Xavier Travels to Ohio State for Non-Conference Finale

Tuesday, October 3

Columbus, Ohio

7 p.m.

Xavier University

Ohio State

Xavier Travels to Ohio State for Non-Conference Finale

10.02.23 | Men's Soccer

Live Stats Watch Live (B1G+)Ohio State Information

First touch is set for 7 p.m. from Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier men's soccer wraps up non-conference action on Tuesday, Oct. 3 at Ohio State. First touch is set for 7 p.m. from Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

THE MATCHUP AT OHIO STATE

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (5-3-1) at OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (3-4-2)
Game Info - Tuesday, Oct. 2 - 7 p.m. ET - Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium (4,518)
Live Stats - bit.ly/46zotSG
Watch Live (B1G+) - bit.ly/3ryWt2A

ABOUT OHIO STATE

2023 Record: 3-4-2
2022 Record: 11-3-6
2022 Postseason: NCAA Tournament Second Round
Series History: Xavier trails, 7-8-5
Last meeting: Xavier 2, Ohio State 1 (Sept. 3, 2021 - Bloomington, Ind.)

NOTABLES
• Ohio State was picked to finish third in the Preseason Big Ten Coaches' Poll after posting an 11-3-6 record last year and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Three players were named to the preseason all-conference team: Anthony Samways (D), Deylen Vellios (D) and Laurence Wootton (MF).
• The Buckeyes are 1-2-2 at home this season. Ohio State is looking to win its second straight match at home after defeating No. 24 Kentucky, 3-0, on Sept. 19.
• Seven different Buckeyes have scored a goal this season, paced by Laurence Wootton who has scored three goals. Michael Adedokun ranks second on the team in points with five (two goals, one assist).
• Ohio State has played two goalkeepers this season. Max Trejo (2-2-2) has a 1.09 goals against average through seven matches, while Peter Van Euwen (1-2) has a 1.95 goals against average through three matches.

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier trails the all-time series with Ohio State, 7-8-5. The Musketeers won the last meeting between the two schools, 2-1, on Sept. 3, 2021 in Bloomington, Ind. The contest was the opening match of the Adidas/Indiana Credit Union Classic.

• The last time the two teams played in Columbus was on Oct. 7, 1998. The Buckeyes won the match, 2-1.

LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier is coming off a 1-0 BIG EAST road win at Creighton on Sept. 29.

• Freshman Nathan Trickett scored his first career goal in the 23rd minute. The Independence, Ohio, native made his first career start and logged a season-high 48 minutes.

• The win over Creighton in Omaha marked only the second road win in the series history for the Musketeers. Xavier's previous road win in the series was on Oct. 28, 2015 (W, 2-1).

• Xavier shut out Creighton for only the third time this season and the first time at Morrison Stadium. The last time Creighton was held without a goal at home during a regular-season match was on Oct. 19, 2019 (L, 2-0 vs No. 7 St. John's).

• Xavier held an 8-6 advantage in shots and took three more shots on goal (5-2). Creighton was held to a season-low six shots by the Xavier defense (also had six shots vs Marquette on Sept. 15).

NOTABLES

• Xavier opened BIG EAST action with a 4-1 win vs DePaul on Sept. 16 at Corcoran Field. The four-goal performance is the most goals scored in a BIG EAST match by the Musketeers since Oct. 31, 2018 vs Butler (W, 5-3).

• Xavier has scored eight goals in its last four matches. The Musketeers previously only scored four goals in the team's first five matches of the season.

• Jerome Jolly leads the Musketeers in points with eight (three goals, two assists). Taylor Rhinehart has added seven points (two goals, three assists). Jolly ranks second in the BIG EAST in game-winning goals (3) and third in the NCAA.

• Eight different Musketeers have scored a goal this season. Six different players have also recorded an assist.

