Lewisburg, Pa. – No. 4 Lehigh defeated No. 3 Bucknell, 2-1, on Saturday to claim the 2026 Patriot League Men’s Soccer Championship behind a goal and an assist from sophomore forward Bridger Baltes.
The Mountain Hawks captured their fourth Patriot League title and first since 2019, earning the League’s automatic berth in the 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship. The victory avenged Lehigh’s loss in last season’s championship match to Lafayette.
Senior defender Trey Sheeler was named the tournament’s most valuable player after scoring the game-winning goal in the semifinals against Boston University and anchoring the Mountain Hawks’ defense throughout the tournament. Junior forward Aiden Gonzalez, junior midfielder Shea Coughlin and Baltes joined Sheeler on the 11-member All-Tournament Team.
Bucknell senior defender Jack Lucas, junior defender Collin Sullivan and senior midfielder Kiko Hidalgo also earned All-Tournament honors.
Lehigh will find out its NCAA Tournament opponent during the 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Selection Show, scheduled for Monday, Nov. 16 at 1 p.m. The broadcast will be available on
NCAA.com.
For more information, visit the 2026 Patriot League Men’s Soccer Championship page by
CLICKING HERE.
2026 Patriot League Men’s Soccer All-Tournament Team
Trey Sheeler, Lehigh, Sr., D
Aiden Gonzalez, Lehigh, Jr., F
Shea Coughlin, Lehigh, Jr., M
Bridger Baltes, Lehigh, So., F
Jack Lucas, Bucknell, Sr., D
Collin Sullivan, Bucknell, Jr., D
Kiko Hidalgo, Bucknell, Sr., M
Chris Sullivan, American, Jr., M
Ian Webb-Johnson, American, Sr., D
Pharis Petrica, Boston University, Jr., M
Andrea Di Blasio, Boston University, Sr., F
2026 Patriot League Men’s Soccer Championship Schedule
First Round – Saturday, Nov. 7
No. 5 Lafayette 2
at No. 4 Lehigh 3
No. 6 Loyola Maryland 0 at
No. 3 Bucknell 1
Semifinals – Tuesday, Nov. 10
No. 3 Bucknell 2 at No. 2 American 1
No. 4 Lehigh 2 at No. 1 Boston University 0 (2 OT)
Championship Game – Saturday, Nov. 14
No. 4 Lehigh 2 at No. 3 Bucknell 1
NO. 4 LEHIGH (8-7-5, 5-3-1 PL) 2, AT NO. 3 BUCKNELL (10-9-1, 5-3-1 PL) 1
BOX SCORE
Lewisburg, Pa. - No. 4 Lehigh captured its first Patriot League Men’s Soccer Championship since 2019 with a 2-1 victory over No. 3 Bucknell.
*The Mountain Hawks struck in the fifth minute when senior forward Thomas Robertson broke free and set up sophomore forward Bridger Baltes for a 1-0 lead.
*Lehigh withstood five first-half shots, with senior defender Trey Sheeler and junior defender Paul Smajlaj contributing key defensive saves to preserve the 1-0 halftime advantage.
*Junior forward Aiden Gonzalez extended the Mountain Hawks’ lead to 2-0, scoring off an assist from Baltes.
*Bucknell cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 89th minute when freshman midfielder Viktor Permyashkin scored off an assist from junior defender Collin Sullivan.
*Junior goalkeeper Anton Kinnunen recorded three saves to earn the win as Lehigh’s defense withstood seven Bucknell corner kicks.
RECAPS: LEHIGH | BUCKNELL
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.