The Milwaukee men's soccer team is the No. 1 seed and will host its remaining games in the 2026 Horizon League Tournament, beginning action in the event Wednesday when it welcomes No. 6 Cleveland State to Engelmann Stadium. 

Game time is set for 1 p.m. and will be the first game of a men's/women's semifinal doubleheader, as the WSOC team also claimed the No. 1 seed this fall. The match will be streamed on ESPN+ and the ESPN app with Matt Menzl on the call and will also have live statistics available. All links have been posted to the MKE website.

The lower seeds each recorded upset victories in first-round action this past Sunday, so the top two seeds from the regular-season standings host the final two seeds to determine who will head to the championship game Saturday, with the winner of that contest earning the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. Ticket prices for Wednesday's semifinals are set at $12 for adult general admission and $7 for groups of 10 or more people. A link to buy is also on the MKE website.

The Vikings are the No. 6 seed and will play the Panthers in the semifinal, with MKE looking to build on its current seven-game overall unbeaten (3-0-4) streak in the process. Purdue Fort Wayne, as the No. 2 seed, also had a bye from Sunday action and will host fifth-seeded Wright State as well on Wednesday. The winners advance to the Horizon League Tournament Championship Saturday at the highest remaining seed, with game time to be determined. See page nine of this release for full tournament bracket.

Milwaukee holds all-time records of 28-21-8 against Cleveland State, 5-5-2 against Purdue Fort Wayne, and 19-15-9 against Wright State, a combined tally of 52-41-19 (.549 winning percentage). In the postseason, MKE stands 3-3 against CSU (two of those matches were in the NCAA Tournament over 40 years ago), 1-0 against the Mastodons, and 3-2-2 against the Raiders.

As stated, Milwaukee is now 28-21-8 against Cleveland State all-time (16-9-5 at home) in one of the oldest series in program history that dates back to 1973. It also includes a stellar stretch by MKE back in the late 1990's and early 2000's, a span that saw the Panthers post a remarkable 18 wins in a row (1993 through 2007). Most recently, the action has been shifting, with Kris Kelderman going 4-7-5 against CSU in his time on campus. The Panthers earned a 1-0 victory in 2024, snapping what was a seven-match unbeaten streak for the Vikings (5-0-2). Last fall, the teams played to a 0-0 draw which was the same result on Sept. 26 of this season at Engelmann Stadium.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS:
CLEVELAND STATE: The Vikings enter the week at 7-6-4 overall (4-3-3 in Horizon League action to finish sixth) after earning a 2-1 victory over Robert Morris in the Horizon League Tournament quarterfinals Nov. 8. Domenic Ruggiero scored both goals in the victory, giving him nine goals on the season to tie for the league lead as well as inch him ahead as the points leader in the conference with 19 (9G/1A). Tom Mertz has contributed five goals and seven assists for 17 points. Uzman Ramees has added three goals and five assists, while Aleksandar Kolar has started 13 matches in goal and owns a 1.00 goals-against average with 38 saves and five shutouts. Head coach Sinisa Ubiparipovic is in his eighth season at the helm and has guided the Vikings to two Horizon League regular-season titles and three tournament championships.

Cleveland State went 9-4-6 overall and 5-1-3 in Horizon League play last season, capturing both the regular-season and tournament championships before falling 1-0 to Marshall in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Vikings returned several key pieces from that championship squad, including Rammes - the 2025 Horizon League Freshman of the Year - and Metz, who was a First-Team All-Horizon League selection last fall.

DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Milwaukee will continue to lean on its stellar team defense, one that has posted four clean sheets over the past seven games - behind goalkeeper Carson Pridie. The team starts the week ranked first in the nation with its .865 save percentage, sixth with its 0.77 goals-against average, and 24th in shutout percentage at the NCAA Division I level.

POSTSEASON UNDER KELDERMAN
Kris Kelderman has his team in the postseason for the 12th time in his 15 years at the helm, including title runs in the unprecedented 2020 slate and the memorable 2013 postseason. Overall, his team has gone 8-6-5 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) when 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. A year ago, MKE fell, 2-1, to Robert Morris in the first round. Milwaukee continues its trek to what would be an 11th NCAA Tournament appearance (2020/2013/2005/2004/2003/2002/2001/1990/1980/1979).

THE GOAL THAT CAPPED THE DRAMA
Not only did Felix Huwiler's goal in the 87th minute send the Panthers past the Phoenix in the regular season finale by a final score of 2-1 to win the "Chancellor's Cup", but that goal could later be described as "golden" for a different reason than accustomed in soccer terms.
 
After the team closed out the final 205 seconds to earn the win and then waited out the results from around the remainder of the conference, that scoring strike provided just enough of a difference needed to crown the team the 2026 Horizon League regular season champions. The result gave the team 19 points in the final standings (5-1-4 record), just ahead of Purdue Fort Wayne (18/5-2-3), marking the first regular-season title since 2004 and the sixth in program history.

