2018 Kentucky Wildcats men's soccer team

The 2018 Kentucky Wildcats men's soccer team represented the University of Kentucky during the 2018 NCAA Division I men's soccer season. It was the 28th season of the university fielding a men's varsity soccer program, and their 14th season playing in Conference USA as an associate member since their main conference, the Southeastern Conference does not sponsor men's varsity soccer.

2018 Kentucky Wildcats men's soccer
Conference USA Regular Season Champions
Conference USA Tournament Champions
NCAA Tournament, Elite Eight
ConferenceConference USA
U. Soc. Coaches pollNo. 3
TopDrawerSoccer.comNo. 3
Record19–2–1 (7–1–0 C-USA)
Head coach
  • Johan Cedergren (7th season)
Assistant coaches
  • Josh Oldroyd (1st season)
  • Chase Wileman (4th season)
CaptainJ. J. Williams
Home stadiumWendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex
Seasons
← 2017
2019 →
2018 Conference USA men's soccer standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 5 Kentucky 7 1 0 18 2 1
No. 20 Charlotte + 6 2 0 14 5 2
Old Dominion 6 2 0 11 5 2
FIU 5 3 0 7 10 0
Marshall 3 3 2 8 9 3
UAB 2 5 1 6 9 3
New Mexico 2 5 1 4 12 1
South Carolina 2 6 0 7 10 0
Florida Atlantic 1 7 0 2 13 0
As of December 11, 2018
Rankings from United Soccer Coaches

The 2018 season proved to be the program's most successful season ever. Kentucky finished the regular season ranked third in the United Soccer Coaches men's soccer poll, as well as the Conference USA Men's Soccer Tournament and regular season champions. The program made their deepest run in the NCAA Tournament, reaching the Elite Eight before being eliminated by Maryland.

Background

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During the 2017 season, Kentucky finished with an 8–6–4 overall record and a 4–2–2 record in Conference USA matches. An early season surge had the Wildcats ranked as high as 13th in the nation. A dip in form saw the Wildcats fall out of the rankings and eventually out of the NCAA Tournament picture. Kentucky were seeded third in the 2017 Conference USA Men's Soccer Tournament, where they were upset by Marshall, 0–1, in the quarterfinals. They did not receive an at-large bid to the 2017 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament.

Player movement

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Players leaving

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Players arriving

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Squad

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Roster

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Updated November 13, 2018[1]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   USA Jack Hudson
3 DF   IND Keyarash Namjoupanah
4 MF   USA Sam Stockton
5 DF   SCO Leon Jones
6 DF   COD Aimé Mabika
7 FW   USA J. J. Williams
8 MF   GER Marcel Meinzer
9 FW   CRC Jason Reyes
10 MF   NOR Nicolai Fremstad
12 GK   USA Jackson Hawthorne
14 FW   USA Daniel Evans
15 DF   CAN Brock Lindow
16 MF   USA Robert Screen
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 DF   USA Elijah Borneo
18 MF   USA Bailey Rouse
20 DF   USA John Michael Bandy
21 DF   UAE Kalil El-Medkhar
22 DF   USA Tanner Hummel
23 MF   USA Cole Guindon
24 GK   HON Enrique Facusse
25 FW   USA Clay Holstad
26 DF   USA Nicholas Blassou
27 DF   USA Luis Hernandez
28 MF   USA Colin Innes
29 DF   USA Matt Mazur
30 MF   USA Ian Farquhar

Team management

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Position Staff
Head coach Johan Cedergren
Assistant coach Chase Wileman
Assistant coach Josh Oldroyd
Athletic trainer Taylor Eavenson
Director of Operations Marcus Aldaba

Source:[1]

Schedule

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Source:[2][3]

