HELENA, Mont. - Valley Bank Field at Nelson Stadium will play host to its first official home game of the 2026-27 season this evening, as the (RV) Carroll Men's Soccer team hosts Dordt (Iowa) at 7 p.m.

A roster jam-packed with talent, featuring a mix of familiar faces and exciting new additions, will get their chance to set the tone for the season tonight, as the Fighting Saints open play against the Defenders.

Carroll Men's Soccer is a program on the rise, led by Austin Shick, who enters his fourth season at the helm. Success has followed Shick in his short time on the Hilltop. The two-time CCC Coach of the Year ('23, '24) has led the Saints to a pair of NAIA Men's Soccer National Tournaments in the last two seasons, and believes the group is talented enough again this year to make it three in-a-row.

"This group has a belief in themselves that if they take things game-by-game, day-by-day, and not get ahead of themselves, that they can achieve great things." said Shick "They certainly want a conference crown, and believe that they have the upperclassmen, skill, and leadership to do so."

The '26 Saints have leadership abound. Four players from Shick's initial recruiting class have remained all four seasons, and each have greatly contributed to the program's recent success. 

Sam Loughton (East Yorkshire, England) is the 2026 team captain, and provides supreme leadership both on and off the pitch. Last season, the midfielder was a Second Team All-CCC selection, finishing with a career-best six goals - including three game-winners. Sean Balen (Mukilteo, Wash.) has appeared in every match all three seasons, filling multiple roles at a very high level. Enrico Paparelli (Sao Paulo, Brazil / R-JR) led the Saints in scoring as a true freshman, but lost his entire sophomore season to a knee injury. Paparelli bounced-back in the later stages of 2025, and looks to return to full form in '26. Felix Billard (Mallorco, Spain) is a multi-time All-CCC performer, and was named the 2024 CCC Offensive Player of the Year. Billard enters the year with 26 career goals, just seven shy of matching the program's career record (33 - Jose Porras 2015-18).

The veteran roster also features plenty of upperclassmen transfers, looking to make immediate impact as the Saints chase their second conference title in program history. In total, the 2026 team features 11 upperclassmen transfers.

The NAIA released its Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll on Wednesday, and for the second consecutive year Carroll begins the year in the receiving votes portion of the poll.

Over the past three seasons Carroll has been as stout defensively as any team in the NAIA. Solid play from the back line, paired with outstanding defense in the net have helped close out countless victories, but this season will look a bit different. Goalkeeper Juan Muniz Navarrete has graduated, and with the Honorable Mention All-American out of the picture the competition for starting keeper has been strong. Capital product Dane Quinn (Helena, Mont. / JR), transfer Noah Jordan (Deer Park, Wash. / JR), and freshman Ronnie Meadows (Hythe, England) are all viable options in the net for the Saints in 2026.

"When I first got here, Juan - he was the guy." said Shick "Big shoes to fill. I have a big decision to make there, but whoever it ends up being I know will have the full faith of the team. All of the guys are very capable, where we may have been weak in years past, they are strong."

The Saints have been on-campus for several weeks now, with the grind of daily fall practices and several scrimmages already under their belt. Shick believes it's been one of the best preseasons in his time.

"We've never really had a fall camp go as smoothly as this one. I'm quite proud of this group, and the future is really bright."

"The early season is so good for us because we brought in such a large freshman class this year. It's just a really good chance for them to run with the older guys, and see what they're capable of. We've given them every opportunity to play these couple weeks, and some of those guys have really, really shined."

Any potential championships or tournament appearances come November, however, begin with game one. 

"It's a tone-setter." said Shick of the home opener "We haven't had a season-opener at home since I've been here, and it was a point of emphasis for us this year. You can't lose a counting game at Nelson. We've lost three in my time - that's the mentality of this team this year. We've got to win at Nelson."

The energy is at an all-time high around the home-opener, and Carroll will look to take the first ever meeting between the Saints and Defenders. Dordt comes into the 2026 season off a 5-6-6 campaign last year, but new leadership this fall. Head Coach Tim Lee enters his first season at the helm, and the Defenders were picked eighth in the GPAC preseason poll. 

"We don't know too much about Dordt, they've done a great job of keeping their close to their chests, so we're going to out there and focus on us. I think that's a really good place for us to be, to play the best Carroll soccer possible and be ready for whatever they throw at us."

First touch for the season-opener is slated for 7 p.m., and a live stream can be found on the Fighting Saints Network, HERE. Live stats for the game can be followed HERE.