CLAREMORE, Okla. – No. 13 Rogers State men's soccer (12-2-5, 8-2-2 GAC/MIAA) will face No. 4 Fort Hays State (16-0-3, 11-0-1 GAC/MIAA) in the 2025 GAC/MIAA Tournament Championship match on Saturday in Hays, Kansas. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at FHSU Soccer Stadium.
 
MIAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Rogers State has participated in every GAC/MIAA Conference Tournament since joining the league in 2019, holding an overall record of 5-3-3, including a 2-1 mark in penalty kick shootouts.
 
The Hillcats were crowned GAC/MIAA Tournament Champions in 2019, notching victories over Northeastern State (2-0) and Fort Hays State (T, 2-2; 4-3 in PKs). They continued their success in 2020 with wins over Southern Nazarene (1-0) and Northeastern State (1-0) in a tournament final held at Soldier Field, a season that was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these accomplishments, they did not receive NCAA Tournament bids in either of those years.
 
In the past four seasons, RSU has reached the conference championship match three times, most recently defeating Newman in penalty kicks (2-2; 2-0 in PKs) on Friday night. They narrowly lost to Fort Hays State in a penalty kick shootout (3-3; 7-6 in PKs) last season in Bethany. In the two seasons prior, RSU defeated Fort Hays State to advance to the title game but faced a strong challenge against the then-national powerhouse Southern Nazarene.
 
SIMPSON'S HILLCATS RACK UP CONFERENCE HONORS
Alex Laing, an All-GAC/MIAA Second Team selection in 2024, has been recognized as a First Team member and named the Defensive Player of the Year. The London, England, native played a vital role in the Hillcats' defense, contributing to 10 shutouts. In his senior season, Laing logged 1,071 minutes over 16 appearances, including 14 starts. He scored a goal in a match against Southern Nazarene on Oct. 11 and assisted in another game against SNU on Oct. 29. Laing also received the GAC/MIAA Defender of the Week award once this season.
 
Artur Carvalho, also a defender, earned a spot on the All-GAC/MIAA First Team, marking his third all-conference selection after being named to the Second Team in 2023 and 2024. The Faro, Portugal, native made a significant contribution to RSU's strong defense. He played in 16 matches, starting 12, and logged 1,218 minutes of playing time. This season, the senior recorded three points with three assists and received two Defensive Player of the Week honors.
 
Louis Bassett, who earned All-GAC/MIAA Second Team honors in 2024, made it back-to-back seasons with all-conference recognition, having previously received a first team selection. The Leicester, England, native was impressive this season, scoring 12 points in 17 matches, including 16 starts. The sophomore contributed three goals and six assists while taking 46 shots, with 19 on target. His consistent performance at forward earned him two GAC/MIAA Offensive Player of the Week awards.
 
Senior Brandon O'Rourke was named to the All-GAC/MIAA Second Team and received the prestigious GAC/MIAA Elite Scholar Student-Athlete Award for achieving a perfect 4.0 GPA. The Bartlesville, Oklahoma, native played in 19 matches this season, making 17 starts as a forward. He recorded 14 points, including five goals and four assists, and took 34 shots, with 13 on target.
 
Junior Jaxon Kendall had a record-breaking season in goal for the Hillcats, culminating in his selection to the All-GAC/MIAA Second Team. The Owasso, Oklahoma, native recorded 10 shutouts, the highest by an RSU goalkeeper in a single season. He boasts a 0.68 goals-against average and has made 65 saves so far. Kendall was named MIAA Goalkeeper of the Week three times this season.
 
Oliver Hemlin was named to the All-GAC/MIAA Second Team. The midfielder from Tring, England, appeared in 19 matches, including 13 starts. The junior recorded 10 points with four goals and two assists while taking 21 shots, 14 of which were on target.
 
Hayden Parker earned All-GAC/MIAA Second Team honors in his first season. The redshirt freshman from Owasso, Oklahoma, scored goals against UT Tyler on Sept. 17 and Southern Nazarene on Oct. 11. He has recorded 17 shots, with seven on target.
 
Sophomore Ashton Medina and junior Tom Dixon earned All-GAC/MIAA Honorable Mention honors. Medina has recorded seven points (two goals, three assists), while Dixon has tallied three points (one goal, one assist). This marks the first time the duo has received all-conference honors in their careers.
 
HISTORY AGAINST THE TIGERS
Tomorrow's championship clash between the Hillcats and the Tigers marks the 20th all-time meeting between the programs, with the series tied at 6-6-7.
 
Rogers State claimed the inaugural meeting against Fort Hays State University with a 1-0 victory in Claremore on Sept. 7, 2017. From Nov. 2022 to Oct. 2024, RSU enjoyed a series-best five straight wins against Fort Hays, outscoring them 14-3 during that stretch.
 
The fourth-ranked Tigers have won the last three matchups, starting with a 7-6 penalty kick victory in the GAC/MIAA Tournament Semifinals last season. This year, FHSU triumphed in a top-15 battle at Soldier Field on Oct. 2, winning 4-0, and then secured a 1-0 victory in Hays on Oct. 25.
 
Both teams are poised to host the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Nov. 21 and Nov. 23 at their respective home venues. The selection show will take place on Monday, Nov. 17, at 6 p.m. CT. RSU athletics will host a public watch party at the Dr. Carolyn Taylor Center, rooms B and C, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE TIGERS
Fort Hays State has had a remarkable season, claiming the GAC/MIAA Regular Season Championship with an unbeaten record of 16-0-3 (11-0-1 GAC/MIAA). The Tigers lead the nation with a 46-goal differential, outscoring opponents 54-8 in 18 games.
 
Ovelar Semeniuk (OPOTY), along with teammates Tadhg Walsh (MFOTY), Payton Roehrich (NCOTY), has propelled the team to its perfect regular season, earning a No. 4 national ranking. They became the first team in league history to complete the conference schedule undefeated, finishing at 11-0-1. Semeniuk led the GAC/MIAA in goals with 11, in game-winning goals with five, and in points with 26. Walsh contributed with four goals and five assists, placing sixth in the conference with 13 points.
 
In his freshman season, Roehrich allowed a goal in just four of his 18 appearances, ranking in the top 10 nationally in goals-against average, shutouts and save percentage.
 
Head coach Alex Nichols was named the GAC/MIAA Coach of the Year in his second season.
 
REGIONAL OUTLOOK
No. 13 Rogers State University men's soccer holds steady at third in the latest NCAA Division II Super Region 3 rankings, matching its highest regional ranking from the previous week.
 
The Hillcats have been featured in the Super Region 3 rankings all three weeks this season. They hold a 1-1 record in regional games, achieving a 3-2 win over Southern Nazarene but falling to Saginaw Valley in penalty kicks last season in Michigan.
 
Fort Hays State and Lincoln remain the top two teams in the rankings, with Rogers State (#3) and Rockhurst (#4) completing the top four seeds, all of which will host the opening round of the tournament. Other teams in the rankings include Cedarville (#5), McKendree (#6), Maryville (#7), Tiffin (#8), UIndy (#9), Northeastern State (#10), Saginaw Valley (#11) and Missouri S&T (#12).
 
The No. 3 and No. 4 seeds will host the first matches of the tournament, while the top two seeds will hold two games on their campuses from Nov. 21-23. For more information, visit DII Men's Soccer Rankings - Regional Rankings | NCAA.com.