Thursday, August 27
Charleston, IL
5 PM
Wright State University
at
Eastern Illinois
Photo by: Addyson Olsen
Men’s soccer set for Thursday meeting at Eastern Illinois
8/26/2026 4:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer
DAYTON – The Wright State men's soccer team (0-2) will hit the road to take on Eastern Illinois Thursday, August 27. Kickoff in Charleston, Illinois is slated for 5 p.m.
MATCH INFORMATION
Thursday, August 27 – WATCH (ESPN+) | FOLLOW LIVE STATS
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
Eastern Illinois finished with a 4-9-4 overall record with a 3-4-3 record in OVC play. The Panthers opened the 2026 season with a 2-4 road loss to Omaha last Thursday.
HISTORY VS. EASTERN ILLINOIS
Thursday will mark the 16th all-time meeting between Wright State and Eastern Illinois, a series the Raiders lead 8-5-2. The two squads last met at Alumni Field in 2024, playing to a 2-2 draw.
LAST TIME OUT
The Raiders dropped their home opener Sunday evening at Alumni Field, falling to Belmont 6-1.
Brian Burkett got the party started at Alumni Field, scoring the opening goal in the second minute. Keiji Nakazawa played a pass to Gabe Gotting, who played the ball across the box to Burkett. The junior fired the ball into the back of the net.
Belmont would respond and take the lead 20 minutes later, scoring goals in the 22nd, 24th, and 27th minutes. The Bruins would tack on one more goal in the 41st minute to jump out to a three-goal first-half lead.
Belmont would tack on two more insurance goals in the second half, scoring in the 47th and 84th minutes to secure its first win of the season.
In the box score, Wright State trailed Belmont in shots (16-10) and shots on goal (8-6), while being tied in corner kick opportunities (3-3).
LAST SEASON REWIND
Wright State finished 2025 with a 2-13-1 overall record and a 2-7 mark in Horizon League play. Three Raiders earned Horizon League All-League honors in 2025, with Henry Hutchinson and Roman Kedgley being named to the All-League Third Team, while Alessandro Malterer was named a finalist for the Sportsmanship award.
SIZING UP THE 2026 SQUAD
Wright State welcomes 19 newcomers – including 10 freshmen – to this season's roster. The Raiders' 28-player roster includes 10 freshmen, nine sophomores, and nine juniors.
DOMESTIC TALENT
Wright State's 2026 roster features players from nine different states, stretching from coast to coast. The Raiders hail from Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio.
ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE
The Raiders also boast an international presence, with eight countries represented across five continents. Wright State's international student-athletes come from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Cyprus, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, and Japan.
FALL SPORTS TICKETS
You can show your support for Wright State Men's Soccer student-athletes all season long, as every ticket purchased directly supports the team. Tickets are as low as $10 each, and Wright State Athletics encourages purchasing your tickets in advance, as all sales are cashless. Click here to learn more and purchase tickets!
UP NEXT
Following Thursday's game, the Raiders will return home to take on Lindenwood Sunday afternoon. Kickoff at Alumni Field is slated for 1 p.m.
MATCH INFORMATION
Thursday, August 27 – WATCH (ESPN+) | FOLLOW LIVE STATS
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
Eastern Illinois finished with a 4-9-4 overall record with a 3-4-3 record in OVC play. The Panthers opened the 2026 season with a 2-4 road loss to Omaha last Thursday.
HISTORY VS. EASTERN ILLINOIS
Thursday will mark the 16th all-time meeting between Wright State and Eastern Illinois, a series the Raiders lead 8-5-2. The two squads last met at Alumni Field in 2024, playing to a 2-2 draw.
LAST TIME OUT
The Raiders dropped their home opener Sunday evening at Alumni Field, falling to Belmont 6-1.
Brian Burkett got the party started at Alumni Field, scoring the opening goal in the second minute. Keiji Nakazawa played a pass to Gabe Gotting, who played the ball across the box to Burkett. The junior fired the ball into the back of the net.
Belmont would respond and take the lead 20 minutes later, scoring goals in the 22nd, 24th, and 27th minutes. The Bruins would tack on one more goal in the 41st minute to jump out to a three-goal first-half lead.
Belmont would tack on two more insurance goals in the second half, scoring in the 47th and 84th minutes to secure its first win of the season.
In the box score, Wright State trailed Belmont in shots (16-10) and shots on goal (8-6), while being tied in corner kick opportunities (3-3).
LAST SEASON REWIND
Wright State finished 2025 with a 2-13-1 overall record and a 2-7 mark in Horizon League play. Three Raiders earned Horizon League All-League honors in 2025, with Henry Hutchinson and Roman Kedgley being named to the All-League Third Team, while Alessandro Malterer was named a finalist for the Sportsmanship award.
SIZING UP THE 2026 SQUAD
Wright State welcomes 19 newcomers – including 10 freshmen – to this season's roster. The Raiders' 28-player roster includes 10 freshmen, nine sophomores, and nine juniors.
DOMESTIC TALENT
Wright State's 2026 roster features players from nine different states, stretching from coast to coast. The Raiders hail from Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio.
ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE
The Raiders also boast an international presence, with eight countries represented across five continents. Wright State's international student-athletes come from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Cyprus, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, and Japan.
FALL SPORTS TICKETS
You can show your support for Wright State Men's Soccer student-athletes all season long, as every ticket purchased directly supports the team. Tickets are as low as $10 each, and Wright State Athletics encourages purchasing your tickets in advance, as all sales are cashless. Click here to learn more and purchase tickets!
UP NEXT
Following Thursday's game, the Raiders will return home to take on Lindenwood Sunday afternoon. Kickoff at Alumni Field is slated for 1 p.m.
Players Mentioned
MF
/ Men's Soccer
MF
/ Men's Soccer
M
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's SoccerSaturday, October 18
Wednesday, September 20
Sunday, September 17
Saturday, September 16
