• 2025 OVC Men's Soccer Report - Final (PDF)
Highlights From Around the League: Lindenwood captured the OVC regular season crown, finishing 6-2-2 in OVC action this season ... They are the first Lindenwood program to win an OVC regular season championships (others had won postseason championships) in what is the fourth year for the school in the OVC ... The Lions were pre-determined to host the OVC Championship and won two matches to claim the 2025 OVC Tournament Championship and become the first Lindenwood program to qualify for a NCAA Division I postseason berth ... Lindenwood was 9-0-3 at home this season ... Overall, Lindenwood has won 14 matches this season, the most of its Division I level and most since winning 15 matches in 2012 (when the program was Division II).
Six Named to All-Region Teams: Six OVC men's soccer players were named to the United Soccer Coaches All-North Region Teams. The selections included one second team and five third-team selections. The picks were Lindenwood defender
Leandro Haesler (the second-team pick) and forward
Luca Bartoni, Liberty defender
Casey McCarthy and
Leo Conneh and HCU midfielder
D'Alessandro Herrera and forward
Ryan Okerayi.
Lindenwood Wins 2025 OVC Soccer Tournament Championship: Lindenwood topped No. 4 seed (and two-time defending tournament champion) SIUE and No. 2 seed HCU to claim the 2025 OVC Soccer Tournament Championship. In the final, the match with HCU was tied 1-1 after overtime before Lindenwood advanced after winning penalty kicks 4-2.
Lindenwood in NCAA Tournament: Lindenwood made its first-ever Division I NCAA Tournament appearance this year. The University joined the OVC prior to the 2022-23 academic year and completed the three-year reclassification process to Division I following the 2024-25 year. The men's soccer team was the first Lindenwood program to qualify for a NCAA Division I Championship. Lindenwood appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament twice (2013, 2016) going 1-2 all-time (winning a match in 2013). Prior to 2010 the program competed at the NAIA level.
Lindenwood Wins Regular Season Championship: Lindenwood finished the regular season with a 6-2-2 OVC record (20 points) to claim the 2025 OVC Regular Season Championship. It was the first for the Lions in the third year of OVC soccer. The team finished second last season (2024). It is the first regular season title for the program since 2016 (MIAA), when they were members of Division II.
Lifferth Sets OVC Record For Points in a Game, Ties Mark for Goals: Liberty senior
Zach Lifferth set a new OVC single match record with seven points (3 goals, 1 assist) in his team's 6-1 win over Southern Indiana on September 27. His three goals tied the OVC record (held by three others) and came on his first three shots of the game, all in the first half.
Liberty Earns OVC Team Sportsmanship Award: Liberty was the recipient of the 2025-26 Team Sportsmanship Awards for men's soccer for the second-straight season. Voted on by the student-athletes and coaches of the respective sports, the team awards are bestowed upon the Conference squads deemed to have best exhibited the standards of sportsmanship and ethical behavior as outlined by the OVC and NCAA. Included in the areas for evaluation are the conduct of student-athletes, coaches, staff, administrators and fans.
UIW Knocks Off No. 18 SMU: UIW scored a 2-1 victory over No. 18 ranked SMU on September 8. UIW scored in the 14th minute and led 1-0 until SMU tied the match on a penalty kick in the 79th minute. Eight minutes later Noe Robles scored a goal off an assist from Giovanni Padilla to lift the Cardinals to the victory.
Liberty Sets OVC Single Match Record for Goals: Liberty scored nine goals (eight in the second half) in a season-opening victory over Regent on August 21. It broke the previous OVC record of eight goals set by Lindenwood in 2023 (vs. UHSP).
Third Season of OVC Men's Soccer: This year marks the third season of OVC men's soccer, which was announced as the league's 19th sport in March 2023. Five OVC institutions currently field men’s soccer teams: Eastern Illinois, Lindenwood, SIUE, Southern Indiana and Western Illinois. In addition, Houston Christian (HCU), Incarnate Word (UIW) and Liberty are affiliate members, giving the OVC eight men’s soccer programs.
2025 OVC Tournament: The 2025 OVC Men's Soccer Championship was held on the campus of Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri for the first time. The top six seeds make the field, with the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds getting byes to the semifinals. The eight OVC men's soccer teams are divided into two scheduling pods, with each team playing the other teams in its pod twice during the season, and teams in the other pod once. The tournament format gives the winner of each pod a first round tournament bye. Seeds 3-6 are based on total points, regardless of scheduling pod.
All Teams Eligible for Postseason Play: Lindenwood and Southern Indiana completed their reclassification to Division I this past summer and are now eligible for NCAA Tournament berths. The two schools finished the transition in a new expediated three-year timeline.
SIUE Picked as 2025 OVC Preseason Favorite: Two-time defending regular season and tournament champion SIUE was predicted the preseason favorite for the 2025 OVC men's soccer season. The Cougars, who claimed both championships during each the 2023 and 2024 seasons, picked up 14 of 16 first-place votes and 98 points in the poll of league head coaches and communications directors. SIUE is 17-1-2 in Conference play in the first two years of men's soccer in the OVC. HCU, who lost to SIUE in double overtime in last year's tournament title game, picked up the other two first-place votes and 69 points in being tabbed second. They were followed by Lindenwood (67), Liberty (64), UIW (55), Western Illinois (39), Eastern Illinois (38) and Southern Indiana (18).
UTRGV to Join OVC as Men's Soccer Affiliate in 2026: The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) will join the OVC as a men's soccer affiliate beginning with the 2026 season. The addition of Vaqueros gives the OVC its third men’s soccer institution in the state of Texas. Located in Edinburg, Texas, the program spent 10 seasons in the WAC before becoming an Independent for the 2025 season.