ELON – Coming off its first CAA Tournament title, the Elon men's soccer team (9-3-6) opens the NCAA Tournament on Thursday with a first-round clash against Triad rival and 20th-ranked UNCG (12-4-4) in Greensboro.
Elon vs. UNCG Briefing
Match Details: Nov. 20, 2025 | Greensboro, N.C. | UNCG Soccer Stadium | 5 p.m.
The UNCG Series
- The Spartans enter Tuesday's contest with a 15-11-2 advantage in the series against Elon.
- Elon and UNCG played to a 0-0 draw earlier this season at Rudd Field. The Spartans were ranked No. 10 at the time but were held scoreless on 14 shot attempts.
- UNCG has won three of the last four matches against the Phoenix, including a 4-1 decision in Greensboro last season.
- Elon's last victory against the Spartans came on Sept. 25, 2019, with the Phoenix blanking UNCG, 3-0.
- The Phoenix last defeated UNCG in Greensboro on Oct. 27, 2012. The Spartans have won their last four home games against Elon.
- This will be the first NCAA Tournament match between the two teams. They met twice in the Southern Conference Tournament, splitting the two matches.
- The former conference rivals met at least once in every season from 2002-2013.
CAA Champions
- The Phoenix secured its first CAA Tournament crown over the weekend, defeating Stony Brook 3-0 in the championship match at Rudd Field.
- Elon scored a pair of first-half goals to take a 2-0 lead into halftime. The first was an own goal off a Stony Brook miscue before Einar Ness netted his second goal of the campaign off a cross from Weston Jonke.
- In the closing minutes, Martin Kozak scored an insurance goal for the Phoenix off a Dominik Renz assist. The goal gave Kozak eight points in the two-game tournament, as he went on to win Most Outstanding Player honors.
- Jackson Leavitt stopped three Stony Brook shots to record his 11th clean sheet of the season. He has nine shutouts in 10 matches at Rudd this season.
- The tournament championship was Elon's first since joining the CAA. The Phoenix previously won the regular season title in 2022 and 2024.
- Joining Kozak on the All-Tournament Team was Renz, Leavitt and Charlie Kitch.
- The victory secured Elon an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Historic Semifinal Performance
- Elon, the No. 1 seed from the CAA South Division, defeated No. 2 seeded Campbell in a CAA Tournament semifinal, 6-4, at Rudd Field on Nov. 9.
- The six goals were the most scored in a match by Elon since scoring eight against Rutgers on Sept. 2, 2018, in an 8-1 victory over the Scarlet Knights.
- Elon's six goals were the most for the Phoenix at Rudd Field since Sept. 2, 2016, when Elon netted six against St. Bonaventure in a 6-0 win.
- Kozak tallied six points (1g, 4a) to lead the Phoenix offensively. The four assists were the most in a single match in program history, while the six points were the most by a CAA player in a match this season.
- Elon had six different goal scorers, with Jordin Wilson, Jahmir Flowers, Magnus Jacobsen, Renz and Kitch joining Kozak on the scoresheet. It was the most different goal scorers for the Phoenix in a match in Elon's Division I era.
- Eight different Phoenix registered at least one point in the match. Ness and Jonke both recorded their first assist of the campaign in the win.
Offensive Explosion
- After scoring just 13 goals in 16 regular season matches, Elon racked up nine goals in its two CAA Tournament victories.
- The Phoenix netted a season-high six goals against Campbell in the semifinal before notching three in the championship match versus Stony Brook. Elon did not score more than two goals in any of its 16 regular season contests.
- Elon scored just four goals in its final nine regular season matches. Entering the CAA Tournament, the last time the Phoenix scored multiple goals in a match was Sept. 16 against Davidson in a 2-0 victory.
- Kozak led Elon's offensive renaissance, tallying eight points (2g, 4a) in the two wins on his way to earning Most Outstanding Player.
- Renz was Elon's second leading scorer in the CAA Tournament with four points (1g, 2a). Ness also had three points (1g, 1a) in the two tournament wins after scoring just two points during the regular season.
