Completed Event: Men's Soccer versus Utah Tech on October 23, 2025 , Tie , 2, to, 2
M Soccer
vs Utah Tech
T 2-2
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Insider: Newcomers start at NCAAs
5/1/2021 1:25:00 PM | Men's Soccer, Paul Coro, Lopes Insider Blog
Freshmen, juco transfers play major roles on national stage
MATTHEWS, N.C. – They flew across the country. They are staying in a high-rise, uptown Charlotte hotel among the nation's best teams. They stepped onto a NCAA tournament stadium field Saturday with a sign reading, "SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP."
The Grand Canyon Lopes are walking on elite men's soccer turf. For some Lopes players, Sunday's 1 p.m. (Phoenix time) game against Washington will mark their second NCAA Division I tournament appearance in three years. For four GCU starters, they are playing in an NCAA tournament game in their first year on the team.
Lopes freshmen Maximilian Moeller and Georg Bjarnason and junior college transfers Pedro Mondragon and Alejandro Fernandez Alcaide are major cogs in GCU's 8-1 season that ranks No. 11 in NCAA Ratings Percentage Index and No. 20 in the United Soccer Coaches poll.
As Hall of Fame head coach Schellas Hyndman ends his career at GCU with a 27th NCAA tournament trip, the Lopes program is just getting its Division I footprint started.
"The guys have been super welcoming from Day 1, like a big family, and being here in the NCAA tournament in my first year is a dream," said Bjarnason, a defender from Iceland. "This is something I want to do every year."
Bjarnason, Mondragon and Fernandez Alcaide helped a GCU defense that kept opponents to one goal or none in all but two games this season. Offensively, Moeller has been the Lopes leader in goals (six) and points (13) as a starting forward in all nine games.
"We have a really good opportunity to show everyone who we are and make some noise in the NCAA," said Moeller, who is from Germany. "We are seeing new places and we're around each other all the time like a family. We grow together, win together and lose together.
"It's pretty nice, I'm not lying. We're not done yet. We want to go as far as we can."
For Bjarnason and Moeller, the feat has come just as they learn more about the achievement. From conferences to RPI, the NCAA system can be dizzying for Europeans in their first year of a U.S. university
"It's bigger than I expected," Bjarnason said. "The stage is bigger. We're playing with the best teams from every conference. I'm understanding the importance of winning the game. If we lose here, our season is over. I just want to keep going."
This was the goal all along for Mondragon. Playing in the Phoenix area at Gilbert High School, Mondragon set out to play for GCU around the time that the team was en route to the 2018 NCAA tournament. He played one season at Yavapai, a junior college in Prescott, before joining GCU in January for a season that started Feb. 20. He came off the bench for the opener and has started ever since.
When he was asked to address the team in January, Mondragon told them, "I'm here to win a national championship."
Only 18% of Division I teams still have that chance in Sunday's round of 32, which is spread around the Charlotte area. GCU is one of five mid-major programs to earn an NCAA at-large berth.
"It's pretty cool to be in the tournament for real," Mondragon said. "To start eight games is pretty incredible for my first year. They gave me a chance to help the team, which I'm really proud of for how we've done this season. It's been an incredible run. I hope we're able to keep it going."
Those GCU newcomers make their NCAA tournament debuts with the help of five starters who played on the 2018 NCAA tournament team, which was sent home on extra penalty kicks by UC Irvine.
They also are helped by Hyndman, whose final NCAA berth puts him within one of the coaching record for NCAA tournament appearances (28 by retired Indiana coach Jerry Yeagley and current Maryland coach Sasho Cirovski).
With a 30-20-6 NCAA tournament record and three national semifinalists, Hyndman knows the value that his newcomers are getting by starting their GCU careers with a first-round bye and a chance Sunday to reach the Sweet 16.
"It's a whirlwind for them," Hyndman said. "I don't know if they understand or appreciate how hard it is to be here. I was talking to one of our players whose friend is at a Pac-12 team that hasn't been here and he's here for a second time. But now they're part of the culture that gets here every year hopefully.
