The 2024 Division III Soccer Season: Teams to Watch, Players to Keep an Eye On … and Other Things on My Mind.

About a month ago I started to itch for the start of the 2024 season. So many great stories that have me intrigued. You can find How Soon Can We Kick Off the 2024 Division III Soccer Season? at the link. Well, with over 400 schools with men’s and women’s teams, it didn’t take long to bust through another list of things that have piqued my interest.

Like last time, it’s not exhaustive. On the contrary, may have to contemplate a third edition! Anyhow, enjoy.

1. Thanks to my recent interview with USCGA Head Coach, Chris Parsons, I am now intrigued by the Battle of the Academies. Can’t wait to watch US Coast Guard Academy take on the Merchant Marine Academy in New London, CT. An incredible place for a game.

2. Is it me? Do I miss grass fields? Not that turf is bad, but I can’t help but love the places that play on a well-manicured grass field … I am paying attention more on more on this fact. A grass field is better than a turf field.

3. The Westminster College Women’s team had a banger of a year, going 14-4 during the regular season. They fell in the PAC Semifinal’s to Franciscan University 2-1. Seems like a conference tournament title (Last won in 2022) and a trip to the NCAA is due.

4. I was a big fan of the Stormy Petrels of Oglethorpe University men’s team. Having gone 14-3-2, with win’s Washington and Lee, a tie against Emory, and winning the Southern Athletic Association Conference Tournament, before falling in a tight match to Colorado College in the first round of the NCAAs, I am thinking the Petrels have some unfinished business this year. They were up 2-0 on Colorado before conceding 3 and have to believe that they have their eyes set on reaching greater heights this time around.

5. Speaking of Washington & Lee, former Kalamazoo Head Men’s Coach Lumumba Shabazz, has been hired as the General’s next Head Coach. We are not as familiar with Coach Shabazz and Kalamazoo soccer, but will be watching to see if the General’s can keep the momentum going toward a national championship.

6. Cal Lutheran had an epic season, winning the Women’s NCAA Division III Championship. Can’t say they came out of nowhere, but they were definitely not on my bingo card to win it all, especially against Wash U. Now can they stay in rarified air?

7. As I am working on this, word is out that Eastern Nazarene University will be closing it’s doors at the end of the year. Sad day, but also a reminder that this could be the last season for other schools. Not something I am hoping to see …

7a. Spoke to soon. Another school is closing it’s doors. This time, Clarks Summit University will be closed by the end of the summer. Not sure what else to say here.

8. I will be watching for the teams that I think will are on the verge of busting through. They have been hanging around the second tier and think they are poised to shock Division III. On the men’s side, Christopher Newport, Ohio Northern, Pacific Lutheran and I will add Emory to the list. For the women, I am going with Pacific Lutheran. Not sure what the Lutes are doing over there in Tacoma, WA, but something special is happening there. I would add Loras, Mary Hardin Baylor, and Virginia Wesleyan.

9. Some players I will be paying attention to. One obvious player to watch is Kristina Ackselsen of Messiah. A rising senior and Women’s Player of the Year, she may blow the doors off in 2024. And a surprising one perhaps, but another player that I think will be pretty recognized in the next few years is Lexi Templin of Hardin Simmons. She’s got the stats and the accolades to back up some serious ball….

On the men’s side I can’t help but keep an eye on the Montclair State Men’s Player of the Year, Amer Lukovic, to see if can have a repeat performance from his 2023 season. Another player I am definitely going to be watching will be Kenyon College junior, Gerardo Martinez. A fter only playing 7 games as a result of injury, I think he has the potential to be the best midfielder in Division III.

10. And finally, I mentioned in How Soon Can We Kick off the 2024 Season? about PairWise and what the impact will be in the tournament selection process. Well, another bit of news that has me intrigued is the limit on roster sizes that will impact Division I programs. This will be something that it’s full impact won’t be felt for a number of years, but it does immediately change the dynamic of player commitment and movement. Will it have an impact on Division III, who knows. But one thing is for sure, DI or Bust just made going bust more of a reality.

I am going to stick with these 10 for now. I’ll do a follow up in the next few weeks with another list of some of the games I am looking forward to. In the meantime, feel free to comment below. And if there is anything that intrigues you in particular, don’t hesitate to send me an email…. maybe I will do a list of what fans are looking forward to in 2024.

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