Talladega, Wiley men clinch HBCUAC Soccer Championship No. 1 Seeds
NEW ORLEANS - November 2, 2025 - The men's soccer field is set for the 2025 Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference Soccer Championship hosted by Visit Shreveport-Bossier, which kicks off November 4 and concludes with the championship match on November 7 at Lee Hedges Stadium in Shreveport, La. Talladega College won the East Division and Wiley University won the West.
The Tornadoes (3-7-0, 3-1-0 HBCUAC) prevailed in a highly contested East Division race with each team winning a match. They clinched the division with a 3-1 victory over Oakwood on Wednesday, avenging their 1-0 loss earlier in the season. Christopher Syms leads the team with five goals and ranks third in the HBCUAC with 27 shots. Malachi Daniel follows with three goals and an assist. Goalkeeper Tariq Singh ranks second in the conference with 36 saves. Talladega earns a bye to the semifinals and will face the winner of Tuesday's 3 p.m. match between West No. 2 Huston-Tillotson University and East No. 3 Tougaloo College at noon on Wednesday.
The Rams (7-7-0, 2-2 HBCUAC) won both matches against Paul Quinn College. Manuel Guevara leads in scoring with five goals and three assists. He ranks fifth in the conference in goals, third in assists and second in points. Mauricio Olivares will likely start in goal. He has made 18 saves in seven appearances and five starts. He ranks fifth in the conference with a 2.36 goals against average.
The Bulldogs (1-5-0, 1-3-0 HBCUAC) defeated Oakwood University for their only victory. Helix Owusu leads the team in scoring with three goals. Kelvin Gardner has made 36 saves in five starts.
The Wildcats (7-3-2, 3-0-1 HBCUAC) went unbeaten during conference play and outscored their opponents 10-2. This is their highest win total since restarting the program in 2023 and most since 2017. Anthony Ulloa and Jayce Graves share the conference lead in goals at six. Ulloa also leads in points with 14 while Graves is tied for second at 13.Ten players have scored goals. Defensively, Wiley has posted five shutouts. Kevin Nievas and Daniel Rojas have split time at goalkeeper. Nievas is 3-3-1 and ranks third in the conference with a 2.06 goals against average. He has made saves on 19 shots. Rojas has a 0.43 goals against average in six starts. He has three solo shutouts and contributed to another. He has stopped 12 of 14 shots. The Wildcats earned a bye into the semifinals and will face the winner of Tuesday's 9 p.m. match between East No. 2 Oakwood University and West No. 3 Paul Quinn College at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
The Ambassadors (2-6-0, 2-2-0 HBCUAC) beat Talladega and Tougaloo College. Isaac Abrahams, Alessandro Davis and David Thompson each scored two goals. Neriah Bean has made 33 stops in five matches.
The Tigers (2-5-6, 0-3-1) tied the HBCUAC West Division champion Wiley. Amando Garcia is tied for the conference lead with six goals. Frankie Oviedo follows with five. Andrew Martinez leads the HBCUAC with 48 saves.
Fans can catch all the excitement on the Urban Edge Network. Tickets for the championship can be purchased at Tournament Central on hbcuac.org.
2025 HBCUAC Soccer Championship Schedule
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4
OPENING ROUND
West No. 2 Huston-Tillotson University vs. East No. 3 Tougaloo College, 3 p.m.
East No. 2 Oakwood University vs. West No. 3 Paul Quinn College, 9 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5
SEMIFINALS
East No. 1 Talladega College vs. Huston-Tillotson/Tougaloo Winner, Noon
West No. 1 Wiley University vs. Oakwood/Paul Quinn Winner, 6 p.m.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7
CHAMPIONSHIP
Semifinals Winners, 6 p.m.
About the HBCU Athletic Conference
The HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) is the only HBCU conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The HBCUAC membership includes Dillard University (LA), Fisk University (TN), Huston-Tillotson University (TX), Oakwood University (AL), Paul Quinn College (TX), Philander Smith University (AR), Rust College (MS), Southern University at New Orleans (LA), Stillman College (AL), Talladega College (AL), Tougaloo College (MS), University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas), Voorhees University (SC), Wilberforce University (OH), and Wiley University (TX). HBCUAC sponsors championships in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's track and field, women's volleyball, softball, and baseball. In 2022, the HBCUAC secured the largest media rights deal in conference and NAIA history, signing a multimillion-dollar deal with Urban Edge Network. On July 1, 2024, the conference rebranded from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) to the HBCU Athletic Conference, marking a new era for the conference that embodies the makeup of its membership. For more information, visit hbcuac.org.