AMERICAN UNIVERSITY men's soccer

PROGRAM QUICK FACTS

Spanning seven decades beginning in 1949, the American University men's soccer program features a rich history that includes:

Winning the Patriot League Championship in 2021-22 and advancing to the NCAA Second Round

Nine NCAA Tournament appearances, including the 1985 NCAA College Cup where the Eagles finished as runners-up

Three NCAA Elite Eight appearances

Five NCAA Round of 16 appearances

12 Conference Regular-Season titles

Five conference tournament titles

PROGRAM QUICK FACTS

AU boasts a number of players that have had tremendous individual success on the pitch.

Fifteen players have played professionally, and five have earned caps for their national teams.

Seven players have earned NCAA All-America recognition, including 1985 National Player of the Year Michael Brady.

13 Conference Players of the Year, including 2024 Patriot League Player of the Year Troy Elgersma.

REEVES FIELD

One of the premier soccer facilities in the Washington, D.C. area, Reeves Field has been home to the American University varsity men’s & women’s soccer programs since 1949 and returned with new renovations in 2025. It boasts a new scoreboard, and has a brand-new Bermuda grass surface, along with state-of-the-art irrigation and drainage systems. Reeves has hosted six NCAA Tournament games as well as served as the training site for numerous professional and international teams. Teams that have trained at Reeves include:

Professional teams - AC Milan, Blackburn, D.C. United, FC Barcelona, LA Galaxy, Manchester United, Miami Fusion, Newcastle United, Roma, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders, MLS All Stars '24

National teams - Brazil, Bolivia, Germany, Jamaica, Portugal, Spain, United States, USWNT, Uruguay

PATRIOT LEAGUE

American competes in the Patriot League, which is located in the Northeast Region and is comprised of 10 private institutions for higher education. It is among the most selective group of higher education institutions in the NCAA Division 1. American has the second-largest undergraduate enrollment in the Patriot League (7,817).

AU Athletics' New home: welcome to the ALAN AND AMY MELTZER CENTER

The brand new Alan and Amy Meltzer Center for Athletic Performance is up and running, serving as the new space for American University student-athletes to thrive. The building includes a multi-purpose competition and practice court, a three-mat wrestling training center, hospitality and team meeting spaces, and a production studio for ESPN+ broadcasts. New sports medicine and strength and conditioning rooms provide more resources and opportunities for student-athletes to achieve excellence. Additionally, the Sports Center Annex (SCAN) provides resources for student-athletes and the broader student body, including a wellness hub, a shared lounge and kitchenette, classrooms, and a film room. An outdoor terrace will overlook Reeves Field and Greenberg Track, and both centers house new coaches’ offices and locker room spaces.n The spaces reinforce AU Athletics’ emphasis on academics, life-skills, and building community in addition to athletics performance.

MEET THE COACHING STAFF

HEAD COACH ZACH SAMOL

Zach Samol finished his seventh season as head men’s soccer coach at American University in 2025, guiding the Eagles to the program’s best campaign in nearly a decade. AU has consistently stood on the top side of the Patriot League table with Samol at the helm, making the conference tournament in six of his seven seasons, appearing in the championship game three times, and winning it in 2021. He holds a 28-18-13 Patriot League record, and 29 players have earned All-Patriot League honors under his leadership, with 83 making the Academic Honor Roll.
The Eagles went 8-8-2 overall in 2025, as Samol challenged his squad with a demanding non-conference schedule that saw them face No. 1 Vermont, No. 3 West Virginia, and No. 11 Virginia. The team entered Patriot League play prepared, going 7-1-1 and capturing the regular season title for the first time since 2016. At season's end, Samol and his assistants were named the Patriot League Coaching Staff of the Year. Additionally, seven players received All-Patriot League honors, including the Midfielder of the Year Troy Elgersma and Goalkeeper of the Year Matthew Tibbetts. Mustpaha Sowe and Jonah Fogel took home First Team honors, while Ian Webb-Johnson and Taku Takahashi made the Second Team, and Sebastian Garces landed on the third team.
Samol guided the career of one of the most accomplished players in the history of the program in Elgersma, who was voted the Offensive Player of the Year in 2024. It was the first time AU had a player win the award since 2016. Elgersma ended his career as a two-time All-League First Team selection with 14 goals and 15 assists to his name, playing nearly 5,000 minutes. He also made the Patriot League All-Academic Team twice, and won the Scholar Athlete of the Year award in 2025.

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ASSISTANT COACH PATRICK MEHLERT

Patrick Mehlert coached his seventh season at American University in 2025 after joining the staff in 2019.
Primarily responsible for AU’s offense, Mehlert is in charge of the team’s player development video analysis and works closely with attacking players.
In 2025, he was a part of the Patriot League Coaching Staff of the Year while directing an offense that finished second in conference goals with 15.
He played a major role in Troy Elgersma’s historic career, which saw the junior midfielder win the first Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year award in 2024 and the Midfielder of the Year Award in 2025.
In the four seasons that Mehlert has been a full-time assistant coach, AU has finished in the top three in goals scored in the conference, and has put seven attacking players on All-Patriot League teams.

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ASSISTANT COACH ZACH WEIDMAN

Zach Weidman coached his fourth season at American in 2025.
Weidman was a part of 2025's Patriot League Coaching Staff of the Year, and has helped AU reach the postseason in all four seasons he's been with the program.
Primarily responsible for AU’s defense, Weidman prepares the team’s oppositional analysis and works closely with their goalkeeping unit.
He’s been integral to strengthening the last line of defense over the last three years, as he’s oversaw the development of 2025 Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year Matthew Tibbets. The senior finished with 52 saves and logged three clean sheets, holding a .765 save percentage and 1.06 GAA to put him at fourth in the Patriot League in all categories. Tibbetts made 34 first half saves, keeping the Eagles either tied or leading their opponents at halftime nine times. AU went 8-1 in those games, proving Tibbetts' early stops to be vital to positive results.
Overall, the Eagles allowed just five goal in conference play in 2025 under Weidman's guidance.

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WASHINGTON, D.C.

American University is located in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. On the banks of the Potomac River, bordering both Maryland and Virginia, Washington D.C. is one of the most visited cities in the world. For more information about Washington, D.C., click here.