UNIVERSITY PARK – Penn State men’s soccer kicks off the 2025 Big Ten campaign when the team travels to Rutgers on Friday, at Yurcak Field. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on B1G+.

KICKIN’ IT

Penn State men’s soccer looks to return to the Big Ten Tournament this year after a falter in the 2024 season, and earn an NCAA Tournament bid for the first time since the 2021 season.

The Blue and White recently got back to a .500 record with a dominant 5-0 win over Mercyhurst at Jeffrey Field.

Malick Daouda, Caden Grabfelder, and Kai Phillip were each named Big Ten Players to Watch in the preseason. Daouda returns to the pitch this year after an All-Big Ten Freshman campaign in 2024. Grabfelder is the Nittany Lions top returning scorer and is expected to have a big season on the score sheet. Phillip comes to Happy Valley after three seasons with the University of Evansville, where the forward totaled 15 goals, including five game-winners and five assists. He guided his team to a 2024 NCAA Tournament appearance after winning the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament and was selected as the tournament MVP. In 2023, he was honored by the United Soccer Coaches with All-Region honors.

O CANADA

The Nittany Lion freshman Ben Nash received a call up from the Canadian u18 National Team, earlier this season, missing a pair of home contests.

The defender appeared in the first three games for the Nittany Lions before taking the flight to Finland with the national squad.

The rookie trained with the team from August 30 through September 8. In the stretch, he appeared in a pair friendlies, first facing Finland on September 5 and Switzerland on September 7.

Nash is one of just two athletes called up to be on an NCAA Division I roster.

He made a start for the national squad in the match against Switzerland.

WHAT WE GOT BACK

Penn State returns 75% of its goal scoring from last year, including two of its top three scorers in junor Caden Grabfelder and senior Matthew Hederson. The Blue & White also welcomes back 73% of its overall scoring, with returning assist leader Christian Dionne tallying four in the last campaign.