Loyola Men’s Soccer 2024 Preview

The Loyola men’s soccer team enters their third season in the Atlantic 10 Conference with aims to finally secure a postseason championship. The Ramblers’ previous two attempts fell short, losing to Saint Louis University 3-2 on penalties in the 2022 championship game only to once again come up short on penalties 5-4 against the eventual 2023 champions University of Dayton.

Head coach Steve Bode and associate head coach Graham Brennan are gearing up for their third consecutive season together, although the rest of the coaching staff has seen some shakeups.

Former assistant coach Calum Mallace joined Marquette University’s men’s soccer program, while goalkeeper coach Aleksandar Saric was transferred and elevated to an assistant coach of the Loyola women’s soccer team. Assistant coach Oscar Rivero is set to make his debut with the team after being brought on in late February. 

New Additions

Loyola’s 2024 signing class consists of 13 players, with two transfers and 11 first-years making the jump to the collegiate level.

Ameer Abdullah, a 6 ‘2 center back, joins the squad as a redshirt first-year following one season with the University of Pittsburgh. The Chicagoan previously played multiple years of club soccer with Chicago FC United in a captain and starting role, and gained international academy experience when he trained with Italian team AS Roma.

Providing depth in the goalkeeper’s box is the 6 ‘4 Hugo Bauer of Hamburg, Germany. The first-year international athlete last made an appearance with the West Ham United Foundation U19 Clarets and graduated from Gymnasium Heidberg last year.

Hailing from Santander, Spain is the 6 ‘1 striker Hugo Urdiales, who last appeared for Atlético Albericia, a team in the fifth-tier of the Spanish football league system. He attended the European University of the Atlantic and played at the youth level in Deportivo La Coruna’s academy.

Charlie Lacy brings positional versatility to the new crop of signings. The 5 ‘9 Ann Arbor, Michigan native can play both the forward and outside back positions. Lacy played three seasons on the varsity team at Ann Arbor Skyline High School and competed with the MLS NEXT side Michigan Wolves, earning a place in the 2022 All-Southeastern Conference team.

Daniel Firs, a 6 ‘2 center back from nearby Chicago suburb Park Ridge, Illinois, previously played for Maine South High School, scoring a total of 26 goals in four years. He also made appearances for Sockers FC Chicago, helping the Sockers’ defense allow the fewest goals in 2020-21. Sockers later went on to win the top position in the Mid-American region of MLS NEXT Soccer League that same year.

Benji Chavarria of Elkhart, Indiana adds to the Rambler’s depth at the forward position. At 5 ‘8, Chavarria has experience playing for the MLS NEXT academy team Indy Eleven and was a part of the U19 squad which captured the team’s first ever USL Academy League Playoffs Championship in December 2021.

Calvin Hess, a Racine, Wisconsin native, provides width on the Ramblers right side as the 5 ‘11 first-year can play in both the right wing and right back positions. Hess previously played club soccer in the MLS NEXT league, representing Chicago Fire FC from 2020 to 2023 and Bavarian United SC from 2023 to 2024.

The 5 ‘10 defensive midfielder David Siemionko hails from the Illinois town of Mount Prospect. He previously attended John Hersey High School and played club soccer for Chicago FC United.

Beck Rettenmaier, a 6 ‘1 forward, comes from Leawood, Kansas and carries numerous accolades. Rettenmaier previously attended Shawnee Mission East High School and played club soccer for Kansas Curt Scott Gallagher SC. Rettenmaier scored 38 goals and tabbed 30 assists over four years, with two All-Sunflower League First Team, All-State Second Team and First Team honors.

Luka Ivancic joins Loyola as a first-year with extensive club and international experience and provides depth as a 5 ‘11 midfielder. The Chicago local attended Northside College Preparatory, the second ranked high school in Illinois, and played club for the Chicago Fire’s MLS NEXT program and Sockers FC. Ivancic competed against international league clubs such as Manchester United and represented the U16 Croatian Youth National Team.

Liam O’Donoghue of Geneva, Illinois joins the Ramblers after being a three-year varsity starter at Geneva High School and club soccer appearances for Raptors ECNL. The 6 ‘2 defensive midfielder had a massive senior year, leading the DuKane Conference in goals and placing second in assists, earning All-Conference, All-Sectional and All-Area honors along with DuKane Conference Player of the Year, the first in Geneva’s program history since 2009. O’Donoghue was also named the Kane County Chronicle Boys Soccer Player of the Year.

Arved von Vegesack of Stockholm, Sweden previously played in the Swedish Youth League Second Tier with Nacka Gymnasium. The 6 ‘2 forward scored 17 goals with the U19 team and 10 goals with the U17 team in two separate seasons.

Nicholas Roe, a 6 ‘0 center back from Naperville, Illinois previously played for Benet Academy, earning four consecutive varsity letters, All-East Suburban Catholic Conference and All-Area honors, along with a 2023 ESCC Defender of the Year title and All-State call in 2024. He also played for Galaxy Soccer Club, earning back-to-back nominations to the 2022 and 2023 USYS Nationals Best XI’s.

Games To Look Out For

Loyola’s regular season starts with a trip to Ann Arbor, Michigan for a matchup with the University of Michigan Aug. 22 at 7 p.m. Loyola has lost both of its two meetings against the Big 10 Conference team, being outscored 7-3.

The Ramblers’ home opener at Loyola Soccer Park is Sept. 5 in a 7:30 p.m. matchup against Wright State University. The two teams haven’t met since 2012, when Loyola triumphed in a 4-3 offensive battle.

The team’s first conference matchup is Sept. 21 at 3 p.m. against 2023 A10 Conference champions Dayton at Hoyne Field. The last three matches between the teams saw ties at the end of regular time, one of which resulted in a loss for Loyola on penalties in last year’s quarterfinal.

The annual “Hustle to Hoyne” event takes place Sept. 24 against Red Line rivals DePaul University at 7 p.m. The Ramblers will look to add on to their three-game win streak against the Blue Demons. The head-to-head record between the two North Side squads sits at 9-6-5.

Loyola’s final regular season game will be against Saint Joseph’s University at Loyola Soccer Park Nov. 2 at 2 p.m.

Full Schedule

Exhibition

Aug. 10 vs University of Wisconsin-Madison at 5 p.m.

Aug. 14 at Western Michigan University at 4:30 p.m.

Aug. 17 at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee at 4 p.m.

Regular Season

Aug. 22 at University of Michigan at 7 p.m.

Aug. 29 at Creighton University at 7 p.m.

Sept. 1 at University of Nebraska-Omaha at 1 p.m.

Sept. 5 vs Wright State University at 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 12 at University of Illinois-Chicago at 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 17 at Oakland University at 4 p.m.

Sept. 21 vs University of Dayton at 3 p.m.

Sept. 24 vs DePaul University at 7 p.m.

Sept. 28 at Saint Louis University at 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 5 vs University of Rhode Island at 3 p.m.

Oct. 9 at George Mason University at 6 p.m.

Oct. 12 at Virginia Commonwealth University at 6 p.m.

Oct. 19 vs La Salle University at 3 p.m.

Oct. 22 vs Olivet Nazarene University at 7 p.m.

Oct. 26 at Fordham University at 6 p.m.

Nov. 2 at Saint Joseph’s University at 2 p.m.

Atlantic 10 Quarterfinals will take place on Nov. 8.