Reading, Pa. (August 27, 2026) - Year after year, rosters go through turnover. Alvernia men's soccer is no different, but the Golden Wolves will experience a massive overhaul, bringing in a class of 18 first years and landing a graduate transfer who is also a conference champion.
The roster reconstruction was planned, as Head Coach Casey Moore commented, "We wanted to bring in a larger recruiting class…we also had a disappointing season last year by our standards. We felt it was important to increase the competition within the team and bring in quality players who could make an immediate impact." That they did. Alvernia brought in three forwards, six midfielders, six defenders, and three new goalkeepers who have been battling through camp to carve out their role on a Golden Wolves team looking to avenge what was coined a "disappointing" 2025.
In 2025, the Golden Wolves found themselves with their first losing season since 2019, a year they finished 5-12-3. The story of the losing season is not told in the record however, with a 3-9-7 record, their most draws in program history.
In regard to what the Golden Wolves coaching staff has done to get over the hump, Coach Moore said, "This past offseason, we made significant improvements in our ability to retain possession and control games. We focused on building comfort and confidence on the ball, while helping our players stay calm and be more effective under pressure. We also worked on recognizing space in the attack, as well as how to create and exploit it. Hopefully, we can continue to build on those improvements, which will give us a better opportunity to turn some of those draws into wins."
Offensive Breakdown:
While Alvernia lost two of its top scorers to graduation, they will turn to players like Chase Malone, Joseph Washington, and Aidan Courtney to fill the scoring void. Malone, as a first year player last year, was tied for second on the team in points with three goals and two assists. His first career point was registered in a 9-0 win over Penn State Brandywine. Washington, heading into his junior year, comes off a 2025 campaign which featured two goals and an assist. Behind him was Aidan Courtney, who now enters his junior year off the back of a two goal season last fall.
The Golden Wolves finished last season as the sixth best team in the MAC Commonwealth at putting the ball in the back of the net with an average of 1.16 goals per game. In reference to his new look offense, Coach Moore said, "We do have some really good attacking players returning, and we also brought in some strong attacking options. We expect our returning players to take on bigger roles and make a greater impact, while we expect our new players to come in and make their mark as well."
Defensively, the Golden Wolves ended last year eighth in goals allowed in the MAC Commonwealth. A lot of their defensive success from last year is attributed to Alvernia career save record holder and four-time All-MAC Goalkeeper, Evan Solley, who was lost due to graduation in the Spring. Coach Moore's outlook on the goalkeeper position seems extremely positive, "We have three goalkeepers rostered and ready to compete for the number one spot. They will have opportunities every day to compete and prove themselves…We need our goalkeeper to be confident, controlled, and consistent. Effective communication can prevent a lot of dangerous moments from developing, and they will need to consistently make the routine saves while also coming up with a few spectacular ones when needed."
Leadership will not be all on the keepers for the Golden Wolves as Alvernia brought in former Millersville midfielder Brendan Corpus who will naturally be slotted as one of the more veteran guys on a team with no senior class. Corpus alongside the three juniors on the team will look to lead a team filled with underclassman talent.
Key Matchups:
September 6th vs Lancaster Bible College
Three games in, the Golden Wolves will take on a team that contributed to that draw total last year in a game that ended in a 0-0 draw. LBC finished last season with an 8-7-3 record. The draw marks the first between both schools as Alvernia holds the slight edge 5-2-1 all time against the Chargers.
September 19th @ Elizabethtown College
In Alvernia's annual 'Kick's for Cancer Game', they welcome the Blue Jays to town looking to avenge what was a 3-2 loss that featured the Golden Wolves attempt to spark a three goal comeback in the 84th minute courtesy of goals from Chase Malone and Joseph Washington in the 88th minute. A strong second half proved not enough as the Golden Wolves comeback attempt fell just short.
September 26th vs Rowan University
This time on home turf, the Golden Wolves will take on perennial national contender Rowan in what was a 1-1 draw last year. After trailing for 95% of the game, Joseph Washington found the back of the net in the 88th minute to match the Profs' goal and force extra time. This game last year also featured 15 saves for goalkeeper Evan Solley who faced a dominant offensive attack from the Profs. This marked the first ever meeting between both teams.
October 7th vs Albright College
In a series that Alvernia historically has dominated at an 18-8-1 record, conceding their first draw to cross-town rival Albright is a game that the Golden Wolves will look to avenge this season. After striking late in the first half courtesy of a Chase Malone goal, Albright tied things up with just under two minutes to play to earn the draw.
October 17th vs Eastern University
After a heartbreaking tie the year before, the Golden Wolves welcome MAC Commonwealth foe Eastern to town. Despite a goal in the 86th minute to break the ice for Alvernia last season, Eastern responded two minutes later to level the score and with just a few minutes to play, neither team was able to break the tie.
October 21st @ Neumann University
In their first match up since 2014 and their first meeting as MAC foes, Alvernia will travel to Aston, Pa. to take on the Neumann Knights. The Knights were dominant last season, finishing with a 13-4-3 record and winning the Atlantic East. With them joining the MAC, they will meet with the Golden Wolves who have a favorable 12-2-1 record against the Knights.
October 24th @ York College
While teams will be jockeying for MAC playoff seeding, the Golden Wolves will square off against one of the stronger teams in the MAC that were taken to their limits by Alvernia in the 2025 season. York, who found themselves sneaking into the MAC Commonwealth Championship Semifinals against Stevenson, opened up scoring in the 31st minute, but did not close the gate as Jackson Taliani capitalized on an opportunity in the 62nd minute that forced a draw and pushed the Golden Wolves record against the Spartans to 3-5-3.
The Golden Wolves open their season on the road at Lebanon Valley on Tuesday, September 1 at 4:00 PM. Alvernia's home opener will come against Penn State Berks on Friday, September 4th at 7:00 PM at Alvernia's Turf Field.
