Eagles At Home Friday Night vs. PC

Rock Hill, S.C. – Winthrop aims to bounce back from a Tuesday night loss at the hands of league-leading High Point as it welcomes Presbyterian College to Eagle Field Friday evening.

SERIES HISTORY VERSUS PRESBYTERIAN
This is the 31^st meeting all-time between the Eagles and the Blue Hose. Winthrop has dominated the all-time series 20-8-2, but PC has enjoyed the success in recent years having won three straight meetings and four of the last five. Over the last seven meetings in Rock Hill the Blue Hose are 4-2-1. The most goals the Eagles have scored in the series is eight in 1983 with an 8-0 victory. The most goals the Blue Hose have scored in a match against Winthrop is five in a 5-2 win at Winthrop on Nov. 2, 2024. In 20 wins all-time vs. PC the Eagles have earned a shutout 14 times. In PC’s eight wins, they’ve shut out the Eagles in four of the wins. Since PC became a member of the Big South, Winthrop holds a 10-6-1 record in regular season meetings.

FOOT NOTES

• This game was originally scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. but moved up a day due to the forecast of inclement weather
• Winthrop is coming off a 2-0 loss to High Point in which it yielded multiple goals in the second half
• Winthrop is 0-3 on the season when allowing an opponent two or more goals in the second half
• The match vs. High Point was the first home game since Aug. 29 as the Eagles endured a six-game road trip during most of the 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 at Radford and leads the Eagles with seven goals in nine games
• Baden had a stretch of six straight games with a goal
• 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. 30, Baden is tied for 8^th in the NCAA for total goals with seven and is third in the Big South
• 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
• 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 (35-28-18)
• 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 467-464-64
• 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 370-389-54 while in the Big South and the 370 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.

1,000^TH GAME
Don’t miss out on being part of Winthrop men’s soccer history as they’ll compete in their 1,000^th game all-time on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 4:30 p.m. against Longwood. That game also aligns with Alumni Day. Come out and help the Eagles celebrate 52 years of men’s soccer at Winthrop. There will be a commemorative poster to the first 300 fans.

UP NEXT
Winthrop is back on the road for a non-conference matchup on Tuesday, Oct. 6 as it heads to Wilmington, N.C. to take on UNCW at 7 p.m.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
To keep up with the latest news on the Winthrop men’s soccer program by following on social media (Twitter / Instagram / Facebook).

Story courtesy of Winthrop Athletics.