NEWARK, Del. - - The Wilmington University men's soccer team claimed a share of the 2021 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Regular Season Championship, will be the No. 2 seed in the CACC Tournament and host No. 7 Felician in the First Round on Monday at the WU Athletics Complex.
The Wildcats tied Post atop the CACC standings with identical 9-2 conference records, but Post won the head-to-head tiebreaker to earn the No. 1 seed. It is the third season in a row the Wildcats competed in (did not compete during 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) that they won at least a share of the CACC Regular Season Championship (2018 and 2019). It is their fifth CACC Regular Season title overall.
The Wildcats finished the regular season with a 15-2-2 overall record and ranked No. 14 in the latest United Soccer Coaches Division II National Poll and No. 3 in the NCAA Super-Region 1 Poll. Felician claimed the No. 7 seed in the CACC Tournament with a 5-6 CACC record, carrying a 6-9-1 overall record into the postseason. It is the first time the Golden Falcons have reach the postseason since 2011.
Tickets/Admission for CACC Tournament:
Adults: $10.00
Children and Senior Citizens: $5.00
Children under the age of three: Free
Wilmington University Faculty/Staff/Students with valid student ID: Free
Links to Follow the CACC Tournament:
Live stats vs. Felician: https://wildcats.athletics.wilmu.edu/sports/msoc/2021-22/boxscores/20211108_5qmr.xml
Video vs. Felician: https://caccnetwork.com/wilmington/?bfplayvid=320213
CACC Tournament Central: https://www.caccathletics.org/sports/Championship/21-22/21MSOC
Scouting the No. 1 Wilmington University Wildcats:
The Wildcats lead the CACC in most offensive categories, in goals (61), assists (48), corners (130), and shots (324). In CACC games only, they also lead the conference in goals (41), shots (213), corners (81), and second in assists (31).
The 61 goals on the year also leads all of NCAA DII, as do their 170 total points on the year. They are ranked third in the country in scoring offense, putting 3.39 goals on the board per game.
Individually, the Wildcats are led by Shawn Genus who is second in the CACC and third in the country with 17 goals scored. He is also second in the CACC and fourth in Division II with 40 points on the year. Six of his 17 goals have gone down as game-winners, which leads all of NCAA DII.
Hakim Williams is second on the team with 19 points, ranking fifth in the CACC with eight goals. Defensemen Carson Talboys and Richard Thompson are tied for third on the team with 14 points as Talboys has six goals and two assists and Thompson has two goals and a team leading 10 assists. His 10 assists are tied for second in the CACC.
Defensively, the Wildcats have allowed the fewest goals in the CACC with 15, eight of which came in CACC play. They lead the CACC and rank 19th in NCAA DII with an 0.81 goals against average.
The Wildcats are 28-1-1 in their last 30 games at the WU Athletics Complex, starting with the beginning of the 2018 season.
Scouting the No. 7 Felician University Golden Falcons:
Felician is making its 10th CACC Tournament appearance overall, and is seeking its third championship. The Golden Falcons captured the conference crown in 2000 and 2001 and have reach the finals on two other occasions.
Felician is making its first trip to the CACC Tournament since 2011, led by first year head coach Brandon Levine. They went 5-6 in CACC play, but enter the postseason on a three-game skid, falling at Jefferson, at Dominican, and against Post.
The Golden Falcons are 10th in the CACC with 23 goals overall, with 17 coming against CACC opponents, seventh most in the league. They are also ninth in the CACC with a 2.25 goals against average on the year.
Felician is led by Raul Abellan's 17 points, scoring six goals and adding five assists. The Golden Falcons have received four goals and one assist from graduate defender Xabier Aizpuru, while sophomore forward Carlos Alonso owns a goal and five assists. Senior goalkeeper George Hernandez has played to a 2.25 goals against average with two shutouts.
Wilmington in the CACC Tournament:
2004 (0-1): #5 Caldwell def. #4 Wilmington, 3-1
2005 (0-1): #3 Felician def. #6 Wilmington, 2-1 (OT)
2006 (0-1): #3 Post def. #2 Wilmington, 1-0
2007(1-0-1): #2 Wilmington def. #3 Caldwell, 1-0 (OT); #2 Wilmington tied #4 Holy Family 1-1, Wilmington wins CACC Championship, 5-3, in PK Shootout).
