Mines (0-9-2, 0-3-0) at Westminster (3-5-4, 1-2-1) – Thursday, 6 p.m. – Salt Lake City, Utah [Live Stats] [RMAC Network] [Tickets]
Mines (0-9-2, 0-3-0) at Colorado Mesa (4-2-5, 2-1-1), Sunday, 1 p.m. – Grand Junction, Colo. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network] [Tickets]

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WESTWARD BOUND
Still seeking their first win of 2026, the Colorado School of Mines men's soccer team returns to the road this weekend to take on two of the westernmost members of the RMAC with matches against Westminster and Colorado Mesa on Thursday night and Saturday afternoon.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
This weekend's matches will be available to watch with a subscription to the RMAC Network. Free live stats will be available as well. Links for video and stats can be found on minesathletics.com.
 
RMAC NETWORK 
The RMAC Network continues to have a pay-per-view model for all events. Fans can purchase monthly and annual subscriptions that will provide them access to all regular-season, championship, and archived broadcasts on the RMAC Network. A monthly subscription costs $25, and an annual subscription costs $130. Single-game passes are available for $12.50, which grants access to a single game for 24 hours. For technical support questions, fans can contact Hudl Support or email the RMAC directly (rmac@rmacsports.org). For further support, fans can visit the RMAC Network Help page.
 
THIS WEEK'S FORECAST
A mixed weekend of weather lies in store for Mines. Thursday evening in Salt Lake City should be pleasant, coming off a daytime high of 84 with no clouds and southwest winds at eight miles per hour. Sunday in Grand Junction could see some rain impact things with a 59% chance of storms, a high of 68 and southeast winds at 15 miles per hour.
 
WEEK 6 RECAP
Mines was on the short end of a pair of 3-1 and 4-1 losses to local rivals MSU Denver and Colorado Christian. Pol Garcia Oliveras provided the offense in each match, scoring twice on the weekend while Murray Peart and Djaz Less each recorded an assist against the Roadrunners. In goal, Zach MacDonald played both matches and recorded four saves in each outing.
 
IN THE POLLS
In August's RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, Mines was tabbed to finish eighth in the league this season. UCCS claimed the top spot followed by Regis, Fort Lewis, MSU Denver and CSU Pueblo in the top five. Westminster and Colorado Mesa were directly ahead of the Orediggers, while behind them South Dakota Mines, Colorado Christian and Adams State rounded out the final three spots in the 11-team rankings.
 
NEW MAN IN CHARGE
After joining the Orediggers as the program's top assistant in 2025, Ben Fredrickson was elevated to Interim Head Coach following the conclusion of the 2025-26 academic year. Prior to joining the Orediggers, Fredrickson served as Real Colorado's Assistant Academy Director and head coach of the U16 MLS Next Academy Team. Prior to his return to Colorado, he spent time in numerous roles with Tennessee Soccer Club from 2022 to mid-2024 as the Video Analysis Director, ECNL Head Coach and Assistant ECNL Director. Fredrickson also spent three seasons with Albion SC Las Vegas, where he was an MLS Next Assistant Coach, U14 Elite Academy Coach and club-wide Video Analysis Director. Prior to coaching at the club and professional levels, Fredrickson logged six years of experience at the collegiate level, getting his start in 2014 as an assistant with Division I Buffalo where he worked with eight All-MAC selections and one MLS draft pick. The following season he moved to Mobile, Alabama for two stints with Spring Hill College, the first from 2015-17 and the second from 2018-19. In between his time at Spring Hill, Fredrickson spent a season with Division I Duquesne University.
 
JOINING THE STAFF
Some new faces will be helping coach the Orediggers this season. Patrick Alvarez joins the bench as well after spending time at Bloomsburg as a graduate assistant following his playing career at Malone, bringing plenty of Division II experience to Mines. Ryszard Gorski joins the staff to work with the goalkeepers, and comes from the Colorado Storm organization where he serves as the Director of Goalkeeping.
 
FIVE YEARS OF ELIGIBILITY PASSES
In early August, NCAA Division II passed a sweeping change to eligibility rules that now gives all student-athletes five seasons of eligibility in a five-year span, and eliminates redshirting. It will apply to this year's incoming freshmen, and returning players can either convert to the new rule or be grandfathered into continuing with the old four-year model, whichever is more beneficial. The new rules supersede the previous freshman rule that allowed them to play in up to four games while still redshirting. 
 
