DETROIT (9-4-26) – The Detroit Mercy men's soccer team returns home to host Duquesne for the Gold Out Game for Childhood Cancer Awareness. Titans and Dukes kick off on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 4 p.m., with the game being broadcast live from Titan Field on ESPN+ with Matt Kibby (pxp) on the call. Fans are encouraged to wear gold and support the fight against Childhood Cancer.

Lend a Helping Hand for ChadTough:
For Saturday's game, Detroit Mercy Men's Soccer is raising awareness and vital funds for the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation. ChadTough is dedicated to inspiring a game-changing surge in research for DIPG—the deadliest form of pediatric brain cancer. Every dollar we raise pushes us closer to a cure and brings hope to families fighting this devastating disease. Together, we can change the game for kids facing brain cancer. Thank you for your support, and enjoy the game!
 
A look at the Dukes:
• Duquesne is undefeated at 2-0-2 after a draw at Robert Morris (1-1).
• Last season, the Dukes finished 8-6-2 overall and 5-2-1 in A-10 league play.
• UDM trails the all-time series 1-2-1 after falling on the road at Duquesne last season (3-1).
 
Duquesne Rewind:
Sept. 30, 2025 – Detroit Mercy 1 at Duquesne 3:
Junior Drew Pierson scored his team's best third goal of the season off a penalty kick as Detroit Mercy could not overcome a late second-half deficit, falling 3-1 in non-conference action at Duquesne on Tuesday night at Rooney Field.
 
Detroit Mercy (4-5-1) had the best chance to get on the board in the first half during the 25th minute. Senior Silas Rustin got the ball just inside the box on the left side in traffic and ripped a shot to the low right side, where Duquesne (6-2-2) goalkeeper Diego Chavez made a diving save, just tipping the ball, preventing it from going in. The Titans could not capitalize on the ensuing corner kick, as sophomore Travis Zeleji just missed putting a loose ball home to the left side, and the game remained scoreless at halftime.
 
Duquesne opened the second half with a goal in the 47th minute and added two more tallies in the 68th and 71st minutes to take a 3-0 lead. The Titans kept battling as redshirt junior Clayton Lafayette stole the ball, raced into space, and fired a strike that beat Chavez clean, but the ball rang off the right post and bounced across the front of the goal, but didn't cross the line in the 77th minute.
 
UDM was not to be denied in the 82nd minute, as Pearson connected on the penalty kick, cutting the deficit to 3-1. The Titans continued to press but couldn't inch any closer over the final eight minutes.
 
Last Time Out:
Sept. 1, 2026 – Detroit Mercy 2 at Mercyhurst 2:
For the second time this season, junior Johnny Strickler posted two goals, with the first coming off the first career assist from freshman Daniel Kadiu along with senior Drew Pierson and the second from sophomore Thero Mitchell III, giving Detroit Mercy a 2-1 second-half lead. However, Mercyhurst got the equalizer late in the 88th minute to escape with a 2-2 draw on Tuesday afternoon at Saxton Stadium.
 
Most of the first half was scoreless until Mercyhurst (1-2-1) got on the board late in the 42nd minute to take a 1-0 halftime lead. Detroit Mercy's (1-2-1) offense jumped into high gear as Pierson got the ball back off a throw-in and sent a long cross from the right side into the box. Kadiu won the ball in the air and headed it over to a streaking Stickler, who got in between two defenders and put the equalizer home at the 66:06 mark.
 
Just 50 seconds later (66:56), UDM forced a turnover, and Mitchell III was off to the races on the counter, making a long run down the right side. He beat the last defender and slotted a pass into the box where Stickler was once again Johnny on the spot, with the finish in space giving the Titans a 2-1 lead.
 
Johnny on the Spot:
• Junior midfielder Johnny Strickler leads the team and Horizon League in goals (4) and points (8), posting two goals in a game twice this season.
• He notched two goals in the 2-2 draw at Mercyhurst (9/1).
• Scored both goals in UDM's 2-0 win at St. Thomas (8/20) to secure the Titans' first season-opening road win since 2020 and earning #HLMSOC Under Armour® Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week honors.
 
Thero is En Fuego:
• Sophomore Thero Mitchell III leads the team in assists (3 – 2nd HL) and ranks second in points (5 – 3rd HL).
• Recorded third assist in UDM's 2-2 draw at Mercyhurst (9/1).
• Made the most of his UDM debut, assisting on both of Detroit Mercy's goals in their 2-0 shutout at St. Thomas to secure the Titans' first season-opening road win since 2020.
• Mitchell III scored his first goal in a Titan uniform off a feed from junior Samuel Speen at Dayton (8/28).
 
