2026 D3 Men's Soccer National Perspective

[Gregory Sager]

Former national powerhouse UW-Oshkosh is reviving its men's soccer program. The Titans, who made 14 D3 tourney appearances and reached the Final Four four times before deep-sixing the program after the 2015 season, will end their hiatus after a dozen years by returning to action in 2027.

This will bump up the WIAC to seven teams, with only UW-La Crosse failing to sponsor a varsity men's soccer program within that circuit.

[Mr_November]

Any word on who will take charge at the helm of Oshkosh?

[Ron Boerger]

Any word on who will take charge at the helm of Oshkosh?

They just announced they would start a "national search" two days ago ...

[Kuiper]

With the addition of so many men's soccer programs in the WIAC over the last decade (Eau Claire, Stevens Point, Stout, River Falls), you have to wonder how the return of Oshkosh is going to affect the recruiting landscape in the state.  Is there enough talent in Wisconsin soccer to supply all of the programs?  We've already seen some of the more successful programs going out of state, with Whitewater recruiting some internationally in the last two classes and Eau Claire recruiting throughout the Midwest and even into the Pacific Northwest, while Stevens Point has even gone into Texas for a few recruits and Platteville has twice as many kids from Illinois as Wisconsin (not surprising given its location).  It will be interesting to see if any of them regularly attract national recruits given the success of the programs.