KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- A brutal non-league schedule featuring ranked teams.

Losing several players who are now playing professionally.

Meshing in 12 transfers and freshmen with the 16 returning players.

Sounds like just the normal start of the new season for Western Michigan University's men's soccer team, ranked 20^th in the nation, and head coach Chad Wiseman, who is starting his 13^th season at the helm.

The tough non-league slate starts on Thursday when the Broncos (12-3-6 overall, 3-1-4 Missouri Valley Conference in 2024) have a home game against Kentucky of the Sun Belt Conference, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

The schedule also features Dayton and Cornell, two top 16 seeds from last season's NCAA tournament; Akron, the Big East Conference defending champion; South Florida ("and it isn't easy at all,'' Wiseman said); New Hampshire, which won the America East title last season and is in the same league as Vermont, which won the NCAA title; Butler and Wisconsin. New Hampshire will be at the WMU Soccer Complex on Sept. 1 for the annual Soccer Fest game.

"We're bringing in elite programs to Kalamazoo and I hope the greater soccer community will really get to enjoy the games,'' Wiseman said.

The player losses from last season are huge. Gone is Owen Smith, the national leader in assists; Greyson Mercer, who led WMU in goals scored with eight and Carson Hodgson who had six goals and eight assists.
"We lost Carson and his twin brother, Tanner, a year early to a German fifth division professional team,'' Wiseman said. "That was their dream and we're happy for those two.

"When we have produced as many professionals as we have in the past few years, some of the pro levels come calling. We live by a very simple formula in that we don't rebuild, we reload and there are different ways to reload…from within see players who didn't have as big a role last year step up (Liam Smith who was redshirted last season and goaltender Alex Lindewirth), then reload with freshmen and transfers.''

In program history, WMU has had 10 players drafted in the MLS Super Draft and others are playing a level or two below the MLS.

"We've lost our center midfield from last year,'' the head coach said. ''Over the past few years, we've lost different lines, such as we lost the forward line, we've lost our defensive line. This year we're working on it and have seen some positive results in preseason camp and the three exhibition games.''

Hoping to fill the center mid gap are Juan Romero from Purdue Fort Wayne and Adrian Jogerst from Cal State Bakersfield among others.

As far as goal scorers, "Jonathan Stout from Michigan State is next level and one of the best attacking players in the country over the past couple of years,'' Wiseman said. "We need him to be on the score sheet early and often.''

Senior Roni Sylejmani is Western Michigan's top returning scorer with four goals and two assists. Sophomore Christian Shannon and junior Braxton Arpachinda each had three goals. Senior Connor Burkett and sophomore Gabe Villagomez each scored two goals.

"All the transfers are very like-minded, and we get along really well,'' Sylejmani said. "We all have one goal and it's very clear from the beginning we want to win the Missouri Valley Conference and qualify for the NCAA tournament.

"We're a team which scores goals,'' he said. ''We like to attack and go after the opponent.''

In their previous two exhibition games against very good teams – No. 11-ranked Indiana and Xavier – the Broncos haven't scored.

"The hardest thing to do is score goals,'' Sylejmani said. "The last piece is what we are missing and we're going to keep working on it and get it.

"Once we get the first one, the flood gates will open and we're going to score goals.''

Stopping the other team from scoring is a tough part, too. The WMU defense is led by Shannon and senior Duarte Chapelas. The Broncos lost netminder Colin Welsh, who was drafted by St. Louis of the MLS. Against Xavier, Alex Lindeworth and Virgina Tech transfer Timi Adams each played a half.

"Our whole goalkeeper fleet is strong and there isn't a clear-cut No. 1 going into the Kentucky game,'' Wiseman said.

What is clear cut this season is WMU looking to overcome a lot of obstacles make the NCAA tournament for the fourth straight year.
 
Roster
Head coach: Chad Wiseman.
Assistant coaches: Shane Lyons, Josh Oakley, Sam Biek.
Seniors/Grad students: Timi Adams, goalkeeper; Giuseppe Santacroce, midfield; Mathieu Beuvain, defense; Roni Sylejmani, forward; Juan Romero, midfield; Connor Burkett, forward; Duarte Chapelas, defense; Piero Sabroso, forward; Ronan Wilcox, midfield; Jonathan Stout, forward; Emiel Nieuwhof, defense.
Juniors: Noah Deitrich, goalkeeper; Braxton Arpachinda, defense; Henrik Boer, forward; Carter Cormier, defense; Adrian Jogerst, midfield; Alex Lindewirth, goalkeeper.
Sophomores: Gabe Villagomez, center midfield; Jordan Klein, center midfield; Braden Stevanovic, midfield; Christian Shannon, defense; Sahel Yessen, forward; Alex Markovski, forward.
Freshmen: Liam Biggers, midfield; Liam Smith, midfield; Anthony Piacentini, defense; Adam Matej Smolcic, defense; John Coon, goalkeeper.