PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team opens the 2026 season Tuesday night, hosting Monmouth for a 6 p.m. kickoff at Rhodes Field.
 
Penn (0-0, 0-0 Ivy League) vs. Monmouth (1-1, 1-0 CAA)
Tuesday, Sept. 1 | 6 p.m.
Philadelphia, Pa. | Rhodes Field
Watch on ESPN+ ($) | Live Stats
 
The Penn vs. Monmouth Series
*Tuesday's matchup will be the eighth all-time meeting between both programs.
 
*The Quakers hold the all-time series lead (4-2-1), but Monmouth won the latest clash (1-0) between the two teams in West Long Branch during the 2024 season.
 
Quaker Notemeal
*The Red and Blue earned the third-place spot in the Ivy League men's soccer preseason poll, securing 94 points. Reigning Ivy League Tournament champions Princeton were picked to finish first with 123 points and 14 first-place votes, followed by Cornell with 111 points and two first-place votes. Harvard rounded out the top four spots with 79 points.
 
*Penn returns a wealth of experience to the pitch for the 2026 season, including All-Ivy honorees Jack-Ryan Jeremiah, Connor Dawson, Romeo Dahlen, and Phillip Falcon III, along with upperclassmen Malachi Neal, Marco Bottene, Owen Sullivan, Joaquin Niehenke, and George Herbert. Jeremiah, Dawson, Niehenke, and Sullivan were named team captains Monday afternoon ahead of Tuesday night's clash.
 
*Dawson was recently recognized by the United Soccer Coaches (USC) after his selection to the organizations Defenders to Watch List. The O'Fallon, Ill. native paced the Quakers in 2025 with 1,519 minutes played in 17 starts, which included 15 90-minute performances. He was the anchor of a backline that conceded just 12 goals and posted nine shutouts throughout the season. In addition to his defensive quality, Dawson also provided assists in draws against Drexel (9/16) and Columbia (9/28).

*Dahlen will look to pick up where he left off in 2025 after finishing second on the team in points (13) and goals (six). The junior started in all 17 matches last season and his six goals ranked third in the conference. Dahlen also came up clutch twice, scoring match-winning goals against Loyola Maryland (8/29) and William & Mary (10/14).
 
*Falcon remains as one of the Quakers' most experienced players in the defensive third of the pitch with 32 career starts under his belt. In 12 starts last campaign, the Tampa, Fla. was selected as an All-Ivy Honorable Mention while ranking second in the conference in goals-against average (0.58) and save percentage (.860). Falcon registered seven shutouts and 43 saves last season as a leader of a backline that conceded just 12 goals.
 
*Nine freshmen were added to the program during the offseason and are eager to make an early impact in Red and Blue. The newcomers are Wyatt Bonos, Leo Doyle, Ethan Kim, Landry Moncrief, Jasper Moorhead, Ian Paola, Mario Stoka, Isaac Tortola, and Hayes Weller.  
 
*Two starters from the 2025 campaign began their professional careers in the offseason, after Austin FC drafted Patrick Cayelli with the 77th pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft, and Oliver Pratt signed a contract with the Philadelphia Union II.
 
Scouting the Hawks
*Monmouth boasts a 1-1 record heading into Tuesday's contest, after opening the season with a 4-1 loss at home against Iona before responding with a 1-0 victory over Drexel (8/29) to begin Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play.
 
*Jasen Bottini and Javier Losa currently hold the team lead in goals with one apiece. Losa opened his 2026 account in the defeat against Iona and Bottini secured the Hawks' first win of the season in the 38th minute off a feed from Brady Orendac and Rokas Jarusevicius.
 
*In the CAA preseason poll, the visitors were picked to finish third in the north division, and Victor Andersson earned Preseason All-CAA honors.
 
*The Quakers are likely to be met by Herman Johnsen in goal for the Hawks. The sophomore has tallied 11 saves and holds a .733 save percentage through two starts.