NCAA CHANGES POSTSEASON PROCESS
Another significant change coming to NCAA Division II is how they select the postseason championship field. Playoff selections will now be handled solely by the NCAA Power Index (NPI) instead of regional committees, removing the human element from the process; NPI takes into account winning percentage and strength of schedule, quality wins, and home/away weights, rewarding challenging schedules and road wins more so than in years past.
 
AROUND THE WORLD
Eight different countries or territories are represented on the roster for the Orediggers in 2026. With 20 players hailing from the United States, seven others hail from all corners of the globe. Carlo Kobelt (Germany), Murray Peart (Australia), Djaz Less (Jamaica), Pol Garcia Oliveras (Spain), Marco Vecchini (Puerto Rico), Kaoru Kato (Japan) and Timothé Strout (Canada) bring an international flair to the program, the likes of which hasn't been seen in some time. Additionally, Zeus Tabora, Max Robertson and Luke Marcus all have international ties as well. Tabora has played for the U17 and U20 Honduran National Teams, while Robertson and Marcus both spent a year in Spain competing for CDJ Manisense after graduating high school.
 
THE CAPTAIN
Andrew DeBerardinis was selected by the team to serve as captain following the conclusion of preseason camp. The Colorado native and graduate transfer from Stonehill will be making his Mines debut Thursday afternoon. A veteran player on the Oredigger roster this fall, DeBerardinis brings four seasons of Division I experience with him as Mines looks to make a statement in the RMAC this fall.
 
YOUTH MOVEMENT
If one were to look at the Mines roster this fall, one of the first things to jump out would be the distinct lack of upperclassmen. Of the 27 players comprising this year's team, fifth-year senior Andrew DeBeradinis is the lone upperclassman of the bunch. The remaining 26 players are comprised of seven sophomores, four second-year freshmen and 15 first-year freshmen. Without question, that breakdown makes the Orediggers the youngest team in the RMAC by far.
 
LOOKING AT THE STANDINGS
Fort Lewis remains atop the standings with a record of 4-0-0 and 12 points followed by CSU Pueblo in second at 2-0-2 with eight points and Colorado Mesa in third at 2-1-1 with seven points. MSU Denver and Colorado Christian are tied for fourth at 2-1-0 and six points apiece while UCCS occupies the sixth and final playoff spot at 1-1-2 with five points. Regis (1-1-1), South Dakota Mines (1-2-1) and Westminster (1-2-1) are all tied for seventh with four points while Mines (0-3-0) and Adams State (0-4-0) are still seeking their first points of the fall in league play.
 
HEATING UP
No Oredigger has been hotter the last two weeks than Pol Garcia Oliveras. The freshman from Barcelona has scored in three of the last four matches for Mines and also has an assist as he's vaulted to the top of the stat sheet on offense with three goals and two assists on the year for eight points. Heading into the final month of the season, Garcia Oliveras is sure to be one to keep an eye on as he looks to throw his name into the running for All-RMAC honors.
 
WHAT'S A NUMBER
Aidan Wells debuted a new jersey number Sunday against Colorado Christian, marking the third different number he's worn this season. After wearing #16 for the first nine matches of his season, a ripped jersey sustained Thursday against MSU Denver forced him into the reserve uniform #99 for the rest of the match. Starting Sunday and moving ahead through the rest of the season, Wells be wearing #22. Unless of course another equipment mishap happens. We sure hope not, replacement jerseys aren't cheap.
 
CHECKING THE STATS
Pol Garcia Oliveras now leads the Orediggers in scoring this fall with three goals and is tied for the team lead in assists with two. The man's he's tied with in that category, Murray Peart, also has two goals this fall along with Avi Levin who also has an assist. Davyan Martinez has a goal and an assist, while Mason Robledo has one goal to his ledger. Kaoru Kato and Djaz less round out the offensive contributors with one assist each.
 
In goal, the revolving door continues as last weekend Zach MacDonald got the nod and made his fourth and fifth appearances of the fall. In 405 minutes, he faced 74 shots and allowed 11 goals while making a team-high 19 saves for a 2.44 GAA and a .633 save percentage. Noah Hildreth has started four times and in 315 minutes against 54 shots faced, has made 10 saves and allowed nine goals for a 2.57 GAA and a .526 save rate with one shutout. The veteran of the room, Kiernan DiBella, has started all three of his appearances and turned in the best numbers of the season. In 270 minutes against 44 shots faced, he's made 15 saves and allowed five goals for a 1.67 GAA and a .750 save percentage with one shutout.
 
