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Men's Soccer 12/15/2023 11:38:00 AM Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Men's Soccer Ranked Seventh in Final United Soccer Coaches Top 25

ERIE, Pa. – To say that head coach Billy Colton's Gannon men's soccer team went into the NCAA Tournament with a chip on its shoulder is probably an understatement. When it was all said a done Gannon made a long postseason run before falling in the Elite Eight and proved to all that the Golden Knights were indeed "elite".

The United Soccer Coaches has announced its final Division II Top 25 with Gannon finishing seventh. The Golden Knights finished with an 18-2-2 record and enjoyed the second undefeated regular season in school history at 16-0-2. The 18 wins are tied for the second-highest season total. The Golden Knights won the PSAC West regular season crown.

Colton has now guided Gannon to two top ten finishes in his five seasons as head coach. His first team in 2019 ended the year with an 18-3-0 ledger and was ranked eighth.

Franklin Pierce successfully defended its 2022 national championship while finishing the year at 21-0-2 and ranked number one. To accomplish that fete the Ravens barely got past a depleted Gannon team in the Elite Eight by a 1-0 score.

Colorado State University – Pueblo (18-5-3) finished second in the poll while Florida Tech (13-3-5) was third. Lewis (13-4-6) and California State University – Los Angeles (18-1-2) rounded out the top five. Limestone (14-3-2) was just ahead of the Golden Knights in sixth place.

Colton's team actually finished in the same spot they entered the NCAA Tournament in – seventh. But the Golden Knights were only seeded sixth in the ten-team Super Region 1 Tournament field despite finishing with the second undefeated regular season in school history. Gannon lost to 2-1 in the PSAC Semifinals.

That left the Golden Knights playing at No. 3 seed Millersville in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. With Rafa Hyde (São José dos Campos, Brazil) and Gabriel Delin (Stockholm, Sweden/Solna Gymansium) scoring goals the Golden Knights upset a Marauders team that has been their nemesis in recent years by a 2-1 score.

The third round found the Golden Knights opposing No. 2 seed Charleston (WV) in a matchup of the two highest-scoring teams in Division II. Following a scoreless first half James Pool (Hastings, England/Claverham) gave Gannon a 1-0 lead in the 59th minute. Five minutes later the Golden Eagles knotted the score at 1-1. The tie lasted less than 90 seconds before Samuel Burton (Vantaa, Finland/Makelanrinteen Lukio) scored the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory to snap Charleston's 16-match winning streak.

Two days later Gannon squared off against top-ranked and defending national champion Franklin Pierce with a berth in the Final Four on the line. Despite missing four starters the Golden Knights battled the Ravens on equal terms but Franklin Pierce snapped a scoreless tie with the lone goal of the match five minutes into the second half.

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Players Mentioned

#25 Gabriel Delin: M/F; 5' 11"; Junior

#6 James Pool: M; 5' 10"; Redshirt Senior

#9 Samuel Burton: M/F; 5' 10"; Freshman

#18 Rafa Hyde: F; 6' 1"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#25 Gabriel Delin
: 5' 11"; Junior
: M/F

#6 James Pool
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Senior
: M

#9 Samuel Burton
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: M/F

#18 Rafa Hyde
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: F