Last year, the Virginia men’s soccer team concluded the season with a 6-9-3 overall record – a deterioration from the team’s 7-8-1 record the year before. Despite pushing 7 games into overtime, the Hoos failed to win a single one, posting an 0-4-3 overtime record. The team failed to make the 36 team NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row.

While it may be easy to see these two seasons as anomalies, they represent a downward trend that can be traced back to the 2019 season. In a streak beginning in 1981, the Cavaliers appeared in 39 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, a stretch in which the team won 7 NCAA Championships with two runner-up positions. However, since losing the College Cup in a shootout, the Virginia has struggled to find solid ground. Much of this can be attributed to the pedigree of talent that departed following the devastating loss.

After the 2019 final loss, stars like Daryl Dike, Joe Bell, Henry Kessler, and Daniel Steedman opted to turn pro despite having additional years of NCAA eligibility remaining. Now, center back Andreas Ueland, who enters the season on the ACC preseason watch list, is the only remaining piece from the 2019 College Cup Final appearance.

Without the consistency and leadership these athletes brought, Virginia’s new faces have struggled to put together complete, cohesive games. The Hoos hope to rediscover that touch this year.

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