FLUSHING, N.Y. – Following a 1-0-1 start to the 2026 season, head coach Frank Vertullo and the Queens College men's soccer team hit the road for a season-high three-match road stand, beginning Wednesday in Philadelphia, PA., before concluding the week in East Stroudsburg, PA.
 
For the second consecutive season, the Knights have opened the year with a 1-0-1 record, highlighted by the program's first-ever positive result against a team ranked among the top 10 in the United Soccer Coaches national poll. On Tuesday, Queens checked in at No. 4 in the East Region poll, marking a new program best under Vertullo's guidance.
 
Through two matches, the Knights have recorded three goals while averaging 15.5 shots per contest. Defensively, Queens has limited its opponents to 11.0 shots per match.
 
Senior Tommy Wagner was named the East Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Monday following a strong opening week. Wagner scored his first game-winning goal of the season to help the Knights open the 2026 campaign with a 2-0 shutout victory over Dominican University of New York. He and the Knights then battled nationally ranked No. 4 Southern New Hampshire University to a 1-1 draw on Saturday.
 
Senior goalkeeper Thanasis Shehadeh and junior Kleverson Bolanos were also recognized on the ECC Weekly Report Honor Roll.
 
Queens opens the week Wednesday against Holy Family University Tigers before traveling to Stroudsburg, Pa., Saturday to take on East Stroudsburg University Warriors, who enter the week ranked No. 10 in the Atlantic Region.

Holy Family University Preview

Holy Family enters Wednesday's matchup with an overall record of 0-1-1. The contest marks the 11th all-time meeting between the Knights and Tigers, with Queens holding a 7-2-1 advantage in the series.
 
The Knights have won each of the last five meetings, including a 4-0 road victory on Sept. 11, 2024.
 
The Tigers opened the season with a 5-0 loss to Millersville University before earning a scoreless draw against West Chester University.

East Stroudsburg University Preview

East Stroudsburg enters the week with an overall record of 1-1 and will host Thomas Jefferson University on Wednesday before welcoming the Knights to Stroudsburg on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Warriors enter the week ranked No. 10 in the United Soccer Coaches Atlantic Region.
 
Saturday's contest will mark the fourth all-time meeting between Queens and East Stroudsburg, with the Knights holding a 2-0-1 advantage in the series. The teams will meet in Stroudsburg for the first time since 2011, when they played to a scoreless draw.
 
Last season, Queens earned a 2-1 victory over the Warriors in Flushing.
 
East Stroudsburg opened the season with a 1-0 victory over Mercy University before falling to No. 11 Gannon University, 5-2.

NEXT WEEK OUTLOOK

Queens will conclude its three-match road stand next Wednesday in Bridgeport, Conn., against the University of Bridgeport before opening a season-best four-match homestand on Saturday, welcoming Georgian Court University to Knights Field.

For the latest news on Queens College Athletics, follow the Knights at queensknights.com or via social media on Facebook (Queens College Athletics), X (Formerly Twitter) (@QCKnights), and Instagram (qcknightsny), men's soccer (qcmsoccer).