SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—The University of Massachusetts has accepted an invitation to join the Summit League as an affiliate member for the sport of men’s soccer effective July 1, 2025, both parties announced jointly Monday.
“Our men’s soccer membership put together a historic 2024 season and adding a UMass program that advanced to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals will continue elevating the Summit League as a preeminent men's soccer conference,” Summit League Commissioner Josh Fenton said. “I want to sincerely thank UMass Chancellor, Dr. Javier Reyes and Director of Athletics, Ryan Bamford for their collaboration and efforts to create this exciting new relationship.”
The Minutemen will become the seventh men’s soccer program in the league joining the University of Denver, University of Missouri-Kansas City, the University of Nebraska Omaha, Oral Roberts University and the University of St. Thomas and the University of Delaware, a fellow first-year affiliate member.
“This is a great step forward for our men’s soccer program, to be welcomed into a prominent league as an affiliate member,” Bamford said. “The Summit League has a nationally recognized men’s soccer brand with great programs that will be a tough test for our Minutemen. We are grateful for Commissioner Fenton’s leadership and the interest and support from Summit League coaches, Athletic Directors and President’s in adding our program.”
The Minutemen have made six NCAA Tournament appearances in program history, including a run to the quarterfinals this past season where they fell to future Summit League-foe Denver. The tournament appearance was the third for UMass under ninth-year head coach Fran O’Leary, who led the Minutemen to their furthest run in the tournament since to the 2007 team made the College Cup.
UMass, who finished 13-4-5 in 2024, has competed in the Atlantic 10 since 1987-88, earning five regular season titles and three tournament titles during that stretch. The program has produced 20 All-Americans and seven A-10 Major Yearly Award winners.
“It is a great day for UMass men’s soccer, having been invited to join the Summit League, one of the nation’s premier soccer conferences,” added O’Leary. “We look forward to playing against some terrific teams and coaches and a special thanks to our Athletic Director for his countless hours of work spent on finding us a top conference to compete in.”
The Minutemen are joining a league that is coming off tremendous success in the 2024 NCAA Tournament after qualifying two teams for the second consecutive season and holding the No. 3 overall RPI among the 22 Division I men’s soccer conferences.
No. 3 national seed Denver advanced to the College Cup for the second time in program history (2016), while Kansas City advanced to the third round for the first time in program history. With that success, a Summit League team has now won a first-round match in five consecutive NCAA Tournaments.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued—and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic and technological challenges in our world.
ABOUT THE SUMMIT LEAGUE
Headquartered in Sioux Falls, S.D., The Summit League is embarking on its 42nd year at the NCAA Division I level and offers 19 championship sports. The League's nine institutions have a combined enrollment of nearly 100,000 and include five located in top 60 U.S. metropolitan populations and two land-grant universities. Full-time member institutions are the University of Denver, University of Missouri-Kansas City, University of North Dakota, North Dakota State University, University of Nebraska Omaha, Oral Roberts University, University of St. Thomas, University of South Dakota, and South Dakota State University.
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