The Lions enter the 2025-2026 season with momentum from a successful campaign that saw them capture third place in the regular season standings and claim the Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament Championship. That conference title earned them an automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament First Round, capping off an impressive 11-4-3 overall record.
This season presents an ambitious slate that will test the Lions against elite competition, featuring three teams that finished in the Top 25 rankings and two programs that received votes in the Final NAIA Coaches' Poll. The challenging schedule begins immediately with a season opener against defending National Champion, Dalton State, who completed a remarkable 22-0-2 campaign last year.
The schedule continues through mid-September as the Lions face a string of nationally ranked opponents: Cumberland University (RV), fourth-ranked University of the Cumberlands, and Milligan University (RV). They will cap off their challenging slate against nationally-ranked competition when they face Union Commonwealth University (RV) in October.
The Lions face the challenge of replacing three impact players from last year's roster: AAC 1st Team members, team captains, and midfield anchors
James Mitchell and
Cesar Castro, along with goalkeeper
Jack Smith. However, the program has responded with an ambitious recruiting effort, bringing in over 30 new additions across both the first and second teams.
Head Coach
Jeremy Davidson views this influx of talent as an opportunity for the program to reach new heights. The extensive roster additions have created depth and competition that has energized the entire program heading into the new season. Key returners include
Alex Fletcher-Clifford,
Beckham Davidson,
Sammy Gomez, and
Joshua Hernandez.
"We are really excited about our incoming class and feel like on paper we could be improved from last year," Davidson said. "We graduated some great leaders this year who led us to the conference tournament title last season. If some of our younger guys step up and provide that same leadership those guys did, this year could be even more exciting."
The departure of proven veterans creates leadership opportunities for returning players and incoming talent alike. With the foundation of last year's success still intact and an injection of fresh talent throughout the roster, the Lions appear positioned to not only maintain their championship standard but potentially surpass it. The key will be how quickly the new additions can integrate into the team's winning culture and whether emerging leaders can fill the void left by their departed captains.
The Lions will compete in 16 matches this season, with six contests scheduled at home, providing Lions fans multiple opportunities to support the team as they pursue another championship run.
View Full Schedule:
https://bryanlions.com/sports/mens-soccer/schedule/2025-26