2008 (0-1): #4 Post def. #5 Wilmington, 1-0
2009 (1-0-1): #1 Wilmington def. #8 Goldey-Beacom, 2-0; #1 Wilmington tied #5 Bloomfield, 0-(Bloomfield advances, 4-2, in PK shootout)
2010 (0-1): #5 Post def. #4 Wilmington, 2-1 (OT)
2011 (0-1): #7 Nyack def. #2 Wilmington, 4-0
2012 (1-1): #5 Wilmington def. #4 Bloomfield, 3-2; #1 Post def. #5 Wilmington, 1-0
2013 (1-0-1): #4 Wilmington def. #5 Concordia, 3-0; #4 Wilmington tied #1 Post, 1-1 (Post advances, 4-2, in PK shootout)
2014 (2-1): #6 Wilmington def. #3 Concordia, 2-0; #6 Wilmington def. #2 Dominican, 2-1 (2OT); #1 Philadelphia def. #6 Wilmington, 1-0
2015: (1-1): #1 Wilmington Def. #8 Goldey-Beacom. 4-0; #4 Chestnut Hill Def. #1 Wilmington 2-1 (OT)
2016 (1-1): #3 Wilmington def. #6 Goldey-Beacom, 3-0; #2 Georgian Court def. #3 Wilmington, 3-2
2017 (0-1): #6 Post def. #3 Wilmington, 1-0
2018 (2-1): #1 Wilmington def. #8 Chestnut Hill, 3-0; #1 Wilmington def. #4 Jefferson, 2-1; #2 Post def. #1 Wilmington, 2-0
2019 (1-1): #1 Wilmington def. #8 Concordia, 7-4; #5 Georgian Court def. #1 Wilmington, 4-2
Overall: 11-13-3
Season and All-Time Records vs. CACC Tournament Participants:
#1 Post University Eagles (9-5-1, 9-2 CACC) – 2021: L 1-0; All-Time: 8-11-6; CACC Tournament: 0-6-1
#2 Wilmington University Wildcats (12-1-4, 9-1-2 CACC)
#3 Dominican College Chargers (10-5-2, 7-2-2 CACC) – 2021: W 3-2; All-Time: 6-11-1; CACC Tournament: 1-0
#4 Georgian Court University Lions (10-4-3, 7-3-1 CACC) – 2021: L 3-2 (OT); All-Time: 6-4; CACC Tournament: 0-2
#5 Holy Family University Tigers (7-9-2, 6-4-1 CACC) – 2021: W 8-0; All-Time: 14-1-3; CACC Tournament: 0-0-1
#6 Nyack College Warriors (9-8-1, 6-4-1 CACC) – 2021: W 1-0 (2OT); All-Time: 11-6-1; CACC Tournament: 0-1
#7 Felician University Golden Falcons (6-9-1, 5-6 CACC) – 2021: W 3-2; All-Time: 14-4; CACC Tournament: 0-1
#8 Thomas Jefferson University Rams (6-8-2, 4-6-1 CACC) – 2021: W 4-0; All-Time: 8-6-1; CACC Tournament: 1-1
2021 CACC Men's Soccer Tournament Game Schedule:
Quarterfinals (Monday, Nov. 8, at Highest Seeds)
#8 Jefferson at #1 Post (1 p.m.)
#5 Holy Family at #4 Georgian Court (1 p.m.)
#7 Felician at #2 Wilmington (1 p.m.)
#6 Nyack at #3 Dominican (1 p.m.)
Semifinals (Friday, Nov. 12, at LaMoy Field, Post University, Waterbury, Conn.)
#1/8 Winner vs. #4/5 Winner (10 a.m. | 12:30 p.m.)
#2/7 Winner vs. #3/6 Winner (10 a.m. | 12:30 p.m.)
**Highest remaining seed will play the day's first game at 10 a.m.
Championship Final (Sunday, Nov. 14, at LaMoy Field, Post University, Waterbury, Conn.)
Semifinal #1 Winner vs. Semifinal #2 Winner (1 p.m.)
