As the 2024 season opener for LMU men's soccer is rapidly approaching, there are a few things to know about this team that recently came off of a historic run.  

 

LMU men's soccer enters into the 2024 season ranked No. 11. The Lions should be coming into this season with a new found confidence, as they have proven to be a real contender against some of the country's most talented soccer teams.  

 

The 2023 season had the bluff in shock when it witnessed the Lions advance to their first ever Sweet Sixteen in program history. Days later, the history continued as they advanced to the Elite Eight. Although that is where their journey ended, there is something to say for the simple fact that they were two games away from winning the NCAA Men's College Cup.  

 

"We've always been super competitive … for the longest time we've kind of known that we're one of the top teams in the conference and it's just continuing to have those runs like last season and keep trying to build up the program as best as we can," said Lions' defender Tyler Trusner. 

 

The season opens with the Lions facing No. 21 UCLA at Wallis Annenberg Stadium in Westwood, California. The Lions defeated the Bruins twice in the 2023 season: Oct. 14 1-0, and then Nov. 19 1-0 in the NCAA Round of 16 with both contests being won on the road.  

 

"I think there's a lot of positives we can take away from our past few games, but those games were last year and they're gonna be a very good team and we are a very good team this year as well," said goalkeeper Massimo Oedekoven Pomponi. "I have full confidence with us playing this team but it's going to be tough like the last two, but it's going to be a lot of fun,"  he mentioned when asked what it meant to play the Bruins again. 

 

At the LMU athletics Iggy Awards, men's soccer took home the breakout moment of the year award, which is voted on by all athletes across LMU. The awards for the team didn't stop there. Pomponi, a key asset to the team's success last season, was awarded male breakout athlete of the year.  

 

This offseason the Lions welcomed 16 new players to the roster. "All the guys that we brought in are top talent players. It's so exciting getting to see training every day because there's so many guys getting after one another and trying to better the team and better themselves so I think that can only help us." Said Trusner on the Lions' new talent. One new player to have an eye on is forward Hakeem Morgan from Costa Rica, who led St. Olaf College men's soccer to a Division III National Title in the 2023 season.  

 

The Lions picked up one all-WCC Preseason Team award with midfielder Okeefe Cunningham being honored by the WCC coaches. 

 

The Lions kick off the season on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. (PT) against UCLA.