Date
Time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (Attendance)
City, State
Regular season
August 24*
7:30 pm, SECN+
DePaul W 1–0  1–0–0
Bell Soccer Complex (1,559)
Lexington, KY
August 31*
7:35 pm, SECN+
Columbia W 1–0  2–0–0
Bell Soccer Complex (1,252)
Lexington, KY
September 4*
7:35 pm, SECN+
No. 6 Louisville
Rivalry
W 3–0  3–0–0
Bell Soccer Complex (1,827)
Lexington, KY
September 8
7:00 pm
at UAB W 2–0  4–0–0
(1–0–0)
BBVA Compass Field (902)
Birmingham, AL
September 11*
7:05 pm
No. 6 at Xavier T 0–0 2OT 4–0–1
XU Soccer Complex (640)
Cincinnati, OH
September 18*
7:00 pm
No. 7 at Lipscomb W 3–2 OT 5–0–1
Lipscomb Soccer Complex (394)
Nashville, TN
September 21
7:05 pm, SECN+
No. 7 No. 18 Charlotte W 1–0  6–0–1
(2–0–0)
Bell Soccer Complex (1,572)
Lexington, KY
September 26*
7:35 pm, SECN+
No. 7 East Tennessee State W 3–0  7–0–1
Bell Soccer Complex (900)
Lexington, KY
September 29
7:00 pm
No. 7 at South Carolina
SEC Derby
W 2–1  8–0–1
(3–0–0)
Stone Stadium (1,557)
Columbia, SC
October 3*
7:05 pm, WatchESPN
No. 4 No. 2 Indiana
Rivalry
W 3–0  9–0–1
Bell Soccer Complex (3,503)
Lexington, KY
October 7
7:00 pm, CUSA.tv
No. 4 at FIU L 2–3  9–1–1
(3–1–0)
FIU Soccer Stadium (435)
Miami, FL
October 13
7:05 pm, SECN+
No. 4 Marshall W 1–0 2OT 10–1–1
(4–1–0)
Bell Soccer Complex (1,470)
Lexington, KY
October 16*
7:05 pm, BTN+
No. 3 at Ohio State W 3–0  11–1–1
Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium (487)
Columbus, OH
October 21
1:05 pm, SECN+
No. 3 New Mexico W 6–1  12–1–1
(5–1–0)
Bell Soccer Complex (1,088)
Lexington, KY
October 24*
7:05 pm, SECN+
No. 3 Evansville W 4–0  13–1–1
Bell Soccer Complex (1,016)
Lexington, KY
October 28
1:00 pm, CUSA.tv
No. 3 at Florida Atlantic W 2–1  14–1–1
(6–1–0)
FAU Soccer Stadium (265)
Boca Raton, FL
November 2
7:05 pm
No. 3 No. 24 Old Dominion
Senior Night
W 3–0  15–1–1
(7–1–0)
Bell Soccer Complex (1,813)
Lexington, KY
Conference USA Tournament
November 9
4:30 pm, ESPN3
(1) No. 3 vs. (5) Marshall
Semifinals
W 2–1  16–1–1
Transamerica Field
Charlotte, NC
November 11
1:00 pm, ESPN3
(1) No. 3 at (3) No. 14 Charlotte
Championship
W 1–0  17–1–1
Transamerica Field (1,008)
Charlotte, NC
NCAA Tournament
November 18
4:00 pm, SECN+
(3) No. 3 No. 21 Portland
Second Round
W 4–0  18–1–1
Bell Soccer Complex (1,831)
Lexington, KY
November 24
7:05 pm, SECN+
(3) No. 3 Lipscomb
Third Round
W 2–1  19–1–1
Bell Soccer Complex (1,939)
Lexington, KY
November 30
7:00 pm, SECN+
(3) No. 3 (11) No. 15 Maryland
Quarterfinals
L 0–1  19–2–1
Bell Soccer Complex (3,228)
Lexington, KY
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from United Soccer Coaches. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.

Statistics

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Awards and honors

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Rankings

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References

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  1. ^ a b "2018 Men's Soccer Roster". ukathletics.com. University of Kentucky Athletics. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
  2. ^ "2018 Men's Soccer - Schedule". gocards.com. University of Louisville Cardinals. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  3. ^ Garrett Wall (May 22, 2018). "Louisville Unveils 2018 Men's Soccer Schedule". gocards.com. Retrieved June 12, 2018.