McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University men's soccer team is set to face North Park University on Saturday, October 11, as part of the school's Homecoming weekend. The match, which is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff at Neis Field, will be the second game in a doubleheader that also features the IWU women's soccer team.

This year's Homecoming events will include a celebration of the 1995 men's soccer team, marking the 30th anniversary of what is regarded as one of the program's most successful seasons. That year, under head coach and current senior associate athletic director Tony Bankston, the Titans finished with a 12-6 overall record and went 5-1 in conference play.

Illinois Wesleyan enters Saturday's contest with a 7-2-2 overall record and a 1-1 mark in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). The team's most recent outing resulted in a narrow 3-2 loss to Wheaton College on Wednesday, October 9. Junior Ryder Coleman scored both goals for the Titans in that match. Coleman's first goal came from a pass that bounced off his chest before he sent it past the goalkeeper with his left foot. His second goal was scored late in the game after turning on a pass in the box and finishing.

Coleman shares the team lead in points (12) with sophomore Ben Lyons, who leads IWU with five goals this season. Coleman has four goals and leads the squad in assists with four; junior Joey Rodino has three assists.

Defensively, senior goalkeeper Sam Kedzior made seven saves against Wheaton and has totaled 41 saves so far this season. Kedzior's goals against average stands at 1.02, which ranks among the best in the CCIW.

North Park University was projected as a favorite for this year's CCIW Regular Season Championship but currently holds a 7-3 record overall and is 2-2 in conference play after losses to Augustana and Wheaton. In their last match on Wednesday, October 7, North Park defeated Elmhurst University with a last-second free kick to win 2-1 at Longhorst Field. Four Vikings players are tied for their team lead with eight points each; Bastian Eikeland and Kevin Perez are second in the conference with four goals apiece.

The series between Illinois Wesleyan and North Park dates back to 1988. North Park leads historically with a record of 29 wins, nine losses, and three draws over IWU across their previous meetings. Last season saw North Park win both encounters including ending IWU’s season with a decisive victory in the CCIW Tournament. The Titans’ last win over North Park occurred during penalty kicks at the same tournament in 2023.

Saturday’s match will be streamed online via iwusports and live statistics will be available for fans unable to attend at Neis Field.