Thursday, August 21
Evanston, Ill.
6:30 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
Eastern Illinois
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
‘Cats Host Eastern Illinois, Air Force To Begin 2025 Campaign
8/20/2025 6:30:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Matchups feature as part of a season-opening four-game homestand
EVANSTON, Ill. (August 20, 2025) – With its two-game exhibition slate complete, the Northwestern University men's soccer team will officially begin the 2025 regular season with a pair of matchups this week at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium.
Eastern Illinois will provide the opposition in Thursday evening's home opener at 6:30 p.m. CT, ahead of a 1 p.m. CT tilt with Air Force on Sunday afternoon. Admission to all Northwestern men's soccer games at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium is free throughout the regular season.
Under the direction of fifth-year head coach Russell Payne, Northwestern returns a strong nucleus from last season's squad, a group that is spearheaded by two-time All-Big Ten Conference honoree Nigel Prince. Prince, Jason Gajadhar, and Fritz Volmar were all recognized on the Big Ten Players to Watch List, which was released by the league office on Tuesday.
SCOUTING EASTERN ILLINOIS
Picked seventh in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Preseason Poll, Eastern Illinois finished the 2024 season with a 2-12-1 overall record, a mark that included a 1-8-1 mark in league play.
The Panthers are piloted by first-year head coach Ruy Vaz, who arrived in Charleston, Ill. following a seven-year stint at Cowley College in Arkansas City, Kan., where he piled up 110 victories.
Vaz's team features an abundance of new faces, with 24 newcomers dotting the Eastern Illinois roster. The Panthers return only eight players from last season. Yuki Nakamura, who spent the 2024 season alongside current Wildcat Josue Hangi at Georgia State University, was recently named on the OVC's Preseason Players to Watch List. Nakamura started in all 17 matches for the Panthers last season after spending two seasons with Vaz at Cowley College.
SCOUTING AIR FORCE
Like Eastern Illinois, Air Force enters the 2025 season under new direction following the appointment of former Oregon State head coach Greg Dalby this past January.
Dalby, who led the Beavers to the NCAA Tournament during both of his seasons in Corvallis, Ore., inherits an Air Force team that finished 1-15-1 last season. The Falcons were recently slated to finish seventh in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Air Force has a revamped roster that features 17 newcomers. Menes Ajyeman serves as the team's lone returning starter from 2024 for a Falcons' roster that boasts only eight returning letterwinners in total.
SERIES STUFF
Northwestern and Eastern Illinois will meet for the 16th time in Thursday's regular season opener, a series that has been evenly split, 5-5-5. The two teams haven't clashed since the 2019 season when the 'Cats picked up a 1-0 win in Evanston.
Sunday's weekend finale marks not only Northwestern's first meeting with Air Force, but will also be the first time that the Wildcats have battled a United States service academy. Northwestern's only matchup against a current WAC foe came in a 2-1 overtime defeat at the hands of UNLV on September 11, 2005.
UP NEXT
Northwestern returns to action next weekend, as it welcomes a pair of local rivals to Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium. The 'Cats will host Loyola Chicago on Friday, August 29 before welcoming UIC to the shores of Lake Michigan for a Labor Day tilt on Monday, September 1. Both matchups will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT.
Eastern Illinois will provide the opposition in Thursday evening's home opener at 6:30 p.m. CT, ahead of a 1 p.m. CT tilt with Air Force on Sunday afternoon. Admission to all Northwestern men's soccer games at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium is free throughout the regular season.
Under the direction of fifth-year head coach Russell Payne, Northwestern returns a strong nucleus from last season's squad, a group that is spearheaded by two-time All-Big Ten Conference honoree Nigel Prince. Prince, Jason Gajadhar, and Fritz Volmar were all recognized on the Big Ten Players to Watch List, which was released by the league office on Tuesday.
SCOUTING EASTERN ILLINOIS
Picked seventh in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Preseason Poll, Eastern Illinois finished the 2024 season with a 2-12-1 overall record, a mark that included a 1-8-1 mark in league play.
The Panthers are piloted by first-year head coach Ruy Vaz, who arrived in Charleston, Ill. following a seven-year stint at Cowley College in Arkansas City, Kan., where he piled up 110 victories.
Vaz's team features an abundance of new faces, with 24 newcomers dotting the Eastern Illinois roster. The Panthers return only eight players from last season. Yuki Nakamura, who spent the 2024 season alongside current Wildcat Josue Hangi at Georgia State University, was recently named on the OVC's Preseason Players to Watch List. Nakamura started in all 17 matches for the Panthers last season after spending two seasons with Vaz at Cowley College.
SCOUTING AIR FORCE
Like Eastern Illinois, Air Force enters the 2025 season under new direction following the appointment of former Oregon State head coach Greg Dalby this past January.
Dalby, who led the Beavers to the NCAA Tournament during both of his seasons in Corvallis, Ore., inherits an Air Force team that finished 1-15-1 last season. The Falcons were recently slated to finish seventh in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Air Force has a revamped roster that features 17 newcomers. Menes Ajyeman serves as the team's lone returning starter from 2024 for a Falcons' roster that boasts only eight returning letterwinners in total.
SERIES STUFF
Northwestern and Eastern Illinois will meet for the 16th time in Thursday's regular season opener, a series that has been evenly split, 5-5-5. The two teams haven't clashed since the 2019 season when the 'Cats picked up a 1-0 win in Evanston.
Sunday's weekend finale marks not only Northwestern's first meeting with Air Force, but will also be the first time that the Wildcats have battled a United States service academy. Northwestern's only matchup against a current WAC foe came in a 2-1 overtime defeat at the hands of UNLV on September 11, 2005.
UP NEXT
Northwestern returns to action next weekend, as it welcomes a pair of local rivals to Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium. The 'Cats will host Loyola Chicago on Friday, August 29 before welcoming UIC to the shores of Lake Michigan for a Labor Day tilt on Monday, September 1. Both matchups will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT.
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