NEWARK, Del. - - For the second year in a row, the Wilmington University men's soccer team will take on Thomas Jefferson University in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament First Round game at the WU Athletics Complex, in a rematch of the 4/5 contest from last season. This year's contest will take place on Monday, November 6 at 1:00 p.m.

The Wildcats earned the No. 4 seed for the second year in a row with a 6-3-2 conference record, earning 20 points. Jefferson went an even 8-8 overall on the season, going 6-5 in CACC play for 18 points, earning the No. 5 seed for the second year in a row. In the regular season matchup, the Rams scored two early goals against the Wildcats on September 27, and hung on for a 2-1 victory at Ravenhill Field in Philadelphia.

Overall, the Wildcats hold the all-time record against the Rams, 9-7-2, with Monday being the fourth meeting between the two programs in the CACC Tournament. The Wildcats won last year's postseason matchup, 2-1, with the game-winning goal coming in the 83^rd minute to break a 1-1 tie. The Wildcats are now 2-1 against the Rams in the CACC Tournament, falling 1-0 in the 2014 CACC Championship game, but then winning 2-1 in the 2018 CACC Semifinals and 2-1 last year in the First Round.

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. Jefferson: https://wildcats.athletics.wilmu.edu/sports/msoc/2023-24/boxscores/20231106_fi8o.xm
Video vs. Jefferson: https://caccnetwork.com/wilmington/?bfplayvid=741358
CACC Tournament Central: https://www.caccathletics.org/sports/Championship/2023-24/MSOC

Scouting the No. 4 Wilmington University Wildcats:

Since the Wildcats' 2-1 loss at Jefferson on Wednesday, September 27, the Wildcats have gone 7-1-2 the rest of the season, including 2-0-1 in their final three games. The only loss came on October 20 to Caldwell, and then they tied Georgian Court, 1-1, defeated Felician, 2-0, and defeated Goldey-Beacom, 4-2, to finish off the regular season.

The Wildcats enter the postseason ranked No. 2 in all NCAA Division II in taking 20.29 shots per game. They are also fifth in the country with 8.59 shots on goal per game, but rank 24^th in the country with 38 total goals, and 28^th overall in scoring offense at 2.24 goals per game.

Individually, Malthe Hannesbo leads the Wildcats with 20 points, as the team has three student-athletes with double digit points on the year. Hannesbo is ranked seventh in the CACC with nine goals and ninth in the league with 20 points. Troy Paul is second on the team with 17 points, scoring seven goals and three assists. Jeremie Briquet is third on the team with 11 points, scoring five goals and adding one assist. Yohan Kim leads the team with six assists while Max Norden is second on the team with five assists.

As a team, the Wildcats are third in the CACC with a 1.41 goals against average, allowing just 24 goals on the year. Charlie Phillips took over in goal after the Jefferson game and is second in the CACC with a 1.27 goals against average. 

Scouting the No. 5 Jefferson University Rams:

Jefferson is making its 14^th CACC Tournament appearance overall, and is seeking its third championship. The Jefferson Rams captured the conference crown in 2013 and 2014 and have reached the finals on one other occasion.

Head coach Ptah Myers became the programs all-time leader in wins with the Rams most recent victory on Wednesday. They defeated Holy Family, 3-0, giving Ptah Myers his 123^rd victory as a head coach at Jefferson. The win allows Myers to pass Walt Chyzowych on the Rams' all-time list in his 14^th season at the helm of the Rams.

Jefferson comes into postseason play on a four-game winning streak, going 5-1 in their final six games overall. Since a 1-0 loss against Dominican on October 21, the Rams defeated Felician, 2-1, Queens, 2-0, Bloomfield, 1-0, and most recently Holy Family, 3-0, on Wednesday in the regular season finale.

Jeffersons' offense is led by Gabe Paz's 11 points, scoring five goals and adding an assist on the year. Diego Guzman is second on the team with seven points, scoring three goals and adding an assist while Sean Stackhouse is third on the team with six points, scoring two goals and adding two assists.

As a team, Jefferson is 11^th out of 12 teams in the CACC with 18 goals scored on the season. Defensively though, the Rams are second in the CACC in only allowing 20 goals on the season, good enough for a 1.26 goals against average on the year. in CACC play, it gets even better, allowing only 13 goals for a 1.18 goals against average in 11 games, good enough for second overall.  

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
2021 (1-1): #2 Wilmington def. #7 Felician, 6-0; #3 Dominican def. #2 Wilmington, 2-0
2022 (1-1): #4 Wilmington def. #5 Jefferson, 2-1; #1 Post def #4 Wilmington, 3-2

Overall: 13-15-3

Season and All-Time Records vs. CACC Tournament Participants:

#1 Post University Eagles (10-1-5, 9-0-2 CACC): 2023: at #19 L 1-0; All-Time: 9-13-6; CACC Tournament: 0-7-1
#2 Felician University Golden Falcons (10-5-2, 7-3-1 CACC): 2023: at W 2-0; All-Time: 16-4-1; CACC Tournament: 1-1
#3 University of Bridgeport Purple Knights (8-6-3, 7-3-1 CACC): 2023: vs. T 2-2; All-Time: 7-1-3; CACC Tournament: 0-0
#4 Wilmington University Wildcats (8-5-4, 6-3-2 CACC)
#5 Thomas Jefferson University Rams (8-8-0, 6-5-0 CACC): 2023 at L 2-1; All-Time: 9-7-2; CACC Tournament: 2-1
#6 Caldwell University Cougars (9-5-1, 5-5-1 CACC): 2023: at L 3-2; All-Time: 11-6-4; CACC Tournament: 1-1
#7 Georgian Court University Lions (5-8-4, 4-4-3 CACC): 2023: vs. T 1-1; All-Time: 7-4-1; CACC Tournament: 0-2
#8 Goldey-Beacom College Lightning (6-9-2, 4-5-2 CACC): 2023: at W 4-2; All-Time: 21-0-1; CACC Tournament: 3-0

2023 CACC Men's Soccer Tournament Game Schedule:

Quarterfinals (Monday, Nov. 6, at Highest Seeds)
#8 Goldey-Beacom at #1 Post (1 p.m.)
#5 Jefferson at #4 Wilmington (1 p.m.)
#7 Georgian Court at #2 Felician (5 p.m.)
#6 Caldwell at #3 Bridgeport (6 p.m.)

Semifinals (Friday, Nov. 10, at Knights Field, University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, Conn.)
#1/8 Winner vs. #4/5 Winner (4 or 7 p.m.)
#2/7 Winner vs. #3/6 Winner (4 or 7 p.m.)

**Highest remaining seed will play the day's first game at 4 p.m.

Championship Final (Sunday, Nov. 12, at Knights Field, Univ. of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, Conn.)
Semifinal #1 Winner vs. Semifinal #2 Winner (2 p.m.)