PANTHER "PRIDIE"
Carson Pridie has been doing stellar work in goal for the Panthers of late, and now his record speaks for itself. Not only does he lead the Horizon League with his .893 save percentage, but as of the start of the week, it also led all of NCAA Division I soccer. In addition, his sparkling goals-against average of 0.62 is tops in the conference and stands seventh in the country. Lastly, his 5.15 saves per game also ranks first in the Horizon League as well as No. 12 in the NCAA.

He was recognized for his outstanding effort between the pipes against Purdue Fort Wayne Oct. 24, named Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week after his career-best 10 saves helped the Panthers to a 0-0 draw against the Mastodons. His effort was not only a career-best but also marked the first outing of 10-plus saves for a Milwaukee keeper since Gijs Van Schouten recorded 12 against UIC back on September 11, 2021. He capped the campaign with Defenseive Player of the Week honors as well for his work in net against Green Bay as the team claimed the regular-season league title.

Pridie was back as the starting goalkeeper against Northern Kentucky Sept. 12 and has been on a stellar run since, starting with back-to-back shutouts of the Norse and then Bowling Green before allowing just one goal against Northern Illinois Sept. 19. His effort against BGSU was huge, making what was then a career-high eight saves to get his team in position to win it, 1-0, on a last-second goal. He continued the run in a tough 1-0 loss to Marquette before adding a 0-0 clean sheet against Cleveland State Sept. 26 and 1-0 defeat of Robert Morris Oct. 3. 

MAJOR DEFENSE = MAJOR AWARDS
Jack Wagner was selected Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year, Carson Pridie earned Horizon League Goalkeeper of the Year recognition, and head coach Kris Kelderman was named Horizon League Coach of the Year. The Panthers put together an impressive showing in the 2026 conference postseason awards, earning three major individual accolades while placing three players on the All-League First Team. Wagner and Pridie were joined on the Horizon League First Team by Dominic Zuniga.

Wagner becomes MKE's first league Defensive Player of the Year since Billy Meier won the award in 2006 and just the second in program history. Pridie becomes Milwaukee's first-ever league Goalkeeper of the Year, an award that started being handed out in 2005. Kelderman claims the first Horizon League Coach of the Year honors of his time in Milwaukee, leading the Panthers to their first regular-season title in 22 years.

SENIOR SALUTE
The program honored its senior class before the match against Green Bay Nov. 3. Congratulations to the following on their careers in Black & Gold: #1 Nolan Meyer, #2 Dominic Zuniga, #7 Ollie Weir, and #25 Mitch Goodman.

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 - with Felix Huwiler's 87th-minute goal this season hard to top. It was there again last fall, seeing Fernando Pirry net a brilliant goal in the 73rd minute to break a 1-1 tie and hand the team the trophy. In 2023, Raul Medina netted a goal in the 83rd to help MKE find a 1-1 decision and maintain possession of the Cup. 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. 

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 possible 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. Twelve 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.

89:59 - JUST LIKE HE PLANNED IT
Praise Ogwu was in the perfect spot to play the late hero - in fact it really can't get much later - as he volleyed in a rebound of AJ Wild's header just in front of the buzzer to send Milwaukee to a thrilling 1-0 victory over Bowling Green Sept. 15 at the 89:59 mark. Head coach Kris Kelderman hasn't seen this kind of late-game drama since his first season on the sidelines. In fact, his first contest as the MKE head coach was a 3-2 defeat as the horn sounded against Marquette back in 2012. Just two games later, the favor was returned as Pol Narbona sent the Panthers to a last-second 3-2 victory over IU Indy at the gun. 

If you are a fan of late MKE goals, Cody Banks scored a memorable game-winner against Green Bay in 2011 with just seven seconds left in double-overtime, making it one of the latest goals to end a match (109:53) since 2000. Only a handful have even come close: MKE and Green Bay are familiar with the late heroics, with their game in 2010 decided in the 109th minute in the win by the Phoenix. Looking back, Milwaukee lost a 2-1 game to Michigan in October of 2005 in the 109th minute.

The other contenders? Vermont edged the Panthers, 2-1, with just 21 seconds left in double-OT in 2010 and Bowling Green defeated Milwaukee, 2-1, back in the 2001 season with just 15 seconds left in double-overtime as well.

ZUNIGA: ASSIST WHEN ABLE
Dominic Zuniga has played a major role on offense this season, currently second in the Horizon League with his seven assists. His three assists against Chicago State Aug. 24 went down as a tie for the fifth-most in a game in school history, with the most recent player to record the triple-helper coming via Raul Medina in August of 2024. The school record is five in a single game.
5: Bobby Lish on 10/27/2002 ... Zach Papanikolaou on 9/29/73
4: Ryan Seymour on 9/3/2000 ... Milan Stojsavljevic on 10/7/77
3: Zuniga's effort (17th 3-assist game in program history)

LEAGUE LIFTOFF
The Panthers are 24-15-4 all-time in league openers in seasons in which they have been affiliated with a conference following a tough loss to Wright State this year. Head coach Kris Kelderman is 5-8-3 in his 16 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. 

