The Cardinals are coming off a historic 2024 campaign, finishing with a 14-6-2 record and capturing the GLIAC Tournament Championship. SVSU went on to host four rounds of the NCAA Division II Tournament, advancing to the quarterfinal round before falling to McKendree
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A strong returning core anchors the Cardinals heading into 2025. Senior goalkeeper Nick Kay played every minute last season, posting a 0.89 goals-against average and a .771 save percentage. Midfielder Ryan Bovee, a team captain, returns to lead the field, while sophomores Matty Telfer (one goal, two assists) and Oleksiy Kharko (appeared in every match as a freshman) add energy and depth to the lineup.
SVSU also welcomes several key newcomers. Graduate transfer Eoin Farrell from Hofstra joins as one of the team’s three captains alongside Bovee and Kay. Senior transfer Kolja Thomas (Montana State University-Billings) and senior transfer Liam Zimmerman (IU Indianapolis) bring experience and leadership, while freshman Angel Aguilera (International Soccer Academy of America) adds talent to the roster’s future foundation.
Head coach Louis Barrow enters his seventh season leading the Cardinals, carrying a 63-26-19 overall record and a 42-16-11 mark in GLIAC play. Under his leadership, SVSU has become a perennial contender, winning the 2024 conference tournament and reaching the NCAA quarterfinals.
The Cardinals open their 2025 campaign at home against Charleston on Thursday, September 4 at 1:00 PM. They continue non-conference play at Braddock Field with matchups against Tiffin and Northwood before turning to GLIAC action. Conference play begins with a home contest against Purdue Northwest on Friday, October 3 at 1:00 PM. In total, SVSU will host nine matches at Robert C. Braddock Field this fall, concluding the regular season with Senior Day against St. Cloud State on Friday, October 31 at 12:00 PM.
