BALTIMORE - UMBC men's soccer kicks off the 2026 season on Thursday, hosting UNCW at Retriever Soccer Park. Due to weather in the area, the game time has been shifted to 1 p.m. The Dawgs remain home on Sunday for the Welcome Retrievers Contest and Inaugural Blake Elliott Cup match.  UMBC opens the 2026 season with a horde of new faces, welcoming 15 newcomers to Anthony Adams' program. Adams brings in seven first-year players and eight transfers to the 2026 squad, joining returners Shawn Shvartshtein, Adamo Pantaleo, and Gunder Miller, all of whom played over 1,200 minutes for the Retrievers in 2025. 

Pantaleo, a junior defender from Canada, will serve as one of the team's two captains alongside newcomer Tancredi Fadda. Pantaleo started 14 games a year ago, logging nearly 1,400 minutes in defense. Shvartshtein, another Canada native, started all 17 games as a freshman, earning a spot on the America East All-Rookie Team. Miller, a junior forward from Oregon, scored a goal and added an assist in 2025, starting 15 games for the Retrievers. 

Jonas Nistad, Trae Robeson, and Simon Vujinovic all played more than 250 minutes for the Retrievers a year ago. 

The Retrievers posted a record of 6-6-5 in 2025, earning the fifth spot in the America East playoffs, falling in penalty kicks to fourth-seeded New Hampshire after playing to a 0-0 draw. 

UMBC was voted fifth in the America East preseason poll.

THE SEAHAWKS

UNCW posted a 5-9-2 record in 2025, going 4-4 in the CAA before falling to second-seeded Campbell.

The Seahawks, who extended their league record with a 29th CAA Tournament appearance, had three student-athletes named to the Preseason All-CAA Team. Midfielder Osei Gyamfi, defender Jake Roberts, and goalkeeper Trey Smiley all earned honors, while Bryan Miralrio and Gavin Carmichael were named Honorable Mentions. 

Carmichael and Smiley started all 16 games last season, with Carmichael adding a goal and two assists, while Smiley made 58 saves. 

Gyamfei scored three goals and added three assists in 1,025 minutes last season, with Miralrio chipping in four goals and three assists in just under 1,000 minutes. Roberts transferred in from Campbell where he was named to the All-CAA Third Team.