JACKSON, Miss. – The Millsaps men's soccer team is looking to dominate the 2025 season with a 40-man roster composed of 21 returners and 19 new faces, including four transfers. The Majors will be led by third-year head coach Gentry Johnson along with assistant coaches Jeramey Anderson and Stephen Roberson.      

Millsaps looked strong in preseason with a 2-0-1 ledger against three junior colleges. The Majors defeated Holmes Community College, 3-0 and East Mississippi Community College, 12-0, while earning a scoreless draw with Copiah-Lincoln Community College.

The Majors will be returning two All-SAA Honorable Mention sophomore student-athletes in Ellis Dykes and Drew Mckeithen.  

Dykes led the Majors with 19 shots on goal and 33 shots taken. He also was tied for first with his peers with three goals scored.  

During his freshman campaign at forward he appeared in all 16 matchups while making 14 starts.

On Oct. 18, Dykes helped the Majors defeat Berry College, 1-0 after making the game-winning shot to better the Vikings in a conference matchup.

McKeithen, another young leader on the Majors squad at midfield, started in 15 games last season. He led the team with three assists and was fourth with six shots on goal. 
 
Showing he has the talent to compete on the collegiate level, McKeithen's success on the field helped him accumulate 13 total shot attempts.

On Sept. 14, McKeithen registered two goals and an assist to help the Majors battle to a 3-3 tie against Ecclesia College.

Other returning forwards will include sophomore Ethan Pratt (eight appearances, six shots, two shots on goal) along with classmates Nic Theriot (11 game appearances, three shot attempts) and Dawson Alexandre (16 game appearances, eight shot attempts).

Adding more talent to the forward group will include sophomore transfer Joseph Makamdop, freshmen Brady Bell, Trinden Holliday, David Olinde and Myles Walden. Makamdop recently attended the University of Herfordshire in the United Kingdom and hails from Cameroon. Bell is also listed as a midfielder.

Other talented midfielders back include sophomores Harrison Williams (started all 16 games, one goal scored, four shots), Alden Romano (14 appearances, 13 starts, six shot attempts, one assist), Greer Hernandez and Aidan Brown will also look to make an impact alongside junior Ryan Hoover.

Romano also received the 2024 SAA All-Sportsmanship Award for always showing respect to his opponents while playing on the field.  

Expanding their roster in the middle, the Majors added freshmen Raul Blandon, Miles Darling, Walker Hill, Abram Lawless, Christian Lopez and Dylan Speaks. NCJAA junior transfer Braden Walters from Itawamba Community College also looks to have a successful career with the Majors.  

Junior Hogan Payne, an outstanding leader for the Majors, will be returning for the 2025 season. Last year Payne tied for first on the team with three tallies that he accomplished against East Texas Baptist University, Huntingdon College and Ecclesia College.  

Last season Hogan appeared in 16 games while making 13 starts and patrolled the defensive and midfield sections of the field. He was tied for second on the team with 11 shots on goal.

Working together with Payne, senior Sam Cagle is another key contributor to keep an eye on from last season. He appeared in 16 games while making 15 starts and will be teaming up as a defensive midfielder to stop his opponents from scoring. On Oct. 13, Cagle scored his first goal of the season against Centre College.

The Majors will also be returning senior Lane Kirk (15 appearances, nine starts), sophomores Kaleb Wilkins (15 appearances, 11 starts, seven shots), Anthony Charbonnet, Drake Dilodovico and Hayden Fisher.

A pair of junior transfers in Bryon Shepard (Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College) and Ian Woodrey (Holmes Community College). Graduate student Alfredo Espinosa will also compete in his first collegiate season in the backline.

Additionally, freshmen Tyler Hervey and Hughes Schneidau complete the defense with redshirt freshman Daniel Lee.

On the goaltending side, senior Michael Hamauei, a 2022 and 2023 All-SAA Honorable Mention and SAA Defensive Athlete of the Week will return to the box after appearing in making 15 starts during this junior campaign.

As a veteran, he motivates other teammates to play at their best while finding ways to shutout his opponents. Hamauei posted 10 saves on three separate occasions a year ago.

Sophomore Alden Davenport is another talented goaltender to watch out for during the 2025 season. During Davenport's freshman campaign, he appeared in two games. 

On Sept. 15, Davenport saw his first collegiate start against Ecclesia College and helped draw a 3-3 contest against the Royals.

However, the Houston, Texas, native's impact did not stop there. On Oct. 18, Davenport would help the Majors down Berry College, 1-0 after stepping into the contest in the second half and making a crucial save to help preserve the shutout.

Junior Gavin Pocasangre could potentially see more playing time this season as well. The Majors also added freshman David Hollmann and Edward Steinwand to help defend between the goalposts.

The Majors will begin the regular season at home against MUW on Friday, Aug. 29. A total of 17 regular-season matches, including 10 non-conference matches, will take place prior to the SAA Tournament in early November. A total of six of the eight conference teams will qualify for postseason play.

All available live video and live stat links will be posted on the Millsaps College men's soccer schedule page on gomajors.com.
 
2025 MILLSAPS COLLEGE MEN'S SOCCER SCHEDULE 
  

DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	NOTES
Tuesday, Aug. 19	vs. Holmes CC	7 p.m.	Exhibition for Both
Friday, Aug. 22	vs. Co-Lin	5 p.m.	Exhibition for Both
Saturday, Aug. 23	Alumni Match	1 p.m.	Exhibition for Both
Tuesday, Aug. 26	vs. EMCC	7 p.m.	Exhibition for Both
Friday, Aug. 29	vs. MUW	4 p.m.	Home/Season Opener
Thursday, Sept. 4	at ETBU	7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 6	at LeTourneau	3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 9	Reserve Match at Blue Mountain	3:30 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 11	vs. Pensacola Christian	7 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 16	vs. Huntingdon	6 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 18	Reserve Match vs. Belhaven	6:30 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 21	vs. Lyon	11 a.m.	Senior Day
Wednesday, Sept. 24	vs. Tougaloo	6:30 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 28	at LaGrange	12 p.m. CT
Friday, Oct. 3	vs. Centre	5 p.m.	SAA Opener
Sunday, Oct. 5	vs. Sewanee	1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 8	vs. Belhaven	6:30 p.m.	Riverside Derby
Saturday, Oct. 11	vs. Berry	1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 14	vs. United States Sports University	7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 18	at Oglethorpe	12:30 p.m. CT
Friday, Oct. 24	at Southwestern	7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 26	at Trinity	1:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 31	vs. Rhodes	7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 6	at SAA Championship	TBD	Top 6 Teams Qualify
Friday, Nov. 7	at SAA Championship	TBD
Sunday, Nov. 9	at SAA Championship	TBD

 
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps College men's soccer program follow the Majors on X and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook and visit gomajors.com.  
 
Founded in Jackson, Mississippi in 1890, Millsaps College is a national liberal arts college dedicated to academic excellence, open inquiry and free expression, the exploration of faith to inform vocation and the innovative shaping of the social, economic and cultural progress of our region. Consistently ranked as one of the best values in higher education, Millsaps has been praised by Colleges That Change Lives, The Princeton Review, Forbes Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, The John Templeton Foundation, and The Fiske Guide to Colleges.