SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- The Western Michigan University men's soccer team faces another team earning recognition from United Soccer Coaches at RV Bryant on Wednesday.

LAST TIME OUT
Western Michigan wasn't able to keep the Connecticut Huskies from the back of the net in a 4-1 loss on Sunday. An early goal and two late scores in the match on Sunday kept the Broncos from picking up their first win of 2026. 

WMU struggled to keep up with UConn's quick offense as the team was outshot 21-9 in the match. Junior forward Vitor Geromel added to his team-leading offense in the loss with his third goal of the year. While junior midfielder Braden Stevanovic set a new career-high in shots, leading Western Michigan with four in 75 minutes.

ASSISTING BY COMMITTEE
Through four games to begin the 2026 season, Western Michigan has had a variety of players help score goals. The Broncos have scored four times over the past two weeks, but only one player on their roster (junior forward Sahel Yessen) has recorded more than one assist.

Four different players have recorded an assist so far for WMU this season. Along with Yessen, junior midfielders Kyle Pierson, Braden Stevanovic, and Gabe Villagomez have all been credited with an assist. On Sunday night, Pierson and Villagomez earned their first helpers of the season on Geromel's goal in the 60th minute at UConn. With five assists on the season, the Brown and Gold are second in the Missouri Valley Conference in assists and third in assists per game. Western Michigan also cracks the top 100 in total assists nationally at 78th. 

COLLEGIATE DEBUTS
The Broncos have had a handful of players make their first collegiate appearance and starts through the first two weeks of the season. Six WMU players made their debuts over the past four matches: forward Vitor Geromel, midfielders Neo Heyral and Josh Nicholson, defenders Anthony Piacentini and Gregory Whitfield II, and goalkeeper Alessandro Ouzounis. 

The Brown and Gold have also had five players make their first collegiate starts in 2026. In Western Michigan's opening match at RV Kentucky, defender Dan McHale, midfielder Josh Nicholson, and forward Vitor Geromel started their first career match. The following game at Dayton, defender Gregory Whitfield II earned his first appearance in the Starting XI, and has stayed in that spot over the past three games. Then on Sunday, freshman goalkeeper Alessandro Ouzounis made his first collegiate start in net at UConn. 

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Wednesday evening's match will be the first ever program meeting between the Broncos and Bryant. The Bulldogs have not lost a game yet in 2026 going into tomorrow's match and are one of 57 teams still unbeaten. Bryant has earned wins over Rhode Island and Lafayette College on the road, while the Bulldogs opened the season with a 2-2 tie against UMass at home. The two goals given up to the Minutemen on August 20 are the only goals Bryant's defense has allowed in through 270 minutes of play.

After the team's two wins last week, juniors Santiago de Prado and Ramon Camejo were named the America East Conference Defender and Goalkeeper of the Week respectively. De Prado anchors the Bulldogs defense and scored his first goal of the season Saturday at Lafayette, while also providing an assist. Camejo earns goaltender of the week honors after a three save shutout at Rhode Island, the fifth of his career. On the front line, Bryant only has one player with multiple goals, senior forward Brady Geho. Geho leads the Bulldogs with two goals while four other players have scored once in three matches.