Belmont (0-1-0) at Wright State (0-1-0)
Sunday, Aug. 23 | 5:00 p.m. CT/6:00 p.m. ET
Alumni Field at Rinzler Student Sports Complex | Dayton, Ohio
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Following its regular season opener at E.S. Rose Park Thursday night, the Belmont University men’s soccer team makes its first road trip of the season this weekend. The Bruins (0-1-0) travel to Wright State for a Sunday evening affair. Kickoff from Alumni Field at Rinzler Student Sports Complex in Dayton, Ohio, is set for 5 p.m. CT/6 p.m. ET.
The road match will not be broadcast; however, live stats of the contest can be followed by visiting BelmontBruins.com.
What’s Bruin
- Belmont was defeated 2-0 by in-state foe Memphis in Thursday’s opener, conceding two second-half goals. The Bruins were outshot 14-4 and were unable to place a shot on target.
- Freshman goalkeeper Brody Sucher collected four saves versus the Tigers in his debut Thursday.
- Belmont welcomed 10 newcomers this year, including eight over the summer and two in January – senior forward Nathan Ferguson and freshman defender Judah McCloud.
- The Bruins’ 2026 class is comprised of six freshmen and four transfers.
- Belmont returns 16 from 2025, including 12 letter winners.
- Only four returning Bruins started matches last season – sophomore midfielders Paul Claes Nielsen (16) and Nzuhri Biggar (10), graduate midfielder Ethan Schlegel (9) and senior forward Lucas Wolthers (6).
- After finishing just one point shy of claiming its first Missouri Valley Conference regular season title last year, Belmont was picked fifth in the league’s preseason poll as voted by the Valley’s head coaches.
- The Bruins went 3-2-2 in MVC play in 2025 and finished 8-3-6 overall.
- Finishing fourth in the final conference standings last fall, Belmont hosted an MVC Championship match for the first time in program history. The fourth-seeded Bruins welcomed fifth-seeded University of Illinois Chicago to Rose Park for the opening round of the postseason tournament.
- Belmont has reached eight victories in three of the last five seasons.
- The Bruins went undefeated through their first 11 matches last season (6-0-5) for the first time in school history.
- Belmont put together a program-record 13-match unbeaten streak from Oct. 29, 2024, through Oct. 7, 2025.
- Once again, the Bruins had one of the best defenses in the nation in 2025. Conceding just 13 goals the entire season, the fifth fewest in the country, Belmont posted the 18th-best goals against average (0.765) nationally. Allowing multiple goals only twice during the year, the Bruins recorded six road shutouts.
- Claes Nielsen, an MVC All-Freshman Team selection last fall, was named to the Preseason All-MVC Team. The Copenhagen, Denmark, native started all but one match his freshman season and led Belmont in assists (5).
Versus Wright State
- Sunday will be only the seventh all-time meeting between the Bruins and the Raiders with Wright State holding a 4-1-1 lead in the series.
- It marks the second consecutive season the two teams have met. Belmont defeated the Raiders 2-1 in last year’s regular season opener in the Music City. All three goals were scored in the second half, including a penalty kick game winner in the 80th minute by midfielder Louis Peña.
- The Bruins faced Wright State for four-straight seasons when Belmont was a member of the Horizon League (2014-17).
- The Bruins are 0-2-1 in their three previous trips to the Raiders’ home turf and have yet to score at Wright State. Belmont earned a scoreless draw against the Raiders following double overtime to begin the month of October in 2016.
About the Raiders
- Wright State (0-1-0) fell 5-2 to fellow MVC member Bowling Green State University in its season opener Thursday night. The Raiders got second-half goals from forward Alessandro Duran and midfielder Tedrick Neptune.
- Wright State was picked last in the Horizon League Preseason Poll after going 2-7 in the league last season and finishing 10th out of 10 teams.
- The Raiders went 2-13-1 overall last year.
- In 2019, Wright State reached the second round of the NCAA Championship after winning the Horizon League Championship on PKs and defeating Notre Dame in the first round.
Up Next
The Bruins remain on the road and head to Central Arkansas next weekend, taking on the Bears Friday night. Kickoff from the Bill Stephens Soccer Complex in Conway, Arkansas, is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the match will be broadcast on ESPN+.
How to Follow
Follow Belmont men’s soccer on social media – @BelmontMSoccer on X, formerly Twitter, @belmontmsoccer on Instagram and Belmont University Men’s Soccer on Facebook – for complete coverage of the Bruins. Stay up to date with all of Belmont’s athletic programs via the official app of the Belmont Bruins, available both in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.
#ItsBruinTime
