LYNCHBURG, Va. – The 12th-ranked University of Lynchburg men’s soccer team captured the top seed in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference with a 2-0 victory over Shenandoah on Wednesday, giving the team home field advantage in each of three potential conference tournament games on Shellenberger Field.
The Hornets boasted an 8-1 conference record upon the regular season’s conclusion, outscoring their ODAC opponents 26-3. With a nearly unblemished 14-1-2 overall record, Lynchburg emulated the regular-season success that allowed the 2023 and 2024 clubs to advance to the ODAC Championship and host an NCAA Tournament pod at home.
“Shellenberger has been special for a long time,” said Head Coach Chris Yeager. “Whether it’s lacrosse, field hockey or a track event, it’s fun when everyone can support. All the athletes want to support each other, and it’s not like that everywhere else.”
While earning a strong record served as the team’s primary objective, facing difficult opponents throughout the season also prepared the team, particularly the younger athletes, for the upcoming stage.
“We put them in this situation early on by playing against good teams,” Yeager said. “If you prepare, you’ll be ready for the craziness and chaos that comes with it.”
Veteran Leadership
To complement the team’s young talent, Lynchburg’s goalkeeper Thomas Viscuso and the entire back line returned following the 2024 campaign. Senior defenders Benji Velasquez, who helped secure 36 clean sheets since their arrival in 2022, believes this trust is a key ingredient to success.
“We trust each other and we trust our coaches,” said Velasquez. “We know from their resumes that they’re really great coaches, and we trust ourselves to execute their game plans.”
Several Hornets resided in the Hill City over the summer to compete for Lynchburg F.C., a member of the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) that promotes offseason development for college athletes. Following the recent summer, Velasquez’s senior counterpart Reid Rouse recognizes a stronger bond.
“Chemistry stems not just from the L.F.C. this summer with the back line guys, but the seniors are even closer with the freshmen than in the past,” Rouse said. “In the preseason, we laid the foundation for this servant leadership.”
Even with heavy expectations as Velasquez and Rouse entered their senior season, they remained focused on the moment throughout the 2025 campaign.
“Obviously, we’re taking one step at a time,” Velasquez said. “Win on Wednesday and win on Saturday.”
“We’re not even focused on the NCAA Tournament right now,” Rouse said. “We’re focused on the next game. [Coach] Yeager said, ‘You’re guaranteed one more Monday practice. Everything else, you have to earn,’ and he’s totally right. This season could go into the first week of December, or it could end Saturday.”
With postseason play beginning this weekend, the team is focusing on its identity, rather than which team it will face.
“We talk about us more than anything,” Yeager said. “It doesn’t matter who we play against; our standard should be very high. We talk about swagger and having that in the preseason, and it’s different from being cocky. It’s important to have our chests out ready to go.”
The ODAC Tournament commences this Saturday, Nov. 1, as the Hornets host Eastern Mennonite on Shellenberger Field. All ODAC matches will be streamed live on FloCollege.
For more information, visit Lynchburg Sports
