Men’s Soccer Starts 2025 at Dean Friday

SUFFOLK vs EMMANUEL
Date Time Venue Video Stats Notes Series Last Meeting   Last Suffolk Win Streak	Friday, Aug. 29 1:00 PM Longley Athletic Complex Franklin, Mass. BoxCast DeanBulldogs.com GoSuffolkRams.com 0-1-0 Oct. 25, 2016, L, 8-0 Never L1

BOSTON – Suffolk men's soccer gets its 2025 calendar underway Friday, Aug. 29 at Dean at 1:00 p.m.

SOCIALIZE
Ram Nation has a chance to keep up with all the latest news and notes on Suffolk Athletics, its student-athletes and teams by following the Rams on  Facebook, Instagram and X. Fans are encouraged to use the hashtag #RamNation a behind-the-scene look at Suffolk Athletics.

RAPID REWIND
Suffolk men's soccer captured its first CNE Tournament Championship a year ago and played its way to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the second time in program history. 

Nineteen (19) players return from that title team that went 11-7-4 overall including United Soccer Coaches All-Region II Second-Team honorees Nathan Harlow (1.05 GAA, .804 save %) and Francisco Valck (7g). On top of their all-region nods, Harlow and Valck were recognized with all-conference distinction along with defenders Matthew Belluardo (2a) and Ricardo Feliciani, who are back in blue-and-gold as well. 

RAMS ROOKIES
Nearly half of Suffolk men's soccer's 37-player roster will don the blue-and-gold for the first time as head coach Bill Maddock recruited 18 newcomers to join the Rams ranks for the 2025 campaign. 

The group is a mixture of collegiate first-years in 13 true freshmen – Martin Avila, Dylan Cadavid, Yohan Chung, Maxi Fadel, Sebastian Gonzalez Vazquez, Logan Hawley, Will Manix, Mohamed Mehaya, Sebastian Paba,Gavin Raitt, Tyler Retchin, Dylan Rowe and Thiago Rubino -- three sophomores – Yan Haiat, Carter Sewell and Nicolás Zarur -- and a pair of juniors, Oliver Heth and Zach Vlachos.  

MORE READING: Men's Soccer Brings in 18 New Faces for 2025

CLASS CATEGORIES
Suffolk's 37-player roster is evenly balanced between experience and underclassmen with a 13-member freshmen class leading the way. There are nine seniors and seven sophomores and juniors, respectively, with one grad student. 

POSITION PLAUDITS
Position wise, Bill Maddock assembled a 37-player roster with depth at every spot on the field. There are 14 midfielders, 10 forwards and defenders, respectively, and three sets of goalie gloves. 

GEOGRAPHY 101
Suffolk's 37-man roster is comprised of national and international student-athletes. 

Close to 90 percent of the Rams are from the states with a dozen (12) Florida locals. Five student-athletes are Massachusetts natives with a trio from Connecticut. There are a pair from California, New Jersey and New York, while Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Missouri, New Hampshire and North Carolina are represented by one Ram apiece.

Internationally, student-athletes brought their talents to Boston from Bermuda, Brazil, England, Saudi Arabia and Singapore.  

COACH'S CORNER
Bill Maddock is set for his sixth season, fifth full competition campaign, at Suffolk. 

Over five years, the head coach has assembled a 38-27-16 record (.568). His teams have competed in the conference championship twice and hoisted the trophy a year ago en route to the program's second-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament. 

Under his guidance, Suffolk has scooped up six all-region recognitions and 21 all-conference honors.  

The head coach has a heap of help on the bench in 2025. Assistant coach Juan Gonzalez returns to the fold for his seventh year with the program, sixth on Maddock's staff, while Danny O'Neill is back for his fourth season. Assistant Coach Jose Meza is back for his third season along with Goalkeeper's Coach Kyle Tremblay.  

