Rising Phoenix: Championship Campaign Concludes With NCAA Tournament Appearance

ELON – The 2025 men's soccer season was one to remember as a Phoenix fan, with the team securing multiple trophies and several awards.

The Phoenix first claimed hardware as the CAA South Division champion after a victory over William & Mary on Nov. 1.

Two weeks later, on Nov. 16, the Phoenix was crowned CAA conference champions after defeating Stony Brook, 3-0, in front of a packed crowd at Rudd Field.

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"You can only win three trophies in a season, so to have two of them sitting in the locker room is an incredible achievement by the group," head coach Marc Reeves said.

The 2025 campaign was highlighted by the defensive performance of graduate student goalkeeper Jackson Leavitt.

"Having a goalkeeper you trust is the most important [thing] on the field," senior Majaliwa Msabaha said.

Leavitt started all 19 matches in goal for the Phoenix, totaling 1,730 minutes in goal, 59 saves and a spot on the All-CAA First Team.

"I knew it was my season and I had a lot of self-belief," Leavitt said. "I go out there with no fear and play with no regrets."

Leavitt attributed his performance on the field to Elon's coaching staff.

"I've always had a coaching staff that's been rooting for me since I came, and it [makes] it pretty easy to go out there and give your best," Leavitt said.

Against UNCG, Leavitt collected his 12th shutout, setting an Elon single-season record.

"His patience, work ethic and commitment to the game [show that] he's always ready to play," Reeves said.

In the past four seasons, Elon has won three regular-season titles, one postseason title and made two NCAA Tournament appearances. Msabaha said the success of this team over the years is due to the determination created by the players.

"Everyone puts in their max effort," Msabaha said. "The team works hard, and we have shown it the entire season.

With the conclusion of the 2025 season, Reeves reflected with pride upon what the group was able to accomplish in one of the program's most historic seasons.

"I'm just incredibly proud of them, and that's what makes coaching special and enjoyable," Reeves said.

'Rising Phoenix' is a student-led initiative to cover Elon Athletics. Through innovative content creation and storytelling, Elon University students will have the opportunity to highlight the moments, people and events that make an impact, leveraging the athletic department's various web and social media platforms for distribution. Follow Rising Phoenix on X (@EURisingPhoenix) and Instagram (@elonrisingphoenix). Interested in joining this initiative as a content creator (video, graphics, writing, storytelling, or more)? Contact Sydney Spencer at sspencer9@elon.edu.

--ELON--

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Players Mentioned

#6 Majaliwa Msabaha: D/MF; 5' 6"; Senior

#1 Jackson Leavitt: GK; 6' 0"; Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

#6 Majaliwa Msabaha
: 5' 6"; Senior
: D/MF

#1 Jackson Leavitt
: 6' 0"; Graduate Student
: GK

Players Mentioned

#6 Majaliwa Msabaha

#1 Jackson Leavitt

Players Mentioned

#6 Majaliwa Msabaha

#1 Jackson Leavitt