DeLAND, Fla. — Stetson men's soccer returns to DeLand for the first time in 2026 on Wednesday evening as the Hatters welcome Webber International to the Athletic Training Center for their home opener and Senior Recognition Day.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6 P.M. as Stetson looks to build off a 1-1 draw at UTRGV that closed a challenging two-match trip through Texas to begin the season.
The Hatters return home with a 0-1-1 record after opening the year against No. 15 SMU in Dallas before earning their first result of the campaign Sunday in Edinburg.
WEBBER INTERNATIONAL AT STETSON
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 26 • 6 P.M.
ATHLETIC TRAINING CENTER • DeLAND, FLORIDA
WATCH: ESPN+ • LIVE STATS: GoHatters.com
HOME OPENER • SENIOR RECOGNITION DAY
Home Sweet Home
After opening the season with consecutive road matches in Texas, the Hatters finally get their first opportunity to play in front of the home crowd Wednesday night.
Stetson began the year against No. 15 SMU in Dallas before making the trip south to Edinburg for Sunday's matchup with UTRGV.
The Hatters found the back of the net in both matches, with Mauricio Restrepo scoring in the opener against the Mustangs before William Mills supplied the equalizer at UTRGV.
Wednesday will be Stetson's third match in seven days before the Hatters return to the road Saturday for a 6 p.m. matchup at Coastal Carolina.
Honoring the Hatters
Prior to Wednesday's home opener, Stetson will recognize five members of the program as part of Senior Recognition Day.
Ross Appolon, Afonso Conde, Maurice Hauser and Daniele Mastroianni will be honored before kickoff.
Appolon enters his fourth season in DeLand and was selected as Stetson's team captain for 2026. The Montreal native earned ASUN All-Freshman Team honors in 2023 and later helped the Hatters capture the 2024 ASUN Regular Season Championship.
Conde, Hauser and Mastroianni each bring a different path to the program. Conde arrived as a freshmen from Lisboa, Portugal, Hauser joined the Hatters after previously competing at Coastal Carolina and Mastroianni came to Stetson following a stint at Hofstra.
Mills, now in his fourth year with the program, rounds out the group being recognized Wednesday.
Lessons From the Lone Star State
Stetson's season-opening road trip provided an immediate test for a roster featuring 13 newcomers and eight freshmen.
The Hatters opened against defending ACC champion and No. 15-ranked SMU, falling 3-1 in Dallas. Restrepo broke through at the 89:27 mark for Stetson's first goal of the campaign, with freshman Justin Blanco earning the assist.
Stetson responded Sunday in Edinburg, earning a 1-1 draw against UTRGV. The Hatters trailed before finding an equalizer and holding the Vaqueros off the board the rest of the way.
The two-game trip also allowed head coach Emmett Rutkowski and his staff to continue evaluating combinations across a roster that looks significantly different from a season ago.
Opening Weekend
0-1-1 | 2 GOALS | 2 DIFFERENT SCORERS
Mac Answers the Call
Matthew McCall delivered one of Stetson's strongest performances of the opening weekend in his first start for the Hatters.
The redshirt junior played all 90 minutes at UTRGV and made four saves while allowing just one goal, helping Stetson secure its first result of the season.
McCall had previously made his Hatter debut in the second half at No. 15 SMU. Freshman Murillo Mello earned the opening-night start and played the first 45 minutes in Dallas.
The duo is part of an entirely new goalkeeper room in 2026 alongside freshman Reef Brain.
Standing Tall in Texas
MATTHEW McCALL • 90 MINUTES
4 SAVES • 1 GOAL ALLOWED
First Stetson start • Helped the Hatters earn a 1-1 draw at UTRGV
Fresh Faces Finding Their Footing
The opening weekend gave several of Stetson's newcomers an opportunity to immediately contribute.
Mello earned the start in goal against SMU, while Robert Morris transfer Jaxson Lee stepped into the starting back line. Lee appeared in all 17 matches with 12 starts for the Colonials last season, recording one goal and five assists.
Freshmen Ibrahima Keita, Matthew Perez and Justin Blanco have also seen early action. Keita recorded two shots in his collegiate debut at SMU, while Blanco picked up his first career assist on Restrepo's late goal in Dallas.
The newcomers are part of a 28-player roster featuring 15 U.S. players and 13 international student-athletes.
Veteran Voices
Stetson's younger group is balanced by an experienced core led by Appolon and junior midfielder Benjamin Donato.
