joined in experience by Jack Wagner (started all 19 games last season as a freshman), Ryan Berghauer (16 starts in 18 games), Mitch Goodman (14 starts in 16 games), and Breon Jarvis (12 starts in 19 games) as returners with at least 12 starts in 2024.

Points: returners accounted for 31 of the 94 points (32.9 percent)
Goals: 10 of 30 goals (33.3 percent)
Assists: 11 of 34 assists (32.4 percent)
Starts: returning players accounted for 105 starts last season (50.2 percent).
Minutes: returning players accounted for 10,017 of 18,829 minutes played (53.2 percent).
The biggest opportunity will be in net, where long-time starter Daniel Ibarra played all but 99:27 last season (out of 1710:00/94.2 percent).

STELLAR ON "D"
The team defense played a large role for the Panthers last season, with Daniel Ibarra finishing second with his 1.062 goal-against average, part of the team's final line of 1.158 - topping the Horizon League. The defense allowed zero or one goal in 14 of its 19 games (73.7 percent), with a pair of freshmen making their names known along the backline. Jack Wagner played all 1,710 minutes of the season last fall, with classmate Ryan Berghauer (1,403 minutes played) making 16 starts in his 18 games played.

HOME SWEET HOME
The Panthers embraced playing at the friendly confines of Engelmann Stadium last season, concluding the campaign with an unbeaten 6-0-3 mark in home games. 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.

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 eight different countries or territories. In addition to 18 players from the United States, the roster will have representation from the following:

Columbia: Miguel Rivera Cardona(Santago De Cali)
France: Bienvenu Djunga (Asnières-sur-Seine)
Germany: Paul Denz (Laufenburg)
Germany: Nico Steinweg (Dortmund)
Japan: Daiki Kumakawa (Ryugasaki)
Scotland: Jack Bowden (Aberdeen)
Scotland: Ollie Weir (Falkirk)
Serbia: Pavle Ivkovic (Niš, Serbia)
Spain: Fernando Pirry (Córdoba)
United Kingdom: Daniel Gill (Newport, Wales, U.K.)

NEW GUY BUT NOT THE NEW GUY
Joining the Panthers as a transfer in net is Nic Diana. While new to the Panther, Diana is no stranger to the Horizon League. As the starting goalkeeper for Purdue Fort Wayne last season, Diana ended up as the top goalie in the conference, leading the way with his 0.92 goals-against average and six shutouts. He enjoyed a spectacular September, posting five consecutive clean sheets, earning Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week honors along the way.

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). 

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.

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 63-15-14 (.761) 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 59-31-24 (.623) at home in Kris Kelderman's 13-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 six of the nine 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 $11.99 a month (or $119.99 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
October continues next week with some in-state battles, taking on Wisconsin midweek before battling Green Bay for the "Chancellor's Cup" on the weekend. Tuesday at Madison will get underway at 7 p.m.