DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – For the 11th year, Mercy University Athletics will recap the year by counting down the Top-10 most memorable moments of the 2025-26 season, with all 10 sports represented.
Mercy University Athletics will release a Top-10 moment, as chosen by the athletics staff, with a recap every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the next three weeks culminating with the top moment from the 2025-26 athletic year being unveiled on Monday, August 3rd.
No. 8 – Men's Soccer Qualifies for the ECC Championship for the Seventh Time in Eight Seasons
Coming in at No. 8 in our 2025-26 Top-10 Moments is men's soccer who qualified for the ECC Championship for the seventh time in eight seasons.
Head Coach Pedro Velazquez and the Mavericks were picked second in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 9-3-5 in 2024, advancing to the Semifinals of the ECC Championship. Mercy opened their 2025 season with a 2-1 win at East Stroudsburg on September 4th. Senior Hugo Martin scored both goals as Mercy won their season opener for the first time since 2022 and defeated the Warriors for the first since 2022.
The Mavericks then played at No. 19 Southern New Hampshire on September 6th, holding their own before falling, 2-0, to the 2025 Final Four participants. Following the first week of games, Mercy was ranked fifth in the United Soccer Coaches East Region Poll.
Mercy returned to Dobbs Ferry to host Adelphi in their home opener on September 10th. Junior Mateo Sanchez made a game-high five saves, but the Mavericks dropped a 3-0 decision to a Panthers team that went on to make the NCAA Tournament.
Velazquez and the Mavericks bounced back with an exciting 3-2 win over 2025 NCAA Tournament participant Bridgeport on September 13th at Mercy Field. Mercy fell behind 2-0 in the 9th minute before junior Mario de Roque Zazon scored twice to tie the game at 2-2. The Mavericks took the lead in the 43rd minute when junior Pau Ramon scored off a free kick by sophomore Marcos Landivar, giving Mercy a 3-2 lead. Neither team scored in the second half, giving the Mavericks a 3-2 win. The Mavericks improved to 2-2 on the year and gave Velazquez his 90th career win as Mercy's head coach.
Mercy was ranked eighth in the United Soccer Coaches regional poll heading into their matchup at West Chester on September 17th. Sophomore Juan Gonzalez scored the game-tying goal in the 89th minute, off an assist from senior Mateo Bacigalupo, as Mercy earned a 3-3 draw on the road. Sanchez recorded seven saves and senior Matteo Azambuja and sophomore Santiago Dutilh both added goals.
The Mavericks recorded their second straight draw with a 0-0 tie against District of Columbia on September 20th in their ECC opener. Following the week of games, Gonzalez was named to the ECC Honor Roll and the Mavericks remained ranked eighth in the United Soccer Coaches regional poll.
Velazquez and the Mavericks were back in action on September 27th when they played at Queens. Senior Santiago Serrano and Bacigalupo scored and Sanchez made a career-high eight saves as the Mavericks dropped a hard-fought 3-2 decision to the Knights.
Mercy began the month of October with a 1-1 draw against Molloy on October 1st. Martin scored the Mavericks' lone goal of the game as Mercy recorded their third draw in their last four games. The Mavericks stepped out of conference play on October 4th with a narrow 1-0 loss to Southern Connecticut State. Sanchez made a game-high seven saves and recorded his 100th career save in the loss.
The Mavericks resumed play on October 8th when they hosted another NCAA Tournament participant in Wilmington. Senior Daniel Alvarez made a career-high six saves, but it wasn't enough as Mercy fell to the Wildcats. Mercy got back in the win column on October 11th when they earned a 2-0 win over Daemen. Martin and Bacigalupo both scored as the Mavericks picked up their first ECC win of the season and improved to 12-0 all-time against the Wildcats.
Velazquez and the Mavericks made it two wins in a row when they earned a 2-1 win over Pace on October 15th. Serrano scored a game-high two goals as Mercy moved to 4-5-3 on the year. Mercy kept their unbeaten streak intact when they earned a 3-3 draw at eventual ECC Champion Roberts Wesleyan on October 18th. Bacigalupo, senior Nicolas Cerda and Ramon all scored and Martin and de Roque Zazon both added an assist. After the week was over, Serrano was named to the ECC Honor Roll.
