CLEVELAND, Miss. – Statesmen soccer at Delta State University will play in its 20
th season in 2024 after coming off an 8-8-3 overall record and 4-4-3 Gulf South Conference record last season.
Delta State finished the season on a six-game win streak before ultimately falling to top-ranked conference foe West Florida in the GSC Championship 2-0, the program's first appearance in the championship game since 2012. The late-season run included wins over No.15 Auburn Montgomery and a 3-2 stunner against No. 13 Mississippi College in the opening round of the GSC Tournament.
Second-year head coach Austin Jackman is eager to pick up where the team left off last season. "We have a good incoming class with a mixture of transfers, grad transfers, and true freshmen. After a successful spring and with a senior-led team, we are looking to continue to build off last season. This is a highly motivated group that has a taste of winning, and they are looking to continue to elevate the program on and off the field."
As a squad, the Statesmen scored 28 goals, recording 160 shots, 64 on goal. The goalkeepers tallied 71 saves with three shutouts.
The Statesmen were guided by
Arturo Riestra and
James Lynch. Riestra led the team in goals (6), assists (11), shots (37) and shots on goal (12), followed closely behind Lynch. An Aurora, Ill., native, Lynch recorded five goals and six assists. The pair was named GSC Players of the Week three times, with Riestra earning the honor twice (10.31.23 and 9.12.23) and Lynch garnering the recognition for the week Oct. 24, 2023.
Ashton Taylor, a midfielder from Olive Branch, contributed three goals last season, while
Eldi Seiti,
Santiago Rossi,
Braden Taylor, and
Ryan Thistle each recorded two goals.
Daniel Santema and
Mason Baglio spent time in-goal with a combined 72 saves, 63 and 9, respectively.
Lynch expressed his excitement to pick up where the team left off last season and this spring. "I'm excited to get out there with the returners and newcomers. We had a great spring and are looking to continue to build on our success from last year."
Delta State lost three to graduation, including starters Riestra, Seiti, and
Ricky Thakur, but 12 newcomers will seek to fill those big holes and contend for playing time in 2024.
Eight home matches highlight the 2024 schedule for Statesmen soccer: St. Edward's University (9.5), Texas A&M International (9.7), Union (9.29), Mississippi College (10.11), Alabama Hunstville (10.18), West Alabama (10.20), Auburn Montgomery (11.1), and Montevallo (11.3). Road games include conference matchups at Spring Hill (9.20), Christian Brothers (9.27), Lee (10.25), and Trevecca Nazarene (10.27). Wrapping up the schedule are two neutral-site matches in Memphis, Tenn., against Saint Leo (9.13) and Florida Southern (9.15), as well as a non-conference matchup versus Harding (10.6).
