A tribute on the field
The first ever Blake Elliott Cup will be contested on August 23, when the UMBC Retrievers host the Loyola Greyhounds at Retriever Soccer Park in Baltimore, Maryland. The exhibition match serves as the opening fixture for both squads as they begin their 2026 seasons, and it is being staged as a tribute to Blake Elliott, a young player who died in a car accident last year.
Blake Elliott’s story has become a touchstone for the university community. The daughter of Rob and Belinda Elliott, she was remembered for her passion for the sport and her bright spirit, and the cup bearing her name aims to keep her legacy alive each time the two programs meet.
UMBC will field a youthful lineup that includes seven first‑year players and eight transfers, while still relying on experienced figures such as Shawn Shvartshtein, Gunder Miller, and returning star Adamo Pantaleo. Pantaleo and Tancredi Fadda have been named captains for the Retrievers, and Miller, who recorded a goal and an assist in 2025 while starting 15 games, is expected to be a key offensive weapon.
Loyola, under the guidance of coach Steve Nichols for his 13th season, returns a core group that includes Jack Endacott, Kayin Oladinni and Tyler Flynn, who ranked among the team’s leaders in minutes played last year. Goalkeeper Connor O’Keefe, who started 10 games in 2025 and kept two clean sheets, will look to shore up the defense, while Nichols hopes to improve on a non‑conference record that has hovered around .500 in recent seasons.
The Retrievers finished the 2025 campaign with a 6‑6‑5 record, earning the fifth seed in the America East playoffs before falling in a penalty shootout to New Hampshire. In contrast, Loyola opened its season with a 5‑0 loss to St. John’s, a result that Nichols says will fuel a desire for redemption when the Greyhounds take the field against UMBC.
Both coaches have emphasized that the Blake Elliott Cup is more than a warm‑up; it is an opportunity to honor a fallen teammate while testing new tactics and building chemistry. As the teams line up at Retriever Soccer Park, the match promises to blend competitive fire with a heartfelt remembrance of a player whose impact continues to resonate.