Seventh-seeded Yellow Jackets have lost just one game this season
MARQUETTE, Mich. — For the first time in program history, the NMU men’s soccer team is headed to the DII NCAA Tournament.
The Wildcats enter the tournament as the #10 team in the region. They will play the #7-ranked Cedarville Yellow Jackets in Claremore, Oklahoma, home of the host #2 Rogers State, who await the winner of the ‘Cats and Jackets.
NMU plays CU on Thursday, November 20, at 2 p.m., with the winner meeting the Hill Cats on Saturday, November 22, also at 2 p.m. EST.
Also in the Wildcats’ side of the bracket is #3 Lincoln (MO) and #6 Tiffin, who meet on Sunday, November 23, at 4 p.m. EST.
The field comprises 40 teams and four super-regions, with matches starting this weekend and eventually narrowing down to the final four. Weidner Field in Colorado Springs, Colorado, will host the four final teams, with semifinal matches scheduled for December 12 and the finals for December 14.
The full NCAA Tournament bracket can be found here.
The Wildcats (9-4-6, 6-4-2 GLIAC) entered the 2025 GLIAC Postseason Tournament as the #3 seed, hosting a playoff game on the NMU Soccer Field for the first time, and advancing to the semifinals after defeating the #6 Purdue Northwest Pride in the eighth round of PKs.
NMU then went on to make history in University Center, Michigan, knocking off the #2-seeded Roosevelt 2-1 in overtime thanks to an Ian Weimer brace before taking down the hosts and #1-seeded Saginaw Valley State Cardinals in a thrilling 1-0 decision.
The Wildcats enter the 2025 DII NCAA Tournament riding a seven-game unbeaten streak, a stretch where the ‘Cats have outscored its opposition 13-4 with four shutouts and haven’t allowed a goal from the run of play in close to 250 minutes of playing time.
The Yellow Jackets (11-1-7, 9-0-5 G-MAC) were unbeaten in the regular season, going 11-0-7 and 9-0-5 in Great Midwest Athletic Conference play to earn a bye and the #2 seed in the tournament. The Jackets’ unblemished season came to a close in the semifinals, losing to the #3-seeded Kentucky Wesleyan 1-0.
The Jackets boasted a lot of spots in the G-MAC men’s soccer awards this season, as Cedarville captured four major awards, and seven Jackets total were recognized on the 2025 All-G-MAC Men’s Soccer Team.
Brett Faro is the G-MAC Coach of the Year after leading his squad to an unbeaten regular season and as high as No. 8 in the United Soccer Coaches Division II National Poll. Michael Catanzarite is the league’s Offensive Player of the Year, Amari Everage is the Defensive Player of the Year, and Eben Dewhurst is the Goalkeeper of the Year. The trio took spots on the All-G-MAC First Team along with Christian Nardelli. Pablo Novás Cortiñas, Yonis Velasquez, and Kirk Wilson were voted to the second team.
