GRINNELL, Iowa – The Grinnell College men's soccer program is heading into the 2026 season with high expectations and one big goal: winning the Midwest Conference Tournament.

Last season ended in the conference championship against reigning MWC champion Lake Forest. The Pioneers finished the year 6-8-5 and came one game away from bringing home the conference title. Getting that close has given the Pioneers even more motivation going into this year.

Grinnell was picked third out of 10 teams in the MWC preseason poll, which only motivates the Pioneers to keep climbing. The addition of Luther College to the conference will also bring another level of competition to an already competitive MWC.

The theme for the 2026 season is "Find A Way." Head Coach Brian Jaworski, entering his 23rd season with the Pioneers, introduced the theme as something that goes beyond soccer. It is about finding a way when things are not going a team's way, doing the little things for the people around you and having the grit and passion that comes with being a Grinnellian.

Alongside Coach Jaworski, Weston McPhee returns for his second season with the team as assistant coach and head goalkeeping coach for both the men's and women's programs. Trey Perlman '29 has taken on a student-manager role and continues to be an important part of the team. Jun Baba '30 is battling an injury but has already contributed as a culture builder and teammate.

The team voted for three captains this season: Beacan Mottl '28, Jack Alexander '29 and Sam Gojjam '27. While those three wear the captain's band, leadership is something those players want and expect throughout the team.

At the heart of this year's team is a pretty simple common goal: care more about the guy next to you than yourself; essentially "soccer puts 11 guys on the field, and no one can do it alone. When one guy presses, everyone goes with him. When someone gets beat, the next guy is there. When someone scores, there were 10 other guys who helped create it. If every guy cares more about the success of the person next to him than his own, we believe the individual success will take care of itself."

One thing that stood out immediately in the preseason was the condition in which the team arrived. Across the roster, players came back ready to compete. That has allowed preseason to be less about getting into shape and more about figuring out how the group can play together.
 
In goal, Alexander returns as a vocal presence and one of the more experienced pieces of the group. Braydon Depew '30 joins him as a first-year and adds another option to the goalkeeper room.

The defense is a confident and ambitious group featuring Mottl, Emmett Krez '29, Zander Salva '29, Colton Depew '30, Will Stinson '30, Carter Matteson '30, Ian Broeksmit '30, Landon Grosse '30, Dax Martin '30, Jasper Grove '30 and Sam Ratcliff '30. With a large number of first-years in the group, communication and playing together will be important. More importantly, defending will not just fall on the back line. The expectation is for all 11 players to defend together.

The midfield combines returning experience with several new pieces. Jack Pennachio '28, a first-team All-Conference selection, returns in strong condition and provides experience in the middle. Ian O'Loughlin '28 brings a high work rate and the ability to cover ground, while Gavin Egeland '30 and Daniel Katsanovich '30 provide options in the pivot. Amore Watanabe '29 and Emmett Krez '29 bring the ability to play quickly in possession.

In the attack, Grinnell returns second-team All-Conference selections Gojjam and Demi Oni '27. Gojjam provides work rate and a goal-scoring presence, while Oni gives the Pioneers pace in wide areas. Oliver Klemm '29 and Luke Akosa '29 add more speed and stamina to the attack, while Kanata Mizutani '28 provides a technical option on the ball. Kaleb Zewdie '30 and Jake Lu '30 add to the depth of the group, and finally Jake Brecknock '27 is a sneaky attacker adding dangerous crosses to the mix.

One of the biggest changes this season is the addition of 14 first-years, making up nearly half of our roster. There are going to be different roles for different players throughout the season, and not everyone has to contribute in the same way for their contribution to matter. Whether it is starting, coming off the bench, pushing someone in training or bringing energy from the sideline, everyone has a role.

Last year showed the players they can reach the conference championship. This year will be about finding a way to take the last step. That is going to take every player on the roster, not just the 11 who happen to be on the field.