Donato entered 2026 as a Preseason All-ASUN selection after establishing himself as one of Stetson's most consistent midfielders over his first two seasons. He enters Wednesday with 23 career starts and more than 2,000 minutes in a Hatter uniform.
Sophomore Valentin Fontaine also returns after earning ASUN All-Freshman Team honors in 2025, while Israel Daniels is back after receiving the same recognition last season.
Preseason Expectations
NO. 2 IN THE ASUN PRESEASON POLL
Stetson entered the season picked second in the ASUN Preseason Coaches Poll, receiving 59 points and one first-place vote.
The selection marked the Hatters' highest preseason ranking under Rutkowski and their highest placement in the conference preseason poll since being picked first in 2010.
Senior forward Zsombor Pall and Donato were both selected to the Preseason All-ASUN Team. Pall led Stetson with six goals and 12 points last season while earning Second Team All-ASUN honors.
Scouting the Warriors
Webber International arrives in DeLand at 1-0 after an emphatic start to its season.
The Warriors opened the campaign with a 5-0 victory over Brewton-Parker on Aug. 20 in Babson Park. Webber led 1-0 at halftime before scoring four times over the final 22 minutes to pull away.
Rodnny Gonzalez paced the attack with two goals on five shots, while Brandon Apon and Justin Ruiz also found the back of the net. The Warriors added an own goal in the 90th minute to complete the scoring.
Webber produced 16 shots in the opener and put eight on target. The Warriors also earned six corner kicks and limited Brewton-Parker to seven total attempts and just one shot on goal.
Defensively, Alvaro Becerril Garcia and Alejandro Moreno split the match in goal and combined for the shutout.
The Warriors were picked seventh in the nine-team Sun Conference Preseason Coaches Poll after finishing 6-11-1 overall and 2-6-0 in league play last season.
Webber's roster features several early contributors to watch. Gonzalez enters Wednesday with a team-high two goals, Apon scored while playing the full 90 minutes in the opener and Dylan Salomon recorded an assist while contributing along the back line.
Warriors Out of the Gate
5-0 WIN | 16 SHOTS | 8 ON GOAL
Rodnny Gonzalez • 2 Goals
Allowed Just One Shot on Goal vs. Brewton-Parker
Five Things to Know
1. BACK IN DeLAND
Wednesday marks Stetson's first match at the Athletic Training Center in 2026 after opening the season with back-to-back road contests in Texas.
2. TWO MATCHES, TWO SCORERS
Mauricio Restrepo and
William Mills have accounted for Stetson's first two goals of the season. Restrepo scored at No. 15 SMU before Mills netted his first collegiate goal in Sunday's 1-1 draw at UTRGV.
3. A NEW LOOK IN NET
Murillo Mello and
Matthew McCall have both already seen time in goal through the opening two matches. Mello earned the start in his collegiate debut at No. 15 SMU, while McCall made four saves over 90 minutes in his first Stetson start at UTRGV.
4. FIVE TO BE RECOGNIZED
Ross Appolon,
Afonso Conde,
Maurice Hauser,
Daniele Mastroianni and
William Mills will be recognized prior to kickoff as part of Senior Recognition Day.
5. WEBBER ARRIVES UNBEATEN
The Warriors come to DeLand at 1-0 after opening their season with a 5-0 shutout of Brewton-Parker. Webber produced 16 shots and eight shots on goal while allowing just one attempt on target.
How to Follow
Wednesday's match will kick off at 6 p.m. from the Athletic Training Center in DeLand. The match will stream live on ESPN+, with live statistics available through the men's soccer schedule page at GoHatters.com.
Admission to Stetson men's soccer home matches is free.
For the latest news and updates on Stetson men's soccer, visit GoHatters.com and follow @StetsonMSoc and @StetsonHatters on social media for additional content throughout the 2026 season.
About Stetson Athletics
At Stetson University, student-athletes don't just compete—they thrive. Located in historic DeLand, Florida, between Orlando and Daytona Beach, Stetson offers the perfect blend of competitive athletics, academic excellence and an unbeatable Central Florida lifestyle. As the oldest private university in the region, Stetson supports approximately 500 student-athletes across 19 NCAA Division I sports. Nicknamed the "Hatters" after the institution's namesake John B. Stetson, a hat manufacturer who originated the modern-day cowboy hat, most Stetson athletic teams compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference, where they proudly hold the longest active membership since 1985. With top-tier facilities, personalized support and a welcoming campus community, Stetson is where students can grow, compete and succeed. Learn more at GoHatters.com or follow social media accounts @StetsonHatters.
