LONGVIEW, Texas -- The wait is nearly over. 

Under third-year head coach Brady Van Holland, the LeTourneau men's soccer team begins its 51st season in program history on Friday against nationally-ranked Calvin in Grand Rapids, Mich. (6 p.m. CDT/7 p.m. EDT).

The YellowJackets completed a fourth straight season of .500 or better overall record in 2023, but Van Holland's team looks to make a push towards the top the ASC. Seven starters return for the YellowJackets and the team will face a challenging schedule beginning with a nationally-ranked foe.

THE ROSTER

Seven starters and 18 players overall return to Longview for 2024.

Sophomore Caleb Nelson is the leading goal-scorer returning for the YellowJackets. In his rookie year, Nelson earned ASC Offensive Freshman of the Year honors as he scored five goals with three assists. 

Nelson was one of five All-ASC selections for the YellowJackets a season ago and is joined by Emad Mohamed as a returner. Mohamed, a senior in his fifth year with the YellowJackets, is a four-time All-ASC selection and a mainstay in the midfield. He added three goals and two assists last season.

Mohamed is one of eight seniors for LeTourneau. Bridger Roberdeau and Juan Angel Morales have been key on the defensive front. Garrett Thom returns after notching three goals last season, while Syed Zain, Chino Rojas, Jordan Beltran, and Nate Bransford have contributed all over the field. 

The backline sees returners in junior Karson Johnson along with sophomores Kamden Karleskint and Kristian Princ. Junior Nathan Peterson returns after an injury kept him out of 2023. Sophomore midfielders Ethan Carrillo, Caleb Bransford, Tyler Burks, and Marcos Gonzalez saw significant time in their first years, while junior Diego Enriquez looks to make an impact as well.

The goalkeeper position will feature a player that has yet to play a minute for LeTourneau as three newcomers and one returner comprise the position. Junior transfer Octavio Jacquez comes in with collegiate experience at Angelina College. He joins freshmen Carson Gamble and Joaquin Sanchez along with sophomore returner Edson Camara Martinez vying for playing time.

Up front, sophomore Graysen Crawford totaled a team-high-tying three assists as a freshman. Burks added two goals, while Caleb Bransford and Zain tallied one each last season. Sophomores Aubrey Camacho, Abraham Gonzalez, and Elliott Spangler also return

Van Holland's newcomer class includes eight freshmen and two juniors. Gamble, Sanchez, Joshua Van Wagener, Jonas Coyle, Patrick Bauer, Carson Watts, Zach Parris, and Tristan Whyle make up the freshmen class. Jacquez and Esteban Rodriguez enter their first years with LeTourneau as juniors.

ASC OUTLOOK

LeTourneau was picked fourth in the ASC preseason poll, garnering 21 points. The YellowJackets had a fourth straight season at or above .500 in 2023, with a 6-5-5 overall record. 

Mary Hardin-Baylor collected nine of the 10 first-place votes and is the preseason favorite in the league. Hardin-Simmons tallied the other first-place vote and is second, while East Texas Baptist totaled 22 points for third.

Roberdeau, Nelson, and Mohamed were all named to the ASC Players to Watch List.

THE SCHEDULE

LeTourneau opens with No. 11 Calvin on Friday to begin a weekend trip to Michigan. The YellowJackets face Hope on Saturday.

It will be the first all-time meetings between both Calvin and Hope for LeTourneau.

Calvin finished 2024 in the round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament and ranked No. 11 in the final United Soccer Coaches Top 25.

The road stretch to begin the season continues into the second week as LeTourneau travels to Jackson, Miss. to face Belhaven (Sept. 5) and Millsaps (Sept. 7).

The home opener is set for Sept. 12 against former ASC foe Concordia Texas. That match kicks off a six-match homestand for the YellowJackets. 

Continuing the home stretch, LeTourneau faces non-conference opponents Schreiner (Sept. 14) and Austin College (Sept. 21). 

ASC play opens with home matches against Hardin-Simmons (Sept. 26), Howard Payne (Sept. 28), and East Texas Baptist (Oct. 5). The ETBU match will be part of Homecoming.

The ASC consists of LeTourneau, East Texas Baptist, Howard Payne, Hardin-Simmons, Mary Hardin-Baylor, and UT Dallas in 2024-25. Teams will play twice during the regular season. Matches against UT Dallas will not count toward league standings as the Comets transition to Division II.

After five straight road conference matches from Oct. 10-26, LeTourneau returns home on Oct. 31 to face UT Dallas before finishing the regular season by hosting Mary Hardin-Baylor (Nov. 2).

The ASC Tournament will begin during the week of Nov. 4 with the championship set for Nov. 9.

FOLLOW THE YELLOWJACKETS

Be sure to follow LeTourneau athletics all season long on letuathletics.com and social media at Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram for up-to-date scores, news, and other information.