KANSAS CITY, Mo. - McKendree University men's soccer (15-1-7 overall) closed out the fall ranking fourth in the final United Soccer Coaches Division II National Poll after it ended the historic 2024 campaign in the National Semifinal earlier this month. The squad defeated a total of four teams in the final rankings, including No.7 Saginaw Valley State, No.17 Findlay, No.21 Rogers State, and No.24 Fort Hays State on the year. The Bearcats completed their first unbeaten regular season at 11-0-6 while claiming an 8-0-6 record in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, punching another ticket to the postseason, first in the GLVC Championship Tournament and then as the #2 Seed in the super region. McKendree came away with its first regional title of the DII era while collecting a plethora of postseason honors and awards and adding the program's first Elite Eight and National Semifinal appearances. The Bearcats amassed over 20 postseason awards and honors with two major awards in sophomore goalkeeper
Christian Herluf as the GLVC's Goalkeeper of the Year and graduate defender
Matteo Schubert earning the league's Defensive Player of the Year title while senior midfielder
Philipp Schmidt added First Team honors from the conference, region, and was tabbed as a United Soccer Coaches All-American and Scholar All-American.
United Soccer Coaches - Top 25 | 2024 Final National Poll
| 1 |
Lynn University |
1 |
20-0-2 |
| 2 |
University of Charleston |
2 |
22-2-1 |
| 3 |
Colorado State University-Pueblo |
15 |
17-4-3 |
| 4 |
McKendree University |
12 |
15-1-7 |
| 5 |
Clayton State University |
21 |
13-4-4 |
| 6 |
Fort Lewis College |
17 |
14-4-6 |
| 7 |
Saginaw Valley State University |
25 |
13-6-2 |
| 8 |
Felician University |
NR |
17-4-2 |
| 9 |
Coker University |
4 |
15-3-1 |
| 10 |
Midwestern State University |
NR |
15-3-3 |
| 11 |
California State University-Los Angeles |
7 |
12-3-6 |
| 12 |
Limestone University |
8 |
15-2-3 |
| 13 |
Franklin Pierce University |
10 |
12-3-5 |
| 14 |
University of West Florida |
9 |
12-3-4 |
| 15 |
Tiffin University |
NR |
14-6-1 |
| 16 |
Post University |
NR |
13-5-4 |
| 17 |
University of Findlay |
NR |
12-4-5 |
| 18 |
University of Colorado-Colorado Springs |
3 |
14-3-4 |
| 19 |
Cal Poly Pomona |
23 |
14-2-7 |
| 20 |
Southern New Hampshire University |
5 |
14-2-3 |
| 21 |
Rogers State University |
RV |
9-5-7 |
| 22 |
Auburn University Montgomery |
24 |
11-3-6 |
| 23 |
Western Oregon University |
14 |
14-5-1 |
| 24 |
Fort Hays State University |
16 |
13-4-4 |
| 25 |
California State University-Dominguez Hills |
RV |
10-5-6 |
POSTSEASON AWARDS
United Soccer Coaches | All-American
United Soccer Coaches | Scholar All-American
United Soccer Coaches | All-Region
D2CCA | All-American
D2CCA | All-Region
Great Lakes Valley Conference | All-GLVC & Major Awards
2024 SEASON FEATS
- Earned first regional championship with
2-1 defeat of #1-Seed SVSU
- Recorded first Elite Eight and National Semifinal appearances
- First unbeaten regular season (11-0-6) and conference season (8-0-6)
- Highest United Soccer Coaches National Poll Ranking (No.4)
- Ranked in all 11 United Soccer Coaches Polls (preseason through final)
- Totaled 21 postseason honors, including both major conference awards, All-Region, and All-American selections
- Six All-GLVC honorees - Two Major Awards, Two First Team, Four Second Team
- Six D2CCA Postseason Nods - Two All-Americans, Four All-Region
- Five United Soccer Coaches All-Region Awards - Three First Team
- One United Soccer Coaches All-American AND Scholar All-American
-
Christian Herluf became career leader in shutouts with 28 (2023 - 14, 2024 - 14)
-
Matteo Schubert became all-time leader in games started and played (2020-2024 | 91/91)
-
Christian Herluf became the program's first GLVC Goalkeeper of the Year
-
Matteo Schubert became the program's first GLVC Defensive Player of the Year
-
Philipp Schmidt earned a third-straight All-GLVC honor
-
Philipp Schmidt was the lone player from any National Semifinal team to earn both All-American and Scholar All-American honors from United Soccer Coaches
- Tied program's DII era high for wins with 15
- Tied program's single-season high for shutouts with 14
- Marked back-to-back seasons with unbeaten true road records (2023 - 6-0-3 | 2024 - 8-0-3)
- Owns 27-3-14 overall record over the last two seasons
Be sure to stay up-to-date by following McKendree Men's Soccer on
Instagram.
For more updates and information on Bearcat Athletics, please continue to visit
McKBearcats.com and follow us on
Facebook,
Twitter, and
Instagram.
#BearcatsUnleashed #GLVCmsoc #D2msoc
