STORM LAKE, Iowa  (Aug. 31, 2026) - It’ll be a bit of a youth movement when this year’s Buena Vista men’s soccer team takes the field for the start of this season. A great deal of experience and production departed after last year to graduation. Fourth-year head coach Kelsey Resnick will be tasked with the challenge of replacing 86 percent of last year’s scoring output. Defensively, a new face will be tasked to patrol the net as both starting goalkeepers are also gone.

“Having a young roster and being able to lean on a ton of grit and excitement with the intention to take that next step forward in conference will be key,” says Resnick. “The group has come together over the course of the last year or so, and that is partially due to the fact that they have relied on the returners to guide them.”

As the calendar flips to 2026, there are over 20 guys on the roster heading into fall camp, but 15 of those individuals are underclassmen. Sophomore forward Brayden Schwinck is the team’s top returning scorer after netting one goal and dishing out an assist during his rookie collegiate campaign. Fellow sophomore defenders Cesar DeLeon and Vincent Dempsey each dished out one assist. Andres Gonzalez scored three goals and added a pair of assists to lead the way last season with eight total points. Dominick Kamrath also added three goals and was second in points with six.

Joining the list of returners are sophomore defender Lucas Ehle, junior forward Jeramiah Rediske and sophomore twin midfielders Jacob and Jeremy Freund. All four players appeared in at least 10 matches last fall and played in at least seven of the eight conference matches. 

Resnick has high praise for this group as they have made big strides over the offseason.

“Jacob (Freund) has pushed the standard in overall fitness coming into the season as well as finding his groove offensively,” adds Resnick. “Jeramiah (Rediske) will provide true leadership on and off the field continuing to push the standard, Daniel (Martinez) has come into the preseason extremely sharp with the hopes of being versatile in the midfield, and Cesar  (De Leon) received a ton of minutes last year at a couple of different positions and exceled at all of them.”

One of the team’s major focal points will be to continue building on its overall physical fitness and being sure that it’s just as strong at the end of matches as it is at the start of the opening whistle.

“Especially with a smaller roster size, knowing that guys will have to accumulate more minutes than usual,” he states. “Ensuring that the level does not drop from first minute of the game to the last minute. Coming into the preseason we have been extremely impressed with the scores that we have seen and expect to continue building throughout the preseason.”

The team will have eight scheduled home matches this season, but after a season-opening date inside of J. Leslie Rollins Stadium, the team is on the road for a good chunk of September. Being able to get off on the right foot will be pivotal in the mind of Resnick.

“The month of September will be somewhat brutal in terms of travel with only one other home game,” he says. “It will challenge this young team which lacks the experience of playing on the road.”