The Mount St. Mary's men's soccer squad will open its 2026 season on August 20, hosting Binghamton at 7 p.m. in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The match marks the first test for a team that finished the previous campaign with a modest 3‑9‑5 overall record and a 3‑6‑1 mark in MAAC play.
A New Chapter Begins
Senior midfielder Graham Dougald earned All‑MAAC honors last year and paced the offense with 11 points, providing a proven scoring threat that the coaching staff hopes to lean on as the roster undergoes a major overhaul.
Returning attackers Abou Cherif and Oliver Brown are set to reprise their roles up front, giving the side a familiar attacking nucleus amid a wave of change.
The offseason has seen the program replace roughly 78 percent of its minutes from the previous season, a turnover that forces the coaching staff to blend experience with a fresh influx of talent.
Adding to the transition, 20 newcomers — 16 freshmen and four transfers from Western Illinois, Essex Community College, Lock Haven and Merrimack — will join the existing core, bringing a mix of youth and transfer experience.
Preseason coaches' polls positioned the team ninth in the conference, a placement that reflects both the competitive landscape and the program's ambition to climb the ranks.
The next test arrives on August 27, when the Mount travels to Pittsburgh to face Duquesne at 4 p.m., a game that could serve as an early indicator of the squad's progress.