LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Bellarmine University men's soccer team's annual appearance in the ASUN Championship begins with a 7 p.m. (ET) first-round matchup Saturday with Stetson at Hodges Stadium.

Fifth-seeded Bellarmine (7-3-5) and fourth-seeded Stetson (6-8-3) are meeting for the second time this season, although the first matchup likely felt like a lifetime ago. The Knights and Hatters squared off way back on Sept. 5 in an ASUN opener in Louisville, with Bellarmine securing a 1-0 win.

Overall, this is the eighth meeting between Bellarmine and Stetson. The Knights own a 3-1-3 series lead. They've met twice before in the postseason, with the Knights advancing in 2022 after winning a PK shootout 3-0 following a 2-2 draw in the quarterfinals and in 2023 after a 3-2 victory in double overtime in the semifinals. The former was at Central Arkansas while the latter was at home in Owsley B. Frazier Stadium.

Bellarmine is now 7-for-7 in earning ASUN Championship berths since entering D1. This is the first appearance under Matt Cannady as head coach, but he was integral to the previous five as a Knights assistant.

While Bellarmine has not won an ASUN Championship title, the Knights did advance to the finals in 2023 and 2025. Last year, at Hodges Stadium, Bellarmine was defeated 3-2 in overtime by North Florida in the title game. The Knights were the 2025 ASUN Gold Division champions.

Bellarmine boasts the ASUN's top-ranked defense overall. The Knights' 0.87 goals-against average is tops in the league. Bellarmine has conceded 13 goals in 15 games. The Knights enter the postseason having allowed only two goals in their last five matches.

Bellarmine had two players earn All-ASUN accolades in junior forward Johan Nissen-Lie and sophomore defender Gavin Crowe, who were both named to the second team.

Teddy Franke is Bellarmine's leading goal scorer with five. The junior forward/midfielder accounted for the game-winning goal in the 77th minute against Stetson in the aforementioned 1-0 victory. Senior midfielder Colin Mackey ranks seventh in the ASUN in total points with 12 (four goals and four assists).

Stetson earned ASUN wins over West Florida (2-0), Lipscomb (4-1) and Jacksonville (3-2). Defender Junior Essengue was named ASUN Freshman of the Year, Afonso Conde (six goals) was first-team All-ASUN and Valentin Fontaine (four goals) was second-team All-ASUN.

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