CLAREMORE, Okla. — The Rogers State men's soccer team (9-4-5, 5-3-4 GAC/MIAA) will open the GAC/MIAA Tournament on Thursday against the Northeastern State RiverHawks. The semifinal is scheduled for 6 p.m. at FHSU Soccer Stadium in Hays, Kansas.
 
BACK TO THE CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
The Hillcats, led by former All-American and second-year head coach Jake Simpson, will compete in the GAC/MIAA Tournament for the eighth straight season. RSU has appeared in the tournament every year since joining the league in 2019. The Hillcats finished second in the regular-season standings with a 5-3-4 conference record and a 9-4-5 overall mark.
 
Last season, RSU reached the championship game after beating Newman 2-2, 2-0 on penalty kicks. The Hillcats took an early 1-0 lead in the final but lost to Fort Hays State 2-1. Jaxon Kendall, Tom Dixon and Alex Fletcher were named to the all-tournament team.
 
RSU won the GAC/MIAA Tournament in 2019, beating Northeastern State 2-0 and tying Fort Hays State 2-2 before winning 4-3 on penalty kicks. In 2020-21, the Hillcats beat Southern Nazarene 1-0 and Northeastern State 1-0 in the tournament final at Soldier Field.
 
MEET THE HILLCATS
Alex Laing, a three-time All-GAC/MIAA selection, made history as the first player to earn GAC/MIAA Defensive Player of the Year honors twice. The team captain from London, England, has played 1,212 minutes in 16 matches, starting 15, and has recorded eight points on three goals and two assists. He has helped secure eight shutouts while limiting opponents to 72 shots on goal during the regular season.  Last season, Laing was named a D2CCA All-America Second Team selection and a D2CCA and USC All-Central Region Second Team selection.
 
Brandon O'Rourke earned his second All-GAC/MIAA First Team selection, making him a three-time honoree after last season's second-team honors. The senior also received the GAC/MIAA Elite Scholar Student-Athlete Award for the second straight season. The Bartlesville, Oklahoma, native has recorded 12 points this season—four goals and four assists—while starting 15 of 16 matches. O'Rourke has also been named to the USC All-Central Region Second Team (twice), All-GAC/MIAA Second Team, CSC Academic All-America Second Team, and CSC Academic All-District (twice).
 
Sam Ryder earned his second All-GAC/MIAA honor with a first-team selection this season. The Christchurch, New Zealand, defender has played 1,432 minutes in 18 matches, starting 17. He has recorded six points, including an equalizer against Fort Hays State, and added two assists.
 
Tom Dixon earned a spot on the All-GAC/MIAA Second Team, his second all-conference selection after receiving honorable mention last season. The senior from Wolverhampton, England, has played 624 minutes across 10 matches, making eight starts, and recorded three points with a goal against Harding and an assist against Northeastern State.
 
Oliver Hemlin earned All-GAC/MIAA Second Team honors for the second straight season. The midfielder from Tring, England, appeared in 10 matches, starting eight, and recorded an assist against Southern Nazarene. He put six of his 10 shots on goal. In 2025, Hemlin earned D2CCA All-Central Region Second Team, All-GAC/MIAA Second Team and CSC Academic All-District honors.
 
Gian Filizzola earned All-GAC/MIAA Second Team honors in his first season with the Hillcats. The sophomore from Presidente Prudente, Brazil, has played 802 minutes across 18 matches, including five starts, and recorded three goals and five assists. In Week 3, he was named GAC/MIAA Defensive Player of the Week.
 
Tristan Miller (9-4-4) earned a second-team nod, his first All-GAC/MIAA selection. The true freshman goalkeeper from Cape Town, South Africa, has started 17 matches this season, posting a 0.82 goals-against average, seven shutouts and 54 saves. His outstanding play in goal has earned him GAC/MIAA Goalkeeper of the Week honors twice this season.
 
Senior Louis Bassett earned his third All-GAC/MIAA honor with an honorable mention selection. The Leicester, England, native has appeared in 15 matches, including 13 starts, and logged 843 minutes. He has recorded 12 points on four goals and four assists. Bassett has also earned USC All-America Third Team, USC All-Central Region First Team, and D2CCA All-Central Region Second Team (twice) honors during his career.
 
Alex Fletcher earned his first All-GAC/MIAA selection with an honorable mention. The senior from Pontefract, England, who serves as Student-Athlete Advisory Committee president, also received the GAC/MIAA Elite Scholar Student-Athlete Award. This season, he has started all 15 matches and played 1,189 minutes, contributing a goal against McKendree and an assist against Maryville. His performance against Maryville earned him GAC/MIAA Defender of the Week honors.
 
Freshman Mario Lopez Ayuso earned All-GAC/MIAA Honorable Mention honors in his first season. The Avila, Spain, native has appeared in all 18 matches, including 12 starts, and logged 932 minutes. He totaled six points on two goals and two assists.
 
Ashton Medina earned All-GAC/MIAA Honorable Mention for the second time this season. The midfielder from Frisco, Texas, has appeared in 14 matches, making 11 starts and playing 801 minutes. He recorded five points, including a goal against Rockhurst and three assists.
 
HISTORY AGAINST NSU
Tomorrow's semifinal matchup between the Hillcats and RiverHawks will be the 21st meeting between the programs. RSU leads the series, 12-5-3.
 
Rogers State earned its first victory in Tahlequah on Oct. 4, 2019, starting a five-match winning streak. RSU has won four of the past five meetings. The Hillcats and RiverHawks will meet for the third time this season after splitting their first two matches. NSU won, 2-1, in Claremore on Sept. 26, and RSU evened the series with a 1-0 victory in Tahlequah on Oct. 24.
 
ABOUT THE RIVERHAWKS
NSU concluded the regular season with a 7-9-1 (6-5-1 GAC/MIAA) record, finishing third in the GAC/MIAA regular-season standings.

After a bumpy start to the 2026 campaign, the RiverHawks found a rhythm down the stretch, winning three of their last four matches. Key wins included road victories over Southern Nazarene and Ouachita Baptist. They outscored opponents 5-1 in their last two outings.
 
Key players to watch are junior forward Carter Adams and senior midfielder Avelino Rosa. Adams led Northeastern State with five goals and 13 points, adding three assists while appearing in all 17 matches. Rosa contributed three goals and three assists for nine points in 15 appearances.
 
Victor Jaunay (4-3-1) and Cameron McColloch (3-6-0) have split goalkeeping responsibilities this season. Jaunay holds a 1.50 goals-against average with 33 saves, while McColloch has a 1.56 goals-against average with 33 saves and a shutout.
 
UP NEXT
Thursday's winners will advance to the championship game at noon Saturday, Nov. 7. They will face either No. 1 Fort Hays State or No. 4 seed Southern Nazarene, who are set to open the tournament tomorrow at 3 p.m.
 
The tournament champion will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The first and second rounds are scheduled for Nov. 12 and 14, followed by the third round and quarterfinals on Nov. 19 and 21. The national semifinals and championship game are scheduled for Dec. 3 and 5 in Kansas City, Missouri.
 
For more information on the GAC/MIAA Tournament, visit #theGAC/MIAA 2026 MEN'S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP - Great American Conference.