Six Things You Need to Know About the 2024 Men’s Soccer Team

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The RIT men's soccer team opens the 2024 campaign on Friday (Aug. 30) against Brockport. Here are the top six things you need to know about the Tigers heading into the season.

"It has been a good preseason," said RIT head coach Bill Garno. "We have gotten to know one another, and the players have been disciplined mentally. They have focused on playing collectively, working hard every day and are always competing."
 
RETURNING POINTS
Junior midfielder Tate Pottle was second on the team in scoring last season with nine points on three goals and three assists, all career bests. Junior forward Jake Donahue was fourth in scoring with seven points, including a team-best three assists. Senior midfielder John Lucas had three assists, while sophomore midfielder Adam Eastman scored two goals his first season.
 
THE MIDFIELD
Pottle, Lucas and senior Rom Wasserman return to the Tigers midfield. Senior David Merriman moves back to the midfield, while Eastman, sophomore Daniel Sucato and senior Ludo Zanotti will see time in the middle of the field this season.

THE DEFENDERS
Senior co-captain Daniel Gebura returns in 2024 after missing 2023 while on co-op. Senior Benjamin Duby returns to help patrol the flanks. Senior Joey Golden provides depth in the center of the Tiger's defense, along with junior Bryce Hoang. First years Adrian Sobczak and Carson Bandel will see significant time.
 
THE GOALIES
Senior goaltender Jason Trapp returns for 2024. He was sixth in the Liberty League with a 1.24 goals-against average and fifth in the league with a .746 save percentage in 2023. He finished fourth in the league averaging 3.53 saves per game. Junior Connor Cronin and first-years Owen Hallagan and Kristian Dobbek will battle Trapp for time.

THE NEWCOMERS
Garno welcomes 13 newcomers to the squad in 2024, including 12 first years and one transfer. First-years Carson Bandel, Idriss Diallo, Kristian Dobbek, Owen Hallagan, Julius Jakobs, James Kasuda, Kisakye Kirabo, Roman Mironenko, Jackson Mulford, Alejandro Ortega, Da'Vid Robinson, Adrian Sobczak and transfer Liam Brown.
 
2024 SCHEDULE
The Tigers will play 16 regular-season games, including nine games against Liberty League rivals, nine games at Doug May Field at Tiger Stadium and includes three teams that competed in the 2023 NCAA Division III Tournament (Geneva, Rochester and Hobart).
 
The Tigers begin their 2024 campaign on Aug. 30 against Brockport for the Doug May Memorial Game. The Tigers play at St. John Fisher on Sept. 4, followed by a home game against Geneva College (Sept. 7). RIT hosts Rochester on Sept. 10 in the Rochester Derby before a road date at Keen State (Sept. 14).
 
RIT begins Liberty League play at home against Hobart (Sept. 20) and rounds out September at Clarkson (Sept. 28).
 
The Tigers begin October with a home game against Penn State Behrend on October 2. RIT plays at Bard (Oct. 5) before a road game at Geneseo (Oct. 9) and host St. Lawrence on Oct. 12. The Tigers host Skidmore (Oct. 18) and RPI (Oct. 19) during Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend.
 
RIT plays at Union (Oct. 26), at Ithaca (Oct. 30), and at Vassar (Nov. 2) to wrap up the regular season.
 
Liberty League Tournament play begins November 5 with first round games. The semifinals are Nov. 8, and the championship is Nov. 10 at the highest remaining seed.