Men's Soccer | 11/14/2025 1:37:00 PM
WHEATON, MA - The SUNY Geneseo men's soccer team will face Middlebury in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament on Saturday, November 15 at 11 A.M. This marks the first-ever meeting between these two programs. The Knights are making their third appearance at the NCAA Tournament and will look to earn their first victory on the national stage since 2004, where the Knights reached the NCAA semifinals.
The winner of Saturday's match up will advance to face the winner of No. 8 Wheaton and Neumann in the second round on Sunday, November 16.
IMPORTANT LINKS
CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
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LIVE STATS
YEAR IN REVIEW
The Knights opened the season with a 3-0 win over St. Lawrence on their home turf. After dropping the next three matches, Geneseo bounced back to win three of its next four. The Knights were dominant for the remainder of the regular season, posting seven wins in their final ten games. Geneseo's largest victory came in a 10-0 rout over Keuka on October 1. In the postseason, the Knights earned a 1-0 victory over Hartwick in the quarterfinals, followed by a hard-fought 6-5 win in penalty kicks against No. 5 Utica. The Knights then clinched the conference with a 2-1 overtime win over No. 2 Brockport.
The Knights were an offensive powerhouse all season long, outscoring their opponents 49-21. Geneseo averaged 2.33 goals and 14.9 shots per game, totaling 312 attempts. The Knights posted a 15.7% shooting percentage, reflecting a clinical attack and high efficiency in front of goal.
Mark Howlett earned his first Empire 8 Coach of the Year honor after guiding the Knights to their first conference championship and first NCAA Tournament berth in 19 years.
ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
The Knights earned six All-Conference honors, including two major awards. Dylan Thody earned Offensive Player of the Year, while Mark Howlett received Coaching Staff of the Year recognition. Thody was joined on the Empire 8 First-Team by Michael Ruggiero and Eric Famularo. Jace DiPalo and Charlie Sorensen earned Second-Team honors, and Max Crothall was selected to the Third-Team. One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2025 Men's Soccer Tomorrow's Leaders Team. This team honors a student-athlete who has emerged as a leader not only on the field, but in the classroom and in the community. In addition, they "compete with honor and integrity" and have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportsmen. Connor Guercia earned this distinction for the Knights.
GENESEO IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Geneseo will compete in the NCAA Tournament for the third time in program history, aiming for its first tournament victory since 2004. In 2006, the Knights fell 2-0 to Nazareth in the first round. Their previous appearance in 2004, saw Geneseo advance to the semifinals, before suffering a 3-1 loss to UC Santa Cruz.
THODY LEADS THE WAY
Senior forward Dylan Thody was named the Empire 8 Tournament MVP, totaling 39 points and ranking T-12 in the nation for Division III. In the finals against No. 2 Brockport, he scored the overtime game-winning penalty kick goal, securing the conference title for the Knights. He was a relentless offensive force in his senior campaign, leading active Knights in shots on goal (32), goals (15), assists (9), and game-winning goals (5). Thody also posted the highest shot-on-goal percentage among forwards with over 1,000 minutes, finishing at 64.0%. In conference play, he recorded 32 shots, 24 points, 19 shots on goal, nine goals, and six assists.
- With 15 goals this season, Thody has climbed onto the program's individual season goal leaderboard. He is just two goals shy of tying the single-season record of 17, set by Jim Clar in 1988.
CENTER OF ATTENTION
Junior midfielder Michael Ruggiero excelled in the center of the field this season, ranking second on the team in points (27), shots on goal (27), goals (10), and assists (7). He led the team in total shots with 65, converting at an impressive 15.4% rate. A consistent presence on the pitch, Ruggiero appeared in all 21 games and logged 1,679 minutes, one of the highest totals on the roster. He recorded 13 multi-shot performances, including a season-high 10 attempts against Elmira, and posted four games with three or more shots on goal. In league play, Ruggiero tallied 38 shots, 20 points, 19 shots on goal, eight goals, and four assists.
TWO OF A KIND
Despite operating from different positions, junior forward Aidan Lodie and junior midfielder Owen Burke were two of the team's most dependable offensive contributors this season. On the frontline, Lodie finished third in shots on goal (16), points (12), and goals (5), including three game-winners. He has recorded 25 total shots and put together a nine-game shot streak from September 27 to October 29. The highlight of Lodie's season came when he featured on SportsCenter's Top 10 on ESPN for a bicycle kick, where he ranked fourth. Playing centrally, Burke totaled 1,417 minutes and registered 20 shots, 10 points, and nine shots on goal. He also added four assists and three goals, one of which was the game-winner against Hartwick in the quarterfinals.
LAST MEN STANDING
Geneseo's backline has been anchored by the solid defensive play of senior Eric Famularo, freshman Jace DiPalo, and sophomore Charlie Sorenson. Together, they have limited opponents to an average of just 1.00 goal and 10.2 shots per game, while holding them to a low shooting percentage of 9.8%. Sorenson played a key role in the Knights' defensive efforts, earning Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week honors twice this season. The trio has helped the team record seven shutouts, including the most recent against Hartwick in the quarterfinals.
- As a defensive midfielder, DiPalo has delivered a standout rookie year on both ends of the field. He is ranked among the top five active Knights in shots (3rd, 32), game-winning goals (3rd, 2), shots on goal (4th, 13), points (4th, 11), and goals (4th, 11). DiPalo has appeared in all 21 games and started in 17, making him one out of only six Knights to be featured in every matchup. Entering the NCAA tournament, he is riding a streak of four consecutive multi-shot performances.
MAX(IMUM) SECURITY
Sophomore keeper Max Crothall recorded his eleventh win of the season in the Empire 8 Finals against No. 2 Brockport. Over the course of the year, he has totaled 1,633 minutes in goal. Crothall has faced 173 shots and made 78 saves for a 78.8% save percentage, while posting a 1.16 goals against-average (GAA) and allowing 21 goals. He concluded the season with a 11-5-3 record. By comparison, opposing goalkeepers in the conference have combined for 103 saves with a 67.8% save percentage, a 2.31 GAA, and 49 goals allowed in 21 appearances.