George Washington University Athletics
George Washington University
Old Dominion
Men’s Soccer Opens Watts Era vs. ODU, at Binghamton
8/19/2026 10:17:00 AM | Men's Soccer
The George Washington University men's soccer team opens up its 2026 season this week with matches on Thursday and Sunday, which includes the home opener and first career match for Matt Watts as Head Coach of GW men's soccer. GW starts its campaign vs. Old Dominion on Thursday (12 p.m.) before traveling to Binghamton on Sunday (1 p.m.). Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+.
Watts, with third-year assistant Nick Conklu and first-year assistant Richard Ainscough, brought in 13 new players this season while welcoming back 15 returners from 2025. Included in the returning class is goalkeeper Tom Macauley who led the A10 a season ago with 74 saves, and five other players who saw over 900 minutes last season: Ben McGovern, Nico Medina, Jake Poole, Colin Prendergast and Connor Russ. GW is an experienced group this year with 14 seniors and graduate students.
Old Dominion enters the season opener after finishing 2025 at 5-5-8 with a 1-3-5 mark in the Sun Belt Conference. ODU was picked to finish seventh of ten in the Sun Belt's 2026 preseason poll. Fourth-year forward Lewis Rourke was given the nod on the All-Sun Belt preseason team, returning to ODU after leading the team with 10 goals and three assists in 2025. The Monarchs have had the historical edge vs. GW, leading the all-time series, 1-6-1, which includes a 2-0-1 record vs. GW in early-season matches each of the last three seasons.
GW meets Binghamton in New York on Sunday and faces a Bearcats team that makes its debut on the road on Thursday at Mount St. Mary's (Md.). Binghamton was 4-13-0 last season with an 0-7-0 record in the America East Conference. The Bearcats' 2025 included a 3-1 defeat to GW in Washington, D.C., which gave the Revolutionaries a 2-1-1 lead in the all-time series. Binghamton was picked to finish eighth of eight in the America East preseason poll. Tommy Moon leads the program in his first year as interim head coach, and 12th year overall with the team.