"We understand the importance of this and we also understand the long-term value of this."
The Grand Canyon Lopes are walking on elite men's soccer turf. For some Lopes players, Sunday's 1 p.m. (Phoenix time) game against Washington will mark their second NCAA Division I tournament appearance in three years. For four GCU starters, they are playing in an NCAA tournament game in their first year on the team.
Lopes freshmen Maximilian Moeller and Georg Bjarnason and junior college transfers Pedro Mondragon and Alejandro Fernandez Alcaide are major cogs in GCU's 8-1 season that ranks No. 11 in NCAA Ratings Percentage Index and No. 20 in the United Soccer Coaches poll.
As Hall of Fame head coach Schellas Hyndman ends his career at GCU with a 27th NCAA tournament trip, the Lopes program is just getting its Division I footprint started.
"The guys have been super welcoming from Day 1, like a big family, and being here in the NCAA tournament in my first year is a dream," said Bjarnason, a defender from Iceland. "This is something I want to do every year."Bjarnason, Mondragon and Fernandez Alcaide helped a GCU defense that kept opponents to one goal or none in all but two games this season. Offensively, Moeller has been the Lopes leader in goals (six) and points (13) as a starting forward in all nine games.
"We have a really good opportunity to show everyone who we are and make some noise in the NCAA," said Moeller, who is from Germany. "We are seeing new places and we're around each other all the time like a family. We grow together, win together and lose together.
"It's pretty nice, I'm not lying. We're not done yet. We want to go as far as we can."
For Bjarnason and Moeller, the feat has come just as they learn more about the achievement. From conferences to RPI, the NCAA system can be dizzying for Europeans in their first year of a U.S. university
"It's bigger than I expected," Bjarnason said. "The stage is bigger. We're playing with the best teams from every conference. I'm understanding the importance of winning the game. If we lose here, our season is over. I just want to keep going."
This was the goal all along for Mondragon. Playing in the Phoenix area at Gilbert High School, Mondragon set out to play for GCU around the time that the team was en route to the 2018 NCAA tournament. He played one season at Yavapai, a junior college in Prescott, before joining GCU in January for a season that started Feb. 20. He came off the bench for the opener and has started ever since.
When he was asked to address the team in January, Mondragon told them, "I'm here to win a national championship."
Only 18% of Division I teams still have that chance in Sunday's round of 32, which is spread around the Charlotte area. GCU is one of five mid-major programs to earn an NCAA at-large berth.
"It's pretty cool to be in the tournament for real," Mondragon said. "To start eight games is pretty incredible for my first year. They gave me a chance to help the team, which I'm really proud of for how we've done this season. It's been an incredible run. I hope we're able to keep it going."
Those GCU newcomers make their NCAA tournament debuts with the help of five starters who played on the 2018 NCAA tournament team, which was sent home on extra penalty kicks by UC Irvine.
They also are helped by Hyndman, whose final NCAA berth puts him within one of the coaching record for NCAA tournament appearances (28 by retired Indiana coach Jerry Yeagley and current Maryland coach Sasho Cirovski).
With a 30-20-6 NCAA tournament record and three national semifinalists, Hyndman knows the value that his newcomers are getting by starting their GCU careers with a first-round bye and a chance Sunday to reach the Sweet 16.
"It's a whirlwind for them," Hyndman said. "I don't know if they understand or appreciate how hard it is to be here. I was talking to one of our players whose friend is at a Pac-12 team that hasn't been here and he's here for a second time. But now they're part of the culture that gets here every year hopefully.
"We understand the importance of this and we also understand the long-term value of this."
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's SoccerSenior Reflections
Wednesday, April 15
Baptized at GCU
Tuesday, April 14
Singles off BOTH bags. ONE inning. 🤯 #baseball
Sunday, April 12
HOMER from the DRONE 🥎 #collegesoftball
Saturday, April 11