WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – Fresh off a strong showing during an abbreviated spring season, West Liberty men's soccer coach Sean Regan's Hilltoppers will have to be ready to hit the ground running when they kick off a full fall slate later this week.
    After opening on the road Thursday afternoon with a non-conference match at PSAC West preseason favorite Mercyhurst (Pa.), the WLU men will be back in action on Sunday when they host defending national champion Charleston at the West Family Athletic Complex.
    Thursday's kickoff in Erie, Pa is set for 2 p.m. with Sunday's home opener kicking off at 4 p.m.
    "It's certainly a challenging opening weekend for us, taking on the PSAC favorites and defending national champions," Regan said. "That's two of the toughest teams we'll face all season. On the other hand, it does provide an excellent measuring stick for how we will be able to compete against big sides going forward."
    Regan's Hilltoppers competed quite well during the Mountain East Conference's eight-game spring mini-season. West Liberty won three of its last four matches, capping that run with a school-record five goals in a 5-0 shutout of Frostburg State, to tie West Virginia Wesleyan for the fourth and final MEC Tournament spot.
    "In all honesty, we probably overachieved a bit in the spring based on what we as a staff and team thought our expectations should be for a third-year program," Regan said. "Rising to the challenge the way we did down the stretch and missing out on the playoffs via a tiebreaker was a tremendous accomplishment.
    "We now know that we can compete day in and day out with the teams in a very deep and talented MEC and we hope to carry that momentum over into the fall. If we can take that next step and crack the top four places this year, it would be a big achievement."
    A small but solid nucleus returns from that squad, highlighted by returning All-MEC veterans Mikel Ubeda and Bernardo Vilchis. Mark Donnelly has come up big on numerous occasions during his time on the hilltop and freshman Vitor Otsuka had an immediate impact in the spring, earning honorable mention All-MEC laurels in his first college action.
    "From a talent and leadership standpoint, we're thrilled that Bernardo and Mikel are returning for their final season while attending graduate school," Regan said. "They are both brilliant players. We've also seen sophomore Mark Donnelly step up into a leadership role. His hard work during the off-season set a real example for his younger teammates."
    Speaking of youth, this year's Hilltoppers will be one of the MEC's youngest teams. All but eight of the nearly 40 players on the roster are freshmen or sophomores. Regan is extremely high on his newcomers, expecting many of them to challenge not just for playing time but for starting positions. Even so, there's no substitute for experience.
    "We are a very young team and we also need to remember that this fall will actually be the first full season any of our freshmen and sophomores have experienced," Regan noted. "That being said, I'm excited about the talent we've been able to bring in. Every one of them has the potential to contribute to the first team and I can see two or three of them making big contributions to our starting 11 right away. It's pretty exciting to see things coming together for this year and the future."
    Former West Liberty University men's soccer player Sebastian Jaramillo has joined the WLU staff as a graduate assistant coach. Jaramillo started for Ohio Valley University's 2017 G-MAC championship team before transferring to the hilltop.