BIG EAST WEEKLY HONORS

Oct. 2 - Nathan Trickett - BIG EAST Freshman of the Week
Oct. 2 - Makel Rasheed - BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
Aug. 28 - Seydou Diop - BIG EAST Freshman of the Week
Sept. 5 - Jerome Jolly - BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll

RASHEED - PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST

• Makel Rasheed was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team on Aug. 15 after helping the Musketeers post a 0.89 goals against average and eight shutouts last season. The defender was drafted by Nashville SC in MLS SuperDraft 2023 presented by adidas, taken as the seventh pick (65th overall) in the third round. Rasheed also earned All-BIG EAST Second Team honors and was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-East Region Team.

SCHEDULE NOTES

• Six of Xavier's opponents were ranked or receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top-25 Poll: Creighton (No. 8), Marshall (No. 11), Georgetown (No. 17), Akron (No. 22), Providence (RV) and Ohio State (RV). The Musketeers also payed Western Michigan (RV) in exhibition action.

• Xavier will play seven non-conference matches, four at home and three on the road. The Musketeers opened the home portion of their schedule vs Wright State on Thursday, Aug. 24. Xavier also played home non-conference matches vs Oakland (Aug. 27), Cleveland State (Sept. 4).

• Xavier's remaining non-conference road matches are at Marshall (Sept. 1), UTRGV (Sept. 11), Duquesne (Sept. 19) and Ohio State (Oct. 3).

• The Musketeers opened BIG EAST action vs DePaul on Friday, Sept. 15 at Corcoran Field. Xavier's other three home BIG EAST contests are vs Georgetown (Sept. 23), Akron (Oct. 14) and Butler (Oct. 18).

• Xavier's four BIG EAST road matches are at Creighton (Sept. 29), Marquette (Oct. 7), Villanova (Oct. 21) and UConn (Oct. 28).

• Xavier will face six teams that played in the NCAA Tournament last season, including College Cup participant Creighton. Cleveland State, Ohio State, Marshall, Georgetown and Seton Hall all joined the Bluejays in the NCAA Tournament. The Musketeers also take on Western Michigan who participated in the NCAA Tournament during exhibition play.

• Xavier has posted a 53-28-15 (.630) non-conference record since 2013. The Musketeers have recorded an 29-8-6 (.744) record at home in those matches.

• Xavier is 74-31-15 (.679) at Corcoran Field since the start of the 2010 season.

ABOUT THE MUSKETEERS

• Xavier returns two of its top three point leaders from last season, led by Fabrizio Bernal De La Garza who had nine points (four goals, one assist). Jerome Jolly added eight points (three goals, two assists).

• Defensively, Xavier returns Makel Rasheed and Dylan Kropp. Both players helped the Musketeers post a 0.89 goals against average (23rd in NCAA) with eight shutouts (10th in NCAA). Xavier finished the year ranked tied for fourth in single-season school history in shutouts (8) and fourth in single-season school history in goals against average (0.89).

• Makel Rasheed was drafted by Nashville SC in MLS SuperDraft 2023 presented by adidas, taken as the seventh pick (65th overall) in the third round. Rasheed also earned All-BIG EAST Second Team honors and was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-East Region Team.

• Dylan Kropp was named to the All-BIG EAST Third Team, one of only three freshmen who picked up all-conference honors. He was named to the TopDrawerSoccer Freshman Best XI First Team.

• Xavier added 12 newcomers to the roster, including four transfers: Cooper Forcellini (Bellarmine) Michael Rogalski (Bradley), Matthew Senanou (North Carolina) and Guilherme Vivaldini (North Carolina).

JOHN HIGGINS - HEAD COACH

• John Higgins was named the new men's soccer coach in March of 2022. He joined the Musketeers from the University of Indianapolis where he compiled a 150-56-29 overall record in 12 seasons with the Greyhounds. He now has a 164-61-37 overall record in 13 seasons as a head coach.

