Marshall Men’s Soccer Preview
By Rhys Owens, FM88 Sports
Aug. 21, 2025
HUNTINGTON, W. Va. (WMUL-FM) — Marshall men’s soccer is officially back on Friday as the Herd makes its regular season debut against the George Mason Patriots at Hoops Family Field. Marshall enters the season ranked number two in the country, trailing only the Vermont Catamounts who put Herd fans championship hopes on ice last season in the NCAA tournament final. Meanwhile, the Patriots come to Huntington unranked despite winning the Atlantic 10 Conference regular season title in 2024.
George Mason begins its season with a very rough stretch of play; first against the number-two ranked Herd on the road, followed up by home games against the No.17 Virginia Cavaliers and the No.16 West Virginia University Mountaineers, all within its first four games.
Both teams are currently sitting atop their respective conferences. Marshall has been picked as the Sun Belt Conference favorite ahead of in-state rival WVU, who is positioned at number two. Meanwhile, George Mason was picked as the number-two preseason team in the A-10, sitting behind the No.12 Dayton Flyers.
Both squads have seen success during the preseason conference teams and awards. The Herd’s own Takahiro Fujita was named the Sun Belt’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and makes an appearance as the lone Marshall player on the Preseason All-Conference Team. George Mason finds itself in a better standing within its conference, seeing three players make the Preseason All-Conference Team in Avi Sanchez, Martim Serano and James Eliuda.
Both teams are optimistic for the season and will be looking for statement wins. On one side, the Herd will try to coast through its first game while the Patriots will take a shot at the top in hopes of knocking off a top-five ranked team.
First kick will take place at 7:15 p.m. on Friday. The match will be broadcast lived on WMUL-FM 88.1, FM88 Sports’ Shane Darling and Elliot Quicke will be on the call.