Mercy moved to 3-0-1 in their last four games with a 4-1 win at St. Thomas Aquinas on October 22nd. Junior John Hollis scored a game-high two goals and Bacigalupo and de Roque Zazon also scored as Mercy improved to 5-5-4 overall, 2-1-3 in ECC play and won at the Spartans for the first time since 2018.
The Mavericks celebrated Senior Day with a 0-0 draw against Staten Island on October 25th. Prior to the game, Mercy honored Alvarez, Mathias Joergenrud, Cerda, Bacigalupo, Martin, Serrano, Azambuja, Charles Lorenz and Mohamed Souhail. Following the draw, Mercy sat at 5-5-5 overall and 2-1-4 in ECC play. Hollis and Sanchez were named to the ECC Honor Roll on October 27th and the Mavericks were ranked tenth in the United Soccer Coaches regional poll.
Mercy wrapped up non-conference play on October 29th with a 3-1 win at American International. Dutilh and Ramon both had a goal and an assist as Mercy won at AIC for the first time under Velazquez. Sophomore Herman Borke netted his first goal of the season as the Mavericks moved over .500 on the year at 6-5-5.
The Mavericks needed a win or tie entering their final regular season game against D'Youville on November 1st to earn an ECC Championship berth. Azambuja gave Mercy a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute. The Saints tied the game at 1-1 in the 47th minute before Azambuja gave Mercy the lead back at 2-1 in the 56th minute, following assists from Hollis and Serrano. Alvarez and the Mavericks backline held D'Youville scoreless for the remainder of the game, giving Mercy the 2-1 win and their seventh ECC Championship berth in eight seasons. The Mavericks secured their fourth straight ECC Championship berth and defeated the Saints for the first time since 2023. Mercy secured the No. 4 seed in the following week's ECC Championship and would host No. 5 seed District of Columbia in a First Round matchup on November 5th. The win also gave Velazquez his 95th career win as Mercy head coach. The Mavericks ended the regular season 7-5-5 overall and 3-1-4 in ECC play, finishing the regular season 5-0-2 in their final seven games. After the win over D'Youville, Azambuja and Ramon were named to the ECC Honor Roll.
Prior to the start of the ECC Championship, five Mavericks were named to the ECC All-Conference Teams. Martin and de Roque Zazon were named Second Team All-Conference and Bacigalupo, Serrano and Ramon were tabbed Third Team All-Conference.
Alvarez made a team-high four saves in the First Round of the ECC Championship against District of Columbia, but the Mavericks dropped a 1-0 overtime decision to the Firebirds on a goal in the 100th minute. Mercy saw their season come to an end at 7-6-5, finishing with a winning record for the ninth straight season under Velazquez.
The Mavericks also excelled in the classroom during the 2025-26 academic year with Serrano, Azambuja, Diego Guzman, Hollis, Ramon and de Roque Zazon being named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Division II Academic All-District Team. Mercy also earned the ECC Academic Team of Excellence for a conference-leading seventh consecutive year, posting the highest cumulative GPA of all ECC men's soccer teams with a 3.62 GPA. 26 student-athletes were also named to the ECC Commissioner's Honor Roll.
The future looks bright for the Mavericks and they will look to win the ECC Championship and qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022 in 2026.
Schedule for the Top-10 Moments of the 2025-26 Season
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the next three weeks, the Mercy University Athletic Department will release the Top-10 moments one at a time beginning with the No. 10 moment on Monday, July 13th. The No. 1 moment will be unveiled on Monday, August 3rd.
No. 1 – August 3rd
No. 2 – July 31st
No. 3 – July 29th
No. 4 - July 27th
No. 5 – July 24th
No. 6 – July 22nd
No. 7 – July 20th
No. 8 – July 17th
No. 9 – Field Hockey Nearly Qualifies for NE10 Championship
No. 10 – Men's Basketball Earns ECC Academic Team of Excellence and Kohen Rowbatham is Named Third Team All-ECC and All-Met Honorable Mention
