MEDFORD, MA (November 12, 2026) – For the second time in three years, the Tufts University men's soccer team will host the opening rounds of the Division III NCAA Tournament on Bello Field. The Jumbos will face Penn State-Abington on Saturday at 11 AM, while Babson will take on SUNY Oneonta at 1:30 PM. The winners of Saturday's contests will match-up on Sunday at 1 PM.
Game Details
Tournament Schedule:
NCAA Opening Rounds Tournament Homepage
Saturday, November 14, 2026
Tufts (10-3-5) vs. Penn State-Abington (13-4-4) – 11 AM
Babson (10-2-6) vs. SUNY Oneonta (13-2-2) – 1:30 PM
Sunday, November 15, 2026
Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner – 1 PM
Location: Medford, MA (Bello Field)
Weather: Cloudy Mid 50s, Chance of Rain: 14% Wind: SSE 5-10 MPH
Tickets: $15 Adult, $5 Children
Live Coverage: LIVE STATS –
LIVE VIDEO
Tufts Against The Field
Tufts is yet to square off against Penn State-Abington and will take on the Nittany Lions for the first time ever in the opening match on Saturday. The Jumbos have a rich history with Babson dating all the way back to 1954, as Tufts holds a 16-9-4 record against the Beavers in 29 games. The Jumbos took the edge in the most recent battle earlier this season, with a 2-1 final score.
William Cornog converted on a penalty kick chance in the 17th minute, before
Henry Brown picked up his fourth goal of the season in the second half to guide the squad towards the victory. The Babson last defeated Tufts 2-0 back in 2019 at home and have drawn with the Jumbos in three of the last five times the two teams have met. SUNY Oneonta has played once against the Jumbos back in 2022 in the NCAA Second Round and nabbed a 2-0 victory to send Tufts home.
A Look at the Jumbos (10-3-5)
Tufts comes into the opening rounds of the NCAA tournament after earning there second straight a fifth overall New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Title on Sunday on Amherst. The Jumbos possess a 10-3-5 overall record and have battled through tough opponents, while displaying the advantage of their experience all season. The Blue and Brown have been solid on their home pitch and on the road over the course of the fall as they hold a 6-2-2 record in Medford, while going 3-1-2 as the away team, proving their ability to stick to their identity no matter the environment. The three losses for Tufts all came in conference action against Wesleyan, No. 2 Middlebury, and Bowdoin.
In route to the Jumbos claiming their fifth NESCAC trophy, the Jumbos earned hard fought shootout victories in the first two rounds against No. 16 Connecticut and Hamilton.
Ben Pensky scored the lone goal against Connecticut to help send Tufts into extra time. The Jumbos were down one and down a man due to a red card against Hamilton, before Cornog buried a penalty in the 70th minute to allow Tufts to have a chance for the Title.
Nikola Antic made a remarkable save in each shootout contest to help the Jumbos advance and ultimately win the championship. The Waltham native tied his season-high in saves with seven in all three games to secure the conference Player of the Week award for his standout performances.
The defensive side of the ball for Tufts could be their greatest strength as they thrive off of forcing turnovers and limiting scoring chances for the opposition. The Jumbos have outscored opponents 37-13 and are holding teams to under one score per contest with a 0.72 goals against clip. Tufts is allowing just 11.2 shot attempts per game compared to their 15.3. The Jumbos have also been great in interrupting ball movement as opponents have compiled just eight assists against them this season, showing their focus on making teams find offense through individual efforts.
Ben Brown,
Bijan Akhtarzandi-Das,
Alex Johnson, and
Riley Gray make up the intimidating back line for Tufts. Brown leads all defenders in scoring with 11 points on three goals and five assists, while ranking second on the team in minutes played with 1,539. Akhtarzandi-Das has been a defensive anchor for the Jumbos all fall as he leads the squad in minutes with 1,554 and is tied for second amongst Tufts defenders in goal scoring with two tallies. Johnson has been outstanding for Tufts on the outside all season, the junior has buried two goals including an 83rd minute game-winner in a 2-1 victory over Colby. Gray has also been steady on the other side of the field defensively for Tufts, the sophomore uses his combination of speed and strength to keep opponents on the outside and force turnovers. Gray has dished out one assist this season and has played 1,014 minutes. Brown and Akhtarzandi-Das were both recently named to the All-NESCAC Second Team for their defensive contributions.
On the offensive side, the Jumbos find a lot of their offensive production through set pieces and corner kicks. Tufts has had 127 corner kick opportunities so far this season, which leads the NESCAC, showing the intent on getting deep into opposing defensive ends and applying pressure inside the box.
Xavier Canfin and
Henry Brown are a potent forward duo for the Jumbos, as they have combined for 28 points and 10 goals this season and earned All-NESCAC First and Second Team honors, respectively. Canfin leads the team in scoring overall with 16 points on five goals and six assists, while
Henry Brown ranks second on the squad with 12 points on five goals and two assists.
Ben Ortman has been a stellar striker off the bench all season as he has grabbed six points on two goals and two assists in 18 games played. First year
Oscar Suarez has also been a solid producer for the Blue and Brown in his debut season as he has picked up three points on a goal and an assist in 12 games off the bench.
Tufts puts out a dynamic midfield, which shows the balance of talent they have throughout the lineup.
Ellis Denby has been a key playmaker this fall as he leads all Tufts' midfielders with four assists. Denby has also found the back of the net twice to bring his point total to eight, which ranks fourth on the Jumbos.