• In year one at Xavier, he led the Musketeers to a No. 9 ranking in the United Soccer Coaches (USC) Poll on Oct. 19 - matching the highest ranking in program history (was also ranked No. 9 on Oct. 28, 2014).

• Higgins also saw two players taken in the MLS SuperDraft 2023 presented by adidas. Xavier had two players taken in the same draft for the first time in program history. Cole Jensen was the 18th overall pick (first round), while Makel Rasheed was taken as the seventh pick in the third round (65th overall). Three player also earned All-BIG EAST honors, highlighted by Jenen who was named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year.

• Higgins finished the 2021 fall season ranked fourth in the USC Top-25 Poll after posting an 18-1-3 record and advancing to the semifinals of the NCAA Championships. All told, he posted a 31-1-7 record over two seasons in 2021 (spring season due to COVID-19 pandemic).

• The three-time Great Lakes Valley Conference 'Coach of the Year' owns a 7-3-1 (.625) record in NCAA Tournament action and finished GLVC Tournament play with an 18-3-5 (.750) mark. He finished his coaching career at UIndy as the program's all-time leader in wins (150) and winning percentage (.700).

• Higgins led the Greyhounds to a total of six conference championships from 2010-21, including three regular-season titles and three tournament championships. All told, he has made five NCAA Tournaments with two national semifinal appearances.

• The Dunfermline, United Kingdom, native coached 54 All-GLVC selections at UIndy along with seven All-Midwest Region honorees and two All-Americans. Academically, the Greyhounds have earned the USC Team Academic Award in each season under Higgins.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

• Xavier men's soccer has reached the NCAA Tournament in four of the last 13 seasons. The Musketeers have also won 10 or more matches in seven of the last 13 seasons.

• Xavier was the only program in the nation with five consecutive major conference awards from 2012-16, including 2016 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Cory Brown.

• Xavier has qualified for seven of the last 10 BIG EAST Championships, including trips to the title game in 2014 and 2017.

• Xavier has been ranked in the nation's top-10 four times in the last 10 years by the United Soccer Coaches. The Musketeers have been nationally-ranked in at least one major college soccer poll (United Soccer Coaches, Top Drawer Soccer, College Soccer News, Soccer America) in every season since 2011.

• Xavier was ranked as high as No. 9 on Oct. 19, 2022 - matching the highest ranking in program history (was also ranked No. 9 on Oct. 28, 2014).

• In 2015, Xavier knocked off the national No. 1 (Creighton) and No. 2 (Notre Dame) on the road. The Musketeers are widely believed to be the first program to ever knock off both a No. 1 and a No. 2 on the road in the same season.

• Six Xavier players have been selected in the MLS SuperDraft in the last 11 years, including Cole Jensen and Makel Rasheed in 2022.

XAVIER MLS DRAFT HISTORY

2022 - Cole Jensen - GK - 1st Round (18th) - Inter Miami CF
2022 - Makel Rasheed - D - 3rd Round (65th) - Nashville FC
2018 - Cory Brown - D - 3rd Round (62nd) - Vancouver Whitecaps FC
2017 - Jalen Brown - MF/F - 2nd Round (38th) - NYC FC
2014 - Nick Hagglund - D - 1st Round (10th) - Toronto FC
2013 - Luke Spencer - F - 1st Round (23rd) - New England Revolution

2023 PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

EAST DIVISION
(first-place votes)
1. Georgetown (11) - 66
2. Providence (1) - 56
3. St. John's - 40
4. Seton Hall - 36
5. Connecticut - 24
5. Villanova - 24

MIDWEST DIVISION
(first-place votes)
1. Creighton (8) - 63
2. Butler (2) - 50
3. Akron (2) - 48
4. Xavier - 39
5. Marquette - 29
6. DePaul - 17

UP NEXT

• Xavier closes its three-game road swing at RV Marquette on Saturday, Oct. 7. First touch is set for 4 p.m. ET from Valley Fields.