By CAYDEN SANDERS
Tiger Media Network
After a second-round exit in the NCAA Tournament last year, the Fort Hays State men’s soccer team enters this season hoping to build on last season’s success. The Tigers begin the 2025 campaign on the road, taking on Rockhurst and MSU-Denver to start the season.
“Well, pre-season comes fast. There’s a lot we need to improve on, but there’s also a lot that we’re doing well. So time will tell, but it will be proven in the results,” FHSU Head Coach Alex Nichols said. “First week’s coming up, and it didn’t seem like it was long for it to get here.”
Nichols feels that in the second year of his coaching tenure at FHSU, there are still challenges to preparing a team.
“There’s always a lot that we want to learn at the beginning of our season. There’s a ton of bright spots, but there are always challenges,” he said. “Every year, especially early in the new program, especially in the second year.”
Opening up the season in Kansas City, the Tigers will face in-region foe Rockhurst. Last season, the Hawks finished 6-9-2 overall and went 6-6-2 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
“We haven’t had too many battle tests yet, but I know we have a lot of good teams coming up in non-conference play, so we’re going to face a lot of good teams, and we’re gonna find out how good we really are in those games,” senior midfielder Harrison Bensouda said.
Last season, the Tigers and Hawks squared off at FHSU Soccer Stadium, where the Tigers pulled out the victory in the 88th minute on a goal from graduate defender Ibrahim Madad. The Tigers outshot the Hawks 18-6 in the contest.
Senior midfielder Tadhg Walsh thinks the friendships off the field are just as important as the chemistry on the pitch for a successful season.
“It’s just very important to get to know each other on a personal level, not just on the field, but off the field, like getting to know how people interact with each other, like their personalities and stuff, and just basically finding each other’s personalities and how to get the best in each other,” he said.
On the back end of the trip, the Tigers head west to take on the MSU-Denver Roadrunners. Fort Hays will make an 883-mile trip to their matches before returning to Hays.
Walsh talked about his opinion of the trips here in America compared to his home country of Ireland, and how he looks to help other new foreign-born players on the team.
“I know for me, being back home in Ireland, these long trips are not very popular, so I’m sure it’s the same with the new lads,” Walsh said. “So getting good recovery on the game like the days before, and then just staying hydrated and eating good nutrition before the games. Just get the best performance out of yourself and the team.”
Last season, MSU-Denver had a record of 7-8-4 and went 4-4-2 during Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play. Fort Hays and MSU-Denver last competed in 2023, when FHSU defeated the Roadrunners 3-1 in a season-opening win at FHSU Soccer Stadium. Only two players for the Tigers who played in that match remain in the program: Walsh and Jackson Elgas.
The Tigers return to Hays for their home opener against CSU-Pueblo at 6 p.m. on September 11.
“We want to win the conference and play in the national tournament,” Walsh said. “But obviously, the main goal is to win nationals, but this schedule should prepare us to get there.”