CAA South Champions
- Elon won the inaugural CAA South regular season title, topping the division table with 15 points.
- The Phoenix had won two of the last three regular season titles before the conference split into two divisions for men's soccer.
- Elon finished with the second most points among CAA teams in the regular season. Only Hofstra (21) had more than the Phoenix.
- The Phoenix went 4-1-3 in conference play during the regular season, picking up points in seven of eight conference matchups.
- Elon finished one point ahead of second-place Campbell and three points in front of third-place UNCW.
- The Phoenix defeated three of the four CAA South Division teams during the regular season, going 2-0-0 against UNCW and 1-0-1 against both College of Charleston and William & Mary.
Elon In The NCAA Tournament
- This will be Elon's sixth trip to the NCAA Tournament and its third since joining the CAA (2015, 2022).
- Elon is 2-5 in its previous five NCAA appearances. The Phoenix advanced to the second round in both 2013 and 2015 with first-round victories.
- Elon's last NCAA Tournament match came in 2022, when the Phoenix hosted No. 9 Marshall at Rudd Field. The Thundering Herd defeated Elon, 1-0.
- The Phoenix is 0-4 on the road in the NCAA Tournament. Both of Elon's tournament victories have come at Rudd.
- This is Elon's first time playing in the NCAA Tournament as an automatic qualifier since 2013. The Phoenix received at-large bids in each of its last two appearances.
CAA Accolades
- Renz became the first Elon player to take home CAA Rookie of the Year, winning the award on Nov. 5.
- Leavitt represented Elon on the All-CAA First Team, with Renz, Connor Mucchetti, Kitch, Majaliwa Msabaha and Carlos Levy earning Second Team recognition. Kozak was selected to the All-CAA Third Team with Renz also landing on the All-CAA Rookie Team.
- Mucchetti leads all Elon field players with 1,512 minutes played in the midfield this season. He has a pair of assists and went the full 90 minutes in 11 matches this season, including five of the last six.
- Msabaha is second on the Phoenix in playing time this season with 1,509 minutes spent on the pitch. This is Msabaha's first time on the All-CAA Second Team after making the Third Team in 2022 and 2023.
- Levy earned his first All-CAA recognition by making 14 starts this season. He played 1,127 minutes on Elon's backline and scored his first career goal in a victory at Radford.
- Kitch has now made the All-CAA Second Team in back-to-back seasons. He has appeared in 17 matches this season, making 11 starts and logging 1,017 minutes. He took home CAA Defensive Player of the Week honors on Oct. 13.
Top Drawer Recognition
- Msabaha and Leavitt both earned spots on October's Top Drawer Soccer Midseason Watchlist.
- Msabaha checked in at No. 33 with Leavitt ranked No. 39. They were the two highest ranked players from the CAA in the ranking and two of just three overall from the conference, along with Hofstra's Laurie Goddard.
- Msabaha has played 1,509 minutes in 18 matches this season, the second most by an Elon field player. The senior defender has helped Elon to 11 clean sheets on the season.
- Leavitt has started every match in goal for the Phoenix this season and ranks top 10 nationally in goals against average (.828). The graduate student has 53 saves on the campaign to backstop the CAA's top scoring defense.
Defense, Defense, Defense
- Elon allowed just seven goals in its 16 regular season matches. The Phoenix has posted 11 clean sheets on the season, including a stretch of four in a row that came to an end on Sept. 20 at William & Mary.
- Elon is tied for third in the country in shutout percentage (0.611). The Phoenix posted shutouts against six of its 10 conference opponents, including five of the last seven.
- The Phoenix leads the CAA and is tied for No. 6 nationally in goals against average (0.611). Elon has allowed four fewer goals than the next best CAA team.
- Leavitt has played every minute in goal this season for the Phoenix. The All-CAA First Team selection is tied for second in the country with 11 shutouts.
- Leavitt has made 53 saves on the campaign and ranks top 10 nationally in both goals against average and save percentage.
- Nine of Elon's 11 clean sheets this season have come at home. The Phoenix conceded a goal in just one of its 10 home matches this season.
