Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
Union Men’s Soccer Makes Program History
Posted: Nov 24, 2025

Union Men’s Soccer Makes Program History

BARBOURVILLE, Ky. — The Union Commonwealth University men's soccer team delivered a historic 2025 campaign, rewriting the record books and claiming multiple conference titles.

The Bulldogs finished the season 14-3-4 overall and 9-0-3 in Appalachian Athletic Conference play, remaining unbeaten in the AAC for the second straight year. Union captured both the AAC regular-season championship and the AAC Tournament title, marking the program's third regular-season crown and fourth tournament championship.

This year also marked the first time since 2016 that Union won both conference championships in the same season. The Bulldogs have now gone two full seasons without a regular-season conference defeat, last dropping an AAC match in 2023.

"Our team's success wasn't just a result of hard work — it was built on trust and a shared belief that together we could achieve something extraordinary," said head coach Jonathan Shaw.

Record-Breaking Defense

Union spent the majority of the year ranked No. 1 nationally in defensive statistics and closed the season with a program-record 0.35 goals-against average (GAA). The previous record of 0.73 had stood since 2009.

The Bulldogs also set a new program and NAIA-leading mark with 16 shutouts, shattering the previous record of 10. They allowed just seven goals all season, the fewest in program history.

"Being the No. 1 defense in the nation was about every player committing to our identity, trusting one another, and showing up together," Shaw said.

Goalkeeper Gabriel Mendoza anchored the unit, recording 14 shutouts and a 0.38 GAA, breaking both of his own single-season records. Mendoza now holds the career GAA record and ranks third on Union's career shutouts list, trailing only Shaw and Marcelo Mercuri. Mercuri previously set the single-season marks in 2016 with 10 shutouts and a 0.62 GAA.

National Tournament Run

With both conference titles secured, Union advanced to the NAIA National Tournament in McKenzie, Tenn. The Bulldogs defeated Rocky Mountain College 4-0 in the opening round — their first national tournament win since 2016.

Union then faced the tournament's No. 1 overall seed, Bethel, falling 2-1 in a tightly contested matchup.

"At nationals, we pushed the No. 1 team to the edge because this group was nothing short of amazing and never backed down from a challenge," Shaw said. "These players created memories that will last a lifetime, and they deserved every part of their success."

Season Awards

Union earned widespread recognition throughout the year, including five AAC Player of the Week honors (Mendoza 2x, Ron-Jay Watson 2x, Gianni Loska 1x).

The Bulldogs nearly swept all seven major AAC awards for the second straight season:

  • Tyrique Bailey-Edwards: AAC Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Newcomer of the Year.

  • Laurin Fürmeier: AAC Freshman of the Year — the third straight season a Bulldog has earned the award.

  • Jonathan Shaw: AAC Coach of the Year for the third consecutive year.

Five Bulldogs were named to the All-AAC First Team:
Jordan Blake, Ron-Jay Watson, Bailey-Edwards, Fürmeier, and Mendoza.

Isa Bramble earned a spot on the AAC Champions of Character Team.

In the classroom, Union placed 21 Bulldogs on the AAC All-Academic Team.

With postseason honors still to be announced, the Bulldogs' historic season may not be finished adding accolades.

As the Bulldogs close the book on a milestone season, the accomplishments of 2025 serve as a launching point for what's next. With a championship culture firmly established and a roster filled with emerging talent, Union Commonwealth looks poised to build on this historic run and continue setting new standards in the years ahead.