On the Board:
• Freshman Daniel Kadiu recorded his first career assist in a 2-2 draw at Mercyhurst (9/1).
• Senior Drew Pierson also recorded his first assist of the season on the first goal at Mercyhurst.
• Junior Samuel Speen posted his first assist of the season at Dayton (8/28).
 
Detroit Mercy Sweeps Under Armour® #HLMSOC Player of the Week Awards:
• It was a clean sweep for the Detroit Mercy men's soccer team as junior midfielder Johnny Strickler was named Under Armour® Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week and junior goalkeeper Colin Monroe was named Under Armour® Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week, announced by the league office on Monday (8/24).
 
• Strickler, a native of St. Joseph, Mich., recorded four points, scoring both goals in Detroit Mercy's 2-0 shutout win at St. Thomas, securing the Titans' first season-opening road win since 2020 and also handing the Tommies their first home loss after going undefeated (4-0-4) last season at South Field.
 
• Monroe, a native of Willoughby Hills, Ohio, posted his second consecutive season-opening shutout, making one save behind the backline that didn't allow a shot on goal until the final minute of the game.
 
The Team:
• The 2026 season marks the 39th year of the men's soccer program.
 
Follow the Leader:
• Head Coach Nate Kopunek begins his fourth season at the helm of the program.
 
Home Grown Talent:
• Detroit Mercy has 21 student-athletes from the state of Michigan.
 
Where You From?:
• The Titans also have six student-athletes from outside the state of Michigan.
• Ohio (3): Junior Colin Monroe, senior Ryan Sanborn, junior Noah Sandahl
• Indiana (1): Freshman Sawyer Beachy
• Minnesota (1): Junior Evan Peleska
• Washington (1): Sophomore Thero Mitchell III
 
International Flavor:
• The squad also has two international student-athletes.
• France (1): Tom Nkassa
• Colombia (1): Sebastian Sanchez
 
Smart Cookies - Men's Soccer Earns United Soccer Coaches College Team Academic Award with Top-25 GPA National Ranking
• The Detroit Mercy men's soccer team continues to demonstrate the program's commitment to academic and athletic success by earning the United Soccer Coaches College Team Academic Award for the 2025-26 academic year. The men's team posted an impressive 3.57 overall GPA to qualify for the 12th time, tying at No. 22 among Division I men's soccer programs, which also ranked first among #HLMSOC teams.
 
• A total of 338 men's soccer programs (across three NCAA divisions) posted a team grade point average of 3.0 or higher, earning the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award for the 2025-26 academic year.
 
2026 Under Armour #HLWSOC Preseason Poll:
• Detroit Mercy was picked to finish ninth in the 2026 Under Armour #HLWSOC Preseason Poll with 37 points.
• UDM secured a spot in the 2023 #HLMSOC Championships after being picked to finish last in the 2023 Under Armour Horizon League Men's Soccer Preseason Poll.
 
Returning Firepower:
• The Titans have 18 total returners.
 
• Graduate student Midfielder Clayton Lafayette is back after seeing action in 17 games with eight starts and tied for second on the team in assists (2) and third in points (6), and was also tied for third on the team in goals (2).
 
• Junior Mano Karijan saw action in all 18 games with 14 starts and tied for second on the team in assists (2) and also tied for fourth in points (4).
• Scored his first career goal at WMU (10/8).
 
• Senior Zander Crooks and junior John Palomino also return after each scoring a goal last season.
 
Captain Leadership Holding Down the Back Line:
• The defense will be anchored by senior captain and 2025 #HLMSOC All-League First-Team selection and 2025 Sportsmanship Award recipient Drew Pierson, who led the team in points (13, T-4th HL) and goals (5, T-4th HL), and assists (3) from his defensive position.
 
• Graduate student captain Spencer Powe also returns after appearing in all 18 games with five starts, helping anchor the backline to four shutouts and three draws last season.
 
• Senior captain Ryan Moody returns after seeing action in 10 games with one start last season.
 