- Elon has allowed just six of its 18 opponents this season to reach double-digit shot attempts in a game.
- On Oct. 13, Kitch earned CAA Defensive Player of the Week, becoming the second Elon player to earn the honor this season along with Leavitt. Kitch scored the game-winning goal for Elon against UNCW on Oct. 11 after logging the full 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw at No. 7 Duke on Oct. 7.
- Leavitt has earned CAA Defensive Player of the Week twice this season on Sept. 1 and 8.
MVP Martin
- After scoring eight points in the CAA Tournament, Kozak was tabbed as the event's Most Outstanding Player.
- Kozak is pacing the Phoenix with 18 points this season (5g, 8a). He has scored or assisted on 10 of Elon's last 16 goals.
- With eight assists this season, Kozak is already tied for 10th for the most helpers in a single campaign by an Elon player. Only Nick Aparicio (10) in 2006 had more assists in a season for the Phoenix in the program's Division I era.
- Kozak's record-setting four-assist outing against Campbell last weekend vaulted him into a tie for second in the CAA in helpers.
- Kozak led the Phoenix with four assists during the regular season, all of which he has started.
- The All-CAA Third Team Selection had the most points for the Phoenix in CAA play (15). His six points against Campbell were the most by an Elon player against a CAA opponent since Scott Vatne had seven a season ago versus Northeastern.
- The junior is one of five Elon players, along with Mucchetti, Renz, Jonke and Colin Veltri, with multiple assists on the season and has contributed on 13 of Elon's 22 goals as a team.
Rookie Of The Year Renz
- Renz has emerged as one of Elon's top offensive producers in his debut campaign with the Phoenix.
- The redshirt sophomore is one of two Elon players with double-digit points (12) this season. Renz scored his fourth goal of the campaign last weekend against Campbell in the CAA semifinal for his first career postseason tally.
- All four of Renz's goals this season have been game winners, including three against CAA opponents Campbell, UNCW and College of Charleston. He ranks No. 2 in the conference in game-winning goals, trailing only Hofstra's Goddard (6).
- The CAA Rookie of the Year took home back-to-back CAA Rookie of the Week honors on Sept. 1 and Sept. 8, becoming the first Elon player to win the weekly honor twice in a season since Vatne in 2021.
- Renz has started 14 matches for the Phoenix and has played 65-plus minutes on 10 occasions.
Scouting UNCG
- The Spartans are currently ranked No. 20 in the United Soccer Coaches poll after appearing in the top 10 earlier this season.
- UNCG fell to Furman in the Southern Conference championship match on Sunday, 1-0. The match was played at Furman.
- The Spartans are 8-1-0 at home on the campaign, with the lone loss coming against South Carolina on Sept. 13. UNCG has won five straight home contests entering Thursday, which included a victory over then No. 5 High Point on Oct. 8.
- UNCG has a pair of ties against top 10 ACC opponents this season. The Spartans played No. 9 Virginia to a 1-1 draw on Oct. 14 before battling No. 3 NC State to a 1-1 result on Oct. 21. Both matches came on the road.
- The Spartans score 2.15 goals per game, which ranks No. 15 in the country.
- Arnaud Tattevin leads the Spartans and ranks top 20 nationally with a12 goals on the campaign. He has scored six goals in the last four games, which included a hat trick against VMI in the Southern Conference quarterfinals.
- Enzo Dovlo is tied for No. 10 in the country with a team-high 28 points this season. He is second on the Spartans with 10 goals and leads the team with eight assists.
- Steven Hernandez ranks third on the Spartans in goals (5) and second on the team in assists (5).
- The Spartans have scored three-plus goals in eight matches this season. They have been shutout just three times, with one of those coming against Elon.
- UNCG has a plus-22 goal differential on the campaign and have attempted more than 100 shots than its opponents.
- Seth Wilson has played every minute in goal this season for the Spartans. He has a 1.04 goals against average and a .687 save percentage.
- The Spartans are led by head coach Chris Rich, who is in his seventh season with the program.
Stay Posted
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