Xavier, Oakland Set for Sunday Night Matchup

Sunday, August 27

Cincinnati, Ohio

7 p.m.

Xavier University

Oakland

08.25.23 | Men's Soccer

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First touch is set for 7 p.m. from Corcoran Field

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier men's soccer continues non-conference action on Sunday, Aug. 27 vs Oakland. First touch is set for 7 p.m. from Corcoran Field.

THE MATCHUP VS OAKLAND

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (0-0-1) vs OAKLAND GOLDEN GRIZZLIES (0-1-0)
Game Info - Sunday, Aug. 27 - 7 p.m. ET - Corcoran Field (1,000)
Live Stats - bit.ly/3QPwUVb
Watch Live (FloSports) - flosports.link/3dUulj6

ABOUT OAKLAND

2023 Record: 0-1-0 (0-0-0 Horizon)
2022 Record: 4-10-5 (4-2-3 Horizon)
Series History: Xavier trails, 2-0
Last Meeting: OU 2, XU 0 (Sept. 18, 1999 - Rochester, Mich.)

NOTABLES
• Oakland was picked to finish third in the Horizon League Preseason Coaches' Poll after posting a 4-10-5 (4-2-3 Horizon) record last season. The Golden Grizzlies return two all-conference performers from last season in midfielder Ville Ahola (first-team selection) and goalkeeper Michael Sly Jr. (all-freshman team).
• Oakland is led by Eric Pogue who has coached the Golden Grizzlies for 15 seasons. He has led the team to six conference titles during his tenure, including the 2021 Horizon League Championship.
• The Golden Grizzlies dropped their season opener, 4-0, to No. 11 Marshall on Thursday, Aug. 24 in Huntington, W.Va. Five different players recorded a shot in the match, while Michael Sly Jr. and Alex Flowers split time in goal. Sly Jr., allowed one goal and made one save in 22 minutes of action, while Flowers made seven saves with three goals allowed in 68 minutes of action.

SERIES HISTORY

OCT. 26, 1985
Oakland 7, Xavier 4
(Highland Heights, Ky.)

SEPT. 18, 1999
Oakland 2, Xavier 0
(Rochester, Mich.)

XAVIER LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier opened the 2023 season with a 1-1 tie vs Wright State on Thursday, Aug. 24. Sohei Matsumori scored the first Xavier goal of the season in the 85th minute.

• Jonny Mennell (0-0-1) made his first career start in goal, recording one save in 90 minutes of action.

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 are 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 open the home portion of their schedule vs Wright State on Thursday, Aug. 24. Xavier also plays home non-conference matches vs Oakland (Aug. 27), Cleveland State (Sept. 4) and Bradley (Sept. 10).

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

• The Musketeers open 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 50-26-15 (.632) non-conference record since 2013. The Musketeers have recorded an 27-8-6 (.732) record at home in those matches.

• Xavier is 71-30-15 (.677) 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 159-58-37 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 returns to action on Friday, Sept. 1 at No. 11 Marshall. First touch is set for 7:15 p.m. from Hoops Family Field.