Wolverines gear up for title run as conference play begins
By Jase Herrick · Contributing Writer
The Grove City College men’s soccer team enters its 2025 PAC conference schedule with both confidence and unfinished business. After back-to-back runner-up finishes in the PAC tournament, the Wolverines are determined to break through and hoist the trophy that has narrowly eluded them.
With a dominate 4-1 over Bethany this past Tuesday, Sept. 23, the team might be able to make this goal a reality.
Head Coach Mike Dreves, now in his 20th season at the helm, has led the program through two decades of steady growth and sustained competitiveness. But for Dreves, this year feels particularly special. “I love the group that I have. We have a great group of guys that can really come together for our ultimate goal,” Dreves said.
That goal, of course, is a PAC championship. The Wolverines have come close the past two years, only to fall in the final. “The last two years have been hard, being in the title game and not winning. That’s what makes this season so exciting. We’re looking forward to another shot,” junior forward Ryan Higgs said.
According to Dreves, the 2025 roster is both balanced and deep, a mixture of tested veterans and hungry underclassmen. Sophomore attacking midfielder Luke Ladas is one name that keeps coming up.
“Watch out for Luke Ladas. He’s been really good for us,” Higgs said.
Dreves agreed, adding that the team’s overall depth should allow them to adapt to the demands of a long season. “We’ve got a very balanced roster of underclassmen and upperclassmen. It’s a group that loves to compete and will do so in every game we play,” Dreves said.
The college has already tasted adversity this fall, dropping its opening contest. For Dreves, that moment became a teaching opportunity.
“After our first loss, I told the men to choose joy. It’s about keeping your heads up and looking forward. That’s a lesson not just for soccer, but for life,” Dreves explained.
The Wolverines’ schedule offers plenty of intrigue. They renewed their historic rivalry with Penn State Behrend earlier this month and will face Geneva under the lights in Beaver Falls next Wednesday, Oct. 1. A rematch with defending PAC champion Franciscan, scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 15, also looms as one of the key showdowns of the season.
“There’s always some pressure in sports. But what matters is bringing the same mentality to every game,” Dreves said.
That pressure to win extends beyond men’s soccer. Grove City athletics has set a high bar in recent years, capturing 10 PAC championships in 2023 and 11 in 2024. Dreves acknowledges the weight of that success: “As a department, we’ve built an excellent culture. Our job is to carry that forward.”
For Higgs and his teammates, November’s conference tournament is never far from their minds. But before they can think about championships, they know every step along the way matters. “We’ve been close the last two years. Now it’s about finishing. We have the pieces, and we believe in what we can do together,” Higgs said.
With Dreves’ steady leadership, a mix of experienced veterans and rising talents like Ladas, the college looks poised to once again be a major factor in the PAC title race. Whether this is the year they finally climb the last rung remains to be seen, but the Wolverines are ready to take their shot.
The team will continue its conference schedule tomorrow, Sept. 27 at home against Allegheny. Action will kick off at 3:30 p.m. on Don Lyle Field.
