No. 25 Men's Soccer Hosts SIUE in Season Opener

Thursday, August 20

Kansas City, Mo.

7:30 PM

Kansas City

SIUE

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No. 25 Men's Soccer Hosts SIUE in Season Opener

8/19/2026 2:10:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Kansas City Notes

The ranked Roos will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the 2001 MidCon Champions

Kansas City Notes

Kansas City Men's Soccer enters the 2026 season with high expectations, coming off of its second-straight NCAA Tournament-qualifying season. The Roos enter the year in the top-25 of both major ranking systems, checking in at No. 25 in the United Soccer Coaches poll and No. 23 with TopDrawerSoccer.
The Roos return a solid core from the 2025 roster, bringing back 76.2% of their minutes from last year's NCAA Second Round squad. Additionally, 13 players are still around from the 2024 NCAA Round of 16 roster.
Jeremy Francou logged a breakout season in 2025, going for 11 goals, the fourth-most in a single season in program history and 19th-most in the nation last year. He has drawn attention from across the nation, making the MAC Hermann Trophy "Forwards to Watch" list and grabbing the No. 29 spot on the TopDrawerSoccer preseason National Top-100.
Bryce Outman also garnered recognition entering 2026 after a freshman campaign that saw him named Summit League Newcomer of the Year. He earned the No. 75 spot on the TopDrawerSoccer preseason National Top-100.
Of the 20 returners on roster, 12 have earned All-Summit League designation in their careers: Brandon Kincaid (All-Newcomer, 2024), Marc Popow (All-Tournament, 2025), Brevyn Cole (Honorable Mention, 2024), Guille Munoz (First Team, 2025), Bryson Gosch (Honorable Mention, 2024; Second Team, 2025), Miguel Fernandez (All-Tournament, 2024; Honorable Mention, 2025), Bryce Outman (First Team, 2025), Mathias Baucher (All-Newcomer, 2024), Jeremy Francou (Honorable Mention, 2024; First Team, 2025), Gabriele Galluccio (Honorable Mention, 2024), Raphael Kistmann (Second Team, 2024 & 2025) and Wesley Cribb (Honorable Mention, 2024).
Marc Popow made a difference in the net for the Roos last season, ranking second in the Summit in goals against average. He was named to the end-of-year TopDrawerSoccer Top-100 Freshmen list at No. 52.
Kansas City adds nine new faces to the mix in 2026, bringing in one transfer and eight who will be playing their first season of collegiate soccer. Five of the newbies come from the international scene and three come from the Kansas City metro.
The Roos' 2026 schedule includes plenty of challenges against perennial contenders and national brands, with highlights including games hosting Michigan State, San Diego, and Tulsa and trips to SMU and NC State.
Durwood Soccer Stadium saw major upgrades this summer, most prominently the addition of a state-of-the-art Daktronics video scoreboard on the east side of the stadium. The board stands 34 feet wide and 17 feet tall, creating an immersive fan experience.
Kansas City has qualified to two-straight NCAA Tournaments for the first time in program history, including the first at-large bid in program history in 2025.
The Roos hosted their first-ever NCAA Tournament game last season, defeating Lindenwood, 1-0, on Nov. 20. The game was played in front of a Durwood-record-breaking 809 fans.

SIUE Notes

SIUE enters the 2026 season coming off an uncharacteristic 6-11-2 record last year. In 2023 and 2024, the Cougars won back-to-back OVC titles.
The Cougars are expected to return to form in 2026, as the league's coaches and sports information directors voted the team second in the OVC Preseason Poll.
Mathias Clausen was named to the OVC Preseason Watchlist. The defender appeared in 11 games last year, making nine starts.
SIUE's leading goal scorer from last season was Evan Howard, who returns for his second season with the Cougars after earning First Team All-OVC designation in 2025.
As a team, the Cougars ranked 82nd in the nation in saves per game with an average of 3.68.