Eagles Take On High Point In Big South Home Opener

Rock Hill, S.C. – Winthrop looks for a 2-0 start to Big South play as it welcomes defending league champion High Point to Eagle Field Tuesday night.

SERIES HISTORY VERSUS HIGH POINT
The Eagles and Panthers meet for the 35^th time. High Point’s 5-0 win over the Eagles to end the 2025 regular season gave the Panthers the lead in the all-time series 16-15-3. The first half of the series was dominated by the Eagles as they led the series 13-1-1 at one point. High Point has won the last 10 meetings and has now taken the series lead. In the last three meetings the Eagles have been outscored 11-0 and have just two goals total in the last 10 meetings. Winthrop’s last win in the series came Oct. 19, 2013 in High Point (1-0). The last home win over the Panthers was Nov. 15, 2007 in the quarterfinals of the Big South Tournament. All-time the Eagles are 7-9-0 at home against the Panthers. Winthrop won the first seven and the Panthers have won the last nine.

FOOT NOTES

• The Eagles are coming off a six day break from competition after a 0-0 draw at Campbell on Sept. 22
• It was the end of a six-game road trip that kept the Eagles on the road for nearly the entire month of September
• Opened Big South Conference play with a 3-1 win at Radford
• Winthrop has now won three of its last four conference openers
• Juma Baden scored a brace in the win, giving him seven goals in the first seven games
• Baden has scored at least one goal in six straight games
• He is the first Eagle to score in six straight games since Franco Waskhisi did so in 2002
• The seven goals are the most scored in a single-season by an Eagle since Brigham Larsen scored 11 in 2021
• As of Sept. 24, Baden is tied for third in the NCAA for total goals with seven and leads the Big South
• Winthrop as a team is tied for 19^th in the country in goals per game at 2.38
• Pablo Ortega scored the third goal of the match at Radford and now has three on the season
• The win at Radford ended a two-game skid by the Eagles who had lost 2-1 at Charlotte earlier in the week and at the College of Charleston prior
• In the Eagles 4-1 loss at the College of Charleston on Sept. 8 they allowed three second half goals, the most allowed in any single half this season
• The win over Radford was the first since Sept. 5 as the Eagles claimed a 3-0 road win at VMI
• Eagles scored three second-half goals with Baden netting the first and game-winner
• This is the final game of a six-game road trip for the Eagles who are 3-3 on the road this year
• Against VMI, Teo Jelaca had a goal and an assist for the second time this season and is tied with Jorge Perez for third on the team in points (6)
• Opened the season with a 2-1 win at South Florida
• It was the first season-opening win on the road since 2023 when the Eagles won 2-0 at Coastal Carolina
• Shion Hayashi’s goal in the 83^rd minute proved to be the game-winner at USF
• Hayashi now has three goals at the D1 level
• Jorge Perez got the Eagles on the board in the 63^rd minute with his 4^th collegiate goal
• Dale Parker is the second coach in program history to win in their first official match
• Started the season 2-0 after an 8-0 win over Johnson & Wales
• It is the first 2-0 start since the 2014 season
• The eight goals scored against Johnson & Wales are the most by an Eagle team since a 7-1 win over VMI in the 2008 Big South Conference quarterfinals
• There were seven different goal scores in the win over JWU with Pablo Ortega finding the back of the net twice
• The shutout was the first for the Eagles since Oct. 12, 2024 vs. UNC Asheville
• Through the first two weeks of the season the Eagles are 1-of-3 teams in the Big South that are unbeaten
• Parker is in his first season at the helm of the Eagle program and fifth season all-time (35-27-18)
• Parker came from Lander where he spent three seasons as head coach
• Parker is just the fifth head coach in the history of the program
• This year’s roster features 22 new players and consists of nine freshmen, five sophomores, nine juniors and five seniors
• Of the 22 new players, five players followed Parker from Lander (Sam Crolla, Lucas Lindstrup, Daniel Restrepo, Josh Murray, and Owen Deer)
• This is the 52^nd season for the program and this game marks the 995^th in the history of the program
• The program has an all-time mark of 467-463-64
• Winthrop has five Big South Conference Championships, which is the third most by any member in league history
• The Eagles have made six NCAA appearances, also the second-most by any league program
• Winthrop has an all-time record of 370-388-54 while in the Big South and the 368 victories are the second-most all-time and 1-of-3 programs in league history with 300-plus

