PHILADELPHIA – The James C. Gentle Head Coach of the University of Pennsylvania men's soccer program, Brian Gill, announced the captains for the 2026 season Monday afternoon. Four seniors—Connor Dawson, Jack-Ryan Jeremiah, Joaquin Niehenke, and Owen Sullivan—will guide the Quakers into the campaign, which begins tomorrow night at 7 p.m. against Monmouth at Rhodes Field.
 
"Coming out of last fall, it was clear that we would need to replace important personalities and ask others to grow throughout the program. Leadership is something that takes time to develop and over the course of the spring, there were steps taken across the group to grow and mature," said Gill.

"In particular, JR, Connor, Joaquin, and Owen have been consistent personalities within our team," Gill continued. "They have taken initiative and earned the respect of players as well as staff. We look forward to seeing how they continue to work alongside their teammates to keep the standards and culture within the program in a good place throughout the year."

Dawson led the Quakers with 1,519 minutes across 17 starts last season and earned first-team All-Ivy and second-team USC All-Northeast Region honors to cap off his junior year. He was the Red and Blue's defensive leader in 2025, recording 15 90-minute performances, while the group tallied nine shutouts and allowed just 12 goals all season. The O'Fallon, Ill. native also made an impact in the attacking half, collecting assists in draws against Drexel (9/16) and Columbia (9/28).
 
A native of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, Jeremiah enters 2026 as a two-time captain with 35 matches played and 30 starts in midfield over his career. He featured in only 12 matches as a junior after suffering a midseason injury, but tallied four goals and four assists in 2024. Despite the setback, Jeremiah registered 795 minutes last year en route to an All-Ivy Honorable Mention laurel and he will play a pivotal role in the Quakers' midfield this season.

Niehenke played a career-high 1,192 minutes last season and was a key member of the Red and Blue's backline that conceded just 12 goals. He registered the third point of his career with an assist during a dominant victory over William & Mary (10/14) and aided the Quakers to nine clean sheets in 2025.
 
Sullivan is another returning member of Penn's experienced backline, having recorded a career-high 674 minutes a season ago. The Bay Village, Ohio native competed in all 17 matches for the Red and Blue in 2025 with four starts and picked up an assist against William & Mary. Sullivan has made 35 appearances over his career and enters his senior year as a cornerstone of Penn's stout defense.