Between the Pipes:
• Junior Colin Monroe is back after leading the team in wins (3) and saves (37), ranked second in goals-against-average (1.69) and save percentage (71.2).
• Posted three consecutive clean sheets, leading Detroit Mercy to a 2-0-1 record to start the season.
• Named #HLMSOC Under Armour® #HLMSOC Defensive Player of the Week (8/25)
• Also was named to the TopDrawerSoccer Men's Team of the Week (Aug. 18-24).
• Made 10 total saves, posting back-to-back shutouts to lead Detroit Mercy to a 1-0-1 record against solid competition.
• Had quite the homecoming as the Willoughby, Ohio native made a career-high eight saves to record his first-career shutout, leading UDM to a scoreless draw at No. 12 Dayton.
• This marked the first time the Titans earned a draw against a ranked team on the road since a 2-2 result at No. 16 Ohio State on Sept. 26, 2017.
• He followed that performance, making two saves to record his first career win and second consecutive shutout between the pipes in UDM's 2-0 win over 2024 Northeast Conference (NEC) regular season champion Mercyhurst, who was picked to repeat as champions in the 2025 NEC preseason poll.
 
• Junior Quinn Tews also returns after seeing action in nine games and leading the team in GAA (1.57) and ranked second in saves (35).
• Was solid in goal, making a career-high eight saves as Detroit Mercy battled arch-rival Oakland to a 1-1 draw in Metro Series action (10/11).
 
Newcomers:
• Detroit Mercy has a diverse group of 10 newcomers, which includes two transfers: sophomore Thero Mitchell III (Saint Francis) and graduate student Gio Vovelli (Niagara).
 
• UDM has eight incoming freshmen: Charlie Ahearn, Sawyer Beachy, Michael Berry, Kaiden Demopolis, Daniel Kadiu, Nick Kamugunga, Hayden Gaetino, and Sebastian Sanchez, who will look to make an immediate impact.
 
Big Shoes to Fill:
• The Titans will look to replace the offensive firepower of 2025 #HLMSOC All-League Second Team selection and 2025-26 UDM President's Award recipient Guershom Sylvain, who tied for the team in game-winning goals (2, T-2nd HL), tied for second in goals (3) and points (8), and tied for second on the team in assists (2).
 
Season Recap:
Aug. 28, 2026 – Detroit Mercy 1 at Dayton 5:
Sophomore Thero Mitchell III scored his first goal in a Titans uniform off a feed from junior Samuel Speen as Detroit Mercy dropped their first road contest of the season with a 5-1 setback at Dayton on Friday night at Baujan Field.
 
Dayton (2-1) wasted little time getting on the board, connecting on a goal just 8:24 into the game. The Flyers added a second tally in the 16th minute, moving ahead 2-0.
 
After Dayton took a 3-0 lead in the 36th minute, the Flyers were assessed a red card just 10 minutes later, having to finish the game with 10 men. The card set up the best first-half scoring opportunity for the Titans with a free kick from approximately 25 yards out. Speen took the shot but was just off the mark, leaving UDM trailing by three goals at half.
 
In the second half, Dayton added another goal to take a 4-0 lead in the 57th minute. UDM kept fighting and finally cashed in just a minute later as the Titans kept the ball in off a failed corner kick clear by the Flyers. Speen sent in a beautiful cross from the right side into the box where Mitchell III nailed a half-volley laser into the lower left side.
 
Aug. 24, 2026 – Detroit Mercy 1 vs Adrian 2:
Graduate student Clayton Lafayette posted his first goal of the season with the equalizer late in the game, but it was not enough as Detroit Mercy was stunned by visiting Adrian, 2-1, in home-opening action on Monday night at Titan Field. 
UDM (1-1) dominated in corner kick opportunities 7-0, and outshot Adrian 15-4 overall.
 
In the 27th minute, the Bulldogs struck first with a long-range rocket volley into the upper 90 off a header clear attempt for a 1-0 lead.
After trailing at the half, the Titans pushed the pace and controlled possession for a majority of the second half. Detroit Mercy cashed in on a corner kick in the 82nd minute as Lafayette headed in a loose ball from a service into traffic inside the box for the equalizer. However, the game would not stay square for long as Adrian picked the perfect time to hit on a counter, which led to a breakaway game-winning goal in the 84th minute.
 
Strickler Scores Two Goals as Titans Blank St. Thomas to Secure First Season-Opening Road Win Since 2020
Aug. 20, 2026 – Detroit Mercy 2 at St. Thomas 0:
Junior Johnny Strickler connected on a pair of goals off feeds from sophomore Thero Mitchell III as Detroit Mercy shut out St. Thomas, 2-0, to secure the Titans' first season-opening road win since 2020 on Thursday afternoon. Junior Colin Monroe posted his second consecutive season-opening shutout, making one save behind the backline that didn't allow a shot on goal until the final minute of the game. UDM's victory also handed the Tommies their first home loss after going undefeated (4-0-4) last season at South Field.