2026 HONORS

• Juma Baden
  • Big South Preseason Watch List
  • Big South Midseason Watch List
  • Big South Attacking Player of the Week (Sept. 8)
• Euan Brindley
  • Big South Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 8)
• Sam Crolla
  • Big South Preseason Watch List
  • Big South Midseason Watch List
• Josh Murray
  • Big South Preseason Watch List
• Pablo Ortega
  • Big South Preseason Watch List
• Jorge Perez
  • Big South Midseason Watch List
• Cody Read
  • Big South Preseason Watch List

CHAMPIONSHIP ANNIVERSARY
The 2026 season marks the 20^th anniversary of the 2006 Big South Conference Championship team. That season the Eagles tied the program’s D1 record for wins with 15, finishing the year with a 15-6-1 mark. Winthrop earned a golden goal overtime win over Liberty in the semifinals of the Big South Conference tournament when Henry Kalungi laced a shot into the top corner from about 35 yards from goal. The Eagles went on to win the Big South Championship, 3-0 over High Point as Daniel Revivo netted a hat trick. It was the second title in the history of the program and second trip to the NCAA College Cup. Winthrop took on Old Dominion in the first round and was eliminated on penalties (4-3). That season the Eagles finished 5^th in the nation in goals per game (2.32) and 16^th in goals against average (0.73). The team recorded 10 shutouts, which tied the program record.

WATCH THE EAGLES ON ESPN+
All of the men’s soccer home games during the 2026 season will air live on ESPN+. You can also catch select road games in Big South Conference play on ESPN+. To watch Big South games on ESPN+ you must have a subscription to ESPN+. For more information on how to subscribe, click here.

WINTHROP IMPACT NETWORK
Winthrop Athletics is proud to announce the launch of WIN: Winthrop’s Impact Network- a distinguished philanthropic giving society established to support and elevate Winthrop’s 16 NCAA Division I programs and nearly 300 student-athletes.
In the new era of college athletics, it is critical now more than ever to generate revenue to provide Winthrop student-athletes with the resources and opportunities needed to compete for Big South championships and advance in the NCAA tournament. Winthrop’s Impact Network members will have an elite level of direct impact on the future of Winthrop Athletics. For more information, click here.

JOIN THE EAGLE CLUB
The Eagle Club is the official fundraising arm of Winthrop Athletics. Your generosity directly supports Winthrop Athletics and helps provide our student-athletes with the resources they need to succeed on and off the field. From facility upgrades and enhanced game-day experiences to scholarships, equipment, travel, and academic support, every dollar makes a difference.
By investing in the Eagle Club, you’re helping us build a stronger future for Winthrop Athletics—one that prioritizes excellence, opportunity, and a championship culture.
Whether you’re an alum, parent, fan, or community member, your support fuels our success. For more information or to become a member, click here.

ON THIS DAY
These same two teams squared off on this date in 2004 as the Eagles scored two second half goals to earn a 4-2 win. Winthrop scored 44 seconds into the match as Dee Vydra dribbled a couple of defenders and slotted home a shot near post. High Point equalized a minute and three seconds later as Patrick Althoff ripped a shot that was saved by Steve Winton, but the rebound was right to Chris Archer who place a shot into the open goal. In the 11^th minute, Archer (a member of the Big South Conference Hall of Fame) gave the Panthers a 2-1 advantage as he scored directly off a cross from Josh Windley. Winthrop tied the match in the 36^th minute when Oliver Denal was released with a through ball from Michael Chumah and he placed a shot into the far corner. The Eagles grabbed a 3-2 lead in the 55^th minute as David Garry found Chumah in open space and he finished by chipping the keeper. Eagles added an insurance goal in the 80^th minute when Kevin Keegan finished off a pass from Vydra. It was the Big South Conference opener for the Eagles.

UP NEXT
The Eagles remain at home for back-to-back games for the first time all season as they host Presbyterian College on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m.

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