OPENING ACT

• Since 2002, the Rams are 14-7-1 in the first test of the year.
• Suffolk won its fourth straight season opener a year ago, a 4-1 win over Emmanuel.
• Suffolk has opened its season in the win column each of the last four seasons. It is the most season-opening wins in a row since the Rams began seven straight seasons with victories from 2004 through 2010. 
• Suffolk will play on the road for its season debut for the first time since 2023. The Rams are 5-5-1 in game one on the road. 
• The Rams are 9-2-0 when opening the curtain on their campaign in front of their home crowd since 2002. 
• The Rams have locked up a victory in game one of the season in shutout fashion five times since 2002, including the 2021 opener, a 4-0 triumph over Mass. Maritime. Four of those five cleansheets have come on Suffolk's home pitch.
• On the flip side of things, Suffolk has been kept off the scoreboard twice in game one. Framingham State is the last opponent to hold the blue-and-gold scoreless in the season debut, doing so in 2014 by a 4-0 margin.
• Suffolk has needed extra time to determine an outcome in the first contest of the year twice since 2002. In that span, the Rams are 0-1-1 in game one OT outings.
• The blue-and-gold is unbeaten in game one under Bill Maddock's guidance, 4-0-0.
• In the Maddock era, Suffolk has outscored its foes 13-3 in the first outing of the year.
• The Rams will tangle with Dean in the first game of the campaign for the first time.  

BULLDOGS BREAKDOWN
Dean will start its second season under head coach Warren Backman. The former Suffolk assistant coach guided the Bulldogs to a 3-13-1 overall record in his first campaign as a collegiate head coach.  

Backman brings back 57.1 percent (8-of-14 goals) of Dean's 14-goal scoring unit from a year ago. Chris Tunley is the top returning threat as he shared the top spot on the Bulldog's offense with four goals and two assists for 10 points. Ciaran Phibbs (2g), Clay Tyler (1g, 1a), Brian Allen (2a), and Drew Folley (1g) supplied multiple points to the attack in 2024 as well.  

Jake Godwin was the Bulldogs starting keeper last season and assembled a 2.79 GAA and .745 save percentage in 15 appearances, all starts. Backman brought in four freshmen Noah Amaral, Colin Edwards, Charlie Hall and Andrew Wheelan to add options in net.  

INSIDE THE SERIES

• Suffolk and Dean will renew a rivalry, meeting for the first time since Oct. 25, 2016. The Rams were blanked by the Bulldogs in that outing, 8-0. 
• The tangle in 2016 is the only known meeting between Suffolk and Dean dating back to 2002. 

STATS SHOWDOWN

RAMFEST
All members of Ram Nation are invited by Suffolk University to East Boston Memorial Park Saturday, Sept. 27 for RamFest. 

RamFest is part of Suffolk Weekend, which brings together the entire University community. The weekend is the perfect opportunity for members of the Suffolk community and their families to reconnect or get acclimated with Suffolk, reminisce with old friends, make new ones and enjoy beautiful Boston in the fall. For a full calendar of events over Sept. 25-27, click here. 

Following Rammy's Fun Run, the family friendly fan fest festivities begin at 11:30 a.m. An afternoon of community, entertainment and school spirit is in store. Event highlights include: 

• A variety of food trucks with local favorites
• Live performances by Suffolk University's house band The Common
• Men's and Women's Soccer Games – support the Rams on their Senior Days! 
• Cornhole Tournament – register with a teammate to or get paired day-of 
  • cornhole additional registration required here
• Axe Throwing and Gladiator Joust for some friendly competition
• Yard games and airbrush pennants to round out the fun

Tickets are required to participate in RamFest and grants you access to food trucks and activities at the fields throughout the afternoon. Alumni, family and friends can purchase their $20 tickets here. Students are free but must register here. Admission to the Rams' soccer Conference of New England (CNE) doubleheader versus Curry is free.  

MORE INFO: RamFest Set for Saturday, Sept. 27

SUFFOLK'S SCHEDULE
The Rams have one day to prep for their home open, a Sunday, Aug. 31 showdown with Brandeis. First kick at James A. Sartori Stadium at East Boston Memorial Park is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.