UNCG, ETSU are 2024 Men's Soccer Regular Season Co-Champions

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNCG has clinched the No. 1 seed in the upcoming 2024 Southern Conference Men’s Soccer Championship after defeating ETSU, 3-2, on Saturday night. The two teams finished as co-regular season champions. The Spartans, who were predicted to finish third in the preseason poll, posted a 3-1-1 league mark this season to claim their third regular season title in the last four years. The Bucs were picked fifth in the preseason poll after winning the regular season in 2023. They went 3-1-1 as well this season.

The tournament opens with the quarterfinal round on Friday, Nov. 8, with the semifinal round set for Nov. 10, both hosted by top-seeded UNCG and No. 2 seed ETSU. The championship will be played at the highest remaining seed on Saturday, Nov. 11, or Sunday, Nov. 12.

UNCG is led on offense by Yoshiya Okawa and Arnaud Tattevin, Okawa with seven goals and Tattevin with six, and on defense by goalkeeper Cole Tim Baerwalde who posted three shutouts in conference play. The Spartans (10-2-4) will face the winner of No. 4 Furman and No. 5 Mercer in the SoCon semifinals on Sunday, Nov. 10, in Greensboro, North Carolina.

ETSU claimed the No. 2 seed with a 5-6-4 overall record (3-1-1 SoCon) and will face the winner of No. 6 VMI and No. 3 Wofford in the semifinals in Johnson City, Tennessee, on Sunday, Nov. 10. 

Wofford is the No. 3 seed, finishing with a 7-6-2 (3-2-0 SoCon) record, and will face No. 6 VMI on Friday, Nov. 8 in Johnson City, Tennessee.

The Paladins posted a 7-3-4 overall mark and went 2-1-2 in league play, earning the No. 4 seed in the 2024 SoCon championship and will play No. 5 Mercer on Nov. 8 in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Mercer went 6-4-7 overall and 1-2-2 in league play to earn the No. 5 seed.

VMI will be the No. 6 seed. The Keydets finished the regular season with a 2-1 setback against Wofford on Saturday, to post a 5-10-2 overall record and a 0-5 mark in SoCon play.

The tournament winner earns the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship.

2024 SoCon Men’s Soccer Championship

Quarterfinals, Friday, Nov. 8Campus sites

Match 1: No. 4 Furman vs. No. 5 Mercer 7 p.m. (Greensboro, N.C.)

Match 2: No. 3 Wofford vs. No. 6 VMI 1 p.m. (Johnson City, Tenn.)

Championship Semifinals, Sunday, Nov. 10Campus sites (at higher seeds)

Match 3: No. 1 UNCG vs. Match 1 winner 2 p.m. (Greensboro, N.C.)

Match 4: No. 2 ETSU vs. Match 2 winner 2 p.m. (Johnson City, Tenn.)

Finals, Saturday, Nov. 16 or Sunday, Nov. 17Campus site (at highest remaining seed)

Match 5: Match 3 winner vs. Match 4 winner