On the season, Mines has been outscored 25-9 and averages 0.82 goals on 9.0 shots per match while opposing teams average 2.27 goals on 15.6 shots per match. They have eight assists on their nine goals. The Orediggers have combined for 45 saves in goal and taken 35 corner kicks. They have been whistled 142 fouls, issued 34 yellow cards and received two ejections.
 
SCOUTING WESTMINSTER
Westminster snapped a six-match winless streak with a 5-2 win over Adams State in Alamosa Sunday coming off the heels of a 2-1 loss to Fort Lewis to open their weekend. Sunday's win was the first for WU since a 3-1 win over #14 Western Washington on September 10.
 
10 different players have scored this fall for Westminster led by Max Edwards with his five goals. Owen Gallo is right behind in scoring with four goals, while Gage Wood, George Acurero and Parker Stebbing have all scored twice. Ben Kump, Jack Epstein, Ethan Ross, Kasen Smith and Broc Underhill round out the scoring with one goal each. Looking at assists, Ethan Williams leads the bunch with three on the year while Gallo, Wood and Kump have two assists each. An additional eight Griffins have also tallied an assist this fall.
 
In goal Oliver Olsen has been the main man, starting all 12 matches and playing all 1,080 minutes. Against 95 shots in that span, he has made 27 saves and allowed 19 goals for a 1.58 GAA and a .587 save percentage with one shutout.
 
As a team, Westminster is +1 in scoring this season at 20-19 and averages 1.67 goals on 14.2 shots per match while opponents average 1.58 goals on 7.9 shots. They have 17 assists on their 20 goals and are 1-2 on PKs this season. The Griffins have combined for 28 saves in goal and taken 61 corner kicks. They have been called for 104 fouls this year and issued 19 yellow cards.
 
SCOUTING COLORADO MESA
The Mavericks likewise split their weekend against Adams State and Fort Lewis, beating the Grizzlies 2-0 before dropping a 2-1 decision to the Skyhawks. Mines is the lone match on the schedule this weekend for CMU.
 
Nine players have scored in 2026 for Colorado Mesa led by the duo of Richie Tabares Ochoa and Edoardo Oliveri with five goals each. Tabares Ochoa also leads CMU with six assists on the season. Matteo Bonelli has scored twice while George Jones, Stefanos Christodoulakis, Jonah Elstad, Justin Ibrahim, Hayes Malone and James Maxwell have all scored once. Kamden Kooiman is second on the team with three assists, while a further five Mavericks have one assist each.
 
Nathan Beck has started all 11 matches in goal for CMU this fall and played all by 32:51. In his time spanning more than 957 minutes, he's faced 152 shots and made 42 saves while allowing 16 goals for a 1.50 GAA and .724 save percentage with three shutouts. Kenneth Linn has played the balance of time in goal, but hasn't seen action since the first weekend of the season. He has one save against the lone SOG he's seen.
 
Collectively, Colorado Mesa is +2 in scoring at 18-16 this fall and averages 1.64 goals per match on 16.2 shots while opponents have averaged 1.45 goals on 14.1 shots. The Mavericks have 14 assists on their 18 goals and are 1-2 on penalties. They have combined for 43 saves in goal and taken 62 corner kicks. CMU has been called for 119 fouls this fall and issued 16 cautions.

SERIES HISTORY
Mines enters Salt Lake City with a 16-9-4 record against Westminster all-time, but is looking for a reversal of fortunes from recent seasons. Since 2023, the Orediggers are 1-3-1 against the Griffins. When playing on the road, Mines is 5-4-3 all-time but hasn't won in Salt Lake City since 2022 as their last two trips in 2024 and 2025 resulted in a 1-1 draw and a 1-0 loss.
 
Against Colorado Mesa, Mines is 23-7-2 all-time with a mark of 11-3-1 in Grand Junction. Last season, the Mavericks won a contentious 2-1 match in Golden that saw 10 cards issued including to ejections after the final whistle. CMU has taken two of the last three meetings, but the last time the teams met in Grand Junction Mines earned a 2-1 win.

UP NEXT
The Orediggers will end the season with three of their final five matches at home beginning next weekend when they host Adams State and Fort Lewis October 15 and 18.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines men's soccer on X and Instagram at @minesmsoc and @mines_msoc. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, X and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.