HARD TO TOP DEBUT
Freshman Filip Dostanic earned the starting job in goal in the preseason and did not disappoint in his debut, blanking Southern Indiana Aug. 20, while making five saves. In doing so, he became just the fifth freshman in the past 25 years to start the season opener in goal for the Panthers (freshman Freddy Lorenzen was the last in 2017, a 1-0 win over Western Illinois). 

A NEW LOOK FOR 2026
The Panthers will have a new look on offense this season, as the top two scorers from last season, as well as five of the top seven, have either graduated or transferred to different programs. Dominic Zuniga (11 points on 3G/5A) and Jack Bretzmann (10 points on 5G) will be the top returning scorers for Milwaukee in 2026 after a campaign in which the team did lead the Horizon League in goals scored with 32 (second was 27).

All told, the MKE offense will return just 42 of the 98 total points from 2025. From a starting perspective, the Panthers do return five regular starters, including Jack Wagner (started all 19 games in 2025) and Mitch Goodman (played all 19; started 16) along the back line. Pavle Ivkovic, a freshman last fall, made 13 starts in his 15 appearances once he made his way into the lineup on defense. They are joined in experience by Dominic Zuniga and Jack Bretzmann, as both are returners who made 11 starts among their 16 games played apiece.

Points: returners accounted for 42 of the 98 points (42.9 percent)
Goals: 12 of 32 goals (37.5 percent)
Assists: 18 of 34 assists (52.9 percent)
Starts: returning players accounted for 87 starts last season (41.6 percent).
Minutes: returning players accounted for 9,123 of 18,766 minutes played (48.6 percent).
One of the biggest opportunities will be in net, where 2025 starter Nic Diana played all but 90:00 last season (out of 1710:00/94.7 percent).

FOR OPENERS
Milwaukee is now 27-19-8 all-time in season openers following a 0-0 draw against Southern Indiana to open 2026. Head coach Kris Kelderman now has 16 season openers on his resume at the NCAA Division I collegiate level, going 10-3-3. 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.

A FAMILY AFFAIR
The Panthers have a lot of family connections on the 2026 roster, as the team not only has two pairs of brothers in action, but also a father-son and brother-sister connection. Felix Huwiler, a junior and two-year member of the Panthers, will be joined by brother, Katahdin. The younger Huwiler capped his time at Marquette University High School with a senior season in which he was named Wisconsin Soccer Coaches First-Team All-State and Greater Metro First-Team All-Conference for the second consecutive campaign. Joining the Panthers via the transfer route are brothers AJ and Allen Wild. AJ, a sophomore, arrives in Milwaukee following two seasons at Davidson where he appeared in 15 games in 2025, making nine starts. His brother Allen joins the MKE roster after beginning his collegiate career at Gardner-Webb, redshirting the 2025 campaign.

There are two other storylines, starting with Cole Luedke, who comes the Panthers following a very successful campaign at nearby Wisconsin Lutheran College. As a freshman in 2024, he was named Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Honorable Mention. His father, Joe, enjoyed a successful career on the pitch for the Black & Gold from 1996 to 1999. Lastly, freshman Timo Schroeder has an older sister, Svava, who is a current sophomore on the MKE women's tennis team.

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

New Zealand: Phoenix Coursey (Christchurch)
Germany: Paul Denz (Laufenburg), Timo Schroeder (Berlin)
Japan: Roy Nozawa (Tokyo)
Scotland: Ollie Weir (Falkirk)
Serbia: Pavle Ivkovic (Niš), Filip Dostanic (Belgrade)
Spain: Hur Irizar Lekue (Bilbao), Alvaro Perez Eugenio (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria)
United Kingdom: Daniel Gill (Newport, Wales, U.K.)

REGULAR SEASON SHINE
The Panthers' unbeaten 2-0-3 start to Horizon League play last season marked their best undefeated opening run in conference play since a 4-0-1 five-match run to begin the 2007 campaign. The final ledger of 3-1-5 marked the fewest losses in a league schedule since a 6-1-0 mark back in 2004.

FIT TO BE TIED
Since the NCAA removed overtime from the regular season, the draw has been a much more common result for the Panthers. Prior to the start of the 2022 campaign (the year of the rule change), the program record for ties in a season was five, set on a pair of occasions with the most recent coming in 2008. Starting in 2022, Milwaukee reset the record with eight that fall, which approached what was then the NCAA record of nine. The team played games to even four times in 2023 before five in Fall of 2024. Last season, the Panthers again drew level with the program mark of eight. 

HOME SWEET HOME
Last fall, Milwaukee extended its unbeaten streak in home games to 13 consecutive contests (7-0-6) dating back to the 2024 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.

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 68-17-15 (.755) 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 63-33-30 (.619) at home in Kris Kelderman's 14-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 $12.99 a month (or $129.99 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
If the team claims the Horizon League Tournament title, it will advance to the NCAA Tournament for the 11th time in program history. First-round action would take place November 20-22.