William Cornog is a standout defensive minded midfielder for Tufts that causes difficulties for within opposing offensive attacks. Cornog has also been the PK specialist for the Jumbos this season and has converted on all three of his chances from the dot. Cornog received an All-NESCAC Second Team nod for his impactful contributions this season that has led to Tufts' fifth conference title.
Ben Pensky is a commanding voice in the midfield as one of two captains, who directs his teammates and always makes the right play when you need it most. Pensky enters the opening round of the NCAA Tournament with six points on three goals and is tied for second on the roster with two game-winning scores.
Will Nicholas rounds out the productive midfield with six points this fall on two goals and two assists. Nicholas leads all Jumbos midfielders with 11 shots on goal and 25 total shot attempts.
In net,
Nikola Antic has been dominant and has only improved as the season has progressed. In 17 starts, the Waltham native has allowed just 13 goals and has earned a 9-3-5 overall record. Antic is conceding just 0.76 goals per game and has collected 63 saves this fall. Antic also became the program's all-time leader in shutouts this season and has put together seven solo shutouts in 2026. In NESCAC postseason action, Antic delivered clutch performance after clutch performance, notching his season-high in saves with seven in all three rounds and making multiple PK shootout stops, including the game-sealing save in the conference semifinal victory over Hamilton.
A Look at the Field
Penn State Abington enters the weekend after claiming the United East title last weekend with a 2-0 shutout victory over Penn State Harrisburg. The Nittany Lions have gone unbeaten since their September 12 loss to No. 12 Rowan University and have allowed just one goal over their last four matchups coming into the opening round. After an 0-4-1 start, Penn State Abington has gone 13-0-3, including a dominant 12-0 win over Gallaudet University in the regular season finale.
Penn State Abington fields a high scoring offense that has outscored opponents 61-21 and is focused on finding open teammates as they have 55 assists on the 61 markers. Junior forward Frankie Rafferty heads the squad in scoring with 30 points on his team-leading 13 goals and four assists. Sophomore defender Aramis Shire is second on Penn State Abington with 20 points on seven goals and six assists. Shire also sits in second on the Nittany Lions in minutes played with 1,686. Amerr Yagoub has been an outstanding playmaker for Abington as he paces the entire team with 15 assists.
In goal, Hector Ortiz has seen the majority of the time between the posts for the Nittany Lions as he has allowed just eight goals in 16 starts and conceding just 0.55 goals against per game with a 0.889 save percentage and six solo shutouts. The first year possesses an 11-1-3 overall record. Angelo D'Asti has made five starts and appearances for Abington, has stuffed 17 shots, and currently sits with a 2-3-1 overall record.
SUNY Oneonta comes into the opening rounds of the tournament after falling 3-2 to Cortland in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) semifinals on November 4 and earning an at-large bid. The Red Dragons only took one loss in the regular season, and it came in conference play against Buffalo State University. This will be SUNY Oneonta's second straight NCAA Tournament appearance, and they will face Babson for the second consecutive year in the opening round, the Beavers ended their season with a 1-0 score at Connecticut College in 2025.
The Red Dragon's balance throughout the roster is evident as they have sent home 48 goals so far this season and have allowed just 16. Oneonta has nearly doubled their opponents shot attempts as they sit with 300 total rips compared the oppositions 156. Fifth year forward Iyare Harris paces the group in scoring with 30 points on 11 goals and eight assists, which also both lead the team. Senior forward Imari Harris follows behind Iyare with 19 points on eight goals and three assists. Fifth year midfielder Zach Rabadi ranks third on the team in scoring with 17 points on six goals and five assists. First year Yacouba Bamba has had a stellar debut season as a Red Dragon, as he has accumulated 11 points this fall on three scores and five helpers.
In goal, James Cintron and Nico Osorio have taken on the majority of the responsibilities between the pipes. Cintron has allowed 14 goals in 14 match appearances to earn a 1.07 goals against average. The senior currently holds a 10-2-2 overall record with three solo shutouts and a 0.71 save percentage. Osorio has appeared in five games this season and has conceded just two goals to capture a 0.75 goals against mark. The sophomore is undefeated with a 3-0-0 record and has earned one solo shutout.
Babson enters the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament after losing to Coast Guard in PKs in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) semifinal round at home. The Beavers ended the regular season unbeaten in their last seven matchups before Coast Guard got the best of them in the conference playoffs. Bason has met with Oneonta twice in the opening round since 2019 and will match-up with them a third time on Saturday. Oneonta took the 2019 battle by a score of 3-2 in overtime, while Babson won in regulation in 2025, 1-0.
The Beavers lean on their strong defensive identity to limit opposing scoring chances and get over the top in tight contests. The Beavers have outscored their opponents 25-15 and also are holding the teams they face to just 9.2 shot attempts per game. Senior forward Alexander Yablonovskiy paces the team in scoring with 15 points on five goals and five assists, which both lead Babson. Sophomore midfielder Connor Hanrahan and senior midfielder McKenzy Piere are tied for second on the team in total points with nine. Hanrahan has put home four tallies along with an assist, while Pierre has buried three scores and has dished out three assists.
In goal, Will Devall and Braeden Condit have split the responsibilities as netminders for the Beavers. Devall has allowed nine goals in 10 starts to result in a solid 0.92 goals against average. The graduate student has collected 31 saves and enters the dance with a 5-2-3 overall record. Condit has made seven starts and has allowed just four goals. The first year holds an unbeaten 4-0-3 overall record with a 0.800 save percentage and three solo shutouts.
--JUMBOS--
