The goal is clear: play competitive soccer in November. Madison College men's soccer coach Logan Fye has hammered home that point as he heads into his second season leading the program. The motivation stems from the heartbreak of having the rug pulled out from under the WolfPack at the end of the 2023 regular season and the failure to make the Region 4 Tournament. Fye and company begin the 2024 campaign Saturday, August 24 with their home opener against Oakton College at Irwin A. & Robert D. Goodman Pitch-East.

Madison College 2024 Schedule | Madison College 2024 Roster

"I am confident that we have built a squad capable of competing for the Region 4 championship," stated Fye, who guided the team to a 6-5-4 mark in his first year. "Whether we will or not remains to be seen but it will ultimately be in their hands. It is an extremely talented group but I am curious to see who steps up as leaders, especially when something doesn't go our way. Our region is very competitive and I expect most of our matches to be difficult ones."

One thing the WolfPack will be seeking is to find some scoring. After averaging just 1.8 goals per game in 2023, Madison College graduated 85% of its scoring, including the program's all-time leading scorer, Gabe Voung. Sophomore forward Carter Uhlmann is the top-returning goal-scorer after finding the net three times as a freshman. He also added three assists. Midfielder Felipe Dewes posted a goal and two assists. Other key returners include midfielder Bryan Garcia and defender Damo Lovell, the latter of which had three assists.



"I am pleased that we bring back some talented players and strong personalities in this second year group. They have seen what it we want this experience to be like but have also lived the heartbreak of last season's end. We expect them to be key in leading the 2024 squad to new heights and do their part in aiding in the transition of our newcomers. Felipe has a lot of minutes under his belt in midfield and will be someone who shows his talents each time he is on the ball. Bryan had a strong first season in midfield and has made good progress in our spring season and his summer club season to come in and have a big second season. Damo progressed well over the course of his first season to become one of our most steady players in the back and we look for him to continue that this fall. Carter is typically the fastest player on the pitch and at any time can change the game in our favor. These four plus others will be relied upon as we look to qualify for the Region 4 Tournament and be contenders for the title."

A large and talented of group of newcomers is spearheading the push for more offense, with midfielder/forward Hudson Nielsen, midfielder Cole Rogers, defender/midfielder JJ Espinosa, and defender Jacob Unger standing above the Pack throughout fall training. Goalkeeper Victor Dalum is likely to get the start in net for the season's first match, hoping to fill another big hole with the loss of goalkeeper Phil McCloskey to graduation after he logged every minute in net as a sophomore. 

"The coaching staff worked very hard to bring in a talented 2024 recruiting class and we strongly believe that work paid off in a big way. The class is made up of players from diverse backgrounds and playing experiences which should benefit the squad as they begin to blend as a unit. I'm confident that this year's team will be extremely deep which should make for some highly competitive training sessions and ultimately push us to reach our potential. Victor hails from Denmark and comes to the team with high level shot stopping ability but also the distribution capabilities that will elevate the way we play. JJ is someone who will make his presence felt on Day 1 with his athleticism, skill set, versatility, and the standard at which he holds himself. Hudson can do it all in attack combining pace, power, precision, deceptiveness, and composure all in one. Cole is the next Kiwi to join the Pack and will be a big body in midfield who is capable of pinging the ball all over the pitch. Jacob is a talented left footed defender who will make an impact defensively but also pop up with a goal or two from set pieces as well. The list can go on and on for this incoming class but I'm just excited to see what they can do for us this fall and beyond!

The roster diverity Fye refers to includes a host of players from different countries, like Brazil, Denmark, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, and Zimbabwe.
 
The WolfPack open with back-to-back home matches, including it's only non-Region 4 match on August 28 against Riverland Community College (MN). Last year's Region 4 runner-up Rock Valley College is ranked #18 in the NJCAA Division II Preseason Poll and visits capital city on September 18. After consecutive home matches open the month of October, the Pack hits the road for three straight before hosting Milwaukee Area Technical College and Harper College to conclude the regular season. Defending region champion Prairie State College is ranked sixth and perennial power Morton College is receiving votes, with both looming as potential road blocks in the postseason.

Madison College will again host the Region 4 Division II Men's Soccer Championship on November 9. To get there, the WolfPack would also need to earn wins in a November 3 quarterfinal and a November 6 semifinal. The Region 4 winner will advance to the 2024 NJCAA Division II National Tournament in Huntsville, Alabama, from November 17-23.

"Depth will certainly be a strength for us and we should be able to stick to our style of play regardless of whom is unavailable for us on a day where that was not the case last season. My hope is that our coaching staff and our 2nd year players can do the job of steering the ship as our talented newcomers learn their way. If that's done well, I am looking forward to the opportunity to play into November. This is a talented team with a young and hungry coaching staff. We're ready to go!"

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